Monday, 9 March 2026 |
4–6 p.m. | Registration |
Tuesday, 10 March 2026 |
7 a.m. | Breakfast |
8 a.m. | Welcome and Introduction to the Workshop
David Kober, Global Gauge Corp. |
8:30 a.m. | Keynote: Digital Transformation in the Process Industries With Steel Examples |
9:15 a.m. | Foundations of Level 0: Sensors and Actuators
Jeremy Garza, Steel Dynamics Inc. – Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division
Level 0 represents the physical interface between the steel production process and the automation system. It includes all the field devices that sense and actuate — providing the raw data and mechanical responses necessary for precise control of the rolling process. |
9:45 a.m. | Break |
10 a.m. | Thickness, Width and Vision-Based Measurement Systems
David Kober, Global Gauge Corp. |
10:30 a.m. | Shape Rolls and Flatness Measurement
Leland Robinson, Novelis Inc.
This is an introduction to basic flatness concepts, causes of off-flatness and its impact on the rolling process. It will continue with an introduction to the commercially available flatness measurement instruments and finish with an introduction to induced measurement errors. |
11 a.m. | Meltshop and Caster Measurement — Fiber-Optic Sensing
Ronald O’Malley, Missouri University of Science and Technology
This lecture explores the latest fiber-optic technologies and applications for sensing temperature, strain, and chemistry in steelmaking and casting processes. |
11:30 a.m. | Process Condition Monitoring
Robert D. Miller, IVC Technologies
This presentation covers basics of condition monitoring and how its tools can be applied to processes. There will be practical examples and takeaways for attendees that can be applied at their respective facilities. |
Noon | Lunch |
1 p.m. | What Is a PLC? Introduction to the Brains of Automation |
1:45 p.m. | Drive Systems Overview — How They Fit in Control Systems
Thomas Richards, TMEIC Corp. Americas
A survey of types of electrical drive systems, including low voltage and medium voltage, and their role in control systems. |
2:15 p.m. | Level 2 System Overview |
3 p.m. | Break |
3:15 p.m. | Industrial Data Acquisition, Analysis and Visualization
Sam Jacobson, iba America LLC
This session will highlight the essential role of integrating data from various sensors to enhance precision and reliability in data acquisition. Explore advanced techniques for analyzing complex data streams and gain insights into effective visualization methods. Real-world examples and case studies will illustrate how effective data acquisition, analysis, and visualization optimizes processes, improves efficiency, and ensures the overall reliability of industrial systems. |
3:45 p.m. | Cybersecurity in Operational Technology Networks
Scott Christensen, Gray Matter Systems
This session will explore the critical need to protect industrial and infrastructural systems from cyber threats. Learn about the unique challenges of securing OT environments, current threat landscapes, and best practices for risk assessment, network segmentation and incident response. It will also highlight cutting-edge solutions and future trends to ensure the resilience and safety of operations. This session is ideal for cybersecurity professionals, system engineers and technicians, process maintenance and operations personnel, project engineers, and executives seeking actionable insights to fortify their OT networks. |
4:30 p.m. | End-of-Day Wrap-Up and Adjourn |
5:30 p.m. | Reception |
Wednesday, 11 March 2026 |
7 a.m. | Breakfast |
8 a.m. | Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Preview |
8:15 a.m. | Managing the Combination of Disparate Components and Systems
Brian Kath, Nucor Steel–Berkeley
This session will explore the evolution of industrial automation in steel manufacturing and managing the integration of new technologies with old. |
9 a.m. | Integrating Safety Into Automation/Controls and Machinery
Mark Eitzman, Integrated Mill Systems
This is a presentation on the standards-based risk assessment and mitigation process for machinery. This is a globally acceptable approach to mitigate the risk, attain regulatory (OSHA) compliance and maximize operational performance. |
9:45 a.m. | Break |
10 a.m. | Case Studies: Upgrading Control Systems |
11 a.m. | Case Studies: Installing New Control Systems
Driving Industry: From Legacy to Beyond Modern, Mario Rodriguez, TMEIC Corp. Americas Transforming legacy industrial control systems into secure, maintainable, high-performance operations with reduced downtime. |
Noon | Lunch |
1 p.m. | Reporting and Documentation Best Practices |
1:30 p.m. | Vision Systems — Round Products Surface Inspection
Jacqueline Peintinger, AMETEK Surface Vision |
2:15 p.m. | Basics in Troubleshooting and Root-Cause Diagnostics |
2:45 p.m. | Break |
3 p.m. | Application of AI and ML in Steel |
3:30 p.m. | Introduction to Digital Workflows With Mixed/Augmented Reality (MR/AR)
Eric Almquist, Star Tool & Die Works Inc.
Digital workflows dramatically improve on traditional job instructions by letting operators see step-by-step guidance layered directly over the real equipment through AR/MR/XR technology. This presentation will walk through where this technology stands today, what the benefit studies actually show and the pitfalls companies run into when deploying it. It will also look at the demographic realities making this shift more necessary than ever. |
4 p.m. | Automation of Millwide Synchronized Scheduling: From Operational Rules to Executable Models
Michael Peintinger, Smart Steel Technologies Inc.
Modern steel production depends on synchronized operation across casting, rolling, finishing and logistics. Creating a millwide schedule is not only a computational challenge but also a process of translating operational knowledge into executable rules. This presentation outlines how scheduling models are built from real production constraints — such as width changes, grade families, campaign limits, reheating capacities and maintenance restrictions — and structured into mathematical formulations that can be solved automatically. |
4:30 p.m. | End-of-Day Wrap-Up and Adjourn |
