The automation and robotization horizons and results were discussed at ATOMEXPO-2024
Rosatom State Corporation held some important discussions on a highly actual topic - digital transformation in Industry 4.0 era - during the leading world event in the nuclear industry - the ATOMEXPO 2024 International Forum. There was a session on the second day of the forum about unmanned production and offices, industrial robotization, results of implementations and approaches to automation in Russia and partner countries.
The organizers of "Unmanned Production: How Automation and Robotization Transform Global Business" session combining the agenda of industrial progress and digitalization were the Industrial Automation (APCS) and Electrical Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation and Rusatom Service JSC. Alexey Parshikov, Vice President of Skolkovo Foundation and Director of the Energotec cluster, moderated the discussion bringing together representatives of Russian and Chinese automation schools, federal regulators, large industrial companies implementing industrial robotization of production lines, and manufacturers of integrated solutions. There was a special block devoted to the application of unmanned technologies for implementation of Generation IV nuclear projects. Andrei Zarenin, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Mass Communications of Russia, expressed the position of the federal regulator, including support for projects to introduce artificial intelligence into production processes.
“Automation as a means of compensating for global structural crises is a matter of generational or even cultural horizon. This means that strategy shall be planned at least 20 years in advance. Cooperation between companies, industries and states at different levels is very important. This includes reducing process barriers, developing common standards, and creating breakthrough solutions. The large business has an advantage - an opportunity to generate a future vision, set the direction of development and create this future itself", - emphasized Andrey Butko, Director General of RASU JSC, opening the session with his speech. In his speech, he also mentioned "Unmanned NPP of low capacity” concept, in which, based on Rosatom many years of experience, the principle of maximum automation of a nuclear energy facility can be implemented.
Sun Yongbin, CEO of China Techenergy Co (CTEC), emphasized that the implementation of the newest technologies has the potential to transform high-tech industry chains at a large scale. "We are now trying to improve the design efficiency of both facilities and control and management systems, this is one of the main vectors in China, not to mention the unmitigated risks of supply chain security. All of this shows the need for cooperation. Taking into account the experience of cooperation with Russian and global partners, as the head of CTEC and CGN Digital Technology, I sincerely hope that our fruitful cooperation will only expand" he said.
Evgeny Salkov, General Director of Rusatom Service JSC, spoke about the features of global development, substantive implementations of the latest technologies and industrial robotization projects being developed at Rosatom. "The potential of the robotics market, especially taking into account the increasing process leadership in the country, is now extremely high, and the synergy of Rosatom’s resources and Russia's large industrial enterprises will ensure strong competitiveness at the global arena in the near future” he said.
Expertise on their own realized projects in the field of creating unmanned production lines was shared by Sergey Cherkasov, Head of Development of Advanced Control Systems at Eurochem Mineral and Chemical Company JSC, and representatives of heavy high-precision machine-building companies, for whom the issue of point automation is extremely important in terms of ensuring production continuity. A speech by Mikhail Ermolaev, General Director of the IT integrator of Rosatom State Corporation, Greenatom JSC, closed the session. He described the implementation of "unmanned offices" concept components at Rosatom, as well as the automation of transaction processes using ERP systems, using software robots created on Atom.RITA platform, and piloting ATOMCOR own HCM system at the El Dabaa NPP construction site.
The International Forum ATOMEXPO, organized with the support of Rosatom State Corporation, has been taking place annually since 2009. This is the largest business and exhibition platform where heads of leading industry companies and leading experts discuss the tasks of nuclear technology development, strengthen partnerships and exchange best practices. The forum format includes an exhibition and an extensive business program, which traditionally focuses on the development of nuclear power as a clean energy source; human asset management; creation of nuclear power infrastructure; financing and investment in the energy industry; development of non-energy nuclear technologies and many others. The forum is hosted by Atomexpo LLC.
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For reference
Rosatom Automated Control Systems JSC (RASU JSC) is the managing company of APCS and EE Division of Rosatom State Corporation. The company is a single industry integrator for the “APCS”, “Electrical Engineering”, and “Nuclear Instrumentation” areas. RASU JSC combines in its activities the long-term experience of Rosatom enterprises in the development of automated control systems and integrated engineering solutions in the field of electrical engineering.
Rusatom Service JSC is a member of the "Electric Power" division of The Rosatom State Corporation. The company provides services to energy facilities in various sectors of the energy industry. The company is currently implementing projects for 48 Russian design NPP power units (existing and under construction) in 13 foreign countries.
Greenatom JSC is an IT integrator and shared service center of Rosatom State Corporation. The company conducts its own software development, provides support and development of corporate IT systems, develops software robots, deals with project management, import substitution, applies artificial intelligence and machine learning. Greenatom creates modern solutions for Rosatom's digitalization and is one of the most dynamically developing IT companies in Russia. Greenatom provides services to organizations of the nuclear industry, major Russian enterprises, federal and regional government agencies in the field of digitalization of accounting and tax functions, personnel management, document management, economics and controlling, transition to domestic IT-technologies.
Russian industry faces the goal of ensuring process sovereignty and transition to the latest technologies in the shortest possible time. The state and large domestic companies are channeling resources to accelerate the development of the domestic research, infrastructure, and scientific and process base. The implementation of innovations and new high-tech equipment allows Rosatom and its enterprises to occupy new markets, increasing the competitiveness of the nuclear industry and the Russian industry as a whole.
Russia develops active cooperation with friendly states. The realization of major joint energy projects continues. Rosatom and its divisions take an active part in this work.
