Russellville, Kentucky – August 20, 2020 – Logan Aluminum announces that it has been recognized by the Manufacturing Leadership Council with a Manufacturing Leadership Award for its work with Hitachi Vantara and the co-creation of a data integration system that would enable fast and accurate data analytics and artificial intelligence in manufacturing.
With this new data system, Logan hopes to achieve Man-Machine balance. Mike Buckentin, president of Logan Aluminum, stated that if Logan can maximize machines and systems then employees can work on other projects to improve the company. Having the machines collect data reduces manual collection by people. With the solution that Hitachi offers, “One isn’t doing what the other one should be doing.”
Logan’s Cold Mill 3 Pulpit shows both visual and data information on machines.
In the past, analysis of data was also largely manual. “Despite having installed between 2,000 and 3,000 smart sensors on its 59 plant machines, Logan was not harnessing the full value of the data captured. “We were data-rich but the data was being analyzed by specific operations (siloed) and not across the total process. We were probably using less than 5% of the data for handling inter-process operations and customer queries,” reveals Vijay Kamineni, business transformation leader. “Only the two people processing the data for each individual machine could access it.”
An example of how Logan’s digital transformation will support the business, is that Logan will be able to more easily identify process abnormalities and therefore make process changes and serve our customers more thoroughly with readily available information. Logan also has visual access of its machine centers and corresponding data points.
By incorporating Hitachi’s digital tools, the business can make more immediate decisions and make adjustments in the process to maximize the quality of the product, optimize machine performance and customer service, and support safe manufacturing.
Logan Aluminum will be recognized at the Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, which will take place as a virtual event on October 8, 2020. Details on attending the virtual gala are available at https://mlawards.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.
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Logan Aluminum, Inc. established in 1985, is a joint venture between Tri-Arrows Aluminum, Inc. and Novelis, Inc. It is the third largest manufacturing employer in Southern Kentucky as well as one of the top 50 largest employers in the Commonwealth. Logan operates 24/7, every day of the year with the capacity to produce close to two billion pounds of aluminum sheet annually. Logan supplies aluminum can sheet to approx. 45% of the North American beverage can market.
Media Contacts:
Mike Buckentin, President
O: (270) 755-6400, Email: mike.buckentin@logan-aluminum.com
Vijay Kamineni, Business Transformation Leader
Cell: (770) 378-6670, Email: Vijay.kamineni@logan-aluminum.com