CPT International 4/2019

Figure 7: Monitor-based control of the meltshop operations.
son, the data monitoring was expanded
to include the furnace and converter
cooling circuits as well as the
cooling station. The acquired data can
be exchanged between the plant operator
and the plant manufacturer, constituting
another important step in the
implementation of rule-based plant
monitoring.
The melting process is controlled by
the Prodapt Enterprise melting processor,
which will be described below in
further detail. The charge calculator
determines the composition of the
charge based on the formulated recipe
and transmits the data to the automatic
charge make-up crane. The crane fills
the calculated quantities of ferrous
charge material into the charging car.
The charge is then filled into the crucible
in the specified quantities and
melted. At the same time, the additives
are manually charged from the furnace
platform into the crucible in the quantities
determined also by the charge calculator.
At the end of the melting process
a sample is taken and analyzed by a
spectrometer. The result is compared
with the target analysis in the charge
calculator. From this comparison the
additives needed for the correction of
the charge are calculated and brought
to the furnace platform. This process
also takes into account the calculations
of the additives to be added during
ladle tapping, which are kept on the
casting floor.
In addition to the spectrometer analysis,
random thermal analyses are performed
to verify the quality of the melt.
This is done by measuring the C and Si
contents, and the K factor as a measure
of the nucleation status of the melt.
Prodapt Enterprise melting
processor
The Prodapt Enterprise processor from
ABP is a solution that enables all meltshop
operations to be controlled with
one consistent system. It supports the
furnace operator during the furnace
modes sintering, melting and cold
start-up. The process diagrams on the
monitor inform the operator immediately
and in great detail about the status
of the melting process, imminent incidents
and the current measured values
(Figure 7). This achieves highly efficient
furnace operation, and increases the
availability and operating security of
the meltshop.
The process visualization allows the
user – while viewing the current data
- to also access the chronology of the
measured values by a simple mouse
click. Additionally, instructions for
action in graphical or text form can be
assigned to the individual messages
from the fault alarm system.
Figure 8 shows, as an example, the
screen view of the 6-t tandem with furnaces
3 and 4. This view appears on the
monitor at the operating pulpit when
the melting process is running smoothly.
The operator receives – in a clearly
structured view - all necessary information
about the current process status of
the two furnaces. The large numbers
indicate – from the top to the bottom:
furnace weight in kg, melt temperature
in °C, power input in kW. The horizontal
bar (under the illustration of the furnace)
indicates the crucible wear, an
aspect that will be covered below sepa-
CASTING PLANT & TECHNOLOGY 4/2019 11