More Cost Efficient: Enterprise Production Management Intelligence Ensures Smart Steel Production

Transcription

1 Proven Technology: Soft Intelligence for High-Quality Flat Steel More Cost Efficient: Enterprise Production Management Intelligence Ensures Smart Steel Production Aachen November ISRA PARSYTEC, the world s leading supplier of surface inspection systems for web products, has been able to record several success stories since the introduction of the Enterprise Production Management Intelligence quality management system EPROMI and the EXPERT 5i modules in The architecture and the modules efficiently facilitate flat steel manufacturers in their ability to make reliable and economically smart decisions. Successful applications have already shown that quality inspection - and the resulting production and yield optimization - lead to highly efficient steel production. With EPROMI (Enterprise Production Management Intelligence), steel production is increased to its maximum potential: Quality is much better plannable, processes and production can be systematically optimized. The efficient EXPERT 5i modules support the line operators to quickly and easily find objective and accurate solutions to any issue relating to output or process optimization. The modules access all available production relevant data via the standard EPROMI quality database, analyze and weigh this information according to the various production goals and create knowledge-based solutions for decision makers. The EPROMI quality management system thus provides Seite 1

2 helpful decision support for plant management, for analyzing and weighing all relevant information based on defined criteria and for developing knowledge-based suggestions for decision makers. Data is consolidated to useful information The first EPROMI-like architecture, referred to as OIS.net, was implemented at ThyssenKrupp Steel (TKS) at various lines at its Dortmund and Duisburg locations. Intelligent filters, the rules of which are formulated by users using an intuitive tool and which can then be immediately tested for their effectiveness, reduce the amount of inspection data to a relevant and therefore easily manageable minimum. This consolidated coil information is stored locally on an inspection server and is now available for use by every TKS entity, for example, for TKS very own management execution system or the specific EXPERT modules used for process analysis and product evaluation. Technically, these applications are designed as web applications, which means that, access can be granted to authorized users around the world from any TKS location. Cost savings by using quality data The standard applications with customizable parameters, which are integrated in EPROMI, can be used as tools to enable a quick and cost efficient use of the quality data. As can be seen by the following examples, these standards can be the basis for realizing efficient solutions that are highly customer specific. The company CORUS uses the module CoilRelease to directly perform the quality analysis of the coils being produced on the production line itself. The information that the module uses comes directly from the inspection system. Special Seite 2

3 rules were set up for segments and for the entire coil. Any rule violations within the segments allow the user to immediately take appropriate action directly in the running production. The coils are assigned as o.k., block or repair categories. This way, the company s customers receive only the highest quality coils based on their specifications. Defect images relating to the rule violations can be viewed immediately. Better yet: This all happens online. The online messages received during the coil throughput are thus based on validated information. The line operators can immediately take appropriate action when the relevant information is at hand. The highly successful solution is in daily use at CORUS and has been already presented internally to other operations within the network of affiliated companies. Another success story using EPROMI: Parsytec inspection systems have been in use at POSCO, Korea, for the last ten years. Recently, the company also installed the complementary automatic grading application CoilGrading, which, because the application is interactive, is used at lines with and without surface inspection systems. One of the special features in this application is that the user himself can also record defects manually as well as the inspection results of upstream processes can be used directly. Based on the inspection results and the defects recorded manually by the user in a series of production lines, the module makes it possible to automatically classify the coils into several different quality classes. Various information on the defects across several lines in the production process are combined, resulting in comprehensive information. The special benefit of this application is the ability to directly interact with the system and thus to Seite 3

4 be able to closely integrate the results into the production processes. This is considered a strong competitive advantage that the ISRA PARSYTEC solution can offer. As a result of the successful first EPROMI implementation, the company placed an order in October for a comparable solution for another division. Maximizing output in every processing step A Spanish plant of the worldwide largest steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal, relies on the DefectTracking application, which compares data and defect images from different lines with surface inspection systems and uses the information to document the development of defects as it progresses downstream. One of the critical functions of this software tool is the defect matching, because typically no validated information is available about the condition of the coils in the various production steps. In order to be able to evaluate the progression of defects in a series of production lines, it must first be assured that the same defects or rather coil segments are compared with each other. To that end, the conditions of the defects on the coils are analyzed in the background and defects that belong together are displayed in a group. The advantage: The user is able to analyze defects before and after processing. Day-to-day experience shows: The use of the Enterprise Production Management Intelligence EPROMI, with its corresponding modules and applications, provides flat steel manufacturers a host of benefits, which reflects not only in improved efficiency, but also as even higher quality results. This has already been proven in the first, initial installations. They help to convert information to knowledge and knowledge to decisions. Seite 4

5 Because of the current economic conditions, there ISRA PARSYTEC registers a growing interest in EPROMI and expects several new orders within the actual year. A further indication can be seen in the fact that more than 25 EXPERT 5i applications have been sold since its introduction exactly one year ago. The applications are scalable, making a cost effective introduction into this new technology possible. Flat steel producers can therefore quickly profit from the significant economic advantages. This is especially important in these economically challenging times. About the company: The is the world's largest vendor of surface inspection systems: Today, all of the top 10 steel producers and 15 of the top 20 paper producers employ its products. With more than 600 installations worldwide, it provides its customers with the most advanced surface inspection system as well as reliable and comprehensive information about the relevant surface defects at all production steps. The innovative EXPERT 5i software solutions enables customers to easily create individual surface quality yield management applications while integrating surface quality data with process data. The ISRA VISION Group is the world's largest and most capable vendor of surface inspection systems. The systems are used in the glass, banknote paper, paper, plastics, non-woven fabrics, printing and metalworking industries. The ISRA VISION Group is operating globally with its headquarters in (Darmstadt and Aachen) as well as 15 additional subsidiaries worldwide, e.g. in North America, Korea and China. Seite 5

6 Images Image 1: EPROMI_E Architecture.jpg Convert knowledge to decisions: Optimizing output using Enterprise PROduction Management Intelligence EPROMI Image 2: CoilRelease.jpg Assuring product quality and protecting downstream equipment using objective coil release: Quality relevant data at a glance is of great help when making cost effective decisions Seite 6

7 Image 3: DefectTracking.jpg Recognize effects: The ability to assess and control the defect progression accurately helps to save on materials and resources and ultimately costs Seite 7