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Insights from AISTech 2026 Steel Technology Conference & Expo
게시됨 6월 25, 2026 으로 Advanced Energy Editor
Blog Summary
• Advanced Energy at AISTech 2026: This event covered every aspect of the steelmaking process and Advanced Energy was on hand to showcase the latest technologies for accurate temperature measurement and effective power control.
• Process and efficiency improvements were key themes: Demand for continuous process improvements means companies are increasing automation and system interoperability. Products such as AE’s power controllers and non-contact temperature measurement technologies address this demand.
• Safety is critical: Manufacturers seek tools that enhance worker safety by keeping personnel away from extreme heat and reducing the need for dangerous manual inspections.
• Advanced Energy at AISTech 2026: This event covered every aspect of the steelmaking process and Advanced Energy was on hand to showcase the latest technologies for accurate temperature measurement and effective power control.
• Process and efficiency improvements were key themes: Demand for continuous process improvements means companies are increasing automation and system interoperability. Products such as AE’s power controllers and non-contact temperature measurement technologies address this demand.
• Safety is critical: Manufacturers seek tools that enhance worker safety by keeping personnel away from extreme heat and reducing the need for dangerous manual inspections.
The steel sector is an important market for Advanced Energy, where the company’s portfolio of power controllers and temperature measurement systems help manufacturers optimize quality, increase productivity, improve safety and make better use of energy. That’s why AISTech – North America’s largest annual iron and steel technology conference and exposition – is such an important show for us.
This year, visitors to the AE booth could see the latest technologies for accurate temperature measurement and effective power management, while we got to hear first-hand about the opportunities, challenges and trends shaping this critical industry.
The Unrelenting Drive For Process Improvement
As with previous years, pressure to enhance productivity, deliver consistently high quality and improve efficiency were common themes for visitors, exhibitors and speakers.
Many of the technical sessions and booth conversations at AISTech 2026 focused on reducing personnel exposure to harsh environments while maximizing automation, electric arc furnace (EAF) efficiencies and process sampling and measurement capabilities.
Interest also centered on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digitalization, with many participants highlighting their potential to increase yields and enable more predictive, data-driven process optimization.
Other discussions covered the benefits of EAF shell monitoring through CVM (Critical Vessel Monitoring) inspection. This automated technology for continuous condition-based maintenance is seen as a better, safer and more cost-effective alternative to labor-intensive manual inspections.
Health, Safety and the Environment
Taking personnel off the factory floor is not driven simply by automation. Health and safety provide further compelling reasons for limiting the number of operators in the vicinity of the high-temperature processes that are a necessary hazard at steel mills.
In this context Advanced Energy's pyrometers and furnace inspection products such as FurnaceSpection and BoilerSpection offer significant benefits by enabling non-contact, remote monitoring of high-temperature, hazardous industrial processes. These tools enhance worker safety by keeping personnel away from extreme heat, reducing the need for dangerous manual inspections, and identifying potential equipment failures (such as refractory wear) before they develop into breaches or spills.
Many of the visitors to the AE booth at AISTech 2026 wanted to see demonstrations of our non-contact temperature measurement technologies and a number stressed the need for help in identifying, selecting and implementing thermography solutions. Advanced Energy is in a good position to provide such support thanks to our proven track record in implementing and supporting infrared pyrometers and thermal imagers that allow operators to measure temperatures remotely.
Systems Must Work Together
As automation becomes more prevalent, an emerging theme is equipment interoperability across different suppliers through commination protocols. Discussions during the show revealed a growing demand from manufacturers to integrate their shop floor systems. In one technical presentation, for instance, a major steel manufacturer discussed how they were implementing PoE (Power over Ethernet) as a method for connecting equipment.
Delivering data and power over a single Ethernet cable, PoE offers several advantages to steel makers by reducing installation costs and minimizing the need to route power in harsh environments. Increasingly, it is being used to support expanded device communications – including thermal cameras and sensors for process monitoring.
In a similar vein, there was also talk of the ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) standard being used as the basis for communication between equipment and plant control systems.
Recognizing these trends, AE products provide manufacturers with a variety of options for communication with plant Digital Network Systems (DNS). PoE, for instance, is an option for all new product launches. We are also exploring ways to retrofit older technologies with a PoE option and investigating ONVIF compliance for all applicable products.
Powering Up Efficiency
The majority of attendees we spoke with at AISTech 2026 were interested in new ways to control their processes, particularly to improve efficiency, which remains a top priority given the energy-intensive nature of these operations and their sensitivity to fluctuations in supply and cost.
That’s why so many conversations on the AE booth focused around advanced SCR power controllers. Available in single-, dual- and three-phase units, these are optimized for heating elements in electric furnaces where they can minimize peak kVA demand via sophisticated load management and provide precise power regulation for optimal control and minimal energy consumption.
You can read more about Advanced Energy’s solutions for the steel industry at the following links:
Advanced Energy’s role in helping to improve scrap steel efficiency through optimization techniques;
A wide range of AE solutions for steel and metal applications is also available here.
Advanced Energy Editor
Advanced Energy