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Towards 4.0:
The Smelter of the Future
Factory of the Future, Industry 4.0, Smart factory, various designations co-exist to name the Fourth
Industrial Revolution: A profound mutation of production modes within a highly evolving supply chain.
By Olivier Dufour, Patrick Richard, Claude Vanvoren and Coll*

This fourth industrial revolution was environmental impact through 1. Smart Factory overview
preceded by mechanisation, electrification efficient resource usage, in particular Industry 4.0 marks the transition from
and automation. energy, ... partially automated plants, often managed
This revolution is mainly illustrated in silos, with loose horizontal and vertical
by Information Technologies (IT) and The smart factory marks a shift integration - factories 3.0 - to “smart”
Operation Technologies (OT) convergence from automated mass production to factories based on flexible, connected
i.e. Internet linking previously isolated personalised mass customisation. This and optimised workshops composed of
control and operation systems, latter element, coupled with the above- collaborative machines[1].
allowing the transition to an open and mentioned aspects, opens up synergies
interconnected “Digital supply network”. between production hubs and customers, The plant of the future is therefore:
The development of this “plant of the suppliers or partner locations and shortens A connected factory:
future” aims at reaching a new threshold the value chain (Fig. 1). � Digitally linked with partners,
of competitiveness and sustainability “4.0 factories” are more developed in suppliers and customers, allowing real
leveraging the following main drivers: manufacturing industries. In contrast, time, fully traced, adjustment of processes
there are only few examples in process and products.
� Improving asset efficiency and and commodity industries such as � Using autonomous and self-powered
use cement, paper, chemicals or - closer low-cost sensors for in-depth process
� Reducing waste, improving recovery to us - steel and aluminium. Based performance, equipment condition and
and quality on this observation, we studied the product quality monitoring.
� Optimising processes and flows for manufacturing developments to identify � Based on advanced self-controlled
cost reduction concepts transposable to the “Smelter of flexible robotic tending equipment,
� Reducing capital employed and the Future” and evaluate the industrial, collaborating with operators.
work in progress through virtual technical and economic conditions that � Allowing a shop-floor decision-
supply chain integration would make them attractive to decision making process and interaction through
� Improving employee safety, reducing makers in our industry. cyber-physical systems (CPS), machine-

Digital supply networks

Synchronised planning

Traditional supply chain

Dynamic Connected
fulfillment customer
Cognitive planning
Quality sensing

DIGITAL
CORE

Develop Plan Source Make Deliver Support

3D printing
Sensor-driven replenishment
Support
Digital
factory
development

Intelligent
Fig 1. Shift from traditional supply chain to digital supply network [2]
supply
Source: Deloitte analysis

*AVTAL: Association for promoting French aluminium technological heritage

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to suggest this journey will consist of

independent, incremental modernisations,
decided on a case by case approach
satisfying usual short-term profitability
criteria.
Opportunity value

Company digitalisation requires a

holistic vision of the end state and
demands significant investments in
order to fully reap the benefits provided
Single asset Production line Factory Factory network by the synergies between the different
Maximising the performance Improving the performance Optimising the performance Maximising network
transformations undertaken at plant and
of a single asset (e.g. of a series of dependent of an individual plant by performance by sharing company level.
machinery, tools, inventory, assets (ie production line or better connecting and capacity across sites in real When looking at existing smelter
equipment, people) manufacturing cell) utilising assets time and connecting to the
entire supply chain and product situation through the lenses of the sketch
development cycle (see Fig.3), it becomes obvious that
numerous initiatives have already been
Exponential value can be unlocked for manufacturers by implementing a complete smart factory or network of smart
factories across the enterprise implemented, however often without
a coordinated approach and, more
Fig 2. Progressive transformation towards 4.0 in manufacturing [2]. Source: Deloitte analysis importantly, without the compulsory
competency portfolio and organisational
shifts required.
to-machine or even sensor-to-ERP at acceptable rate, …) or indirectly (quality A more detailed analysis of the different
communication (Internet of Things). deficiencies associated with repetitive smelter workshops helps identify which
� using “Big data analytics” algorithms, tasks, …). Automation enabled the rise technologies are already available or in an
allowing to move from a reactive to a of the Smart Factory and access to Mass advanced development stage.
predictive scale on equipment and process Customisation.
drifts. In contrast, automation in smelters a. Substation
suffered from a lower labour vs production Seen in the past as a “fire and forget”
An integrated factory: cost ratio and higher investment costs. investment, the last twenty years have
� where all flows, equipment and Moreover, until recently, product quality reminded the criticality of this workshop.
processes are modelled, allowing use of and product customisation were not Its failure leads to catastrophic loss of
virtual reality for design, staff training or significant drivers in the aluminium production and massive restart costs.
remote control. commodity market. Maintenance practices from
� in which Enterprise Resource Most smelters have today reached manufacturing (predictive maintenance,
Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution a competitiveness plateau and future remote servicing, ...) could be implemented
System (MES) and process control are gains cannot come from a new wave of immediately. This workshop is critically
closely integrated. headcount and cost reduction, but from sensitive to real time action carried out
� where utility consumption is made a significant improvement of process by staff in emergency situation. Virtual
flexible to allow partnership with suppliers. performance. With this in mind, one can training and remote expert engagement
� A virtual factory made of several easily foresee how some 4.0 tools, applied can prevent huge financial losses.
physical plants allowing systemic to optimised processes, could be the
optimisation. answer to underperformance or process b. Carbon plant
excursions, whilst enabling lower costs in Green Anodes Plant and Rodding Shop
Besides the major impact that this raw material or energy usage. are very close to manufacturing lines,
creates on employment, skills, work In manufacturing, automation was with high level of automation and process
organisation and change management the stepping stone for the Smart Factory instrumentation. A Smart Data approach,
(see textbox), this development highlights tools development. For the Smelter of the combining process improvement and
also a set of other new challenges Future, the need and opportunity to use predictive maintenance[3] is well suited
such as cyber-security, interoperability Smart Factory tools will trigger, through to support the continuous improvement
of heterogeneous systems, upstream enhanced returns, a wave of automation (average level and spread) of anode
integrated and life-cycle based co-design which will lead to significant investments characteristics.
of product/equipment/process or even that will have to be coordinated across the Anode Baking Furnace is probably the
opportunities like moving to “remote plant to fully capture the benefits. current weak point with a disappointing
service offer” models. This new automation wave will bring level of automation for a workshop which
improved working conditions, higher could be seen mainly as handling activities
2. Smelter of the Future: from safety levels, more attractive jobs, (green and baked anodes, raw material,
Manufacturing to Process Industry solutions to environmental challenges equipment, …).
Building on manufacturing success, it’s and opportunities for new product Technology is already available([8], [9]) to
time for the process industry to embrace specifications. support anode tracking from raw material,
the 4.0 concepts. green and bake stage, performance on
The manufacturing journey towards 3. Digitalisation of existing smelters reduction cell up to feedback loop with
4.0 started several years ago as a logical As illustrated in Fig.2 for Manufacturing, butt characteristics at rodding shop.
next step to intensive automation. there is no need to wait for a hypothetic This is the critical element to improve,
Manufacturing automation was driven “big bang” to enter the journey towards in an integrated way, carbon plant and
by the significant weight of labour cost 4.0. Far better is the option to start small reduction performance and is a perfect
in overall production cost, directly (direct and scale up to unlock value. illustration of the “intelligent plant”
productivity, cycle time, access to labour However, it would be misleading concept.

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Smelter digitalisation examples

Reduction performance

Substation Equipment 0,9

monotoring
0,8
Reduction PTA Reduction line(s) digitalisation Operation
monotoring 0,7

Metal flow management

center

Anode tracing
0,6 Process
Carbon Anode plant excursion
monitoring 0,5
0,4
FTA
monotoring 0,3
Casthouse
0,2
Organisation 0,1
0 Time
Equipment Workshop Smelter Smelter network

Fig 3. Digitalisation examples and organisational change progress Fig 4. Schematic illustration of smelter operational performance

c. Casthouse For example: the utility network management. With

Casthouse is also very close to � Heavy load handling by unmanned time and experiments, most smelters are
manufacturing and will benefit directly vehicles now able to offer basic utility network
from a Smart Data approach. � Autonomous devices for tapping, demand response systems by modulating
However, casthouse specificities are measurement and sampling power input, fully or partially, for a limited
elsewhere. This could be the place � Self-powered sensors enabling next time, with acceptable impacts on process
where Mass Customisation enters the generation of process control and Big efficiency. This enables utilities to optimise
Smelter of the Future. Less attractive for Data usage their cost structure and smelters are
mega smelters producing commodities rewarded by a lower average energy rate[7].
for the global market, it is much more However, the critical element will remain However, this calls for higher integration
relevant for small/medium size smelters the automatic anode change. Several tests of the smelters in those networks.
producing Value Added Products, closer and attempts have been made during the
to downstream customers and final users, last decades (Pechiney / ECL; Rio Tinto / Fives 4.0 tools will also support this welcome
as commonly found in Europe. ECL; Hydro / NKM; ….)[10,11,12]. They have development:
The smelter can reach another level demonstrated the difficulties associated � The “Connected Smelter” will be
of competitiveness by full metal flow with safety (extreme complexity of safety part of the utility network, enabling more
integration from reduction to fabrication, systems until potrooms are considered accurate preventive actions ahead of
moving from a “push” mode to a “pull on as restricted area) and technical hurdles. modulation needs
demand” using advanced control systems Attempts to automate manual sequences � Automation and advanced process
and automation in casthouse, reduction have led to high complexity, long cycle control systems will enable real time plant
and transport. times and insufficient success rate. It is operation adjustments
now clear that an integrated cell and � Smart Data will feed self-
d. Reduction anode handling design could overcome learning simulation models which will
Finally, the reduction line also holds a key those difficulties and unlock expected minimise efficiency loss, particularly by
challenge of the Smelter of the Future. return on investment in a retrofit context. supporting decision makers on their best
Even today, reduction performance compensation strategy
is too often characterised by periods of e. Smelter network
underperformance in comparison with The Factory Network concept is also g. Change management
the technology’s full potential. These perfectly suited to develop “Connected As with any transformation, the journey
periods, as illustrated by curve 1 in Fig.4, Smelters”: to 4.0 raises a human challenge probably
range from limited disturbances to major � Shared technical management, even higher than the technical one. Here
process excursions, often caused by: based on Smart Data and possibly are some of the hot topics to be addressed:
� Cell operation disruption, possibly Excellence Centres � Design of target organisation and
worsened by unreliable operating practices � Shared high level expertise identification of future competencies
(intrinsic quality or timing inconsistency) � Real time support for crisis (see Smelter of the Future Organisation
� Poor adjustment by technical management textbox)
management and/or process control to � Integrated supply chain management � Staffing of new competencies that
external disturbances (raw materials, …) when geographically applicable cannot be developed internally
� Destaffing of obsolete competencies
Moving from situation 1 to 2 and 3 A progressive development of such � Management of “detraining-
implies a significant improvement in network (both through the number of retraining” of internal competencies
operational performance and, obviously, connected workshops and plants) is through individual development plans
competitiveness. achievable as demonstrated by Rio Tinto [4]
Such improvement is at reach, with 4. Conclusion
technologies already available or in f. Smelter of the Future: an The advent of the Smelter 4.0 is today an
advanced stages of development, through integral part of utility network opportunity triggered by the availability
a step change in automation associated The ever-increasing ratio of renewables of Smart Factory tools and a necessity to
with Smart Data tools. in the energy mix (35% for electricity in unlock the next level of competitiveness.
Europe in 2030[5]) further complexifies Unlike manufacturing where advanced

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automation gave birth to the Smart therefore requires a strategic vision of flexible energy input.
Factory, the availability of smart tools will the whole primary aluminium value 8. Outotec, 2013 http://www.outotec.
support the Smelter of the Future full chain and this is where it converges with com/company/media/news/2013/
automation, with more attractive return manufacturing. � outotec-artstm-anode-and-rod-tracking-
on investments. system-for-primary-aluminum-smelte
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to preserve their competitiveness. This Chantiers/Synthese_concept.pdf c8179d705391&_t_ip=77.136.85.252&_t_
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The advent of the Smelter of the Future – Operating an Aluminium Smelter with

Smelter of the Future organisation

During the past half-century, smelter’s appeal to young graduates who cannot the conditions for more homogeneous
organisations have evolved, pushed by grasp how their professional aspirations teams, which is the key element to
technology evolution, along two main will be met. achieve satisfactory alignment between
streams: To address this challenge, new company and team objectives.
organisations are proposed (i.e. F-form With such level of expertise and
� Direct productivity increase company[6]). However, we don’t think accountability, each team member will
through headcount reduction, which they will better perform until the root feel on equal terms and will share the
today, due to lack of new technological cause described earlier is addressed. same objectives set through fact-based
breakthrough, has started to level off. concerted decision-making processes.
� Concurrently, attempts to flatten The 4.0 plant as an enabler for such However, such organisations need to
organisations with self-managed innovative organisations be sized with operation crisis in mind,
teams have fell short of delivering as such situation in a smelter requires
expected results, mainly because of significant human resources on the shop
misalignment between company – set floor. Thorough crisis situation analysis
team objectives and those set by the (i.e. blackout) would be required ahead
teams for themselves. This often led of organisation design. In order to
back to pyramidal organisations with the achieve expected productivity target,
reintroduction of front line management. smelter employees would be required to
This mid-management is however often be trained to crisis situation contingency
overloaded with administrative tasks, roles and remote high-level expertise
sometimes leading them to overlook would need to be available, for example
core technical tasks. from a centralised Excellence Centre.
By drastically improving working All those competencies would need to
Today, due to its working conditions, conditions through automation and by be rigorously maintained, typically using
competency profiles and organisational increasing work attractiveness by the a mix of virtual training tools and on-
structure, process industries don’t usage of smart tools, the 4.0 plant creates the-ground drills.

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