Chinese aluminium industry tackles challenges and demands

QUINTIQ claims its planning technology is being used by the Chinese aluminium industry to maintain a dynamic growth rate and optimise production processes.

According to the company, its Company Planner system is providing production support to companies like Shanghai-based Sapa Heat Transfer.

China is already the world¡¯s greatest aluminium producer and consumer. According to Standard Bank, in 2000 China accounted for 12% of worldwide aluminium production. This figured increased to 33% in 2007.

However, the aluminium industry is not without its challenges, as production outstrips the country¡¯s raw materials and energy supply. It has to develop new strategies to meet increasing demand reliably, keep rising energy prices under control, and comply with the introduction of environmental policies.

The Sapa plant produces aluminium strips for vehicle radiators. It is the only rolling mill in the world specialising in pre-material for brazed heat exchangers. All the production steps are located under one roof, from casting, to hot and cold rolling, to finishing.

The complex production process at Sapa Heat Transfer, including cladding, hot rolling and sandwich processing, presented a challenge to the software implementers during customisation of the system.

The installers started with standard software modules, which were then adapted into a customised and efficient planning implementation.

The Quintiq Company Planner can apply algorithms to simultaneously plan resources such as material, machines, personnel and tools. It can also calculate specific production start dates, allowing accurate deadlines and reduced stock levels.

According to the manufacturer, the software has allowed the machine park to be used as efficiently as possible, reduced reject rates, and improved planning quality. Current estimates are the company has accelerated production turnaround by almost 25%.

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