SMS Group’s digital subsidiary SMS digital has been awarded with the implementation of a new highly automated slab yard management system for JSW Steel Ltd, located in Dolvi in India. The X-Pact MES 4.0 Warehouse Management System will support the efficient use of limited-sized slab yard space and is an essential factor for a high utilization of the hot mill capacity. JSW is expanding their Dolvi works by additional 5 million tonnes per year capacity with a new steel melt shop, which JSW ordered from SMS group in the end of 2017 and is now under commissioning. A major advantage is the digital connection of third-party equipment to SMS digital’s Warehouse Management software.

Since the slab yard area at JSW is very limited, the Warehouse Management system will help to optimize space utilization with maximum efficiency. The innovative solution for warehousing and materials management is part of the support and optimization module of the production planning system X-Pact® MES 4.0, Manufacturing Execution System. With the MES 4.0 Warehouse Manager, the cranes, including electric overhead traveling cranes and semi gantry cranes, as well as the transport cars at JSW Dolvi will operate automatically, with maximum efficiency to enable optimum vertical networking of the production facilities and units along the whole process chain.

Available storage capacities within the slab yard can be identified quickly and efficiently. The Warehouse Manager can take the current warehousing and vehicle situation as well as the sequences of casters and hot mill into account and finds the optimum combination to determine the ideal transfer orders. Thus, JSW can reduce costs and increase throughput through optimal warehouse and transport management.