At TRIMET’s Hamburg plant, a new AI-powered technology is bringing innovation to quality control. Defective anodes can increase production costs and even pose safety risks. That’s why every anode must undergo a thorough inspection – a process that has traditionally been time-consuming.
The solution: an intelligent machine that analyzes the produced anodes fully automatically. As the anodes move through the machine on rollers, three high-resolution laser cameras scan the surface properties, detecting cracks, fractures, or residues in a matter of seconds.
Currently, the system is in its training phase. It is being fed with a large dataset of pre-classified images to learn how to identify different defects. Once the system achieves an accuracy rate of at least 98%, it will be integrated into regular operations. This will allow the machine to inspect anodes in real time while also recording the associated batch number, enabling detailed quality analyses for specific batches.
“This new technology is a true milestone for our aluminum production processes. It not only enhances the precision of quality control but also improves the safety and efficiency of our operations,” emphasizes Dr. Andreas Lützerath, CTO of TRIMET Aluminium SE.
The introduction of the AI-powered machine marks another step toward digitalization and takes the production quality to a whole new level.