In this interview, Nina Rasmussen, SVP and Head of Monitizer, shares how data, AI, and transparency are reshaping foundry operations worldwide. She explains why digital decision support is becoming essential for cost control, quality stability, and sustainable production — and what it truly takes to make digital transformation work in practice.
A conversation for foundries aiming to reduce surprises, cut scrap, and make confident, data-driven decisions.
FP: “Nina, you’ve led Monitizer through a remarkable phase of growth. What personal experiences or industry insights shaped your vision for bringing IIoT and AI into the heart of traditional foundry processes?”
In most foundries, plenty of data already exists, but turning it into decision-ready insight is still a challenge. Decisions often depend on individual experts, and processes are optimized in silos rather than as a connected whole.
That gap shaped the vision behind Monitizer. Our goal was never just to collect data, but to centralize it, preserve expert knowledge, and make it accessible across the organization as a single source of truth. IIoT and AI allow experience to become scalable, enabling foundries to understand and control complex processes more easily.
What drives me is helping foundries shift from reactive, fragmented optimization to a proactive, predictive, and fact-based view of their entire production.
FP: “Foundries have long struggled with quality variability and high scrap. How does Monitizer address these challenges differently from traditional automation or quality control?”
Traditional automation generates large volumes of data, but often without real end-to-end process transparency. Information is scattered across machines, systems, and spreadsheets, making teams reliant on individual experts and local fixes rather than holistic insight.
Monitizer addresses this by centralizing production data across the entire foundry process and presenting it in one clear view. This enables teams to understand how parameters interact, reduce variability, and act on facts rather than intuition.
Equally important, Monitizer secures critical process knowledge within the organization. Expertise is captured, shared, and continuously refined, ensuring improvements are sustainable and not dependent on a few individuals.
FP: “With Monitizer | PRESCRIBE delivering major scrap reductions, how do you balance advanced AI with the practical needs and scepticism of shop-floor teams?”
Foundry teams bring deep experience, so AI must be transparent and supportive, not a black box giving orders. With PRESCRIBE, the focus is collaboration rather than replacement. The system provides clear, actionable recommendations based on real process data and engineering logic, and makes the links between parameters, quality, and outcomes visible on the dashboard. That transparency builds trust.
Once teams see tangible results — fewer defects, more stable processes, and less firefighting — skepticism naturally turns into engagement. The AI proves itself as a decision support tool that helps people work smarter, not one that replaces them.
FP: “Monitizer can be deployed step by step, from data visibility to AI-driven optimization. What advice would you give foundries starting their digital journey with limited budgets or workforce resistance?”
My advice is simple: start small, but start smart. You don’t need to digitalize everything at once. Many foundries begin with data visibility using Monitizer | DISCOVER, gaining real-time insight into what is actually happening on the shop floor. Even this first step delivers quick wins by making key KPIs visible and connected, helping teams identify improvement potential early.
From there, it’s easy to progress toward deeper analysis and AI-powered optimization. Solutions like Monitizer | PRESCRIBE build on the same data foundation, enabling foundries to move from understanding processes to actively controlling and improving them.
This step-by-step approach ensures the system adapts to the foundry, not the other way around. It allows companies to focus on critical processes, scale at their own pace, and justify each step through measurable operational value — turning digitalization into a practical journey rather than a risky IT project.
FP: “Many foundries have data but lack actionable insight. How does Monitizer enable real-time decisions that drive cost savings, productivity, and measurable ROI?”
This is a common challenge. Data is available, but it’s often fragmented, delayed, or too complex to act on. Monitizer turns that data into real-time, decision-ready insight through intuitive dashboards, live alerts, and AI-driven recommendations. Instead of reacting to reports days or weeks later, teams can intervene immediately — adjusting parameters, preventing defects, and avoiding downtime.
The ROI comes from very tangible results: reduced scrap, higher yield, more stable quality, fewer unplanned stops, and improved energy efficiency. Because these improvements are tracked directly within the system, customers typically see measurable financial impact within months, with a clear and transparent business case.
FP: “Beyond cost and scrap reduction, how does Monitizer help foundries improve sustainability while boosting efficiency?”
In foundries, sustainability and efficiency go hand in hand. Every percentage point of scrap represents wasted energy, materials, and emissions.
By stabilizing processes, reducing defects, and optimizing resource usage, Monitizer helps foundries lower their environmental footprint while improving productivity. Less scrap means less remelting, and better control prevents unnecessary energy and material consumption.
Beyond immediate gains, Monitizer also supports long-term sustainability. Reliable data enables transparent reporting, compliance support, and smarter investment decisions — making digital transparency a foundation for both operational excellence and future readiness.
FP: “Digital transformation is often seen as replacing expertise. How does Monitizer instead amplify the value of experienced foundry engineers?”
Foundry engineering expertise is irreplaceable. Monitizer’s role is to make that expertise scalable, not to replace it.
By capturing process knowledge in data models, dashboards, and AI-driven insights, critical know-how remains within the organization even as roles change. Engineers spend less time gathering data and more time improving processes.
Monitizer amplifies human expertise by providing better visibility and clearer insight — enabling more informed decisions and creating lasting value where it matters most.
FP: “What do you see as the next big frontier for digital foundries globally, and how is Monitizer positioned to lead it?”
The next major frontier is moving from local optimization to connected, global production networks. Foundry groups increasingly want standardized KPIs, shared best practices, and real-time knowledge exchange across sites.
Monitizer enables this by providing shared, live dashboards that teams can access across countries and facilities. Different sites can collaborate remotely, review the same data, and support each other in real time, turning local experience into organizational knowledge.
This shift from isolated problem-solving to collaborative, data-driven operations defines the future of digital foundries. Because Monitizer scales seamlessly from a single machine to global networks, it is well positioned to lead this transition.
FP: “What personally motivates you as SVP and Head of Monitizer, and what kind of leader do you strive to be?”
What motivates me most is seeing measurable impact in our customers’ operations. I come from an industrial background, with 16 years at our sister brand DISA and 4 years at Monitizer, working closely with foundries worldwide. That experience shaped my view of digitalization as a practical tool to turn engineering complexity into insights people can actually use.
At Monitizer, technology is never the goal in itself. The focus is on real outcomes from reduced scrap and energy savings to greater process stability and sustainability. When customers gain control of their data and see tangible improvements, that’s what makes the work meaningful.
As a leader, I stay close to both customer reality and the technology. Innovation only matters when it delivers operational value, which is why our solutions are co-developed with customers around real use cases. For me, leadership is about turning data into results and guiding teams to deliver true transformation, not just software.
FP: “What helps you recharge and gain fresh perspective, and how does that influence your decisions at work?”
I recharge by exchanging ideas with peers in other industries. Hearing how they tackle similar challenges often sparks new perspectives and fresh thinking. Travel also plays a big role for me, as different cultures naturally broaden how I approach problem-solving and innovation.
On a more personal note, I enjoy escape rooms. They encourage creative thinking, pattern recognition, and progress even when the solution isn’t obvious. That mindset carries into my work: staying curious, seeing connections others may miss, and remaining open to unconventional solutions.
Thank you Nina!
