GTK Marine Power is a specialized research unit within the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) that provides innovative technology solutions for the renewable energy needs of ships, offshore structures and other marine applications. It focuses on renewable fuel saving technologies, including marine solar and wind power solutions as well as rigid sails for boats and hybrid renewable energy systems.
A new digital service that is a great example of this is the customer portal, which is a collaborative platform for both GTK Marine Power Mintec and its customers. Its main purpose is to offer a list of available services that are tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of each project.
One of the most significant aspects of this platform is that it enables customers to share standardized questions related to their overall projects with GTK and its laborites, and to get a detailed timetable for how the pilot plant and the associated laboratories will be used in a given phase of the project. This information will then be incorporated in a centralized information management system for the benefit of all parties involved.
The most exciting part of this customer portal is that it can be viewed by anyone. As long as they have a GTK ID, they can log in to the portal and check out all the available services in a single view.
This is a very simple process, and it allows customers to access all the relevant information and solutions for their projects from a single source. All of the data is stored in the cloud, where it is accessible to all the people involved in a project in a secure manner.
Another important aspect of this customer portal is that it demonstrates the use of modern automation systems and a digital information management system. These technologies enable real-time operation control and optimization.
The information management system in this case is a web-based platform that combines the functions of a standard ERP (enterprise resource planning) system and a data analysis tool, using machine learning techniques. This system has been implemented in the GTK Mintec pilot plant to facilitate the operations of its operators and improve their work flow by providing them with the most important and relevant information on the process.
The digital system is a great example of the many advanced digitization technologies that are being applied in the GTK Mintec pilot plant. These technologies, such as smart sensors, high-performance hardware and modern automation systems, are enabling the development of processes that have improved the quality of minerals and ores, reduced maintenance costs, increased safety, and enhanced visibility of the resulting results.