13–15 Oct 2026
Hotel Caesius Terme & SPA Resort - Bardolino - Verona
Europe/Rome timezone

AI-Driven Surface Inspection Enabling Automated Grinding of Forged Ingots

14 Oct 2026, 10:10
20m
Gardenia room (Hotel Caesius Thermae & Spa Resort)

Gardenia room

Hotel Caesius Thermae & Spa Resort

Via Peschiera, 3, 37011 Bardolino VR

Speaker

Dr Hannu Suopajärvi (Sapotech Oy)

Description

Sapotech’s Reveal CAST surface inspection system has been successfully implemented in Grinding Machine-3, marking a significant advancement in automated quality control for ingot processing. The collaboration with Daido Steel began in 2019 with a demonstration project using a portable inspection unit, highlighting the high-resolution imaging capability for both forged and ground surfaces. Following this successful demonstration, Sapotech developed a dedicated Surface Inspection System (SIS) designed to detect surface defects across forged and ground ingots.

The Reveal CAST system was commissioned in January 2023, and within a few months, it met all defined performance criteria, providing reliable defect detection and image quality suitable for integration into production processes. This deployment has enabled a more precise understanding of surface characteristics, paving the way for targeted process improvements.

Building on these results, ongoing work focuses on automating the grinding process using insights from Reveal CAST. Integration of automation systems is underway, with rules being established for spot grinding based on detected defects. The goal is to enhance grinding throughput, ensure consistent ingot quality, and reduce manual inspection efforts.

This presentation will outline the development journey of Reveal CAST, from the initial demo to full-scale commissioning, and highlight the system’s contribution to process optimization in ingot forging and grinding. Additionally, it will discuss the automation strategy and expected impact on production efficiency and product quality. Sapotech’s approach demonstrates how advanced surface inspection, combined with automation, can deliver measurable improvements in metallurgical manufacturing operations.

Speaker Company/University Sapotech Oy

Author

Dr Hannu Suopajärvi (Sapotech Oy)

Co-authors

Mr Eemil Kiviahde (Sapotech Oy) Mr Masaru Kato (Daido Steel Co., Ltd.) Mr Saku Kaukonen (Sapotech Oy)

Presentation materials

There are no materials yet.