Danieli Group, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of machinery and systems for the steel industry, has announced the launch of ViBES (Vision-Based Effective Sensing), an innovative project that harnesses the power of Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the handling of semi-finished steel products within mills. This ambitious initiative aims to automate and improve the process of material identification and movement, significantly improving operational efficiency while ensuring a safer and more sustainable working environment.
ViBES, Danieli Group: a strategic partnership transforming steel manufacturing with ai and automation
ViBES is the result of an important partnership between Danieli Group, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and Digital Strategy Innovation, combining the expertise of cutting-edge research and industrial know-how to address the challenges of modern steel manufacturing. The new project focuses on the automation of material handling through crane systems, which are used to move large, heavy semi-finished products such as slabs, billets, and blooms within steel plants. Currently, this process relies heavily on manual labor. Operators are tasked with identifying materials in vast storage areas, which often have uneven lighting and obstructed views, making it a difficult and error-prone operation. This method not only poses problems in terms of efficiency, but also poses significant safety risks due to the high volume of heavy lifting operations performed by human workers under potentially hazardous conditions. With the introduction of ViBES, Danieli Group aims to completely transform this process by introducing a fully automated system that uses AI-driven Computer Vision technology to autonomously perform complex material identification tasks, reducing the likelihood of human error and improving overall operational performance.
Danieli Group: transforming steel production with AI-Driven automation and Computer Vision
“The ViBES project aims to revolutionize the process of handling and identifying semi-finished steel products by overhead crane, fully automating the process thanks to advanced Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence technologies”, said Lorenzo Bacchetti, Vice President – Cranes and Automatic Yards at Danieli Group. The main technological feature of ViBES is its use of Computer Vision, which allows the system to visually “sense” and track the position and orientation of semi-finished products in real-time, using sophisticated algorithms. These algorithms are designed to identify and classify the materials, regardless of environmental challenges such as poor lighting, dust, or visual obstructions. Artificial intelligence is integrated into the system to address more complex issues, such as visual ambiguities. For example, when materials are stacked or partially hidden, artificial intelligence algorithms are able to recognize and resolve these uncertainties
by cross-referencing multiple image sources, ensuring the crane’s movements are accurate and efficient. The project is not just about automating a single process; it is about rethinking the entire material handling operation from the ground up to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve safety. This ambitious project received co-funding of 200,000 euros under the IRISS Call for Proposals sponsored by SMACT Competence Center. This financial support highlights the potential impact and importance of Danieli Group and ViBES in promoting automation and digitization in the steel industry.</p
