It is generally accepted that carbon anodes are the main consumable materials cost in a pre-bake technology aluminium smelter. Production losses resulting from faulty anode assemblies in the potrooms can be substantial. Any extension of anode shift life, no matter how minor, has a profound effect on operating costs. Spent anode butts can and do provide a detailed insight into cell performance, but such information is most often interpreted subjectively and is rarely recorded, let alone analysed. Anode handling and processing also incur significant costs - anode rod assemblies require constant maintenance and regular replacement, and yet detailed rod assembly maintenance history is rarely available to provide a basis for rigorous cost analysis. A modern anode and rod tracking system should fully address all aspects of anode production, processing and handling and to provide invaluable information leading to major cost savings throughout the Carbon and Rodding Plant areas. The ALTRACK Anode and Rod Tracking and Quality Control System meets all such requirements and is a vital tool in securing total quality control in primary aluminium smelters, enabling the potrooms to be served with consistently high quality anodes. The ALTRACK System provides a unique possibility for aluminium smelters to evaluate raw materials from different suppliers, from both a quality and a price perspective.
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