PROCESS EXPERT

COST-EFFICIENT AND MODULAR

PROCESS AUTOMATION EXPERT CLASS
SYSTEM FOR LONG ROLLING PLANTS
COST-EFFICIENT AUTOMATION PROCESS
Primetals Process Expert is a cost-efficient process
automation system for all types of long rolling mills,
including rod, bar, section, rail, reversing mills, and flat
blocks. The system performs a wide range of tasks for
optimized operation – from suggesting pass schedules
to calculating and downloading optimized mill settings
according to the availability of rolls.
MONITORING AND DATA COLLECTION
Primetals Process Expert monitors and collects data from
the raw material stage to the finished product. It delivers
valuable mill reports to the operator staff and management
so they can easily assess a plant’s performance and
optimize production.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PRIMETALS PROCESS EXPERT
•• High cost efficiency based on a modular client-server
architecture
•• Exactly the data security you need with a system that can
be expanded to a high level of redundancy
•• Easy upgrades in running plants and for new applications
by “grabbing” current data from any type of PLC
•• High process transparency through in-depth analysis and
reporting functions based on real-time data tracking
•• Fast management overview with powerful reporting
functions
•• Easy comparison of facilities all over the world – with
agreed KPIs

INTEGRATED SOLUTION •• High flexibility for any kind of long rolling plant
The Primetals Process Expert solution domain extends from
the Level 1 basic automation system that provides all basic
rolling data and information, to the L3/MES level with its
product genealogy relationships, production planning and
reporting. This system is not limited to one plant but can
enable plant to plant performance at corporate level.

INDUSTRY 4.0
Process Expert is aligned with the Primetals Industry 4.0
initiative. Process Expert is the first step on the way of
transformation from the plant to Smart Factory.

Business performance levels

primetals.com
Print screen from Process Expert - Production throughput analysis
HIGHEST PRODUCT QUALITY
Long rolling producers are challenged to provide products
that meet ever-increasing quality standards. Older or
outdated automation systems cannot achieve the quality
control required for process production standards.
Anything less than the most modern tracking methods
and process handling equipment risks compromising
productivity, metallurgical properties, cut length, packaging
quality, and the overall product quality. By monitoring the
process parameters, metallurgical properties collected
online and offline, billet to billet, heat to heat and product
to product, any quality issues can be resolved and
identified early and cost effectively. Quality improvements
can be easily identified.
MAXIMUM PLANT EFFICIENCY
While demands on products and processes are always
increasing, steel producers are faced with limitations
caused by inadequate automation technology, old
equipment and a lack of spare parts. By monitoring the
downtime and assigning the loss of time to a specific
part, crew or maintenance area, the problem areas
causing the main downtimes can be identified. Through an
understanding this and identifying the areas or parts, the
mill utilization can be improved, spare parts can be ordered
with confidence and investment planning can be scheduled
with a strong argument for the return of investment.
WHY PRIMETALS PROCESS EXPERT IS A
MODERN PLATFORM SYSTEM
•• Multi-client environment with centralized
business and process functions
•• MVC (Model View Controller) design pattern
to separate operator actions and centralize
process functions and logic
•• Scalability: easy to add new clients
•• Capable of working with different
communication protocols and partners:
TCP/IP, OPC read/write, external databases,
importing files, web services
•• Dedicated components to serve different
purposes (flexible system structure from
project to project)
•• Regionalization – data presentation reflects
local culture (language, units), possible to
switch online local and default language
•• Report generation (automatic, on event or
time based)
•• Redundancy, fail safe operations
•• Corrective actions for all important operations
available for operators
•• All measurements and analysis tools in one
system, not “hidden” in different departments
•• Data available to all personnel, from the
operators, maintenance, management to
corporate level
primetals.com
Print screen from Process Expert - Production tracking overview

PROCESS EXPERT - MATERIAL TRACKING

Dependent upon the mill configuration, the system can TECHNOLOGICAL MODULES & FEATURES
track from the Billet Yard through the Charging Grid, the •• Material tracking from Billet Yard through
Furnace, Mill or Bar Outlets / Coil Outlets, Bar Handling charging grid, furnace, mill, outlets up to finish
Area / Coil Handling Area, up to the Finished Product Yard. Product Yard
•• Billet & Product Yard Inventory
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT & SCHEDULING
The system is also managing the production schedule, •• Production management (incl. raw material
binding given orders to particular heats and billets, defining assignment & genealogy)
production parameters and batches, creating campaigns, •• Production scheduling & sequencing (incl.
etc. The storage module suggests the best matching billets Campaign management)
from billet yard to assign to the production order.
•• Heat data management
PASS SCHEDULE HANDLING
•• Material tracking & production performance
The system provides functionality which allows monitoring
management of the Pass Schedules, updates to the
schedule, assignment to a specific product. All of this •• Weighing and tagging
data can be inserted, corrected and redefined manually. •• Data processing/archiving
Additionally, all this data can be received from the Level
•• Plant monitoring
3 or from special Roll Pass design tools (e.g., Primetals
Technologies LR Roll Master). •• Pass Schedule Management

ROLLSHOP MANAGEMENT •• Data Analysis and report manager

Rollshop maintain all data related to the grooves, rolls,
rollsets, cassettes, guides, etc. Rollshop helps to configure
mill: define stands, cassettes, rolls, grooves, mounting,
status as well as predicted pass and/or roll change.
Rollshop also monitors usage during production by adding
up rolled tonnage (eventually rolled length) of produced
material to rolls and grooves. If rolled weight exceeds a
predefined limit for a groove, then an alarm is triggered by
the Process Expert to inform the operator that a roll change
is necessary.
•• Delay Management
•• Definition of KPIs (Key performance indicators
and powerful Condition Monitoring)
•• Quality Management
•• Rollshop Management
•• Maintenance Management (incl. Equipment
Management)
•• External system interfaces (L1, L3/MES/SAP,
Meltshop MES, Laboratory Systems, etc.)

primetals.com
Print screen from Process Expert - Production analysis: Weighed tons per day

DATA ANALYSIS
Consolidation various systems data results (measuring EXAMPLES OF AVAILABLE ANALYSIS & REPORTS
devices, laboratory, rollshop, etc.) in one central point •• Gas Consumption
allow Process Expert to provide wide spectrum of analysis.
•• Energy Consumption
Powerful tools like PivotTable, responsive Charts and
various Excel functions together with defined KPIs, help •• Weight tons per time in different views (hours,
in deep system analysis and makes finding of production months, year, crew, shift, etc.)
bottlenecks easy. All weak spots and resources can be •• Production Throughput
identified, monitored and analysed.
•• Heat Summary
Process Expert is the system which helps to assess and •• Mill Utilization report in different views (per
improve plant performance. shift, per time, per crew, etc.)
•• Cobble Analysis
•• Delays Analysis
•• Rolls History
•• Product Quality
•• Metallic and Quality yields crosschecked with
reference values

Mauro Bogliani
EA LR ITA

T +39 0331 741 638

M +39 331 670 1991
E mauro.bogliani@primetals.com

Primetals Technologies Italy s.r.l.
A joint venture of Siemens,
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Partners
Via Luigi Pomini 92
21050 Marnate (VA)
Italy
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Printed in Italy | © 07.2018
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