Tubacex continues to advance its industrial innovation strategy through the development, together with Ailoys, of a solution based on artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors that can recognise the sound patterns of industrial equipment and detect potential anomalies during the manufacturing process.
The technology, currently installed on a machine at the Amurrio plant, continuously analyses the sounds generated by both the equipment and the material throughout production. By learning the patterns associated with normal operation, the system can identify deviations at an early stage and enable preventive action before they develop into more significant disruptions.
The project operates in a similar way to an acoustic recognition system applied to an industrial environment — something close to a “Shazam for machines”, where each operating condition can be associated with a specific sound signature.
This capability creates a genuine digital fingerprint of the manufacturing process, adding a new layer of information to the existing control systems. The solution complements technologies such as laser and ultrasonic inspection and provides deeper visibility into what is happening within the production process.
Beyond the implementation of a new digital tool, the project reflects Tubacex’s continued commitment to improvement and its pursuit of the highest levels of efficiency, reliability and industrial excellence.
Combining the experience of Tubacex teams with new capabilities in data and artificial intelligence makes it possible to anticipate potential failures, strengthen process control and progressively improve operational performance.
The initiative reflects Tubacex’s innovation model, which brings together advanced materials, industrial knowledge, digitalisation and artificial intelligence to translate new technologies into practical applications across its manufacturing operations.
The experience gained in Amurrio will help assess the potential for deploying this solution across other equipment and processes within the Group’s global industrial network.