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The BetaPlanner has been configured to model all logistical and technological constraints of the mill and helps the schedulers with the complex and challenging task of mill scheduling.
An in-depth re-engineering of the rules of the Hot-Strip mill based on the physical model of the mill was performed. The scheduling team had to deal with a new set of constraints which gave more flexibility in the scheduling process, but increased the complexity of the manual scheduling. The main goal of the project was to give to the scheduler a tool that builds schedules according to the new set of rules in order to leverage the full flexibility of the new rules and to increase the size of the schedule.
Another major function of the system is the frequent update of the slabyard information (also with slabs arriving still hot from the casters).
“With the usage of BetaPlanner, we made Fos HSM Scheduling process enter into 21st century”, says Mr. Basse, lead HSM scheduler in ArcelorMittal Fos-sur-Mer. “The BetaPlanner project helped us to achieve the following benefits:
• Perfect and quick integration of the new rules;
• High flexibility in case of unexpected drastic change (breakdown, new constraints, banned products, etc.);
• Easy tuning on the relative weights for due date respect, cost reduction, …;
• Appreciable increase of hot charging rate by checking every virtual slab;
• Appreciable contribution to coffin size increase;
• Time saving on Scheduling process allowing operators to dedicate on more value added tasks”.
The implementation also improves the transparency of the HSM production schedules and allows a clear and easy interpretation of rules for materials difficult to roll. In case of incidents on the mill (e.g. the downtime of one stand), the production constraints are better understood and taken into account in the scheduling process, avoiding production stoppage.
The BetaPlanner solution is also operating at several other sites of ArcelorMittal on Hot Strip Mills as well as on other lines such as cold mills, tandem pickling-cold mill lines, galvanising lines, dividing lines, and continuous annealing.
The AIS Group, headquartered in Linz, Austria, is a leading supplier of planning and scheduling systems for the metals industry. Solutions from AIS increase the efficiency of capital intensive production equipment through the optimization of capacity planning and production schedules. Numerous references worldwide of the SteelPlanner® family of planning, scheduling and control solutions underline the effectiveness and reliability of SteelPlanner® for the metals industry.
For further information, please contact:
Thomas Quinet, AIS – Advanced Information Systems
T: +32/2 558 52 60 / F: (+32/2) 521 80 51
E: thomas.quinet[.]aisystems.be.
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sdr[.]aisystems.be 
