INTELLIGENT STOCK MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL- SYSTEM IN THE HOT COIL STORAGE FACILITY OF PREUSSAG-STAHL AG

Objective. The aim of automating the hot coil storage facility of Preu ssag Stahl AG is to cut costs by reducing crane travels and eliminatin g floorbound storage activities. Confusion of coil identities is precl uded by real-time management of stock levels and on-time initiation of material transports. Coil damage and process disruptions are signific antly reduced. Optimum storage oi the materials minimises the stock th roughput times. An improvement in work safety is expected through the avoidance of work in ''hot'' areas. Summary. In 1996, an intelligent s tock management system was put into service at Preussag Stahl AG, Salz gitter, together with Siemens AG. The control spall of the system exte nds from the hot strip mill exit-section walking-beam coil conveyor, t o the push-pull and continuous pickle line, to the hot strip cut-to-le ngth line, slitting line and banding station, through to the loading o f the materials onto road vehicles or rail cars. Materials are also tr ansported in-plant to the downstream cold strip mill. The system manag es seven cranes, three cross-transfer cars and two fork lifts in three bays and one outdoor storage yard. The intelligence of the knowledge- based system enables it to find optimum storage spaces and to punctual ly issue transport orders to the appropriate means of conveyance. The transport orders issued to the cranes are carried out by crane operato rs. The cross-transfer cars are controlled fully automatically by the system. The storage facility topology, which lends itself to parameter ization, permits flexible alteration of the storage layout. Given the functionality of the system, it has meanwhile been possible to reduce the ground staff to 2 dispatchers per shift the remaining operators ha ve been assigned other tasks.