Viking and Bharat Forge sign three-year deal
24/10/2024
A new agreement has been signed between Viking Analytics and Bharat Forge Kilsta (BFK) from Karlskoga, Sweden. The agreement, which is for three years, provides BFK with the artificial intelligence (AI)-based optimisation tool Smartforge following a ten-month implementation phase. Smartforge optimises the forging process, primarily in the critical heat-keeping process where the problems with scrap are the greatest. The goal is to reduce discarded products by 50% and contribute to energy savings and a more environmentally friendly production.
Niclas Undén, Chief Financial Officer of Bharat Forge Kilsta, commented on the agreement: “Through AI technology, a difficult step in the forging process is simplified. The result is lower scrap, lower energy consumption and a reduced need for manual work. In Smartforge, the Swedish heavy automotive industry meets worldleading AI technology from Viking Analytics. Bharat Forge Kilsta is very pleased with the collaboration with Viking Analytics and we look forward to a deeper collaboration in the coming years.”
The majority of Bharat Forge’s customers are in the automotive industry and the value of this agreement exceeds SEK 4 million (approximately £295,000) for both Viking Analytics and Bharat Forge.
Stefan Lagerkvist, Chief Operating Officer at Viking Analytics, said: “This agreement is much more than a single business opportunity. Bharat Forge has a lot of expertise in steel and forging, which contributes strongly to the solution. Their knowledge has been captured and translated into algorithms for better control of the process. This collaboration confirms everything we have been fighting so long for and gives us a great opportunity in the future to offer an environmentally friendly AI-powered solution to more factories within the Bharat Forge Group, as well as to other players in the industry.”
