Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VIZAG) selected Danieli Automation for the supply of Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Level 3, including the network, at its expansion project in India.

The expansion will increase production capacity of wire rod, special bar and structural products to 6.3 million tonnes annually. The expansion includes a new raw material handling plant, calcininig plant, sinter plant, blast furnace (commissioned on 24 April 2012), steel melt shop (including two LD converters, two ladle furnaces, RH degasser, desulphurization plant, two 6-strand billet casters and a 6-strand round caster), a wire rod mill with re-heating furnace, a structural mill with re-heating furnace, and a special bar mill with re-heating furnace.

Danieli is also supplying mechanical and automation for all casters and the new structural mill. VIZAG, owned by Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, has been working with Danieli since 2007.

The MES solution is Danieli Automation's developed Q-MET application that ensure the optimum production control and supports the plant operations in scheduling, production tracking, and quality operations.

The Q-MET system will be integrated with SAP ERP and with the numerous Level 2 automation systems in the plants to provide the automatic data collection and exchange required for best management support. Besides the software supply, Danieli Automation will also provide a local area network (LAN) and engineering support services. VIZAG will have a fully integrated MES solution that plans and schedules production from raw materials to dispatch of finished products.

The project has just started and is scheduled to go live by the end of 2013, according to Danieli. An explosion at the VIZAG facility on 13 June 2012, however, could slow down the expansion project, according to news reports.