Within the framework of ATOMEXPO-2024 International Forum, a leading event in the world’s nuclear industry, Rosatom State Corporation held a number of important discussions of a particularly topical issue: digital transformation in the era of Industry 4.0. Day two of the Forum featured a session on lights-out factories and offices, industrial robotization, results of implementation and approaches to automation in Russia and partner countries.
The session “Lights-out Factories: How Automation and Robotization Transform Global Business”, combining the agenda of industrial progress and digitalization, was organized by Industrial Automation (I&C) and Electrical Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation and Rusatom Service JSC. The discussion moderated by Alexey Parshikov, vice president of Skolkovo Foundation, united representatives of Russian and Chinese automation schools, federal regulatory authorities, major industrial companies implementing robots in their production lines, and vendors of comprehensive solutions. Special attention was paid to application of unmanned technologies in Generation IV nuclear projects and continuous production facilities. The position of the federal regulatory authority, including the use of artificial intelligence in production processes, was expressed by Andrey Zarenin, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Mass Media of Russia.
“When facing global structural crises, automation as the way to mitigate them is an issue of generational, or even cultural horizon. It means that strategic planning should consider at least a twenty-year period. It is very important to maintain cooperation between companies, industries and governments at different levels. Among other things, we must pay attention to removing technological barriers, developing common standards, creating breakthrough solutions. Large businesses have an advantage, as they can shape the vision, set trends and create the future,” said Andrey Butko, Chief Executive Officer of RASU JSC, in his opening speech. He also mentioned the concept of a “small light-out NPP”, which can use decades of Rosatom’s experience to offer maximum automation of a nuclear facility for a customer.
Sun Yongbin, General Manager of China Techenergy Co. (CTEC) noted that state-of-the-art technologies potentially can lead to large-scale transformation of hi-tech industrial chains, and cooperation is an absolute necessity. “Currently we are trying to improve the efficiency of design of our facilities and instrumentation and control systems, this is one of the main vectors in China, not to mention the unavoidable risks related to security of supply chains. All this means that we need to cooperate. Taking into account the experience of cooperation with Russian and global partners, I, as the top manager of CTEC and CGN Digital Technology, sincerely hope that our fruitful cooperation will only expand,” he said.
Evgeny Salkov, Chief Executive Officer of Rusatom Service JSC, talked about the specifics of global development, cases of implementation of state-of-the-art technologies, and Rosatom’s ongoing industrial robotization projects. “Robotics market has a huge potential, especially when the country grows its technology leadership. The synergy of resources of Rosatom and Russia’s major industrial enterprises will ensure strong competitiveness in the global market in the near term,” he said.
Sergey Cherkasov, head of advanced control systems development, Eurochem Mineral and Chemical Company, and representatives of enterprises of heavy precision machine-building sector, for whom automation is critical when it comes to assurance of continuous production, shared their expertise in creation of unmanned production lines.
The closing speech was given by Mikhail Ermolaev, CEO of Greenatom JSC, the IT integrator of Rosatom State Corporation. He talked about the elements of ‘unmanned office’ concept in Rosatom, automation of transaction processes with the help of ERP systems, application of bots in Atom.RITA platform, pilot operation of the company’s own HCM system ATOMCORE at El-Dabaa NPP construction site.
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ATOMEXPO international annual forum, organized with the support of Rosatom State Corporation, was first held in 2009. This is a major expo and business event, a place where leaders of the industry’s enterprises and key experts discuss the development of nuclear technologies, strengthen partnerships and share best practices. The Forum includes an expo and an extensive business program, which traditionally focuses on development of nuclear power as a green source of energy; human capital management; development of nuclear energy infrastructure; financing and investment in energy; development of non-energy nuclear technologies, and more. Atomexpo LLC is the operator of the Forum.
Rosatom Automated Control Systems JSC (RASU JSC) is the managing company of I&C and Electrical Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation. The company is the single integrator of I&C, Electrical Engineering and Nuclear Instrumentation businesses. RASU JSC brings together the extensive experience of Rosatom’s enterprises in the development of automated control systems and comprehensive electrical engineering solutions.
Rusatom Service JSC is part of Energy Division of Rosatom State Corporation. The company provides maintenance services for various energy facilities. Currently, the company is involved in ongoing projects for 48 power units of the Russian design (operating and under construction) in 13 foreign countries.
Greenatom JSC is the IT integrator and a common service center of Rosatom State Corporation. The company develops its own software, supports and develops corporate IT systems, creates bots, deals with project management, import substitution, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Greenatom creates modern solutions for digitalization in Rosatom, being one of the most dynamically developing IT companies in Russia. Greenatom renders services to enterprises of the nuclear sector, major Russian companies, federal and regional authorities, with the focus on accounting and tax records, human resources management, document flow, economics and controlling, implementation of Russian IT technologies.
To demonstrate Rosatom’s commitment to the climate agenda, the carbon footprint of the 13th ATOMEXPO-2024 International Forum will be offset based on special certificates.
