Use of Control Graphics to Improve the Anthracite Calcination Process in an Electric Furnace

Abstract

In the present work, the study of the application of control charts was carried out in the improvement of an anthracite calcination process in an electric oven for the manufacture of electrode paste (Soderberg). As a support for the control charts, the Standardization tools, Cause and Effect Diagram and the Six Sigma methodology were used to identify problems and proposals of improvement for it. Additionally, the anthracite calcination process was also presented, which when done correctly, with material within the proposed resistivity range, guarantees the final quality of the product produced at the pulp mill. The results of this work show that with the use of the Control Graph together with the Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology and the Cause and Effect Diagram, it was possible to reduce the amount of material outside the range of value specification from 70% to 14%, an 56% reduction, which represents an average decrease of 179.2 tons of material out of specification per month, generating a drop in the amount of material to be reprocessed, which translates into savings for the company and the ability to supply material for the manufacture of electrode paste.