From 14 to 16 January 2020, Gefond gave a world preview of Perpetuo at Euroguss. Perpetuo is the first artificial intelligence software for predictive maintenance in the foundry.
Over the course of 2020, the European Union will invest twenty billion Euro in artificial intelligence. By 2022, a quarter of the world’s manufacturing will be using artificial intelligence for processes such as technical assistance and maintenance. With the advent of Industry 4.0, maintenance for production equipment is no longer limited to just replacing worn parts. Instead, it has become part of the production strategy, alongside mathematical models that help maintenance staff adopt a new data-based approach.
Gefond has risen to this challenge, and is now presenting Perpetuo, the first artificial intelligence software. Intuitive and easy to use, it was created in the foundry, for foundries. It is the only software which can talk to any machine or device in the high-pressure die-casting cell. Perpetuo is the solution that transforms a wealth of experience in equipment maintenance into a software platform that constantly monitors machines and their trends, using Machine Learning algorithms to keep one step ahead of any anomalies.
The sensors, which are often already present in die-casting cells, help understand the condition of the various components in real time. This makes it possible to arrange any measures and organise maintenance before the fault occurs. Analysing data collected in real time is of strategic importance when it comes to identifying undesirable performance in mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic parts subject to wear or faults. The system, which meets with IATF certification requirements, works alongside production without altering the existing organisation in any way. As a result, schedules and maintenance costs are optimised.
The result is a modular, flexible solution which can be customised, allowing preventive maintenance to be managed whilst implementing predictive maintenance. Perpetuo is easy to integrate with any other management, production or maintenance software on the market.
Perpetuo is an essential tool for helping foundries not only with day-to-day maintenance, but also with their strategic development vision.
“We are proud and enthusiastic to be amongst Perpetuo’s first supporters. Our company has always placed the accent on production and quality,” states Fabio Voltazza, CEO of Pressofusione Saccense, an automotive supplier for Bosch. This major cutting-edge company offers products of outstanding technological quality that must meet the high standards of the international market. “Predictive maintenance is a starting point for developing the industry. Our sector finally has the instrument it needs, and it has been developed to suit our needs and requirements."
“Industry 4.0 has prompted companies to buy machines that collect data, but the data are rarely checked, analysed and linked together. By turning data collection into a useful tool, foundries can achieve greater stability in their production process. At the same time, they can reduce machine downtime whilst improving quality. Perpetuo came about from this realisation. A cultural change is needed. We need to look after machinery. Not just own it, but actually look after it. This is Gefond’s mission for a long life industry,” says Tiziana Tronci, External Relations Manager and New Product Development Manager at Gefond.
