Abstract
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
Automation systems in long steel products hot rolling plants are prone to performance failures that have potential of negatively impacting business performance. During the automation systems acquisition processes various selection factors require careful consideration. An automation system selection framework, based on systems engineering principles, to guide automation engineering teams in the long steel products hot rolling plants was explored in this work.
The current automation selection techniques were investigated through surveys, interviews and a case study. System engineering processes of requirements analysis, functional analysis and allocation, and synthesis were thoroughly investigated and discussed. Furthermore, the importance of systems analysis and control management database was explored and its support functions in the framework selection process highlighted.
In the case study investigation, automation systems configuration management was found to be a serious challenge that impacted negatively on maintenance and production systems. The maintenance and production procedures were found to be disconnected to the actual plant configuration. When the preliminary framework was presented to the engineering managers and engineers, positive feedback on its possible value addition was received. To quote one engineer feedback, “this document is the missing link to a process that needs to be followed in a few easy steps. With this framework as a guide a number of disastrous decisions could have been avoided.”
It is possible to develop a generic framework for automation systems selection in long steel products hot rolling plants. The developed framework is then tailored to suit the respective plant environment, and can be enhanced by templates, procedures and techniques which are withdrawn from the systems analysis and control management portfolio.