Following last year’s order to extend North Star BlueScope’s thin-slab caster by a further strand, the company is now integrating a digitalization package across its entire production process.

The solution will allow the digital connection of third-party plants. The package includes the SMS digital production planning system MES 4.0 and QES with a process data warehouse module containing a data history extension.

According to SMS digital, the MES 4.0 will be successively tested in shadow mode during ongoing production and then implemented incrementally until mid- to late-2021 when the second strand of the thin-slab casting plant will be connected to the MES 4.0.