Technological prediction as a means of identifying additional competitive advantages of a specific production process

Results are presented from predictions of the quality indices of metal products used in critical applications. The predictions are obtained for combinations of technological factors that are not used in the actual production process. The reliability of the predictions is confirmed by the fact that the index values obtained with the use of regression models agree with the values obtained using corresponding genetic algorithms. The advantages of the methodology described in the article are demonstrated using the example of analysis of the multi-stage cold rolling of tubes made of zirconium alloys. The introduction of procedures for making technological predictions will help make production processes more efficient and, thus, more competitive. __________ Translated from Metallurg, No. 2, pp. 31–36, February, 2007.