1/3

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Reduction in natural gas consumption

10%

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Increase in furnace availability

1%

.....

Feed accuracy tolerance post deployment

10,000

.....

Total I/O supported by 2 servers for secure redundancy

1 Month

.....

Lead time between the quote and deployment

Overview

Bright Alloys, a ferrochrome smelter serving customers from Indonesia, China, and North America, was grappling with operational challenges across its threefurnace plant.

The lack of standardisation across the plant (due to various brands of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)) led to inefficiencies and a high risk of errors.

The difficulty of sourcing spare parts for outdated systems caused frequent downtime and declining productivity.

The overriding issue, however, was their ageing SCADA system which was plagued by redundancy loss and licensing issues, regularly needing costly repairs and upgrades.

Redundancy was the most critical of Bright Alloy’s needs

The Challenge

Bright Alloys, a ferrochrome smelter serving customers from Indonesia, China, and North America, was grappling with operational challenges across its three-furnace plant. The lack of standardisation across the plant (due to various brands of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)) led to inefficiencies and a high risk of errors.

The difficulty of sourcing spare parts for outdated systems caused frequent downtime and declining productivity. The overriding issue, however, was their ageing SCADA system which was plagued by redundancy loss and licensing issues, regularly needing costly repairs and upgrades.

From Guesswork to Efficient

“Faced with the task of optimising its operations, Bright Alloys was in search of a SCADA that offered both scalability and plug-and-play capabilities. ElectroMechanica (EM) demonstrated the benefits of VTScada. The rest, as they say, is history.”

The Solution

After the deployment of VTScada, Bright Alloys uncovered a multitude of assumptions and uncertainties that had underscored its previous operations. Specifically, they learned that their accuracy in feed rate had a deviation of up to 20%. VTScada provided a significant boost to their operational precision, and they now consistently maintain feed rates within a 1% tolerance range. The solution also offers features for creating standardised operating procedures (SOPs) by developing templates for each furnace, enhancing consistency, and streamlining operations, and thereby eliminating redundant development efforts.

The VTScada solution prompted an immediate cultural shift within Bright Alloys, particularly in their approach to fault management and downtime reduction. Enabled by real-time visibility, which included 24/7 surveillance by multiple online operators, the system minimised unnoticed critical faults, averting breakdowns. Leveraging robust reporting and historical data, the company enhanced its troubleshooting and fault detection, using discernible trends and patterns for more informed decision-making. Daily emailed reports of system and operator nodes enabled prompt responses to issues and informed furnace performance monitoring. Simultaneously, production-related reports delivering vital metrics became key in optimising overall operations.

Bright Alloys also experienced a range of unanticipated benefits. The use of cameras for remote monitoring of electrical components minimised physical intervention in hazardous areas, enhancing safety and prompting an expansion of the camera network.

VTScada also impacted energy monitoring by providing real-time consumption data, enabling power quality assessment, and highlighting optimisation opportunities. The built-in five-year historical data viewer further supported informed decision-making with detailed power data analysis. VTScada’s ability to expand in both size and capabilities allow Bright Alloys to introduce new features as required, meeting their immediate needs while providing a foundation for future growth.

The Solution Specs

The key upgrade was the replacement of the old system with VTScada. This ensured compatibility with the existing equipment, facilitating a straightforward plug-and-play setup. The client’s servers were also updated to ensure peak performance and compatibility

Installation Process

A deliberate redundancy strategy was implemented through a bidirectional database synchronisation between two servers. Each server was capable of handling 10,000 I/Os, ensuring secure redundancy and continuous operation. The system also supported remote connectivity and virtual LAN connections within the plant.

Hardware Deployment

The client deployed the 300 PLC series in the gas plant’s remote area. These PLCs offered mid-range performance and effectively supported the existing gas plant and its associated furnaces.

System Capacity

The client has been equipped with 10,000 I/O slots, with utilisation dependent on the specific requirements of ongoing projects and monitoring needs.

Data Management

Efficiency in data management and compression is achieved through bit stripping, which allows for optimal data compression and reduced tag counts. As a result, a single tag could provide information extracted from multiple words, reducing the required tag count and improving overall system performance.

Comprehensive Training

Before implementing the VTScada solution, the client received comprehensive training and knowledge acquisition through advanced sessions which enhanced their understanding of the system and minimised dependence on external help.

"Last year we experienced a furnace burn-through which resulted in weeks of downtime and loss of production. Our old system didn’t notify the operator adequately of the temperature that was rising on the furnace shell. With the VTScada implementation, we have set up more alarms, and with the functionality of online monitoring, there are now more eyes on the system. So, the chances of us missing a temperature rise [and experiencing a similar event] are now minimal."
― Andrii Denysiuk - Engineering Manager, Bright Alloys

Results

Redundancy

VTScada offers a full dual-redundancy setup which guarantees uninterrupted access to the system without any downtime, even in the event of a server failure.

Database Optimisation

VTScada utilizes its own native database, optimised for performance, reliability, and synchronisation. Testing shows its ability to store data at a significantly faster rate compared to SQL databases.

Security Measures

Security measures include SSL and X509 certification for secure internet communication and data transmission. It also holds the cybersecurity certification of IC 62443.41, signifying compliance with stringent requirements for a secure development life cycle in industrial automation and control systems.

In-House Engineering Team

EM offers a dedicated in-house engineering team that collaborates with clients from design to implementation, providing ongoing support, managing physical products, and delivering services to ensure project success.