The spread of computer control in steel mills

Abstract

The application of digital computers in the metals industry has experienced an extremely rapid growth over the past five years, both in this country and in Europe. Indicative of this trend is the fact that the six new continuous hot strip mills most recently built, or being built, in the United States were all designed for and purchased with process computer control. The typical functions in such systems include reheat furnace control, slab tracking, roughing and finishing mill setup, finishing and coiling temperature control, and production logging. Other more recent applications have been made in the steel making and primary mills area, both of which have found ready acceptance. Results from early applications now available indicate that projected economic justification in terms of quality improvement is valid. Several in-service installations are described and the results obtained are discussed. Examination of the steel industry processes leads to a belief that, over the next decade, almost all parts of the steel plant will be computer-controlled. This continuing growth will be limited only by our ability to understand and rationalize the process to be controlled. Presently on the horizon is overall control of the steel plant from customer order to product shipment. Multiple computers, both business and process control, will be linked together to achieve integrated production control throughout the production cycle. The results will be improved efficiency of operation and shortened delivery cycle time.