Evaluation of the effects of faliures on performance indexes of a continuous casting plant

The paper presents the main results of a study aimed at evaluating the effects of failures on the performance indexes of a continous casting plant that produces hot rolled bars. The analysis took into consideration the various steps of the process from charging electric arc furnaces to cutting and transferring blooms to the cooling beds. A large amount of data was available for the parameters of interest for the study: this made it possible to make simulation model of the plant and to perform an appropriate statistical analysis of input-output data to validate it. Eventually, the model allowed determining the effects on the production capacity of innovative technologies for failure reduction and of new maintenance policies