Mill Process Efficiency Update – June 2020
The 2019/2020 winter & spring season was a busy one for our MPE programme members. After a slight slow down in mid-April demand has steadily increased again during May and remains high.
With over 1,000,000 tonnes of pelleted feed controlled via our inline sensors in 2019, following our 3 most recent installations at the end of the year, we’ve seen our inline SMARTmilling systems continue to deliver excellent results this year. Typically improvements of approximately 3% in stock yield were achieved over the period (av. 1.5% for MOP). Similarly positive feedback was reported for other key KPI’s.
Our existing programme members will be familiar with our 4 KPI’s (Stock yield, durability, throughput, kWh/T). With the increased level of data now available from the inline SMARTmilling systems, and the need for positive reporting in terms of sustainability; we have now added an extra metric, namely carbon footprint. Our next iBox update will have the capability to provide a starting point for mills to monitor this KPI on a continuous basis.
Figure 1: Adesco MPE Programme Key Drivers
Feedback from sites confirmed that the added control the iBox inline SMARTmilling systems are providing continues to have a positive effect on the overall consistency of the pelleting process. This coupled with insights gained from the data collected on a real-time batch by batch basis, and the results from samples analysed here in Dungarvan, is providing the information, control and confidence to operate at higher efficiencies than those using MOP alone. Also, most importantly, quality is at least being maintained and in a lot of cases improved which is always good to hear.
New service for MPE programme members
The addition of an NIR instrument has enabled us to provide a rapid analysis service for customer samples. With the addition of John Ryan and Michael Coleman to our team since the turn of the year, process sampling and internal analysis has been ramped up.
In the case of our inline SMARTmilling customers, this has allowed for rapid calibration of systems while also providing significant insights from the overall process resulting in an overall increase in efficiencies.
Figure 2 – Range of instruments in Dungarvan
In summary
Ultimately, the DMAIC principles on which our MOP and in particular inline SMARTmilling solutions are based continues to work very well in terms of identifying and taking advantage of opportunities to improve efficiencies. Througought the summer period the high level of control afforded by the iBox inline will allow for the continuation of these high levels of performance.
If you would like to discuss the potential for MOP or inline SMARTmilling for your mill, contact Tom , Seán or John and we will be more than happy to arrange a regular sampling and analysis programme to begin.