ORGANIZAÇÃO INDUSTRIAL DOS LABORATÓRIOS DA ACIARIA DE IPATINGA

Abstract

The Laboratory of the Steelworks is responsible for receiving, preparing, analyzing and making available the results of the samples in the system, in all stages of steel production. Samples of the steel collected in the processes of the Steelworks are sent to the teams of the chemical laboratories for analysis. Most of these samples have direct influence on the continuity of the process, since the result is used for decision making during the race. Currently, the number of analyzes carried out annually at steelworks 2 is at an average of 53,080 (Usiminas' database system data - B30 for the period of 2017), against a historical average of 34,078 analyzes in 2010 (Definition period of the sample analysis time standards), which represents an increase of 36%. Among the main factors we can mention the increase of double refining races, with each race having 165 t of liquid steel. These races have by definition an average of three times the number of samples of a common race, since it uses the three secondary refining processes (Vacuum Degasser - RH, Pan Oven and Chemical and Temperature Adjustment Station - CASOB). In the current production scenario, the more production a mill performs in a shorter time, the more competitive it will be and the lower the cost. Due to this increase in sample numbers and increased equipment downtime due to the delay in the result of the analyzes, affecting the failure rates of the laboratory staff, a study was requested to verify if the standard time of analysis of the samples is adequate for the current production scenario.