Integrating equipment systems in a South African metallurgical plant to strengthen plant operations management
South Africa’s rich chromium deposits, a key ingredient in stainless steel production, have fueled a thriving metallurgical industry. However, melting metals is energy-intensive. In the global race towards net zero, the metallurgical industry is ramping up efforts to introduce efficient monitoring and control upgrades. Bright Alloys, a stainless steel metallurgical plant headquartered in South Africa, produces a variety of alloys and distributes its products to over 20 countries worldwide. The construction of its facilities have occurred at different times and under various technologies, resulting in challenges in system integration and the implementation of standardized management. Establishing a reliable backup system can also pose challenges. Any system interruption or equipment downtime may lead to workplace accidents and production capacity losses, making it difficult to promptly assess the status of production lines.

In the global race towards net zero, the metallurgical industry is ramping up efforts to introduce efficient monitoring and control upgrades.

To find the cure for these issues, VTScada was implemented with the support of Delta’s authorized distributor Electro Mechanica. In only three weeks, VTScada seamlessly integrated diverse systems, establishing an efficient monitoring and control system at Bright Alloys. Andrii Denysiuk, Bright Alloys’ engineering manager, said, “VTScada gives us a much more reliable and robust solution. We managed to keep feed rate tolerance within 1%. That’s a huge improvement for our furnace operation and efficiency.”

Real-time monitoring of plant operations management: constructing a robust backup system
Metallurgical plants are scorching hot and filled with toxic fumes. As direct monitoring is difficult to carry out by operators, they deemed monitoring real-time furnace temperature as unattainable. Bright Alloys once experienced a catastrophic event – a furnace burn-through that caused unexpected downtime. It happened when a rapid temperature increase in the furnace went unnoticed by the operator.

In addressing control and management challenges, VTScada empowers personnel to adjust production line status even without physical proximity to the equipment. Denysiuk said, “After implementing VTScada, our company culture has changed completely. The way we are managing our faults and process requirements has changed drastically. We are now able to monitor our furnace operation online from wherever we are, after hours or during the weekends, and apply changes almost immediately.”

VTScada’s Idea Studio creates a clear monitoring interface with widget extensions, showing furnace hot spots in real time. With system anomaly reports, operators can make prompt and well-informed decisions.

In addition to the real-time monitoring, the built-in Historian database facilitates bi-directional synchronization and data traceability. This feature allows operators to retrospectively review equipment information and identify anomalies through a visualized interface, enabling prompt issue detection. Hannes Van Wyk, Bright Alloys’ automation specialist, noted that “VTScada gives us engineering, production reports, and system note banners. It gives us a good insight into how [the production line] is performing. Every single morning, you get an email report ready for you to attend to.” 

VTScada provides system information in real-time, such as energy consumption and power quality, eliminating the need for manual meter readings and allowing timely adjustments. Remarkably, VTScada has helped Bright Alloys reduce natural gas consumption by a third.

Click on the video link for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp56g5zL1mc&list=PLFAKa104eUKeZuEQkGZRgpYrqLmP1f75h

Rigorous monitoring of operational status: establishing a Class 100 cleanroom
VTScada boasts versatile functionality and widespread application, garnering high recognition in key sectors such as water treatment, wastewater treatment, petroleum, natural gas, and energy. Recently, VTScada has demonstrated robust monitoring and management capabilities in the high-tech industry, meeting the demand of mainland China’s optoelectronic panel factories in establishing Class 100 cleanrooms.

Cleanroom cleanliness can be classified into Class 1, Class 10, Class 100, Class 1,000, Class 10,000, and even up to Class 100,000 or Class 300,000. The lower the numerical value, the higher the level of the cleanroom. Operating conditions for cleanrooms are both stringent and complex. It not only requires the elimination of particles, harmful gases, organic compounds, and other pollutants in the air but also necessitates continuous control measures to maintain various environmental indicators within standard values. Several factors influence the classification of cleanrooms, including air conditioning systems, temperature and humidity, supply air static pressure, return airway temperature, and the operational status of water pumps in the chilled water and hot water systems. These factors contribute to maintaining the desired temperature, humidity, and pressure differentials within the area. Hence, a comprehensive monitoring system that can closely monitor changes in environmental indicators and control relevant equipment is indispensable.
Delta’s VTScada, through seamless integration with the main monitoring system, conducts precision control to rigorously ensure the stable operation of the cleanroom.

The customer utilizes Delta’s VTScada to design their central monitoring system, precisely monitoring various indicators within the cleanroom. This system integrates with higher-level management systems, chiller units, cooling water pumps, hot water pumps, air compressors, pure water systems, and others, ensuring the optimal performance of the Class 100 cleanroom. In the event of issues in the cleanroom, Delta’s VTScada aids facility personnel in swiftly querying operational status and reflecting real-time data. Taking temperature variations as an example, when the monitoring system detects temperature changes in a specific area reaching a critical threshold, it can automatically adjust relevant equipment through PLC linkage based on external factors such as humidity, as well as the delivery quantity values of air conditioning, compressed air, hot water, and other systems, ensuring the stable maintenance of indoor temperature.

VTScada integrates with the main monitoring system, enabling precision control. It is complemented by Delta’s redundant PLCs, industrial Ethernet switches, and configuration software, forming a software, hardware, and network triple-redundant control system. This stringent setup ensures the stable operation of the system and facilitates effective operational management of the Class 100 cleanroom.

VTScada empowers comprehensive key performance indicator management for remote one-stop monitoring and control
This article has highlighted the effective energy optimization practices at a metallurgical plant in South Africa, as well as the precise control of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and water pressure within a dust-free chamber. Both cases perfectly showcase the robust monitoring capabilities of VTScada. By seamlessly connecting all equipment statuses through a unified platform, the system integrates critical information from various subsystems. Through statistical analysis, it enhances management efficiency, enabling personnel to instantly grasp operational statuses. This intelligent and comprehensive remote monitoring solution contributes to a facility’s heightened operational intelligence.