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One year in a cement plant - Technical history, interventions and current status

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1. Plant Condition and Major Operational Issues Since Commissioning Since commissioning, the plant has experienced several persistent mechanical, process and operational issues that adversely affected reliability, productivity, energy efficiency and clinker quality. A. Kiln and Cooler Reliability 1. Frequent breakdowns and stoppages associated with kiln supporting roller mechanisms, including high bearing temperatures. 2. Frequent cooler mechanical problems and breakdowns. 3. Frequent kiln coating collapses, resulting in red-hot clinker reaching the DPC and causing clinker quality deterioration. 4. Very low and inconsistent refractory life. 5. Frequent material puffing from the kiln inlet, accompanied by continuous material spillage. 6. Excessively hot kiln hood, with almost zero draft, resulting in unstable kiln operation and frequent hood roof damage. B. Preheater / Calciner Problems 7. Frequent material flushing / build-up at different locations in the preheater. 8. Very high prehea...
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Is our Grate Cooler really the problem? Look beneath it.

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A clinker cooler always reminds me of that funny question: Which comes first? Chicken or egg?  Here is my version: Which comes first?  A good cooler, or a good-performing plant? I don't know the answer to the first question. But for the second, I know this:  They - Plant and Cooler - are interconnected. I have worked with all types of coolers. Grate coolers: 3 grates to single grate. 1st generation to 4th generation. ETA, Crossbar, Sinowalk and others. And after all these years, one thing remains clear:  A grate cooler is a GREAT cooler. Yes, technology has moved ahead. But much of that development is also about making equipment more maintenance-free and reducing human dependency. Fair enough. But don't blame an old grate cooler simply because it is old. Learn about it and maintain it properly, and it can perform exceptionally well. So where is the real problem?  Look beneath the grate. The under-grate area is often where efficiency is lost: • Sealing between ch...
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When you need help, share what you can

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Confidentiality is important. But so is asking for the right help. Sometimes people ask a technical question in a group without providing enough information to understand the actual problem. When asked for plant data, the common response is: "Sir, we agree with you, but it is confidential to share reports/data of our plant." That's perfectly fine. Don't share confidential information publicly. But then, reach out to the expert individually. Because information is important for finding the right solution. When we need the correct treatment, we tell everything to the doctor. We don't simply say, "I have a problem. Please prescribe something." The same principle applies to technical problems. A few days ago, one of my ex-colleagues joined another plant and approached me about some serious productivity issues. There was another interesting challenge. He couldn't even send an email to anyone outside his company's group. He couldn't share Excel fil...
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When cement became glamorous, we lost the comfort

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Somewhere along the way, we decided that the cement industry needed to become glamorous. And that, perhaps, was our first mistake.  Cement was never meant to be glamorous. It was meant to be reliable, predictable and profitable. A cement plant was a simple place once. You had a crusher, raw mill, kiln, cooler, coal mill, cement mill and packing plant. The job was also simple. Keep the plant running. Keep the quality right. Keep the cost under control. Go home. Then came technology. Digitalisation. Automation. AI. Industry 4.0. Big Data. Dashboards. KPIs. OEE. Predictive analytics. The funny part is that the basic equipment is still sitting there looking almost exactly the same. A kiln is still a kiln. A mill is still a mill. A fan still has to move air. A bearing still doesn't care whether the plant has Industry 4.0 certification. And a gearbox still has only one objective: Please don't kill me. Technology can help. But cement remains M-sensitive. Cement manufacturing is still ...
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Planned shutdowns and unplanned shutdowns.

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Today is 3rd August. Since 31st July, our plant has been under a planned shutdown. There are two kinds of shutdowns in any industry. Planned shutdowns and unplanned shutdowns. An unplanned shutdown is one of the costliest events for any plant because production stops unexpectedly and we lose both time and money. A planned shutdown, however, is not an expense.  It is an investment. We stop the plant today so that it can run more reliably, safely and efficiently for many months ahead. So, what should we do during a shutdown? This is the time to complete all preventive maintenance jobs and all observation-based jobs that we noticed during plant operation but could not attend because the plant was running. It is also the best opportunity to inspect, clean, repair, align, lubricate, replace worn parts and improve the condition of every machine. Think of your own vehicle. When you give it to a service center, what do you expect when it comes back? You expect it to be fully serviced, any ...
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Why some manufacturing plants improve, then collapse again

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Over the years, I have noticed a pattern in almost every underperforming plant I have worked in. At first glance, it appears that the employees are the problem. The same people have been there for years, yet the plant struggles. Productivity is poor. People seem unwilling to work. The obvious conclusion is, "The workforce is weak." But that is rarely the real reason. When I spend time understanding the organization, a different picture emerges. The employees have been living with years of unfair treatment. Salaries are below market standards. Salary payments are delayed. Annual increments are negligible or absent. Promotions and increments are influenced by favoritism or the ability to pressure management. Unnecessary salary deductions become common. Eventually, people stop giving their best. They simply adjust to surviving. A poor salary gets compensated by an easy work environment. Then a new Plant Head arrives. If he merely follows the existing system, nothing changes. He ...
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When a Manufacturing Plant starts behaving like a farmhouse

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Every organization develops its own culture. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes accidentally. During my career, I have noticed that the biggest challenge in a manufacturing plant is rarely machinery. It is the way authority is distributed and exercised. In one organization, the Chairman is the ultimate authority, but several Directors enjoy almost equal influence. Each Director is entrusted with a set of departments. One looks after Mechanical, Projects and Stores. Another oversees Production and Quality. A third manages Automobiles. Yet another handles Electrical, Instrumentation, HR, IT, ERP and Branding. On paper, the arrangement appears balanced. In practice, it can create unexpected consequences. Some Directors stay at the plant in guest rooms, just like I do. Officially, the working hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In reality, people appear and disappear according to personal convenience. Weekends often resemble a family retreat, with guests, children and relatives visiting ...
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