VMI's flagship product—the Maxx tire building machine—is capable of producing around 1,800 passenger car tires per day, with customers typically operating rows of 6 to 10 machines simultaneously. While these machines are rapidly evolving toward full automation with advanced camera systems and new features, this added functionality increases operational complexity. At the same time, attracting and retaining highly skilled operators remains a major industry challenge.

Modern Maxx machines generate vast amounts of operational data that are not yet fully leveraged. Your goal during this hackathon workshop is to address two core objectives:

1. Empower the Operator: How can we use AI and smart tools to make daily work easier, faster, and more effective for operators, loaders, and service engineers?

2. Maximize Performance: How can we increase machine output, minimize downtime, and optimize efficiency using data-driven insights?

You will have direct access to a SQL database with real production data, downtime events, and machine settings, alongside specialized AI chat tools trained on both the production data and the 1,500+ page Maxx technical manual.

By the end of the workshop, teams are expected to deliver:

• Fresh Ideas & Concepts: Innovative strategies targeting operator efficiency, process automation, or machine performance optimization.

• Working Prototype or Demo: A tangible proof-of-concept, dashboard, or functional AI prototype (e.g., a smart operator assistant, predictive downtime monitor, or automated process analyzer) demonstrating your idea in action.

• Pitch & Demonstration: A concise presentation explaining the concept, detailing how it leverages the provided data/sources, and illustrating its potential impact on the factory floor.