With the help of new automation systems at its stainless steel long products plant in Sheffield, UK, Italian steel company Marcegaglia aims to increase productivity from 250,000 tons to 500,000 tons per year.
Marcegaglia Stainless Sheffield, based in the UK, has partnered with Primetals to optimize production processes across its Sheffield minimill. The modernization project aims to double the plant's annual production capacity from 250,000 to 500,000 tons. Several intralogistics systems, process optimization solutions, technology packages, and intelligent sensor systems will be installed at all production units of the meltshop, scrap yard, and the ladle tracking system.
According to Primetals, the project is tailored to Marcegaglia's specific requirements, based on a recent Through-Process Optimization (TPO) study. The TPO assessment provided Marcegaglia a comperehensive analysis of the steelmaking plant, identifying bottlenecks and outlining potential improvement measures. A key result of the assessment, the improvement roadmap, highlights recommended actions to achieve a streamlined implementation process.
As a first step, Primetals will install a fully automated electrode control system for electric arc and ladle furnaces. Mid-term plans include the implementation of process optimization software (Level 2) for the electric arc furnace (EAF), argon-oxygen decarburization (AOD), and ladle furnace (LF) plants, all of which are currently missing from the automation landscape. Long-term plans include the replacement of the electric arc furnace to accommodate the future.
According to Marcegaglia, the ultimate goal is to increase productivity, which will require introducing an additional production shift. New personnel will be able to gain the necessary knowledge to efficiently run a production unit through Primetals' new process optimization systems, which provide digitalized knowledge, recommended actions, and training sessions for operators. Marcegaglia intends to start using the standard know-how rules included with all systems, with modifications aligned to operators' best practices as a part of the planned service contract.
The scope of supply includes the Scrap Yard Supervisor, which calculates cost-optimized scrap recipes, visualizes process information, and tracks loading processes. Intelligent sensors, such as the Scrap Basket Profile Monitor, monitor specific process steps, identify deviations from standard operating conditions, and notify the operator.
Source: Primetals Technologies
