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CASE STUDIES

Case Study: Advanced Process Optimization for Steel and Foundry Operations

Company Overview

Exoterm-it d.o.o. specializes in advanced engineering solutions for the steel and foundry industry, combining process automation, real-time monitoring, and data-driven optimization to help metal producers improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and meet increasingly strict quality and environmental standards.

Client Challenge

A mid-sized steelworks/foundry was facing recurring challenges typical of the sector: inconsistent melt quality, unplanned equipment downtime, high energy consumption per ton of output, and limited visibility into real-time production data across furnaces and casting lines. Manual monitoring processes made it difficult to detect deviations early, leading to material waste and inefficient resource allocation.

Solution

Exoterm-it d.o.o. implemented a tailored solution combining:

  • Real-time process monitoring — sensors and data acquisition systems installed across melting and casting equipment to track temperature, chemical composition, and cycle times.
  • Predictive maintenance — machine learning models trained on historical equipment data to flag early signs of wear or failure before breakdowns occur.
  • Process optimization software — a centralized dashboard giving plant operators and managers a clear view of key performance indicators (KPIs), enabling faster, data-backed decisions.
  • Energy efficiency analysis — identifying high-consumption stages in the production cycle and recommending adjustments to reduce energy costs without compromising output quality.

Implementation

The rollout was carried out in phases to minimize disruption to ongoing production:

  1. Initial assessment and data collection (baseline metrics).
  2. Installation of monitoring hardware and integration with existing plant systems.
  3. Deployment of the analytics and monitoring software.
  4. Operator training and gradual handover.

Results

Following implementation, the client reported measurable improvements, including:

  • Reduced unplanned downtime by [X]%
  • Improved melt/casting quality consistency by [X]%
  • Lower energy consumption per ton produced by [X]%
  • Faster response time to process deviations

Conclusion

By combining domain expertise in metallurgy with modern digital tools, Exoterm-it d.o.o. helped the client move from reactive to proactive operations — improving both productivity and product quality while laying the groundwork for further digitalization initiatives.