Digitalization drives productivity in cement production while reducing environmental footprint

Industry 4.0

Cement producers are integrating Industry 4.0 technologies throughout their operations, using digital solutions to enhance equipment reliability, lower fuel consumption, increase production efficiency, improve product quality, and save energy.

Digital technologies are significantly transforming cement production, with leading producers recognizing digitalization as a key driver of productivity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of digital solutions in the industry. As on-site presence becomes more challenging, the value of digital tools becomes increasingly evident. For years, we have been dedicated to developing innovative solutions that enhance productivity and address challenges. Today, we continue this journey by focusing on digitalization and data-driven optimization.

Strong foundation for your digitalization journey - The Process Control Platform/The Plant Control System:

Are you concerned about plant reliability, sustainability, cybersecurity, or finding skilled operators? Our latest "ECS/ControlCenter? 9" Process Control Software Platform offers solutions to these challenges and more. With comprehensive lifecycle support and seamless third-party system integration, it lays a robust foundation for your digital transformation journey.

Boasting over 1,500 active process and product control installations in the cement industry, the ECS/ControlCenter Platform is a trusted choice for cement companies worldwide. It is a central element of our expanding suite of digital solutions and services.

When paired with our ECS/ACESYS? Control Library (Cement Library), the ECS/ControlCenter Software Platform becomes the digital core of your operations. This advanced, reliable, adaptable, and secure software platform provides the essential control for everything from individual machinery to entire plants. It empowers your business to maximize the potential of both your equipment and operators, while also supporting enhanced sustainability and future productivity improvements.

An intelligent control solution for the cement industry:

Our ECS/ProcessExpert? v9.1 software provides advanced process control and optimization for the cement industry. Bringing together our experience and knowledge of the cement making process with the most advanced control technologies, it delivers maximum efficiency and higher profitability, while also supports your sustainability ambitions, including reduced carbon emissions and higher alternative higher alternative fuel substitution rates.

Cutting-edge Technology

The ECS/ProcessExpert? software builds on the advanced control techniques that we have developed over the past five decades. The result is suite of customizable technologies that allow plant personnel to tailor functions to their unique needs, including:

? Process customized abnormal situation management.

? Process customized operational objectives.

? Priority management of objectives

Each of the process control applications in ECS/ProcessExpert uses advanced techniques such as self-adaptive control, model predictive control fuzzy logic rules, and user defined program. The system is designed for operation globally and is capable of handling a wide range of challenges, including adaption to plant upgrades and testing of new solution prototypes. Self-adaptive control An alternative to traditional model-based multivariable control (MPC), self-adaptive control model-less multivariable process control and optimization technology incorporates rate-predictive control, which is inherently adaptive and predictive. This make is well-suited to both linear and non-linear processes, without dependency on detailed process models. Able to evaluate process information in real time, it is more resilient to process changes and able to generate better dynamic predictions.

ECS/ProcessExpert? proactive service agreement?

Each ECS/ProcessExpert? proactive service agreement software installation comes with a one-year proactive service agreement. This comprises remote service visits every two months, plus an annual onsite visit. We also monitor all KPI parameters for the duration of the agreement.

Advanced performance reports are included as part of the yearly service agreement. Data gathered by the ECS/ProcessExpert software is sent to our processing center at FLSmidth Cement HQ and used to calculate KPIs related to the utilization and performance of the system. Operating data is reported to help the plant identify the benefits derived from the software, as well as to identify further opportunities for improvement and optimization.

Realtime Operations Intelligence, Data-driven decision making

Without precise data and the digital systems required to pinpoint underperforming areas, productivity can decline, leaving personnel to make decisions based on guesswork. FLSmidth offers a comprehensive suite of management information systems designed to turn your process and quality data into actionable insights. This transformation helps boost throughput, minimize plant downtime, enhance decision-making quality, promote collaboration, and deliver numerous additional benefits.

ECS/PlantDataManagement is an advanced information system that converts your process and quality data into real-time operational intelligence. As part of our digital solutions portfolio, ECS/PlantDataManagement automatically generates online Key Performance Indicators, aiding decision-making and fostering collaboration.

ECS/UptimeGo is a downtime analysis tool designed to help plant staff identify and address issues causing operational interruptions, aiming to prevent future downtime. Also within our digital solutions portfolio, ECS/UptimeGo calculates the economic impact of downtime, allowing teams to focus on resolving the root causes that affect plant productivity.

The SiteConnect? Mobile Insights App provides real-time access to critical asset performance and health data from anywhere, at any time. Part of our digital solutions portfolio, SiteConnect enhances asset management by shortening response times to unexpected events and optimizing productivity.

Turning Big Data into Actionable Insights: Predictive and Preventive Maintenance

Data alone isn't enough to drive process improvements; combining data with analytics is essential for identifying trends and preemptively addressing issues. This is the essence of a predictive maintenance strategy, which seeks to prevent unplanned downtime by addressing maintenance needs before they become critical.

Effective predictive maintenance relies on sensors attached to critical machinery to monitor conditions like vibration, temperature, and pressure—known as online condition monitoring. Data collected from these sensors is processed through Field Agent and can be further analyzed at FLSmidth’s Remote Asset Monitoring center. This analytics-driven approach is a cornerstone of digital transformation in the cement industry, significantly enhancing equipment availability and reducing costs.

cement industry is on the path to Digital transformation – are you keeping up?

As the cement industry advances in its digital transformation journey, staying current with technologies like process optimization, remote monitoring and predictive maintenance is crucial. The benefits of digitalization—such as increased uptime, improved throughput, enhanced safety, cost savings, and environmental gains—are clear. Moving forward, early adopters of digital technologies will find new opportunities for efficiency and sustainable productivity.