Abstract

BARRY S, José J; RODRIGUEZ A, Fidias M  and  IMERY B, Jesús A. KEEPING THE PACE OF CONTINUOS IMPROVEMENT BY RETROFITTING POT TENDING MACHINES. uct [online]. 2010, vol.14, n.54, pp.065-071. ISSN 1316-4821.

Pot tending machines play a key role in the productivity of smelters, and as aluminum companies are squeezing any aspect of their processes to improve profits, in many cases old pot tending machines can not cope with new requirements. Hence, companies have to evaluate either retrofitting or installing new pot tending machines to carry on with their global improvement strategies. CVG-Venalum tackled this issue by developing its own pot tending technology; some of the improvements implemented are an enhanced design of the tool trolley, an automated anode height measurement, PLC and VFD based control system, electronically controlled clamp-tightening torque, and weight measurement modules integrated to the new control and supervisory system. The low cost of the two prototypes constructed at local workshops, as well as their enhanced performance, boosted this project, so CVG-Venalum management decided to carry on the retrofitting of the twenty original pot tending machines serving 720 pots.

Keywords : Design; Crane; Pot room.