ASCONA and D-CUBE announce Strategic Partnership and launch a comprehensive inline surface inspection solution for the aluminum market

D-cube company in cooperation with ASCONA, the world leader in optical profile measurement technology, team up and launch a cutting-edge product to the global aluminum extrusion market.

*(from left to right: Dimitrios Zarpalas CTO D-cube, Alexander Daniker CEO ASCONA, Petros Daras CRO D-cube, Dimitrios Katsikas CEO D-cube, Julia Wachter VP Commercial Operations ASCONA).*

The importance of the Strategic Partnership between D-cube & ASCONA

This partnership is strategically important, as it combines a state-of-the-art product with proven outstanding performance to some of the largest aluminum extrusion plants in Europe, and cumulative years of industrial expertise with a worldwide service network.

Τhe most common & costly problems in the aluminum extrusion industry

Scrap generation remains one of the most common and costly problems in the aluminum extrusion industry. Considering the excessive cost of raw materials and energy, any scrap generated that is not detected and sorted out early would make its way through multiple costly secondary production operations.

promex CYRUS: the solution in the aluminum extrusion industry

promex CYRUS is an innovative surface inspection solution for primary aluminum extrusion production. The promex CYRUS technology is designed to be implemented at the beginning of the extrusion process to detect as early as possible various surface defects such as bubbles, scratches, cracks, pick-ups, stop marks and many more

promex CYRUS: how it works

The promex CYRUS software, based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), can detect several types of defects on the profile surface in real time, regardless of the shape or number and size of profile strands being extruded. The promex CYRUS software qualifies any surface defects detected and immediately provides meaningful alert notifications to press operators to take corrective action. The use of neural networks ensures that the software constantly evolves and improves itself over time. With the promex CYRUS solution, scrap due to surface defects, is captured in a consistent and controlled manner, providing valuable financial and material savings in the aluminum extrusion process.

D-Cube and Ascona strategic partnership: representatives’ statements

“We are very happy to add this great product to our existing portfolio. Our cooperation with D-cube ensures that from now on the aluminum industry can attain valuable improvement in dimensional and surface related quality through a single-source supplier and reliable partner.’’ said Alexander Daniker, CEO of ASCONA.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with ASCONA and leverage the opportunity to radically change the future of the aluminum industry” said Dimitrios Katsikas, CEO of D-cube.

D-Cube and Ascona strategic partnership: statement from the Extrusion Process Manager of Hydro Nenzing

Dr. Raphael Mertens, Extrusion Process Manager Hydro Nenzing: “The reliable detection of surface defects, inline at the press mouth, was a vision many years ago to improve the surface quality and to reduce scrap. CYRUS made this possible and it is a step into a new decade for the aluminium extrusion world. For a continuous improvement we need measured responses, which are not only dimensions and mechanical properties, but also the surface quality from order to order. We are now capable to compare the impact of different press parameters and die designs to maximize surface quality and minimize the surface quality related scrap. But next to this continuous improvement potential, CYRUS provides us with an intelligent alarm system warning the press operator immediately about the loss of quality, like f.e. Tearing, Blisters or Pick-ups. So, the decisions are taken faster at the press. Due to the use of a camera underneath the initial table our press operators are informed about any defect they hardly can detect by their eyes in a second (1’’). We are very happy with the CYRUS quality of detection and we do not want to miss this system anymore.”

promex CYRUS for extrusion is already available on the market. For sales or any expression of interest, please contact ASCONA’s sales department.