Petrozavodskmash (part of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division) has opened the first laboratory for robotisation, new equipment and technologies in Karelia. It will become the basis of a digital cluster, which will include the full cycle – from developing ideas and creating prototypes to introducing ready-made solutions for production. It will become an integral part in the development of industry throughout the region.
“The Petrozavodskmash machine-building plant is not just modernising its production, it sets standards for the entire industry of Karelia, said Svetlana Astakhova, Karelia’s Minister of Industry & Trade. “The laboratory will become a point of growth where science meets real challenges, and young engineers have the opportunity to work with advanced technologies. This is a contribution to the technological sovereignty of the country and to the future of our industrial enterprises.”
The first visitors to the laboratory were schoolchildren and students of Petrozavodsk who are interested in robotics. They saw how modern technologies are changing production processes. These included robots in the assembly and welding shop, as well as additive and virtual reality technologies and unmanned vehicles for moving around the workshops in the new laboratory. The students presented their developments, which in the future may find application in the factory. These included transport robots using smart propulsion systems and laser sensors.
“It wasn’t just guests who visited our plant today,” said Petrozavodskmash Director Nikolai Frolov. “They were not only interested in technology, but also already had the know how to develop modern technologies. These are the kind of future specialists we are waiting for at our plant, and we ae offering excursions, internships, and participation in joint developments with our laboratory. It will become the core of a digital cluster in Karelia, integrating scientific achievements and real production processes, thereby contributing to the economic growth of the region.”
Many digital projects in the enterprise are implemented jointly with students of the region’s Petrozavodsk State University (PetrSU). In total, more than 30 robotisation projects have been selected in the Mechanical Engineering Division, of which nine have already been launched in pilot mode. These include robotisation of transportation, robotisation of welding and cleaning operations, and robotisation of control operations.
The large-scale introduction of digital technologies and robotic solutions at enterprises of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division will reduce the labour intensity of production processes by more than 500,000 standard hours. For enterprises this means increased efficiency, and for employees a substantial improvement in the quality of working conditions by minimising or eliminating completely routine operations and heavy physical labour.
