Digital Bottle

Amidst surging energy and raw material costs, Vidrala, an industrial firm that specializes in manufacturing and selling glass containers for the food sector, aims to achieve energy efficiency and sustainability through innovation and modern technologies with the implementation of a plant process control system.

This project is a best-in-class case study in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manage energy usage and optimize efficiency in the industrial sector It is an End-to-End project that gathers Big Data from newly installed sensors and traceability systems used in the products manufacturing process, holistically connecting the processes in the container glass furnace plant and their related manufacturing lines.

The optimization of the furnaces enables them to operate with minimal energy consumption while still maintaining the quality of the glass. Furthermore, it enhances the efficiency of the packaging and melting process by reducing the occurrence of defects or rejects in the glass during the production process. the occurrence of defects or rejects in the glass during the forming process.

This project has optimised each manufacturing process, resulting in significant energy savings of up to 9% in the glass furnaces, equivalent to over 61MWh/year and 2.2 million pounds at the Encirc Elton plant. Additionally, the project enhances process productivity by 2.5%, saving 27MWh/year and £1m. The total CO2 reduction is estimated at 15,600 T/year.

Furthermore, the project maximizes process efficiency for operators while simultaneously minimizing the required operational safety margin, ensuring dependable furnace operation.