How Bühler turns AI into customer value
Successfully implementing digitalization and AI into industrial processes is a journey with many steps. Building on a solid foundation, Bühler is making progress on that journey, weaving powerful new digital and AI tools into its solutions and services, experimenting, developing expertise, and sharing the benefits. And at every step, creating provable value for customers.
Janet Anderson, September 2026
 VisionBoost Grain Analyzer |
 SmarT Coffee Master Companion |
 Fully automated roller casting |
 AI-enabled smart manufacturing |
|
| Why | Whiteness and uniformity are the key characteristics rice millers strive for in their product.Today, quality is monitored by manually testing a subset of samples. Could AI technology provide a better, affordable solution? | Coffee baristas know that the quality of the coffee in your cup depends on many parameters – how long the beans are roasted, at what temperature, and how fast, all of which varies from batch to batch. Can an AI solution master the roast with the precision of a true artisan? | Rollers are key to many processing steps in the food, feed, and advanced materials industries. Manufacturing them requires high temperatures and creates dust. Can AI help to increase manufacturing capacity while guaranteeing a stable and reliable casting process and the safety of operators? | Bühler continuously pursues efficiency improvements in its manufacturing processes. AI-enabled smart manufacturing combines human-centered leadership, lean-based operations, and technology-led transformation to deliver better product quality, improved delivery performance, faster response to market changes, and stronger long-term competitiveness. |
| What | VisionBoost is a cost-effective grain analyzer that can predict the quality of the product on the production line and give more transparency on product process flow, enabling rice millers to balance quality and yield. |
The SmarT Coffee Master Companion digitalizes the full roasting process from green beans to roasted and helps deliver consistent roasting quality. Its predictive capabilities reduce roasting defects by 80%, slash costs, and ensure consistently superior flavor. | A new fully automated centrifugal casting line integrates AI-powered visual monitoring, intelligent control systems, and rail-guided vehicles (RGVs) to transport molten iron from the furnace to the spinning machines. This improves transparency and traceability while reducing safety and environmental risks. | Building on clear and stable lean processes, Bühler is embedding technologies like AI, digital twins, and robotics in its daily manufacturing processes. |
| How | With a dedicated imaging system, AI algorithms, and edge computing, it captures grain images, classifies kernels, calculates quality statistics, and displays results through a plug-and-play touch interface. | By connecting roasting machines and sensors to a local or cloud-based system, it collects real-time roasting parameters, records roasting curves, manages green bean and product data, links cupping and physicochemical results, and uses AI to predict color values, identify key roasting events, and recommend curve adjustments. | The sensors installed on RGVs and spinning machines collect real-time data and monitor the process. AI-trained cameras automatically set off an alarm when human movement is detected in the casting area. | “Transformation rather than disruption” is the motto, meaning that change is implemented step by step on a solid operational foundation. The approach is human-centered, with a focus on upskilling employees. |
| Where | Already implemented in Bühler’s milling laboratory in Wuxi and field-tested at Huanghai Farm in Yancheng, Jiangsu, China, it has achieved 94% overall accuracy in predicting head rice, broken rice, and bran streak grades. | The SmarT Coffee Master Companion has been in use since November 2025 at Sinloy Coffee in China. Their frontline production expertise is translated into actionable product feedback to drive subsequent iterations and upgrades | The system has been successfully piloted in highly complex environments like Bühler’s manufacturing site in Wuxi, China. It is being rolled out to more areas including assembly and warehousing. | Smart manufacturing is currently being driven across Bühler’s global manufacturing network, with Greater China serving as an important benchmark and pilot region. |
How can we help?
Gupfenstrasse 5
Uzwil
9240
Switzerland
