The TOSCANINI project (ulTrasonic mOuld Sensor enhanced with maChine leArNIng techNIques), concerning the development of a new and innovative class of level sensors to be applied to the mold of the continuous casting machine, is positioned within the technological field of steel production.
For its implementation, a partnership was established between Ergolines, an SME active in the creation of electromagnetic systems and process sensor technology, Acciaierie Bertoli Safau (ABS), a leading steel producer and end user of the new device, and the University of Udine, a research institution that, thanks to studies in AI, enabled the integration of new analysis algorithms into the investigated solution.
The objective of Toscanini is to create a measurement and process monitoring system enhanced by data analysis execution using machine learning techniques. The new device will allow, thanks to a greater construction complexity derived from a high number of individual measurement points, the improvement of the control of the operational conditions of the mold, a central and extremely critical element for the entire casting process. This innovative class of sensors, in fact, aims at real-time reading of any anomalies in the thermal field, indicative of extremely critical process issues such as break-out phenomena or solidification inconsistencies. Toscanini is a solution that further consolidates the push towards Industry 4.0, with a focus on improving environmental performance, representing a pioneering alternative to radioactive sources.
