Customer Success Story: Vitkovice Steel
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- Europe
Country
- Czech Republic
Product
- ICONICS GENESIS32™
- AlarmWorX™32
- DataWorX™32
Tech Stack
- Oracle databases
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft SQL databases
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Cost Savings
Technology Category
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Metals
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Manufacturing System Automation
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
- Software Design & Engineering Services
About The Customer
Vitkovice Steel, a.s., a member of the Evraz Group S.A., is a leading European manufacturer of rolled steel products. The company’s main product mix consists of plates, sections, sheet piles, and flame-cut shapes. The largest steel plate manufacturer in the Czech Republic, located in the city of Ostrava in the Moravia region, Vitkovice Steel produced 802,000 tons of steel products in 2005, mostly high-quality steel plates. The company is known for its high-quality steel plates and is a key player in the steel industry in the Czech Republic.
The Challenge
Vitkovice Steel, a leading European manufacturer of rolled steel products, was faced with the challenge of replacing a production monitoring system from the late 1980’s, in addition to control systems based on obsolete Czechoslovakian computers (PPC-4). The company needed a system that could meet their high availability, 24x7 requirements, as well as scale to the needs of about 180 users. They also needed a system that could integrate seamlessly with existing systems, including KEP Servers, Stratus Servers, Siemens Simatic S7 PLCs, Oracle 9.2 database, UZ line-over databases, stampers in hot or cold conditions (3964R), and paint stampers. The system also needed to connect easily to the company’s existing Microsoft products, including Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2000 and XP clients, Microsoft Office and SQL databases.
The Solution
Vitkovice Steel, working with systems integrator Real Time Software (R.T.S. c.s., spol. s.r.o.), selected a system based on ICONICS GENESIS32 integrated with Oracle databases. The new Plate Mill Coordination System, “KSUP”, was gradually phased in, eventually replacing the former, out-of-date management execution system and the control systems of key production aggregates (units of 3.5 meter, four-high Rolling Mill). The key units contain lengthwise trimming and cutting power slitters/shears, two cross-cutting power shears and roll-transporters. The GENESIS32 software suite is used for the automatic monitoring of material moving on roll-transporters as well as of material stored in piles. Operators at service boxes are automatically supplied with all necessary information needed to process the material. The complete production settings are also automatically passed on to the appropriate production aggregates. GENESIS32 runs on 26 client stations, providing approximately 40 main operating and overview screens with an additional 250 pop-up window support screens.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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