ABB launches GMD Copilot to streamline gearless mill drive operations

• GMD Copilot uses AI to provide instant, precise insights for gearless mill drive (GMD) maintenance, troubleshooting and decision-making
• Fully integrated into ABB’s GMD Connect cloud services, GMD Copilot enhances operational efficiency through real-time data access and interpretation of complex documentation
• The solution helps operators maximize uptime and increase productivity in the face of surging critical mineral demand

ABB introduces GMD Copilot, an AI-powered digital assistant designed to optimize the operation and maintenance of gearless mill drives (GMDs). GMD Copilot offers users immediate, context-specific information, instantly providing a complete overview of the system intended to improve the decision-making of GMD operation and maintenance.

Grinding mills crush ore, separating the valuable mineral from the remaining rock. By eliminating all mechanical drivetrain components and being able to operate at large scale, GMDs deliver more efficient, reliable operations with lower emissions, helping the industry meet the demands for minerals critical to a low carbon future, such as copper. The copper market expects an almost 5-million-ton deficit by 2030[1], so maximizing its output (and of other similar minerals and metals) is vital as the world electrifies and decarbonizes. 

Building on traditional approaches to maintenance, which can involve technical manuals, site service reports and online monitoring data, GMD Copilot enables users to ask questions in natural language and receive precise, actionable insights in seconds directly from GMD Connect, ABB’s cloud-based monitoring platform. It has an intuitive user interface for retrieving all possible kinds of operational data such as technical documentation, recommendations or maintenance guidelines, helping users efficiently manage GMD systems. GMD Copilot’s integration with GMD Connect also serves to surface real-time insights into the health of the GMD system, enabling users to detect potential issues before they lead to unplanned downtime.

Its robust security measures mean all data remains private and secure, with project-specific access to ensure no third-party information is involved. Designed for global operations, GMD Copilot offers multilingual capabilities, enabling teams in various regions to access the support they need in their preferred language.

“By expanding the capabilities of generative AI to include core industrial applications, we are responding to the growing demand for more efficient, responsive solutions in GMD maintenance,” said Carlos Miguez Fernandez, Global Product Manager for Service, Business Line Gearless Mill Drives, at ABB Process Industries. “GMD Copilot is the latest in our suite of tools which enhance operational uptime and support our customers in maintaining peak performance across their GMD systems.”

[1] Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2024 – Analysis - IEA

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and more than 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps process, hybrid and maritime industries outrun – leaner and cleaner. go.abb/processautomation