Automation of Teeming DataCollection and Analysis at EQS

Prepared forIngot Metallurgy Forum

Spring Meeting 2009Brendan Connolly

Online Teeming Bay

• Teeming is a critical step in production of high-quality forging steel

• Steelpourer must work safely and efficiently inorder to ensure the best possible pour

• Hand-written reports have been used in theteeming bay since EQS began production

Online Teeming Bay

• Automating the data collection in the teemingbay allows us to take advantage of the databeing in electronic form:

– Real-time information

• End teeming time

• Strip time

• Pour rates

– Reduced possibility of errors

• Times are automatically pulled into reports

• Pour rates are direct readings from scale

Online Teeming Bay• But, a system such as this does not just convert to

electronic data for the sake of technology

– MORE data is now collected

– Easier access to data

– More information is available to the steelpourer

• The data should be collected with the least operatorinput necessary

– Hand-written records required pour rates every 5 minutesto be recorded

– New system is recording the rate every 30 seconds, andthe operator can concentrate on other important issueswith the heat

Online Teeming Bay

Online Teeming Bay

• System automatically pulls the necessary data(pour rate, flux amount, hot top setting, etc.)from Level 3 computer system

– Automatically displayed on handheld tosteelpourer

– Date tables can be changed easily by QC

– Can be manually overridden by steelpourer ifnecessary

Online Teeming Bay

• IT System set-up time = 9 months

– Massive amount of programming to ensure thatsystem was fully integrated with current Level 3computers

– Research, trial and error for determining besthardware for this application

• Implementation time = 6 months

– Training of all steelpourers under parallel systems

– Verifying all data is accurate

– Correcting any “bugs”

Level 3 System

•Mold Data•Grade Data•Job Data

Level 2 System

•Grade Data•Heat Data

Handheld TeemingSystem

•Operator Data Entry•User Interface

TeemingScale

Teeming Record

•PDF electronically filed

Online Teeming Bay

Online Teeming Bay

• Teeming records have a tendency to ignitewhen hit with sparks!

– Electronic versions are saved in the system andcan be accessed and re-printed by anyone

• When there are other events that drawattention from record keeping, the manualteeming records can have data missing

Online Teeming Bay

• Teeming rate data is automatically comparedto aim teeming rates for each steelpourer

• Steelpourers are given their results eachmonth to review

• Most steelpourers have since been able toachieve 90%+ teeming within +/- 5% of aimrate

Online Teeming Bay

• Stripping ingots early can cause them to bescrap

• The online teeming system has beenprogrammed with visual interfaces to show:

– Where each heat is located

– When it is ready to strip

• Touch-screen technology aids in preventingmis-typed heat numbers when printing tags

Online Teeming Bay

Online Teeming Bay

Online Teeming Bay

Online Teeming Bay

• Prevention of early / late strips

• Real time updates of setup locations and striptimes

• Easy user interface for tag printing

Online Teeming Bay

• The real-time data collection is expected toallow us to expand the automation in shipping

– Better control of ingot thermal handling

– Prevention of stress cracks

– More efficient furnace utilization

– Easier data access

• End teem times and strip times that areaccurate and electronically available arenecessary to properly analyze ingot coolingcycles