Copper, zinc and wire: hidden losses, breaks, slow annealing

Current efficiency of copper electrolysis drops unnoticed

What happens. In a tankhouse, thousands of cathodes share the current. Short circuits, poor contacts and changes in the electrolyte lower the current efficiency, but the loss shows only in the monthly balance.

What it costs. Power: the same copper costs more current. Weak spots stay in the cell until the next inspection.

Why the usual fix fails. Cell voltages and an inspection round with a thermal camera find the worst cases, not the slow loss across the whole hall.

How a fixed-price remote diagnosis checks it. From cell voltages, currents, electrolyte data and the weights of harvested cathodes I estimate the current efficiency by group and over time. The fixed-price remote diagnosis shows whether a computed efficiency can flag a losing section earlier than the monthly balance.

Background: Computed measurements

Concentrate quality varies in zinc and copper smelting

What happens. The concentrates that feed the smelter differ in composition from one delivery and one mine to the next. The furnace and the roaster are set for an average.

What it costs. Throughput and emissions: more sulphur dioxide, unstable bath and metal that goes into slag. Operators keep margins to stay on the safe side.

Why the usual fix fails. Blending helps, but only if the composition is known before the feed enters. Re-tuning by hand follows the change after it happens.

How a fixed-price remote diagnosis checks it. From feed analyses, furnace and gas data I check how strongly the feed shows in the process and whether adaptive control could follow it. The fixed-price remote diagnosis says how much of the variation can be absorbed by better control and how much has to be blended.

Background: Control that adapts to drift and wear

Wire breaks when the material varies

What happens. During drawing, the wire runs through several dies, and the tension between them depends on the material, the lubricant and the die wear. A weak spot in the rod gives a break, and the line stops.

What it costs. Downtime for threading again, scrap and the risk to the operators. Many breaks come in waves, with a new coil of rod.

Why the usual fix fails. Running at lower speed avoids many breaks but costs output. Tension is not measured between the dies, so the operator sees the break only after the fact.

How a fixed-price remote diagnosis checks it. From motor currents, speeds and break records I estimate the tension in the line and check whether it warns before a break. The fixed-price remote diagnosis answers whether tension estimation and speed adjustment can cut breaks for your wire types.

Background: Computing unmeasured states for control

The core temperature of annealed coils is unknown

What happens. Coils of wire or strip are annealed in a furnace by a fixed programme. The thermocouples sit in the furnace atmosphere, while the inner turns of a coil lag far behind.

What it costs. Cycle time and gas or power: programmes are made long enough for the largest coil. A coil that is not through-heated has uneven properties.

Why the usual fix fails. A thermocouple in a test coil gives one data point. Making all programmes longer costs capacity.

How a fixed-price remote diagnosis checks it. From furnace logs, coil data and test measurements I compute the core temperature of each coil over the cycle and check how much hold time was needed. The fixed-price remote diagnosis shows whether the cycle can be shortened by computed core temperature, and what must be logged for it.

Background: Computed measurements