Many of the commodities that affect our everyday lives are processed by smelters and fumer-furnace operations. These include products made from copper, nickel, and zinc, such as electrical wiring, kitchen appliances, and some types of batteries. Smelters are also used to produce precious metals, such as gold or silver, and animal feed, and to provide heat for dryers and roasters, which must be operated in concert for efficient production. Despite the importance of smelters, operations are becoming increasingly challenging. Most smelters globally have been in operation for at least 20 years, resulting in higher maintenance requirements. Second, feed quality is declining.

US-based conglomerate GE has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), to set up an Industrial Internet Centre of Excellence. The Centre is being designed to develop applications that will help companies save costs. The first of these will be the Digital Twin of an aluminium smelter. According to senior company officials, GE would invest around Rs 3 crore in the first six months and could commit around Rs 30 crore over five years depending upon the outcome. Aluminium smelters are refineries for extracting the metal from aluminium oxide, separating it from oxygen through a chemical reaction.