1. The Problem

  • Steel slabs required precise temperature control across multiple furnaces for different alloy types and applications

  • Manual recipe management and tracking was inefficient for 24x7 operations

  • Lack of integrated control between charging, tracking, and discharging processes

  • Need for fuel optimization while maintaining product quality across 5 furnaces

  • Disconnected systems between SAP, laboratory data, and Level 1 control systems

Business impact: Inefficient furnace operation leading to increased fuel consumption, quality variations, and limited production throughput in continuous steel processing operations.

2. The Solution

Architecture Details:

  • FrameworX Enterprise managing Level 2 advanced control system

  • Multi-tier architecture supporting control room and distributed operator stations

  • Integration layer connecting multiple data sources and control systems

  • 24x7 continuous operation environment


[ Operator Stations ] Control Room + Field [ FrameworX Enterprise ] (Level 2 control) [ .NET DLL Layer ] (Temperature & Fuel Algorithms) [ Integration Layer ] 200,000+ Tags [ SAP ] [ Siemens PLCs ] (5 Furnaces) [ LIMAB Lab ] [ TCP/IP Level 1 ]

Technical Specifications:

  • PLCs: Siemens controllers

  • Communication protocols: TCP/IP for Level 1 integration, proprietary protocols for laboratory systems

  • External systems: SAP integration, LIMAB laboratory data system

  • .NET DLL components for specialized control algorithms

  • Scale: 200,000+ internal tags

  • Coverage: 5 reheating furnaces

  • Deployment: Central control room plus distributed operator stations

Core Functionality:

  • Originally C++ algorithms migrated to .NET DLLs for:

    • Charging control (weight validation, measurement, SAP data verification)

    • In-furnace tracking

    • Discharging control

    • Advanced temperature calculation and fuel optimization

3. Key Enablers

Essential capabilities that made this solution possible:

  • .NET DLL Integration: Native support for loading and executing custom .NET assemblies containing proprietary control algorithms

  • Massive Tag Management: Ability to handle 200,000+ tags with real-time performance

  • Multi-Protocol Support: Simultaneous communication with Siemens PLCs, TCP/IP Level 1 systems, and laboratory interfaces

  • Advanced UI Components: Complex grid controls with color-coding for slab status and positioning visualization

4. The Results

Measurable improvements:

  • Achieved unified control across 5 furnaces from single platform

  • Enabled real-time tracking of all slabs through complete furnace cycle

  • Optimized fuel consumption through advanced temperature algorithms

  • Maintained 24x7 operation reliability for continuous production

  • Integrated previously disconnected systems (SAP, Laboratory, Level 1)