Aubert & Duval needed a way to run complex processes under changing conditions — not just improve them once, but keep them performing over time.
By shifting how decisions are made during production, they turned process variability into measurable gains in stability, quality, and energy performance.
Key outcomes
- 32% improvement in process stability
- 18% reduction in defects
- 19% reduction in gas consumption
- 3% reduction in electricity consumption
- 15% energy reduction goal surpassed
- More predictable production, lower operating costs, and improved margin control
From Process Complexity to Operational Control
Aubert & Duval produces high-performance materials for industries where precision is critical. Maintaining consistent output requires tight control over processes that do not behave the same way from one run to the next.
At the same time, operating priorities shift. Production needs to flex between quality, cost, and throughput depending on demand and business conditions.
The challenge wasn’t identifying improvements. It was maintaining performance in the face of constant variability.
At the Ancizes plant, teams relied on experience, manual adjustments, and post-run analysis to manage performance.
That created a constant lag between what was happening and how the process was run. By the time adjustments were made, performance had already drifted — and results varied from one shift to another.
Adapting to Variability in Real Time
To change that, Aubert & Duval introduced a new way of running the process — one that adapts in real time as conditions change.
Instead of relying on fixed targets or past runs, teams began adjusting the process based on what was actually happening in the moment. This shifted how teams operate — from reacting after performance drifted to adjusting the process in real time.
They could see which variables mattered under current conditions and act on them during production, not after.
This reduced reliance on trial-and-error and created a more consistent way to manage performance across shifts.
Expanding to Energy
With greater control over production, Aubert & Duval expanded the approach to energy.
Energy had been tracked at a high level, but it wasn’t directly tied to how processes were being operated. Teams couldn’t clearly see how operating decisions were impacting consumption in real time.
By linking energy performance to actual production conditions, teams could adjust how the process was run to reduce energy intensity — without compromising output.
Instead of broad reduction efforts, teams could act on precise, situation-specific adjustments.
A New Way of Running Operations
As the approach matured, it expanded across multiple sites.
Teams began running each process based on current conditions vs. fixed rules or assumptions carried over from past runs.
- Operators adjust the process with clear direction
- Engineers spend less time analyzing past issues and more time improving performance
- Plant leaders see more consistent results across shifts
- Executives gain confidence in how production is running across sites
This created a shared way of operating, grounded in how the process behaves in real time.
Results
By optimizing how processes are run under changing conditions with Real-Time Process Optimization, Aubert & Duval translated better control into measurable performance, lower operating costs, and improved margins:
32% increase in process stability
More stable operating conditions reduced variability, leading to fewer disruptions and more predictable production cycles
18% reduction in defects
Better control over process variables reduced off-spec production, lowering material loss and protecting margin on high-value products
19% reduction in gas consumption
Optimizing furnace operation lowered energy intensity per ton, reducing one of the plant’s largest operating costs
15% energy reduction target exceeded
Aligning energy use with actual production conditions unlocked sustained cost savings across multiple sites
3% reduction in electricity consumption
Improved load management reduced unnecessary energy use and increased overall efficiency
Scaling the Transformation
Real-Time Process Optimization is now embedded across Aubert & Duval’s 10 production sites, providing a consistent way to manage performance under changing conditions.
But more importantly, the way they run and operate has changed.
Instead of asking how to correct performance after it drifts, teams focus on how to run each process under current conditions — continuously adapting to variability as it happens.
“Braincube became part of how we operate,” said the Head of Digital Transformation. “We’re no longer reacting to variability. We’re adjusting to it as it happens.”
What changed wasn’t the process — it was how consistently it could be run, regardless of conditions. And that consistency is what ultimately drives performance, cost control, and margin.
