Optimizing Equipment Performance with OEE Monitoring for a Leading Steel Company

CRG Solutions’ OEE Dashboard helped a steel manufacturer accurately measure equipment efficiency, identify improvement areas, and support proactive maintenance. This case study highlights the value of data analytics in optimizing operations, enhancing productivity, and driving continuous improvement in the steel industry.

The firm is among the largest steel-producing companies and is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world. Apart from the Netherlands and the UK, the company operates in 26 countries, with key operations in India.
It is important for the steel company to accurately measure and monitor the overall equipment efficiency (OEE) across their manufacturing plants to understand losses, identify areas for improvement, optimize equipment performance, and drive continuous and proactive initiatives for enhanced productivity and operational efficiency. This also involved maintenance and equipment replacement strategies.

To optimize their manufacturing operations, the company recognized the need to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of their equipment and production lines. However, the absence of a robust monitoring system hindered their ability to measure the overall equipment efficiency (OEE) accurately. They faced challenges in identifying areas for improvement, determining the reasons behind losses, and implementing proactive maintenance and equipment replacement strategies.

CRG Solutions, a trusted data analytics services company, collaborated with the steel manufacturer to develop a tailored OEE dashboard to address their monitoring challenges. We designed the OEE Dashboard to measure various types of losses, including speed loss and quality loss, across the manufacturing plants. It provided real-time insights into the net OEE per plant, as well as the ability to drill down to agency and department levels. Additionally, the dashboard captured detailed reasons for losses, enabling data-driven decision-making and targeted improvement initiatives. Accurate OEE Measurement: The implementation of the OEE Dashboard allowed the manufacturer to accurately measure the overall equipment efficiency of their manufacturing plants. Real-time data on equipment performance provided valuable insights, enabling the organization to identify areas for improvement and optimize their operations.

Maintenance and Equipment Replacement: The OEE Dashboard played a pivotal role in identifying the overall OEE of Steel’s plants. By monitoring equipment performance and capturing reasons for losses, the dashboard helped identify the need for maintenance and equipment replacement. This proactive approach prevented unexpected breakdowns, reduced downtime, and improved overall equipment reliability.