timo rautalahti - boliden...timo rautalahti general manager boliden harjavalta. what was robocopper?...

RoboCopperSupplier collaboration and innovation. An example

from Boliden Harjavalta

Timo RautalahtiGeneral Manager Boliden Harjavalta

What was RoboCopper?

The competition was carried out according to the MatchINDUSTRY LAB concept *)

*)by Prizztech Ltd - a not-profit business development company owned by municipalities in Satakunta region, mainly city of Pori).

BOLIDEN SUPPLIER SUMMIT 2017

NEXT LEVEL METALS AND MINING –COLLABORATE AND INNOVATE

An open competition for experts in the

fields of automation, robotics and software

development

Joint development projects to be started

based on the innovations created during

the competition

Initiated by Boliden Harjavalta

What were the objectives of RoboCopper?

Present our challenges to the

external community

Learn and gain new perspectives

Offer potential suppliers a chance

to demonstrate their know-how

and form networks

Improve our competitiveness



Boliden’s oppportunity: Objective for RoboCopper:

Safer working environment

Utilization of the latest technology

Solutions to demanding

conditions

Heat and splatters of molten metal

Vibration and dust

Constricted spaces

Corrosion

Target Areas

Robotics solution for opening and closing of the tap

holes of the flash smelting furnace



1

2

3

Automated solution for punching the

converter tuyeres (chimneys)

Open automatization challenge

Proposals received

23 proposals from 13 different companies

Proposals made by consortia of several

companies

Companies new to Boliden had an opportunity

to present skills and expertise



Assesment criterias

1) Novelty value and feasibility

Novelty value

Feasibility

Functionality

Lifecycle cost



2) Effectiveness

Safety

Environment

Efficiency

Quality

Operative costs

Open automation challenge



Measurement

Imaging ja computer vision

Improved induction training

Measurement and control

Process optimization

Check-up of furnace

Control of surface quality

Control of furnace structures

Control of melt level

Process control

Furnace control

11 proposals

Wide variety of proposals

Interesting and high quality

proposals

No short term demand for any

of the presented solutions

No proposal rewarded

Automated punching converter tuyeres Three comparably strong proposals out of six

These three parties will be called for bidding for more

detailed design for automating the punching operation

According proposals best solution will be selected for

realization of automation of all converters



Robotics solution



Robotics solution for opening and closing tapping holes of flash furnace

Most interesting solution was controlling the temperature in

the tap hole structure

This control makes the opening and closing of tap hole

remarkably easier

Solution principle can be tested in an easy and cost efficient

way

New ways of controlling the melt tapping as well the

modification of tap hole were proposed

RoboCopper Challenge Winner



”Manually done opening

and closing of the tap hole

is a hard work phase which

contains lot of safety risks”

Tap hole of the

flash furnace

How the Robocopper continues

Hefmec proposed co-operation and

small scale testing

Bidding for converter automatization

was initiated

Other participants got a written feed

back of their proposals.



Key take-aways

Great opportunity for Boliden to

‒ effectively present challenges & opportunities

‒ contact all size of companies and entrepreneurs -

also those outside “radar screen”

‒ be involved in innovative processes – “outside-

the-box”

Great opportunity for the participants to

‒ present themselves

‒ connect with other players

‒ be “out-side-the-box”



timo rautalahti - boliden...timo rautalahti general manager boliden harjavalta. what was robocopper?...

Documents