HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
Brief Notes on the Development of Sustainability-oriented Technologies through Automation, Energy Efficiency, Digitalisation, and AI Used in Industrial Coating Processes Alessandro Soba Verind Spa, Rodano (Milan) – Italy
alessandro.soba@verind.it
Part of the international Dürr Group, VERIND designs innovative technological solutions by integrating knowhow, industrial systems engineering, equipment, and specific eco-technologies for paint, coating, and waste water treatment processes. A common element of all economic developments is energy (and its consumption), which has always been seen as the engine of progress itself. Any industrial process can be analysed in terms of energy, efficiency, and environmental friendliness with a technological approach that directs the production process to minimise raw material consumption, improving the overall energy balance and thus waste and costs. © Dürr
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he final stage of a production process is generally a surface finishing operation. This has a significant impact on the environment in terms of emissions, creation of special waste,
and water pollution. It is also an energy-intensive manufacturing stage with high energy consumption, which further impacts the environment by reducing natural resources. Technological innovation, automation, and processing of data derived from field sensors, supplemented by digitalisation and AI: this is the mix of skills that Dürr brings into play to meet today’s sustainability criteria. With this in mind, innovative engineering choices are now being made more and more often for highly productive and environmentally friendly coating lines, with the following aims: • Reducing the energy consumption of individual processes • Reducing global CO2 emissions
• Reducing consumption of products used and raw materials • Reducing liquid and gaseous discharges • Increasing efficiency and quality • Optimising the cost per unit produced • Integrating automation and digitalisation • Increasing efficiency through flexibility. Through innovation and applied research, the Dürr Group has developed, in particular, important technologies for the automotive and industrial sectors.