Primetals sets new standard in the steel industry

Primetals Technologies recently received another order for a subscription license for its software for process optimization (Level 2) of continuous casting plants. This was the third order in recent months fora service offering as yet unmatched anywhere in the steel industry. A modular software architecture and easy configurability of the system enable operators of continuous casters to subscribe to the functions and models they require by simply selecting or deselecting them. New releases, upgrades and updates are installed at regular intervals, thus ensuring that the process optimization system is always up to date. By purchasing a subscription license, capital expenditure (CAPEX) can be shifted to operating expenses(OPEX). As a result, operators of continuous casting plants do not usually have to request a separate investment budget for use of the process optimization software. The service package included in the annual license fee also includes remote support for troubleshooting, consulting, training, fine tuning, or optimization. This reduces the workload for automation experts at the continuous casting plant. Sophisticated software design permits subscription model. A process optimization system that is continuously updated and offers the option of adding or removing functions and models as required calls for a fundamentally different architecture than software that is installed and subsequently "just" maintained. The Primetals Technologies system therefore offers extensive software libraries and a stable core with established functions used at all continuous casting plants. These include, for example, production practice, quality-related data acquisition, metallurgical models or technological control systems. Additional process models are offered on the basis of a modular, service-oriented architecture with defined interfaces. Process-relevant parameters can be changed at any time by means of configuration without new programming. Existing process models and configuration data are converted to the new version during regular releases, upgrades and updates. Reduced effort for internal budgeting process Primetals Technologies' subscription license can be used by paying a relatively low one-time installation fee and low annual license fees. This allows one-time capital expenditures (CAPEX) to be converted into ongoing operating expenses (OPEX). As a rule, this results in a much easier internal budget release process and enables the new process optimization software to be used sooner. This offers an advantage for older systems in particular: The ongoing updates of Primetals Technologies' process optimization software on the basis of the subscription license ensure that a system can always be operated to its full extent, even with an internal IT infrastructure that has been continually updated over the years. Lighter workload for skilled personnel. The process optimization system from Primetals Technologies contains numerous functions and models for optimizing the production processes of continuous casting plants. In the past five years alone, the software has been installed on more than eighty continuous casting plants around the world. In this way, the combined metallurgical and software know-how, as well as the services included in the subscription license, lighten the workload of automation specialists working at the continuous casting plant.

Source and photo: Primetals Technology