Manufacturing Execution System Goes Live in MM, WRM & BRM

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Jun 26: ‘Manufacturing Execution System’ (MES) developed by SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant’s C&IT Department has been deployed in Merchant Mill (MM), Wire Rod Mill (WRM) and Bar and Rod Mill (BRM) of BSP. The system was inaugurated recently by Anjani Kumar, ED (Works) at ED (Works) Conference Hall. SN Abidi, CGM I/c (Services), PK Jha, CGM (C&IT), HODs & senior officers from different departments were present on the occasion.
The web based system has been developed by MES team of C&IT comprising of Chandu Tembhurne, DGM(C&IT), T Buhril, AGM(C&IT), Tejkaran Singh Hans, Senior Manager (C&IT) and Shadma Khan Deputy Manager (C&IT) led by Neena Jaiswal GM(C&IT). ERP related configurations were done by ERP Team led by JPS Chauhan GM(C&IT). Constant support and guidance was sought from Ajay Bedi, CGM (MM, WRM), MK Gupta, CGM(BRM), KV Shankar, GM(RCL), Samidha Gupta, GM (INCOS) and their team. The whole project was executed under the guidance of PK Jha, CGM(C&IT).
Bhilai Steel Plant is the only unit of SAIL where an MES system is operational. The implementation of MES system in MM, WRM and BRM is part of the wider initiative of SAIL management of increasing digitization of processes at shop-floor level. This will help in correct production data being recorded in a timely manner so that accurate information is available to the higher management for decision making.
MES was first deployed in 2012 in the Shops of 4MT area i.e. Plate Mill, Rail Mill and Steel Melting Shop 2 (SMS 2) along with their associated areas – PPC, RCL and Marketing. Later it was extended to Universal Rail Mill (URM) in 2016 and SMS 3 in 2018. Initial implementation of MES was done in association with M/s Posco ICT, South Korea, but all the later implementations including the current one have been done completely in-house by C&IT Department.
The new MES system will replace the existing HMMS (Heat Movement Monitoring System) which is currently being used in the 3 shops. It is based on a robust Java based Software framework along with an equally dependable Hardware structure and has several advantages over the existing system like Seamless Integration with ERP which will help reduce Documentation Delays, tight coupling with SMS 3 MES system, reporting of all kinds of Production tonnages through the system, user ID based tracking of all transactions done on the system etc.
A brief presentation of the new system was given by Tejkaran Singh Hans, Senior Manager (C&IT) who explained the features of the new system and ERP related changes were explained by JPS Chauhan GM(C&IT).