VMG Group, uniting 20 companies, is a diversified enterprise headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania and operates across multiple sectors, including furniture and wooden products, engineered wood, robotization and automation, renewable energy and real estate. The Group overall employs more than 3000 people.Website: https://vmg.eu/
Objectives: VMG Group faced frequent veneer dryer jams, causing production stoppages of 2-3 hours weekly, adding up to over 20 days annually. Presence of numerous factors caused data complexity. Detecting and solving problems was slow and difficult without AI. A solution was required for enabling predictive maintenance and anomaly detection, allowing anticipation of equipment malfunctions before they occur.

VMG Group has introduced Siemens AI-powered SIMATIC TM NPU module in its veneer drying machine, which detects potential blockages before they occur. The project was carried out by the VMG Technics company, part of the VMG Group.
The anomaly detection model deployed to NPU module, compatible with the Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 controller installed in the plywood drying machine, detects irregularities in the motor's current. Thus, emerging blockages can be located early. Based on the collected data, the AI model continuously learns to be a better predictor.