Optimizing Throughput at Aluminum Smelting Operation with Simulation Software
The Billiton Group of Companies is South African based and comprises aluminium smelters, nickel operations, base metal mines, and coal mines. One of Billiton’s South African smelters produces a range of different primary aluminium products that are sold in the South African domestic market. The studs used in the smelting process at this facility are sent to the Stud Repair Workshop when they need to be repaired. However, the Stud Repair Workshop was not optimizing throughput, so a project was implemented to improve the Workshop’s layout. For the Billiton Group, Arena® simulation software developed the proposed layout. Read more on how simulation software was used Optimizing Throughput at an Aluminum Smelting Operation.
Simulation Helps to Determine Stock Levels and Stock Space
Clover, South Africa’s largest dairy company’s core business is the processing, marketing and selling, and distribution of dairy, dairy-related, and other food products. The company’s product range includes short and long life products. Clover management wanted to determine if, by following a certain delivery policy, enough products could be delivered to DCs at Pietersburg in the Northern Province and Kimberley in the Northern Cape in time to satisfy demand. They also wanted to determine the minimum stock levels at the two DCs to ensure minimum sales losses. For Clover, Arena® simulation software was used to analyze the viability of Clover’s new distribution concept. Read more on how Simulation Helps to Determine Stock Levels and Stock Space.
Simulation Helps Steel Company Develop New Market Strategy
Exxaro Resources is a South African based mining company. Exxaro’s Grootegeluk opencast coal mine was established to supply coking coal for use in furnaces and later, power station coal product. Future market trends indicated that Grootegeluk should diversify to supply metallurgical coal products in addition to the conventional coking coal and power station coal which required that modifications be made to existing plants, as well as the erection of two additional plants. The maintenance strategy project saved nearly US $1.8 million. For Exxaro, the simulation model determined a bench shovel strategy that tied in with the existing pit operation, with no increase in shovel fleet size. Read more on how Simulation Helps Steel Company Develop New Market Strategy.
Oil Refinery Improves Throughput and Efficiency
National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) is part of Sasol Oil. NATREF needed a way to more effectively manage such aspects of the plant as: shutdown scheduling of individual sub-plants; how to react on sudden demand changes due to market forces; and indications of possible capacity constraints or additional requirements. NATREF’s drive for continuous improvement in throughput and refinery efficiency led to the initiation of a project during which a simulation model was developed using Arena® simulation software. For NATREF, the simulation model performed shutdown planning and transfer capacities between units and evaluated parameters. Read more on how simultation helped an Oil Refinery Improves Throughput and Efficiency.
Simulation Contributes to Successful Mining Plant Upgrade
Samancor’s Chrome Division is a South African mining company which exports some of its ore, but more than 80% is converted into three grades of ferrochrome at various alloy works in the Samancor Group, making it the world’s largest integrated ferrochrome producer. Tubatse Ferrochrome, an important supplier of top-quality ferrochrome, is one of these alloy plants. The main reason for the upgrade was that production could be increased substantially with a new layout.
Tubatse Ferrochrome decided a simulation study should be performed to test the new design. For Samancor, simulation software tested the viability of the proposed layout, with special emphasis on throughput. Read more on how Simulation Contributes to Successful Mining Plant Upgrade.
The Right Equipment for the Right Job with Simulation
Spoornet is the only provider of train services in South Africa. The Combined Electrical Workshop (CEW) of this long distance and metropolitan train service provider is one of three large workshops responsible for the maintenance of electric and diesel electric locomotive. The CEW wanted to increase volumes of armatures, but the impact of such a growth in workload was unknown regard- ing throughput time, utilization of re- sources, possible bottlenecks, etc. In order to determine the effect of certain changes on throughput time, Spoornet management selected Arena® simulation software to model the workshop. For Spoornet, simulation was used to establish the needs caused by changes and ensure implementation of the right resources for the right jobs the first time. Read more on The Right Equipment for the Right Job with Simulation.
Determining Resources Needed to Maintain High Service Levels with simulation software
Standard Bank Investment Corporation Limited (Stanbic), South Africa, is the holding company for the interests of the Standard Bank Group. Stannic announced a major repositioning exercise aimed at providing improved customer services in a more cost-effective manner. A major challenge is to determine proactively whether the proposed processes are going to work and what resources will be needed to maintain high customer service levels. In order to determine if the proposed processes would work, Stannic chose a flowcharting system called Cool Biz to capture process flow and corresponding information. Stannic realized that the proposed processes had to be tested and decided to use Systems Modelling Corporation’s BP$im®, simulation software for mapping and analyzing business processes. (BP$im was the forerunner to Rockwell Automation’s Arena® Basic Edition.) For Stanic, simulation tested the resourcing requirements of the new process. Read more on Determining Resources Needed to Maintain High Service Levels with simulation software.
Aluminum Plant Improves System Flow by Nearly 50% using the Arena Simulation Software.
The current strategy for one of Billiton’s South African smelters (Bayside) is to focus production on value added products where premium to the commodity price can be earned. Managing the logistics, especially the inbound and outbound vehicle flow through the main gates, is a challenge at Billiton’s Bayside Aluminium plant. Vehicle queuing at the gates to the plant was a problem because frequently used weighbridges were located near the gates. If the weighbridges were relocated, how would this change influence the inbound and outbound flow of vehicles? For The Billion Group, the Arena model simulated three scenarios of queuing times. Read more on how an Aluminum Plant Improves System Flow by Nearly 50% using the Arena Simulation Software.