Optimising the use of assets in the aluminium industry by harnessing digital tools to improve safety and productivity

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the different technologies utilised in logistics optimisation to create a holistic view of what best suits the aluminium industry and its production conditions. The paper also demonstrates the EmTrace solution and its benefits for work safety and production optimisation.

Logistic challenges cause a 3-5% loss of production at a time when demand for aluminium is increasing heavilyThere continues to be strong demand for global primary aluminium, and this has had an enormous impact on the level of international aluminium stocks. The demand is fuelled by two megatrends:

» the trend towards lightweight construction in the automotive industry to protect the environment and climate;

» the trend towards new solutions and applications for future mobility, electro-mobility and additive manu-facturing, employing aluminium materials.

This heavy demand hugely impacts aluminium stocks in European warehouses. Despite production facilities running 24/7, aluminium stocks in LME warehouses have declined sharply, and the current volumes represent a mere quarter of their 2014 level globally. This provides solid proof that worldwide demand has increased markedly compared to the previous century, and respected metals consultancies do not anticipate any downward turn in demand soon: they expect demand to continue increasing until 2025.

Simultaneously, aluminium producers lose 3-5% of production because of inefficient in-house logistics and human error. For example, considerable time may be wasted looking for the right aluminium crate to be delivered for the next production phase. Remembering the position of the aluminium roll in question while calculating the optimal route to it lies in the hands of the forklift driver currently on duty. Working in an environment where large and heavy machinery and equipment meet soft and fragile human beings allows no room for collisions and makes safety the utmost priority.

Let the data be your guide to a safe and productive industrial environmentIn optimised production, it is not enough to move products and materials: you must know where they are. Knowing where inventories are is essential when a critical action is required. Harnessing data as information helps optimize the use of assets, both human resources and materials. Sound decision making relies on timely and accurate information derived from real-time data.

Empower has developed the EmTrace turnkey solution, which aims to improve work safety and production efficiency. Based on our experience and the available information, we estimate the following potential for production and safety improvements:

3 to 5% additional production

Release Work In Progress related Net Working capital by 20%

20% lower work safety related costs

EmTrace is modular and extendable, enabling its agile future development. The Empower roadmap adds features to the solution and empowers customers to further improve safety culture and production efficiency. Additionally, collection of location and production data enables the development of new business models.

Materials e.g. colls

Vehicles

Equipment e.g. cranes and hoists

People

Helpdesk

Trouble shooting & error corrections

On-site repair

Upgrades & backup

In-house logistics, routes,

stacks etc.

Tasks, forwflows etc.

Live PositioningReal time location and usage data fused into

one data cloud

Work safetyAutonomous incident prevention, forensics, improvement planning

Solutioneering servicesDesign-build-operate(24/7 operating center) services

Material & workflow optimization

Intuitive, visual and AI assisted optimization

tools

EmTrace solution components

EmTrace consists of a safety service (EmSafe) and an advanced object tracking service (EmTrack), built on an underlying positioning system. In production optimisation, goods and machines are tagged or marked at appropriate phases of the production process, and the location information is stored in the system. The objects can be shown on maps, tablets, phones or via a web browser.

For safety, the location of people, vehicles, crane hooks, etc. can be monitored in real time. This makes it possible to constantly follow the movement of people and machines, and to issue a visual/sound warning if a possible collision is imminent.

Collected data is stored for later analysis to e.g. review incidents, check the utilisation rate of vehicles and the use of areas, and find congested spots. The same tracking information can also be used to analyse and optimise the routes and stacking of monitored objects.

The solution is operated by Empower’s 24/7 operation centre, ensuring a reliable solution for our customers.

Enabling technologiesEmTrace integrates the positioning system with scanning and printing devices, and provides graphical UI for the operator, displaying positioning information with other relevant information. APIs for positioning data and integration with existing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are provided through an integration platform.

Arhitectural Overview

MAP GUI Terminal Location API

Positioning System

Proximity detector

MAP GUI Terminal

LocatorsScanningDevice

Object marking

Object marking

EmTrace can utilise several marking technologies, and, depending on need and production conditions, we can provide a tailored solution.

High temperature, moist production conditions and magnetic current radiation set tough requirements for object marking, and text and image recognition hardware equipment. To maximise the benefits of traceability markings through the whole supply chain from a hot steel mill product to semi-finished and end products, the selected object marking technology needs to provide secure and permanent markings for all metals and endure varying production conditions, such as surface humidity and temperature variation.

Many marking technologies are available for aluminium and metal industry companies, such as inkjet, labels and a traditional laser. Empower is also familiar with advanced laser technology developed specifically for the metal and cable industry. In this new technology, there is a new way to control the laser beam and create permanent markings without any additives for challenging surfaces. A sample preparation laboratory at the Lapland University of Applied Sciences has conducted corrosion tests on stainless steel, mild steel, aluminium and galvanised steel to seek a laser technology with no negative effect on material qualities. It was found that while many of the tested lasers often create micro cracks and inferior corrosion resistance, there were product types on the market with minimal or no effect on the material.

Traceability

Identifying the product throughout the production phases is the key to optimising routes and task lists. Real-time information concerning status and location in the supply chain can be received via lasered markings like QR codes or barcodes through reading them in each phase or, for example, tracing them with RFID technology.

By improving inventory accuracy using wireless tags (e.g. RFID technology), a study conducted by Daniel Hellström and Mathias Wiberg demonstrated that automated RFID systems had a hugely lower error rate in inventory accuracy compared to manual updating or scanning, therefore improving production and assembly efficiency, and allowing a smaller inventory, fewer rush orders, higher inventory turnover and less waste. However, many of the benefits associated with RFID are directly linked to the automated process, and automated scanners for QR codes and barcodes are also currently available on the market. The most crucial choice concerns the implementation of a tracing technology which can enable process freedom and real-time visibility in the supply chain.

Positioning and analytics

As tracing runs without human error, operators are informed through personal devices that things are going smoothly or that there are issues requiring attention. In implementing the positioning system, it is important to address the need for accuracy to determine the best technology. With smart analytics systems in place, it is also possible to track down equipment usage to determine the right amount of equipment, eliminate production bottlenecks and design optimal workflows.

According to a study by Rebecca Angeles, companies taking positioning technologies into use have reported improved efficiency in the manufacturing process and routing, improved information in accuracy and a decline in incidents. In a large production facility the results can be dramatic: for example, P&G realised gains loading speeds of 40 per cent, reducing the number of drivers the company needed to hire for the same scale of operation

Empower has decided to use one of the most accurate positioning systems for EmTrace, because work safety cannot be compromised. It combines the information gathered during production and storing, and produces images and suggestions for optimising production. Making the most of Bluetooth Low Energy Angle of Arrival (BLE AoA) technology, EmTrace presents beneficial applications in personnel’s handheld devices. EmTrace’s proximity detector and locators help personnel to optimise routes for transporting materials within the production facility and ensure there are no collisions between human beings and machines.

Solution lifecycle management is provided via a network of trusted partnersEmTrace consists of software and hardware components. The selected hardware is installed and calibrated by Empower or its trusted partners. Once all the necessary hardware is installed and the system is in place, most of the provisioning or commissioning tasks can be completed remotely from the operations centre.

Replacement of on-site hardware is usually triggered by an alarm in the operation centre. Replacement is handled on-site by a technician.

The main application runs in the cloud and is developed following the agile process flow. It therefore includes the possibility of continuous integration and deployment of new releases.

New software versions are released at regular intervals. These releases include new and enhanced features, as well as bug fixes. Old releases are only supported for a limited period of time.

Emergency and other high-priority fixes can be deployed between the regular releases.

All SW components can be upgraded separately. During an upgrade, only the parts to be changed are upgraded.

How to get started

New SW features are released at regular

intervals

Hardware installations are made by Empower.

Maintenance and exchange are triggered by an alarm in the

24/7 operations centre.

The software application is in the cloud and developed in an agile manner.

To discover how your aluminium production facility could benefit from the digital solutions and different technologies described above, our team of industrial technicians is always available for a 30-minute online Introduction. This covers:

» the identification of the most beneficial technologies to address in your facility;

» a live demonstration of the EmTrace solution and its components

» Live positioning

» Route, Task and Stack optimisation

» Work safety;

» an example of pricing options

» an interactive Q&A session

ReferencesALUMINIUM 2018’s survey: How digital is the aluminium industry already? The Aluminium Association

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Energy harvesting for autonomous systems Geoff V. Merrett, Alex S. Weddell and Nick R. Harris

Mechanical durability of RFID chip joints assembled on flexible substrates Kamil Janeczek, Tomasz Serzysko, Małgorzata Jakubowska, Grazyna Kozioł and Anna Młozniak

Improving inventory accuracy using RFID technology: a case study Daniel Hellström and Mathias Wiberg

RFID TECHNOLOGIES: SUPPLY-CHAIN APPLICATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES Rebecca Angeles

The role of mobile technology in a buyer-supplier relationship: a case study from the steel industry Jari Salo

Cajo for metal industry Cajo Technologies

Empower GroupEmpower Oyj • Valimotie 9-11 • FI-00380 Helsinki • tel. +358 29 020 011 • fax +358 29 020 2290 • www.empower.euBusiness identity code: 2727327-9