The implementation of the manufacturing execution system (MES) by AST MSI and AspenTech Technologies at Samancor Chrome`s Witbank and Middelburg plants is already delivering measurable results.
Samancor, jointly owned by BHP Billiton and Anglo American Corporation, decided on the implementation to ensure that it had a world-class, integrated process management system that could be deployed at all its sites.
Samancor decided on AST MSI and AspenTech technology because it fully met the organisation`s criteria.
"The market in which we operate has become very aggressive, and we realised that the only way we could remain globally competitive is by driving down production costs. To do that, we needed a system, a tool, that would allow us to control our entire process," says Sollie Swanepoel, IT Manager of Samancor Chrome. "Production information must be visible, accurate and reliable to have any value for the decision-makers, and we needed a system to bridge the gap between our PCS and MIS systems.
"In our industry, furnace availability - and the optimal use of our furnaces - is of paramount importance. Energy savings and cost savings go hand-in-hand. The tools we have acquired and integrated with this project allow 24x7 monitoring of the furnaces, making the plant manager`s job a great deal easier," continues Swanepoel.
"The solution had to take into consideration non-standard business rules, but we still required a configurable solution that we could own after project completion. We have found the applications to be easy to use and fully configurable to our requirements. Furthermore, we now have a 'bird`s eye view` of our entire operation: production figures are available daily, costing information is more reliable and available more frequently and month-end transactions have been speeded up significantly. All this was achieved at reasonable cost, and we are satisfied with our decision to go the AspenTech/AST MSI route."
A decision was made to standardise on AspenTech technology, which can be fully integrated with SAP R/3. Aspen Technology Inc is a leading supplier of integrated software and solutions to the process industry, encompassing engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and e-business collaboration technologies.
"From AspenTech`s point of view, Samancor was an ideal environment. While always strenuous, especially in a production environment, it is less problematic to do a simultaneous MES/ERP implementation. The integration can be designed beforehand, to a certain degree, which limits the risk of down-time," explains Ian Huntly of AspenTech Africa.
"Another benefit is that the client`s input assists in the further development and improvement of our products - many of Samancor`s requirements have been incorporated into AspenTech`s standard product."
One of Samancor`s objectives was to capture and formalise the intellectual property of the organisation. The retention of skilled staff is always a challenge, but through the definition and documenting of business processes, all staff have access to the information they require in order to fulfil their obligations. This was an ambitious initiative, with Samancor`s integration needs being the main driver.
Effective change control was a crucial factor in the success of the implementation. "AST MSI and AspenTech contributed a great deal towards the change control process, which was handled with care and understanding," says Swanepoel. "Our general managers and other staff also deserve recognition and praise for their support during the process which became, at times, a nightmare."
The implementation at the Tubatse plant will be preceded by a longer scoping phase, which will shorten the actual implementation phase. "The experience gained at the Middelburg and Witbank sites will also be of immense value during the implementations at Tubatse and at Samancor`s mines," says Swanepoel.
Samancor`s specified requirement - to take complete ownership of the system after integration - meant that extensive training had to be done at all levels. "During training, senior staff would be taken away from their daily work, increasing the load on other staff. By bringing in more AST staff and with the total dedication of the entire project team to achieving its set goals, this problem was dealt with very effectively," says Phillip Pretorius of AST MSI.
AST MSI, a business unit of the AST Group, has a proven track record in integrating and supporting the manufacturing process from raw materials input, processing, logistics, financials and human resources, through to distribution. It has significant systems integration capabilities in the manufacturing industry, meeting the ever-changing needs of the manufacturing environment.
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