Hindustan Zinc introduces AI tool to optimise use of consumables across its factories

Integrated Zinc producer Hindustan Zinc has launched an AI-powered automation tool to boost production efficiency. The solution used recommendation models to optimise the use of consumables such as zinc dust, sodium sulphate, lime, and cement, and reduce manual intervention.

This new tool has been trained on historical data, enabling predictive and adaptive process optimisation across operations, the company said in a statement. The Vedanta company developed the solution in collaboration with enterprise AI solutions start-up Ripik AI. The startup was chosen through Vedanta’s global corporate accelerator Vedanta Spark.

The company has also integrated real-time data analytics and IT-OT systems to ensure optimal resource utilization. This digital transformation spans across Hindustan Zinc’s three major smelting units, which include Chanderiya Smelting Complex in Chittorgarh, Dariba Smelting Complex in Rajsamand, and Zinc Smelter Debari in Udaipur.

Speaking on the company’s digital initiatives, Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc Limited, said, “Leveraging technological innovation and automation is central to our vision of becoming a truly intelligent enterprise. Our proactive embrace of emerging technologies empowers us to engineer disruptive solutions and remain ahead of the industry curve.”

Hindustan Zinc is currently working with more than 40 technology startups across 60+ active projects as part of its broader digital transformation strategy. Additionally, the company is engaging with nearly 50 startups under Vedanta Spark. The collaborations span a wide range of technologies, including AI/ML, computer vision, drones, IoT, and AR/VR, and target areas such as process optimization, metal recovery, asset reliability, productivity, and sustainability.

Additionally, the company has set up a digital collaboration centre, which aggregates data from all business units to deliver real-time insights for faster and more informed decision-making.