Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 11

A s global demand for non-ferrous metals continues to increase, and aluminum in particular with its positive attributes finds new applications, installing new production capacity in your operation should be one of the great joys of business. You have a new opportunity. Your marketing and sales teams have earned it, and the PO is now in hand. Your leadership team and financial gurus have penciled out the financial justification, and now it’s time to plan for the installation of a new system. This is when the most important work really begins. This is in no way to diminish the accomplishment of having arrived at this point, but certainly, what happens now determines everything for your business looking forward: customer satisfaction (will the product launch be on time with quality product JEFF KELLER CEO MOTLEN METAL EQUIPMENT INNOVATIONS ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Successful Installations require cross functional communication and planning • Successful new equipment installations and the sustained benefits are driven by people • New equipment has to generate a competitive advantage SUCCESSFUL NEW EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS, LESSONS LEARNED 14 and a happy customer), financial return (can we start up, hit rate and make money) and employee moral (Did we succeed? Was it a win for the company?). As MMEI is most familiar with the installation of new circulation and transfer pumps for molten aluminum operations of various types, let’s use the installation of a new stationary, reverberatory furnace as a case study to emphasize some of the key elements of a successful new equipment installation, and how to ensure the benefits keep accruing to your business. IT’S A SYSTEM When we are fortunate enough to sell a new circulation pump, customers generally want to know right up front the benefits the pump will provide to increase melt rate, increase furnace throughput and lower energy production costs. While we know the benefits of circulation using one of our pumps will be significant, we also know that results depend on the system into which it is being deployed. Simply put, if the system has not been designed properly, it can’t provide maximum benefit. In the case of circulation pumps, some critical system design decisions will involve the correct sizing of the pump to fit the furnace, the correct sizing of the pump well to accommodate the pump and it’s needed maintenance, the correct sizing and placement of the archways that connect the pump well to the main furnace chamber and a clear understanding of the furnace operation plan to ensure that metal levels never exceed the maximum or minimum for safe, optimal performance of the pump. It’s only when all of these elements (and many others) are planned to work together that the outcome is as desired. So, how do we do that?