At present, climate change, sustainability, resource use and greenhouse gas emissions are issues that cannot be avoided. Undeniably, the impact of human activity unbalances many natural processes and it is producing effects on the planet's climate, ecosystems and people's health that are unprecedented.
If we look into CO2 emissions, industry produces about one third of non-agricultural emissions, and of that, more than half is due to materials production (mainly steel and cement). Additionally, as population grow and people become richer, the demand for new products, services and energy will also increase.
If climate change targets are to be met (roughly, a reduction of 50 % in CO2 emissions in 2050 with respect to the present), even with the increase in demand taken into account, a measure of serene and profound reflection is needed.
This article looks into some of the challenges and the opportunities that the metallurgical industry faces in the coming years and decades, related to the use of resources and energy, the efficiency of processes, and the emissions and waste produced.
The process of designing logistics systems in metallurgy in many cases depends on solution time, resources used and complexity of the problem - the efficiency of the solution. From this point of view, it is possible to divide the design methods into 3 levels, from the lowest, naive level (situational - ad hoc decision) and analogy, through application of models/analytical heuristic and simulation models to the highest level, complex-system approach, scientific level. The article describes the suitability of individual approaches, models, knowledge, principles, rules and their application for different paradigms of logistic systems (case study, reengineering, system approach) in metallurgy.
The article analyzes the approaches of different authors to understanding the essence of the term "customer-oriented". Based on the McKinsey "7C" model, various aspects of the client-oriented approach are demonstrated. A substantial model of customer orientation is proposed on the example of ArcelorMittal Temirtau one of the most important plants in the Asian region for the largest steel company ArcelorMittal International. The model allows, on the one hand, to structure the orientation to the client, and on the other - to evaluate this competence in the company. The basic values of client-orientedness are determined. The main approaches of economists to understanding competences and allocation of key competencies are analyzed. The main new competences are proposed the strategic vision in the context of the modern development of the theory of relationship management. The client-oriented strategy of the company is formulated. The reasons and peculiarities of the renaissance of client-oriented behavior of firms in modern conditions of economic re-industrialization are investigated. Within the framework of the conducted research the client-orientation was evaluated, in the interests of achieving the leading positions in the target markets, using the example of ArcelorMittal Temirtau.
This article aims to survey and evaluate the current state of the heating furnace and to analyze the operational data using data mining tools and artificial intelligence in order to capture the complex weaknesses of the current system and to propose those modifications that would allow deployment model management levels in its entirety.
The main topic is to find energy cost saving item and implementation method in the pretreatment process at the paint production plant. The paper presents explanation of experiment with temperature reduction and its influence on the quality and steam consumption. By reduction of the temperature by 3 °C we can save 10 % of steam. During experiment it was found an alternative source of heat for the degreasing process, in the form of recuperation waste heat from the oven.
Metallurgical supply chain consists of raw materials miners, transport, integrated metallurgical enterprise, service centers and local distributors. The overall performance of the supply chain which is subject to disruption from the environment is dependent on performance of its links and its ability to recovery after such event or resilience, respectively. As it is possible to estimate mean time between failures and mean time to recovery for each supply chain link, the whole process can be modeled as a stochastic process using Markov process. This article aims in setting assumptions for a model, creating a model of metallurgical supply chain in the context of supply chain resilience using Markov process which would allow to asses resilience using overall supply chain performance as an indicator.
The paper presents possibilities of a comprehensive (end-to-end) software solution for efficient management of metallurgical plants. The aim of the paper is to point out the high demands of metallurgical enterprises on the information systems, current possibilities of modern ERP and APS systems and trends for more effective and supportive work in these systems. The first chapter focuses on the consolidation of various information systems in metallurgical plants, where unified data structure and business processes can naturally simplify data consolidation into one desired output. Subsequently, the possibilities of modern Enterprise Resource Planning systems and Advanced planning and scheduling systems will be introduced. Modern information systems should undoubtedly record links between partial logistics and production processes. Actual trends will be presented, specifically integrated functionality that complements ERP and APS systems. These advanced functionalities promote the use of standard information systems, primarily to facilitate the data collection through the reporting of employees at the workplace terminals, automatic data collection from machines and the possibility of online access to the latest product documentation. Modern advanced add-on functionalities offer the interconnection of ERP and APS systems with mobile applications, which replace often outdated paper documentation and complex paper-based reporting. Last chapter will introduce requirements and recommendations for the selection of comprehensive information system that meets the high needs of metallurgical plants in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Metallurgy is one of the most complex industries. It integrates the experiences that our ancestors have moved for generations to better understand chemical and manufacturing processes. Over the past few decades, metallurgy has experienced a massive transformation. Minimizing ecological burdens, maximizing economic indicators and, last but not least, lacking skilled human resources puts the future of metallurgical process management in a difficult task of replacing human power in heavy and dangerous operations while improving technological processes. The way to achieve this goal is to give the processing technology a new dimension based on the experience and knowledge of experts. Machine vision is one way to achieve this goal.
Target of this contribution is description of implementation and using autonomous vehicles (AGV) in metallurgy plants. Currently is trend doing focus on automatization of production processes due to degreasing costs and due to missing workers as well. To the total production process we can include logistics like important part it means transport of materials or semi-finished product from point A to point B for example between minority production processes. Currently AGV systems are expanding to the others production plants but it has to be calculated that technology of AGV system need to be adapted a modified according using and according environment where will be AGV system implemented. Contend of this contribution is especially description of technical specification AGV system to heavy industry with focus on metallurgy processes. Technical description will focus for using sensor equipment which is part of autonomous control and it serves like picker of data and information system about vicinity in real time. In this contribution will clarify specification of drive which will be atypical for the metallurgy industry. In article will be mentioned question of safety in cases approaching people to AVG system direct touch or even problem with collision with physical objectives, which is placed in area permanently or temporary.
The article deals with the acquisition of character positions from the input image and with modifications to increase the accuracy of recognition that precedes it. As the input image is meant a camera output or a photo of text information in the surface on different types of blanks. The input image itself contains many defects, for example noise, holes, light reflection, uneven surface caused by cutting or welding etc. All of these defects have to be eliminated to increase the accuracy of the algorithms for image recognition. In the article, there are described methods of improving the input image, which are suitable for all types of text, but it is mainly aimed at industrial products and materials that exhibit a large percentage of defects caused by metallurgical processes.
The arrival of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) opens the door to a completely new concept called a virtual foundry. The concept is a specific type of digital factory. A virtual foundry can be imagined as a simulation of a fully functioning company, encompassing all elements of the production process, from receipt of goods, through logistics to sales to the end customer. With the virtual foundry, it will be possible to shorten the time of the entire production process, deliver products faster to customers, reduce innovation cycle times and achieve greater energy and resource savings. High employee turnover is a serious problem for many companies, as training new employees is very expensive. The virtual foundry can also serve as an educational tool for new employees. This new concept will certainly be demanding on hardware requirements. This could solve the interconnection of the virtual foundry with cloud computing. Cloud computing can be defined as a new form of computer usage where data is processed, stored and managed on remote servers hosted on the Internet instead of a local server or personal computer. Cloud computing has become a major technology trend, and many experts assume it will change not only information technology processes but also the entire IT market. This article aims to define, on the basis of available literary and news sources, the possibilities of a virtual foundry and the benefits of linking a virtual foundry to cloud computing.
Present conditions of highly competitive environment lead the owners and management of metallurgical enterprises to a strategic orientation on innovation, which is necessary for their durability and obtaining a significant market position. For efficient implementation of innovation activities, it is essential to compare with others and to look for ways to use the collected knowledge. The steel industry has its specifics of material and energy intensity, the metallurgical production itself is associated with environmental burdens, and metallurgical companies have to cope with the low competition. It is the implementation of innovation activities that leads to securing production at the high-tech level and thus ensuring the viability of metallurgical enterprises. The paper aims to evaluate innovation activities of innovative metallurgical companies based in the Czech Republic. According to the methodology of Eurostat in 2010, innovative enterprises are considered as innovating enterprises that introduced one of the following innovations, namely product, process, marketing and organizational. The valuation will be based on data available at the Statistical Office in the Czech Republic within section 24 according to the CZ-NACE classification. Innovation activities will primarily be evaluated by their subject character, the way of development and results of the implementation of technical innovations, the novelty of product innovations, the initiator of innovation activities including barriers limiting innovation activities. The results obtained will be compared with those in the manufacturing industry. Based on the results obtained, the knowledge base on innovation activities of metallurgical enterprises will be expanded.
Ribbed bars, like other metallurgical products, must meet the relevant requirements resulting from standards and specified by customers in their orders. The following dimensions of ribbed bars are specified in the standards: nominal diameter and their permissible deviations, mass range of 1 m of ribbed bar, core diameter, rib height, width and length of ribs longitudinal. For individual steel grades, their chemical composition is also defined. The requirements regarding mechanical properties, plasticity and weldability are also specified. Complaints can be treated as one of the tools which gives a lot of information about product quality, even if they are often overlooked in the qualitative analysis. In complaints customers describe the problems they encountered. These problems and their causes should be analyzed and eliminated by the enterprise. Professional complaints management can be treated as an important element of the product quality improvement system. The enterprise not only adjusts knowledge about the quality of its products in this way, but also obtains feedback from customers about these products. The purpose of the articles was to analyze complaints regarding ribbed bars filed by customers of one of the steelworks in Poland. The analysis was based on data from five consecutive years. The percentage of complaints considered by the producer as justified was also presented.
The paper introduces modifications to the classical regression analysis that are deemed necessary when working with typical data from metallurgy, and foundry industry in particular. It specifically concerns the problem of multicollinearity, and shows both the practical application of the modified procedures and its consequences. The usefulness of the alternative procedures was verified for the metallurgical data that reflect existence of relation between selected mechanical properties of casts and their chemical composition.
The expedition warehouses are a key part of every distribution chain. Effective expedition warehouse management has a major impact on the overall quality of the finished products distribution process from manufacturer to customer. The metallurgical industry is characterized by a large stock of products stored, due to the production characteristics of the industry, such as large production campaigns, a wide products portfolio and a wide range of products quality grades. From the above, the importance of the efficient management of stock and the economical use of storage capacities is apparent. The aim of this article is to introduce the issue of the organization of the expedition warehouse of the selected metallurgical enterprise and to present the concept of the model for decision support in the storage of rolled products in the expedition warehouse. The main priority is the efficient use of storage capacities, personnel, handling equipment and optimization of warehouse operations, which will lead to reduction of the time required for order picking and loading.
The article deals with possibilities of introducing innovations using new composite materials in the production and sale of precision rifle’s barrels. While other parts of weapons have undergone a number of design changes in the past, the barrel has not been altered. Among the main reasons for not changing it are the technical risks and limitations. Other risks when implementing changes are the rather conservative approach of customers towards innovations and the amount of legislative regulations that cause these products to have a long innovation cycle. The aim of the article is to find out the main factors influencing the future marketability of precision rifles using new composite materials in combination with steel when producing barrels. The solution lies in summarizing the complex thermo-mechanical processes that occur in steel barrels during the shot and selecting those attributes that have the greatest potential for commercial use of new composite materials. The outcome of the research efforts of the authors consist in describing the decision-making process for production and commercialization of high-quality precision rifles with new types of barrels with steel core and composite coating that should significantly minimize the existing risks of introducing innovations.
The article deals with quality analysis of power grids especially in metallurgical industry when using large engines, arc furnace, induction heating and so on. Nowadays, these non-linear loads which are connected to power grids cause heavy disturbances, which can cause big problems like damage or even destruction of machines or devices connected near the point, where disturbances occur. Identification of disturbances is then very important for elimination of these problems. The article describe progress in detecting mentioned anomalies namely application of discrete Fourier transform which is suitable tool for measuring the anomalies. Discrete Fourier transform can be implemented in modern type microprocessors so there is a possibility to measure and evaluate measured results quickly and efficiently. Based on measured values the power grid in the factory can be analyzed and the improvement can be proposed.
At the end of 2018, the unemployment rate in the Czech Republic was at its minimum for the last twenty years and the same applies within the framework of the EU member countries. Although being favourable in social terms, for companies this situation brings about large difficulties because they are unable to obtain qualified labour force, while costs connected with its finding and maintaining grow rapidly. For these reasons, company managers are compelled to pay an ever-increasing attention as to how the employees are utilised. Reciprocally to the growing costs in this manufacturing factor, they require also a growth in its outcome, in this case, the productivity of labour. The best and only complex instrument for the labour productivity growth is the systematic performance management (PM). In the sphere of the management of human resources, a number of activities are in place and some of them, in terms of labour productivity less valuable, divert the attention from the major personal actions. Therefore, this paper is focused to the delineation of core activities in the performance management and links among them in the sphere of metallurgy. In the sphere of metallurgy, there is a long-standing lack of qualified labour force, and hence the systematic performance management of human resources is of primary importance.