CIVS Visits SDI Butler to Advance Physics-Based AI Simulation Research

On October 23, CIVS Senior Researcher Kyle Toth, Graduate Students Jay Polra and Priyusha Kilaru, and Senior Design Student Emilio Villanueva visited Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) in Butler, Indiana. During the visit, the team met with Conrad Fisher, Melt Shop Manager, and Eric Murray, Safety Coordinator, to capture photo and video data for testing a Gaussian Splatting method to create a digital twin of the melt shop environment from video-based references.

CIVS utilized 360-degree cameras to record research footage that will be used to reconstruct the melt shop in 3D simulations. SDI also provided a laser rangefinder to help calibrate distances between key objects within the facility, enabling accurate scaling of the digital twin model. In addition to data collection efforts, the teams discussed several ongoing research initiatives associated with the SMSVC Safety and Training Committee. Topics included the AI Hazard Recognition Project, the SMSVC Crane Simulator, and potential opportunities for future collaboration in operator training, public outreach, and facility tour experiences.

SDI’s Butler Division is the original Steel Dynamics mill and the first of the company’s many successful operations. The Butler Division consists of its main mill campus in Butler, Indiana, the IDI complex, also in Butler, and the finishing complex in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Steel Dynamics is also a Charter member of the Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium (SMSVC). (https://butler.steeldynamics.com/)