Baden, Switzerland, January 21, 2008 – ABB announced the successful commissioning of its MPC-based Expert Optimizer solution at Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.’s Signal Mountain plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Part of ABB’s Collaborative Production Management suite, Expert Optimizer was installed at the Signal Mountain vertical raw mill and cement mill. Buzzi selected ABB for this upgrade project based on past experience with ABB; as numerous other Buzzi plants around the world use ABB solutions. Installation started in the middle of September and was successfully completed in the middle of October 2007.
Both the raw mill and cement mill increased production after the Expert Optimizer installation. Prior to this project, the raw mill at times was a process bottleneck for the entire plant. Expert Optimizer’s MPC technology helped to reduce this limitation by improving its performance. This has translated into an incremental increase in clinker production.
Expert Optimizer has also improved process stability by providing a more consistent feed to the kiln, resulting in increased production.ABB’s Expert Optimizer advanced process control software helps customers achieve continuous process optimization. Part of ABB’s Collaborative Production Management suite, it coordinates the setpoints of the different parts of the process and immediately detects deviations among the different parts of the operation. By expertly applying MPC, Expert Optimizer is able to stabilize and then optimize the process, which helps plant management to reach their profitability and sustainability goals.Scott Henninger, Production Manager at Signal Mountain said “We’ve been really pleased with how the installation went and, of course, with the outcome.
Having Expert Optimizer installed with its MPC has been a real improvement to production and the business.”ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs more than 110,000 people.
