AUTOMATED ANODE GAUGING

摘要

Anode change is one of the most critical operations of thernreduction process, having impact on both the smeltingrnefficiency and the work conditions in the pot room.rnIn traditional manual gauging, the operator marks the butt andrnthe new anode and guides the Pot Tending Machine (PTM)rnoperator for proper setting of anode. This has somerndisadvantages:rn1. It involves some risks as the operator works in closernvicinity of the butt being moved by the PTM.rn2. It is time consuming and hence, may contribute tornlate works in pot roomsrn3. It results in about 15 % of improper anode settingsrndue to lack of precisionrnA continuous improvement project using the Lean Six Sigmarnprinciples was conducted by Sohar Aluminum in collaborationrnwith ECLTM to evaluate and optimize in industrial conditionsrnthe laser based auto gauging system developed by ECLTM onrnPTM’s. This has eliminated the risks due to the interactionrnbetween the operator and the hot butts being moved by thernPTM as well as the operator exposure to the radiant heat of thernopen pot. It also reduced the time taken for changing thernanodes by 25 %.rnFrom a process point of view, it reduced improper anodernsettings by 40%.The process capability (based on mV readingrn24 hours after the anode change) increased from a Cpk of 0.47rnwith manual gauging to 0.62 with laser auto gauging, resultingrnin better current distribution in the anodes and hence, betterrnsmelting efficiency.