Above: An array of data visuals comprise the eTrax 2.0 KPI-driven dashboard.
May, 2025- The latest AI-enabled “digital twin” yard and inventory management software from eMeasurematics gives mills and service centers enhanced insights into material flow and its operations. This digital twin technology is part of eMeasurematics new eTrax 2.0 suite, which launched earlier this year.
Using artificial intelligence (AI), eMeasurematics digitalizes the yard and warehouse of a mill or service center, creating a three-dimensional, computerized replica. “Exceptional technology feels natural it blends seamlessly into everyday operations, providing clarity without complexity,” explains eMeasurematics founder and CEO Mudrad Guhya.
This vision drives the digital twin solution, eTrax 2.0. “The modular technology is built on our industry expertise and revolutionizes operations across steel mill and service center environments redefining efficiency, safety and operational excellence. Alongside a true digital twin platform, eTrax 2.0 harnesses AI at its core and provides the opportunity to optimize every aspect of operation from material tracking and shipping to safety and business analytics,” adds Guhya.
MILL ORIGINS
An earlier version of the eTrax software has been available to eMeasurematics customers for several years with a product borne out of Guhya’s connections to the steel industry; he was a consultant providing custom software solutions for steel companies in India. “Learnings from our early undertakings with some of the world’s largest steel producers revealed an urgent need to track material, automate operations and digitize,” he recalls.
In 2004, Guhya started developing material tracking and management software for these businesses. Since then, eMeasurematics has provided enterprise-level solutions that track material and optimize operational flow for more than 40 major projects—primarily for some of the largest steel producers in the United States and India. Guhya claims 90 percent of these customers are achieving annual efficiency improvements of over 20 percent compared with the systems they had before.
Relocating the business headquarters to Chicago in 2016 helped enhance collaboration with eMeasurematics major mill customers. Today, the eMeasurematics research, engineering and product development team is based in the U.S., supporting a global customer base.
FOR SERVICE CENTERS
“Over the years, there haven’t been any significant changes in the way steel is produced. It’s the same facilities, with the same overhead cranes, warehouses and yards,” notes Guhya. What has changed, he observes, is the need for the movement of material to be less reliant upon people—a resource that is becoming more difficult to find, hire and retain.
“The domain of material handling is continually shifting and demands meticulous precision. eMeasurematics material flow consulting team expertly tailors eTrax 2.0 to manage every process and logistical detail to ensure optimal efficiency,” notes Guhya.
He also points out that without robust inventory control tools, an employee might have to physically look at a sticker on the end of a plate, coil or bar to locate a piece of material within a warehouse or yard filled with thousands of tons of steel. “This can put the employee in harm’s way,” Guhya notes.
eTrax 2.0 enhances safety and efficiency by automating the tracking of materials including incoming, in-process and material ready for shipment. “Our software also interfaces with plant IT systems and third-party logistics platforms, which can aid in end-to-end tracking and visibility of materials. This frees up a considerable amount of skilled resources to undertake other value-add tasks,” explains Guhya.
MODULAR
The 2.0 version of eTrax includes more features and is available at a lower price than its predecessor. “We’ve invested heavily in eTrax 2.0 to build a truly modular platform. This approach ensures lower upfront and startup costs, enables customers to scale confidently over time, and delivers measurable results at every step. Now service centers can access the same technology that large mills have been using to automate operations,” Guhya says.
The modular approach of the software includes more than 200 intuitive screens and thousands of customizable configurations, allowing customers to tailor the solution to their operational and business needs. The suite includes digital twin management tools, autonomous systems, remote crane controls, high-speed transfer systems, adaptive AI logistics, holistic management and more all allowing for real-time updates on the status of material location and movement.
“Imagine a virtual replica of your yard so precise it feels tangible with every material and vehicle movement accurately reflected. Envision autonomous vehicles smoothly navigating your yard with confidence, guided by adaptive AI that reacts instantly to shifting conditions,” Guhya suggests. “eTrax 2.0 makes this vision your reality, effortlessly managing extensive yard operations and thousands of materials indoors and outdoors, alike."
eTrax 2.0 features an AI-enabled digital twin of a yard or warehouse.
The eMeasurematics autonomous systems feature advanced machine learning algorithms for autonomous vehicle navigation, real-time adaptive decision-making and seamless integration with existing yard management protocols. “This helps customers achieve superior accuracy, reliability and operational fluidity,” reports Guhya.
eTrax 2.0 includes remote crane controls, giving operators the control of multiple cranes at their fingertips. The technology integrates with the eTrax yard management system, “transforming cranes from blind executors to intelligent, autonomous operators,” notes Guhya.
For customers looking to reduce their reliance on cranes, the transfer grid within eTrax 2.0 features industrial-grade lifters and advanced sensor technology. eTrax leverages AI logistics to strategize storage space, optimize equipment utilization, predict process outcomes, preempt collisions and reduce wait time between ground level and overhead vehicles. “Our adaptive AI logistics is continually adapting to evolving yard conditions todynamically respond and help ensure consistency and operational throughput,” reports Guhya.
Empowered by a vast array of data visualizations, eTrax 2.0 gives users a comprehensive overview of their operations from material inception to final consumption and can pinpoint issues or trends early. “With this information, the customer can drill down to the granular details to resolve issues quickly,” Guhya says.
eTrax 2.0 also synchronizes with AI-driven logistics software to plot cost-effective routes for rail, road or water transport. The software can consolidate trips, factoring in multimodal, multi-leg and return trips.
CENTRALIZED DATA
Another benefit of eTrax 2.0 is the ease of accessibility for service center management. Once a service center has engaged eTrax 2.0, the company’s data relating to material management is now automated and available from a central location.
“With eTrax 2.0, service centers and manufacturing facilities can view operations, compliances and material flow from a central area like a pulpit, a nearby office or even an off-site location,” explains Guhya. “With all this data now connected, operations can be streamlined for more efficiency and enhanced safety. This isn’t just digitalization it’s the future of steel handling: simplified, empowered and unstoppable.”
eMeasurematics, 312/964-5350, emeasurematics.com.
