Scrappy: Sicon Brings Real-Time Analytics to Steel Recycling

The latest technology — including real-time analytics — helps boost profits and reliability for recycling companies.

Shredded scrap metal helps steel plants optimize loading intervals and reduces tap-to-tap times to improve performance and lower energy consumption.

Steel plants that use shredded scrap sourced through recycling also shrink consumption of refractory materials and electrodes.

Yet many steel plants — concerned about quality — haven’t taken advantage of the benefits. For example, copper levels found in shredded scrap have steadily increased for the past 30 years. While the shredding process removes some copper, results aren’t consistent. And high copper content significantly impacts the scrap’s usefulness.

The EcoScan Online Solution – with Real-Time Analytics

Sicon believes its new EcoScan Online offers a promising solution. The cloud-based analytics platform seamlessly integrates or retrofits into existing plant operations. It analyzes chemical composition and density in real time. Users can access average values for that day or the whole month. This data provides insights on long-term trends for better decision making and improved shredded scrap.

See also: Cloud computing drives up adoption of IIoT 

Based on fluorescent technology, EcoScan Online uses the latest XRF multi-element sorter technology to deliver quantitative data quickly and accurately. It sends data to a control display and any deviations from parameters the user sets will trigger an alert, and the shredder discharge conveyor automatically puts the shredded scrap in a separate container for evaluation. Users can then add additional feed material to balance out high copper content. This saves money and decreases production times.

EcoScan online is built to work with Sicon’s ScrapTuning solution, which automates the removal of any impurities EcoScan may find from shredded scrap. This lets them pre-treat to meet quality requirements.