Efficiency: Settling the dust
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- Europe
Country
- France
Product
- EcoStruxure Plant
- Modicon M580 Ethernet programmable controller
Tech Stack
- IoT
- Ethernet
- Real-time data processing
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Environmental Impact Reduction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries
- Metals
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Machine Condition Monitoring
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
ArcelorMittal is the world leader in steel manufacturing, and its Dunkirk plant is the largest steel factory in Western Europe. Every year, the Dunkirk steelworks delivers 7 million tons of steel for diverse industries, from automotive manufacturing to construction. With people’s safety depending on reliable steel, consistent product quality is paramount at any steel plant. Ensuring the continuity of the manufacturing process is another key issue as any interruption or equipment failure can be a costly event. Tackling equipment failures or performing routine maintenance usually means shutting down an entire section of a plant. Resuming normal production and bringing furnaces back to smelting temperatures can take up to two days. That’s why most steelworks run 24/7, 365 days a year.
The Challenge
ArcelorMittal, the world leader in steel manufacturing, operates the largest steel factory in Western Europe in Dunkirk. The plant delivers 7 million tons of steel annually for various industries. Ensuring consistent product quality is paramount, and any interruption or equipment failure can be costly. Regular maintenance is necessary to ensure safe working conditions and manufacturing continuity. However, performing maintenance usually means shutting down an entire section of a plant, which can take up to two days to resume normal production. ArcelorMittal needed to address this challenge and gain better control over its dust emissions to achieve greater operational flexibility for a recent equipment modernization project.
The Solution
Schneider Electric, a partner of ArcelorMittal for over 20 years, had the expertise and solutions to improve the dusting process for better steel quality, process reliability, and working conditions. The Modicon M580 offers a Change Configuration on the Fly (CCoF) feature, allowing maintenance and engineering teams to modify the automation control system without stopping the process. By implementing an IoT-enabled EcoStruxure Plant architecture, the Dunkirk steelworks has gained advanced connectivity that allows for precise dust level monitoring and better control of the entire process. The Modicon M580 has become “the brain” of the second phase dusting process, accountable for collecting and processing data from sensors.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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