Electrolux Italia S.p.A. is part of the Electrolux Group, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of household appliances with more than 48 thousand employees and sales of 60 million products in 120 countries. It has its headquarters in Porcia (PN), where the main management and administrative functions are located, as well as some important research centres that operate globally for the entire Group.
For the purposes of the IMPROVENET, Electrolux Italia operates with the headquarters in Susegana (TV), where it operates an important production site for the production of refrigerators and freezers, in addition to the presence of several mixed research groups that develop technologies and products in the service of food storage.
Why did the company join the IMPROVENET Network?
Electrolux has been a member of IMPROVENET since its foundation, thanks to the historic collaboration with the University of Padua on various research topics, including those dealt with by the Network. The company is historically very rooted in the Veneto region and has already shown to believe in its scientific network and its business excellence.
The initiatives of the Network give in fact the possibility to the management of Electrolux, to extend own technological network and to come in contact with potential new partner, often little known regarding the traditional suppliers. However, they show that they possess high technical knowledge able to integrate and support, with their innovative ideas, the specificities of business projects that concern the Digital and Smart Manufacturing.
In addition, the closeness, even physical, with these partners is often valuable and was even more so during the most critical period of the pandemic because it has also allowed to continue to operate in synergy and safety in the various projects
What will the company achieve during the VIR2EM Project?
At the end of 2021, in Susegana, Electrolux inaugurated a new factory for the production of built-in refrigerators for the Premium market, called Genesi, with an investment of over 130 million euros. Within the Electrolux Group, Genesi is by far the most automated factory in the world, with 116 robots installed and an automation level of 49.
The production lines have been developed with the most modern logic of Industry 4.0, where evolved automation, digitalization and innovation merge. However, some areas and plants of the new factory can benefit from further technological developments thanks to the availability of increasingly advanced digital tools and millions of data that every day come from automation and production systems.
In the VIR2EM project, in particular, the project team is working on two precise directions, namely the development and use of tools based on Mixed Reality (MR) to make more smart, precise and digitalized the activities of operators dedicated to the quality control of new refrigerators as well as the application of Artificial Intelligence solutions and techniques for more efficient diagnostic and prognostic control even remotely.
With which other RIR partners will the VIR2EM project be carried out?
Uqido for the development and application part of solutions based on MR concepts and tools, but also for the use of machine learning techniques related to the functional verification process of refrigerators.
M3E for the part of anomaly detection and condition-based monitoring of the foaming process
University of Padua, as general support in the technological aspects and supervision of activities.
How do you see the company at the end of the project?
The VIR2EM project is part of the company’s roadmap that aims to accelerate digital transformation in the Group’s Italian factories and in particular in that of Susegana, already well developed with the Genesis project.
The intention is to get in touch and continuously adopt new technical solutions to increase the quality of control and verification of their products and processes.
This approach will make possible the prevention of possible anomalies and defects in real time, obtaining the concept of “Zero defect” and offering the market reliable products and qualitatively meeting its best expectations.
Enrico Bincoletto
Manufacturing Quality Manager Food Preservation Europe