CISDI proudly presented its full-process smart metallurgical platform at this year’s Smart China Expo in Chongqing.

The platform is a first in the global metallurgical sector.

Its application at the Yongfeng Lingang Plant in China’s Shandong Province is a standout example of how digital tech can serve full-process intelligent manufacturing.

The unified industrial internet platform collects all production data from across the plant and its intelligent solutions assist in the plant achieving lean production targets. 

Lingang’s phase 1 has put online 1,800-plus industrial models and functional modules. 

The cost per tonne of slab has been reduced by US$ 14.26, compared with costs at Yongfeng’s HQ plant. Its per capita annual output has exceeded 1,500 tonnes. 

CISDI has made continual advancements in intelligent manufacturing since the maiden launch of its intelligent, centralised control centre for Baowu Shaogang, a global-first.

 

²  Borderless collaboration between procedures and departments

The conventional ISA95-based 5-layer matrix information structure results in inefficient collaboration, due to vertical data attenuation and horizontal data isolation problems.

CISDI’s Shuitu Cloud industrial internet platform has a patented flat, systematic structure. It breaks through matrix borders in the conventional structure. It enables the unified industrial internet platform rooted in the control layer to directly implement all smart applications. Massive data is efficiently collected and processed and can play its role and create values.

In the 5-layer matrix structure, all information reaches its brain through multiple inter-layered transmissions.

The Shuitu Cloud penetrates all directions of data across the plant, enabling all data to be used for the high layer of production control and the basic automation layer. 

Functioning like a neural network, it allows the access and integrated control of all data throughout production processes and procedures, and involving all factors. 

The Lingang plant’s platform is connected to over 30,000 sets of equipment and over 500,000 points of real-time data. A total of 35 billion data has already been collected and stored at the platform.

Swarms of data are unfolded from the conventional black-box-like production process - removing borders on data transmission routes and among procedures and management departments.

 

²  Integrated operation, control and management

CISDI’s intelligent manufacturing has advanced from separate systems to unified, full-process platforms. 

Multiple firsts have been achieved at leading Chinese steel companies - Baowu Shaogang’s upstream-ironmaking centralised control centre, Baowu Bayi Steel’s intelligent hot-rolled coil warehousing system, Baosteel Zhanjiang Steel’s intelligent, green stockyard, its autonomous hot metal transport system and intelligent, centralised water treatment control centre. 

Lingang Steel’s full-process intelligent manufacturing at a unified platform is a new demo of its kind. It consists of three integrated systems - one for the industrial network platform plus intelligent control, one for upstream-ironmaking and one for steelmaking and rolling. 

Each integrated system can be utilised individually or operate with combined functioning. 

Twelve categories of smart APPs have been developed for Lingang Steel’s production, equipment, energy, logistics and HSE. They are supported by over 1,800 industrial models and smart APPs to achieve digital raw material entry and storage to smart processing and product delivery. 

The plant’s operation, control and management is synergised to maximise digital scheduling and collaboration across the board and among various layers. As a result, costs have been reduced and efficiency enhanced. 

As an example, accurate and fine temperature control is critical for stabilising production and increasing product quality and profitability. 

The integrated control system tracks real-time temperatures at blast furnace-tapped and BOF-fed hot metal, liquid steel at BOF melting and tapping and refining-fed and discharged liquid steel. 

With the aid of model-based forecasts of target temperatures, the system gives operational guidance on hot metal handling scheduling and refining heating.  

Full-process temperature control and production tempo brings super-coordination between procedures.

Lingang Steel’s electricity consumption has been refined and reduced by 2kWh per tonne of slab. The average production cycle of steelmaking has been reduced by one minute 40 seconds and the continuous casting cycle by three minutes 2 seconds.

 

²  Data-driven staff improvements

In its drive for perfection, Yongfeng Steel has partnered with CISDI to improve its intelligence. 

Platform-based intelligent applications provide a large quantity of data assets serving across-the-board control and collaboration, and enhance automation levels. 

Conventional key performance indicator control only involved corporate and individual plant levels. All KPI data was processed with offline statistics and post-event calculation. The data was delayed and not detailed enough.

A CISDI-built KPI board at the intelligent platform applies a breakdown structure from plant-level general to operating zones, procedures, production lines and shifts. Over 600 KPIs are designed at the platform.

The KPI data is a result of real-time calculation, online acquisition and dynamic updating. It provides accurate, transparent support for corporate decision-making on production. 

Each employee can use the data to identify problems and improve work performance. Greater staff performance achieves highest cost efficiencies. 

A number of CISDI’s intelligent manufacturing projects have become leaders in the transformation of China’s steel sector to leaner, safer production. CISDI will redouble its work to advance deeper integration between intelligent, big data tech and the real economy. 

 

 

The intelligent manufacturing control centre at Yongfeng Lingang Plant, which is based on CISDI’s unified industrial internet platform