rtm: scrap management

It is not a contradiction in terms to state that scrap is the “fuel” that drives all the engines in the metallurgical industry, a fuel that has a considerable effect on the cost of the end product. The productivity of smelting plants and the quality of the marketed product depend on the chemical and physical properties of the scrap used. So it is extremely important to monitor in real time the entry of each incoming vehicle of scrap, sampling of the characteristics of the various scrap delivered, and the exact stocks of each grade.

This stage is normally handled by the company’s ERP system via purchase orders, but on paper as regards the tracking of each incoming batch, in terms of weight, chemical analysis, weight losses, stock in-flows, comparative supplier statistics, and so on. Information in printed form is subject to numerous compiling errors, is delayed compared to material flows and requires numerous manual activities for statistical processing, supply inspections and stock level visibility.

The advantages of a scrap and ferroalloy management system based on the RTM framework of the MILL+ suite are fundamental for safeguarding the margin of the end product.

• Real-time monitoring of incoming goods, with automatically-acquired photographic documentation of the vehicle.

• Automatic weighbridge acquisition of the gross and net weight of each vehicle, with immediate highlighting of the difference between the measured weight and the declared weight.

• Computerized sampling that tracks the entry of each vehicle and the various stages of analysis up to storage (weight losses, chemical analysis, non-conformities, tests performed).

• Elimination of paper and paperwork.

• Exact assessment of stocks of raw materials by quantity and location.

• Real-time display at the weigher of differences by excess or by defect for closure of the purchase contract.

• Incoming scrap analyses and statistics by supplier, weight loss, out of tolerance, declared weight, quantity and purchase contract.

• Specifications and tests can be associated for each product and supplier group.

• Real-time visibility of lorries at the plant, and their status and location.

• Complete integration with the Management System to evaluate each entry on the relevant purchase contract.