The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector
Digitalization represents a paramount process started some decades ago, but which received a strong acceleration by Industry 4.0 and now directly impacts all the process and manufacturing sectors. It is expected to allow the European industry to increase its production efficiency and its sustainabil...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Metals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/10/2/288 |
| _version_ | 1830408656246538240 |
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| author | Teresa Annunziata Branca Barbara Fornai Valentina Colla Maria Maddalena Murri Eliana Streppa Antonius Johannes Schröder |
| author_facet | Teresa Annunziata Branca Barbara Fornai Valentina Colla Maria Maddalena Murri Eliana Streppa Antonius Johannes Schröder |
| author_sort | Teresa Annunziata Branca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digitalization represents a paramount process started some decades ago, but which received a strong acceleration by Industry 4.0 and now directly impacts all the process and manufacturing sectors. It is expected to allow the European industry to increase its production efficiency and its sustainability. In particular, in the energy-intensive industries, such as the steel industry, digitalization concerns the application of the related technologies to the production processes, focusing on two main often overlapping directions: Advanced tools for the optimization of the production chain and specific technologies for low-carbon and sustainable production. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of the technologies in the steel sector require the continuous update of the skills of the industrial workforce. The present review paper, resulting from a recent study developed inside a Blueprint European project, introduces the context of digitalization and some important definitions in both the European industry and the European iron and steel sector. The current technological transformation is depicted, and the main developments funded by European Research Programs are analyzed. Moreover, the impact of digitalization on the steel industry workforce are considered together with the foreseen economic developments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T18:56:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4699a2ed05f43c3a6660b4eb04f8925 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T18:56:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4699a2ed05f43c3a6660b4eb04f89252022-12-21T19:29:30ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012020-02-0110228810.3390/met10020288met10020288The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel SectorTeresa Annunziata Branca0Barbara Fornai1Valentina Colla2Maria Maddalena Murri3Eliana Streppa4Antonius Johannes Schröder5Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, TeCIP Institute, 56124 Pisa, ItalyScuola Superiore Sant’Anna, TeCIP Institute, 56124 Pisa, ItalyScuola Superiore Sant’Anna, TeCIP Institute, 56124 Pisa, ItalyRINA CONSULTING - Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A. (CSM), 00128 Roma, ItalyRINA CONSULTING - Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A. (CSM), 00128 Roma, ItalySozialforschungsstelle, Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44339 Dortmund, GermanyDigitalization represents a paramount process started some decades ago, but which received a strong acceleration by Industry 4.0 and now directly impacts all the process and manufacturing sectors. It is expected to allow the European industry to increase its production efficiency and its sustainability. In particular, in the energy-intensive industries, such as the steel industry, digitalization concerns the application of the related technologies to the production processes, focusing on two main often overlapping directions: Advanced tools for the optimization of the production chain and specific technologies for low-carbon and sustainable production. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of the technologies in the steel sector require the continuous update of the skills of the industrial workforce. The present review paper, resulting from a recent study developed inside a Blueprint European project, introduces the context of digitalization and some important definitions in both the European industry and the European iron and steel sector. The current technological transformation is depicted, and the main developments funded by European Research Programs are analyzed. Moreover, the impact of digitalization on the steel industry workforce are considered together with the foreseen economic developments.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/10/2/288digitalizationdigital technologiesdigital transformationsteel industrydigital skills |
| spellingShingle | Teresa Annunziata Branca Barbara Fornai Valentina Colla Maria Maddalena Murri Eliana Streppa Antonius Johannes Schröder The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector Metals digitalization digital technologies digital transformation steel industry digital skills |
| title | The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector |
| title_full | The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector |
| title_fullStr | The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector |
| title_short | The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector |
| title_sort | challenge of digitalization in the steel sector |
| topic | digitalization digital technologies digital transformation steel industry digital skills |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/10/2/288 |
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