The construction of a new ferrochrome smelter in Steelpoort, Mpumulanga by Xstrata Alloys holds much promise for the country in terms of commodity export revenue and a cash injection into the economy. Local business stands to benefit, with significant orders already received by local companies, including Siemens Southern Africa.
Work has already started on the first of three phases of the Xstrata Lion Project. This project will see the construction of a state-of-the-art automated facility to manufacture ferrochrome for the stainless steel industry. With significant international demand for ferrochrome, especially from China, this project is being fast-tracked, with the first of three phases set to come on line in the second half of 2006. With the aim of getting the first phase operational by mid 2006, work has started on the first phase - worth an estimated R1,5-billion - with some contracts already awarded.
Hannes Ackermann of Siemens Southern Africa's Automation and Drives (A&D) division says that in spite of stiff competition, the company has secured an order valued at approximately R7-million for the PLC and scada component of the project, and is confident of further orders based on the sheer size of the project. "We are also quoting on other components such as variable speed drives, motors, switchgear, instrumentation and MES/MIS systems," says Ackermann.
Siemens A&D is supplying a fully automated system for the plant, which is highly automated for all aspects of the production process. The scope of supply includes a WIN CC scada as well as the complete automation for all areas of the process with distributed I/O on Profibus DP.
"Utilising eight Siemens S7/400 PLCs, a high degree of automation is required to process around 5000 inputs and outputs (I/Os)," he says. "These PLCs will all be networked on all levels, even interfacing with an MES (management execution system) and ERP (enterprise resource planning) for complete control of all processes."
Ackermann says the high degree of automation at Xstrata offers the maximum return on investment from an engineering point of view.
"You have input into your process data from all levels; and the plant is easily accessible for simple faultfinding and diagnostics," he says. "The major advantage is increased productivity with little or very little human intervention from the control level, so you can run complex processes with fewer people and less overheads." The first equipment has already been delivered to the project consultant appointed to handle the engineering design in conjunction with Xstrata Alloys. "It is a very hands-on project, and by helping developing standards together, this is greatly facilitating knowledge transfer between the consultant and the customer."
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