The Future of Gold and Silver Ingot Production

Roberto Guidali

By Roberto Guidali
CEO Italimpianti Orafi Spa

As the world steps into the era of Industry 5.0 – also called the Fifth Industrial Revolution, signifying a shift in focus from economic to social value and wellbeing – a new approach is emerging that is reshaping the boundaries of technological innovation and industrial practices.

The shift from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 highlights not only a continuation of advancements in automation, artificial intelligence and connectivity but also a deeper integration of sustainability and human-centric operations. This new paradigm emphasises reducing energy consumption, minimising environmental impacts, and enhancing the synergy between humans and machines.

The goal is to create systems that not only function with precision but also consume fewer resources and reduce waste.

In the context of gold and silver ingot production, the principles of Industry 5.0 offer transformative opportunities for efficiency, sustainability, and product quality, while encouraging industries to adopt more energy-efficient and resource-conscious production methods.

How to Embrace Industry 5.0

With the advent of Industry 5.0, a new work philosophy has been adopted, integrating its core principles and propelled by several key objectives:

  1. Building on Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0 is a solid milestone that provides the foundation for continued innovation and evolution.
  2. Reducing Machine Footprint One of the primary goals is to minimise the footprint of machines, ensuring that they meet the specific space requirements of the end users without compromising on functionality or efficiency.
  3. Lowering Energy Consumption Now more than ever there is a commitment to reducing the energy consumption of machines. This not only aligns with global sustainability goals, but also helps end users to reduce their operational costs.
  4. Minimising Consumables A multiple winning strategy, eliminating consumption material translates into less environmental impact, lower energy use, higher efficiency and faster ROI

By integrating the principles of Industry 5.0 into operations and products, and keeping pace with the latest industrial trends, manufacturers are leading the charge towards a more sustainable, efficient, and human-centric future, driving progress in the production of gold and silver bars, and setting new standards for the industry.

FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY: TERA Automation has put these principles into practice with their redesign of the tunnel furnace – which has eliminated spacers, resulting in a 25% reduction in footprint – and a system designed to optimise the production of Good Delivery bars in a single cycle, without the conventional melting of grains.

The evolution of Good Delivery bar production heralds a new era, driven by innovative processes and technologies. By reimagining traditional methods and prioritising energy efficiency and quality control, the industry is poised to meet the challenges of the future while delivering exceptional products.

As the demand for efficient and eco-friendly production methods continues to grow, transformative technology is poised to become the new standard in the industry.

In essence, staying attuned to market demands while embracing technological advancement is key to providing reliable solutions.

Roberto Guidali

By Roberto Guidali
CEO Italimpianti Orafi Spa

Roberto Guidali, a chemical engineer, has been a Technical Manager for decades in the fields of precious metals refinery and metallurgy. He has been a member of the Order of Engineers of Como since 1995. Currently, as Chairman of Italimpianti Orafi SpA, based in Badia al Pino - Arezzo, he leads one of the foremost companies in engineering and construction of machinery for the recovery and processing of precious metals. Most recently, he has developed e-waste refinery technology, expanding the company’s expertise into electronic waste recycling and refining.