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„With the new P40 extrusion line, we have taken an important step towards the future. Thanks to ABF's sophisticated production control system, we were able to realize the highest level of automation - absolutely unique in our industry in this depth and quality. The cooperation with ABF was professional, cooperative and goal-oriented right from the start."
The solution for this challenging project was the introduction of ABF control systems, which met all the requirements for automatic material provision, production control and process optimization. The combination of our OneBase®WORLD control systems now also control one of the most modern 40 meganewton production lines in Europe, enabling an impressive level of full automation.
In order to ensure smooth production, it is essential that materials are provided at the right place at the right time. When the raw material is delivered, the forklift operators transfer the aluminum bars to an intermediate storage area with several levels. From this point onwards, all material movements of the automatic racking technology and manipulators are monitored and controlled by the ABF transport control system. OneBase®MFT specifies all the necessary transport orders and takes care of optimum storage in the stanchion spaces of the bar storage system and supplying the production lines. This guarantees that the right material is always available on time at both the P16 and P40 presses.
Once the primary material has been provided from the automated warehouse, it is processed further on the production line. This is where the new production control system from ABF takes over control. It was specially developed for the requirements of the P40 press and coordinates the individual units in the fully automatic process flow. This includes the control of the billet saw, the induction furnaces and the press itself. In addition, the downstream areas of the puller, stretching bench, finishing saw, stacker and longitudinal and vertical conveyors are monitored by the system and controlled by the coordinated specification of order and process data.
The heart of the ABF system is the OneBase®CoRE. It uses the industry standard OPC (Open Platform Communications) to communicate with the integrated controllers of the various systems. In addition, ABF’s Communication Real-time Environment acts as a central communication platform for all processes. This includes production planning, plant visualizations and existing external systems. Each individual process has access to all relevant production data at all times – guaranteeing optimum processes.
With the installation of the new production line, the tasks of the existing basket manipulator became many times more complex. New strategies and optimizations were required for the simultaneous operation of the existing P16 press and the new P40. The condition of the systems is now checked after each transport and the next transport order is created optimally based on priorities and planned production steps. The basket manipulator now takes on a variety of tasks: It transports empty baskets to the presses, moves full baskets to the basket store, supplies the eight tempering furnaces with material, integrates the P22 line and transports finished products to the packaging systems.
The transport and production control system (Manufacturing Execution System) introduced by ABF offers numerous advantages that enable efficient, transparent and flexible production. It monitors, controls and optimizes all production processes in real time and ensures that all material movements and production steps are fully documented and traceable. The system ensures that every movement from the raw material store to billet heating, the pressing process and cutting to length by the profile saws through to the finished goods store is precisely recorded and, above all, automatically controlled. Complete traceability and transparency improve quality assurance and, above all, increase productivity.
An important advantage of the production control system is the continuous optimization of material usage (recovery process). By precisely recording the actual data, such as the profile length after the pressing process, deviations can be detected immediately and necessary adjustments can be made. The system enables precise control and adjustment of the input quantity, minimizing material waste and maximizing production efficiency. Residual materials or bar remnants are optimally integrated into production planning and ensure higher capacity utilization and lower production costs.
Another important point is the automation of processes. In the event of changes to the production status or an order cancellation, the system automatically takes all necessary measures to minimize production downtime. This works entirely without human intervention, which also significantly improves the speed of response to unforeseen events.
In summary, it can be said that the production control system not only helps to optimize efficiency and reduce production costs, but also significantly improves the flexibility, quality and transparency of the entire production process. The automation of processes and the seamless recording and evaluation of production data enable continuous optimization.
The partnership between Hydro and ABF contributes to a sustainable increase in the competitiveness of the location in Austria.
