Precia-Molen Install GeneSYS At CEMEX Tilbury

New automated system provides fast and efficient cement dispatch operation

Opened in September 2009, the new cement grinding and blending plant at the Port of Tilbury, in Essex, illustrates CEMEX’s strong commitment to both the UK and sustainable construction. The new 1.2 million tonne per annum facility, which represents an investment of £49 million and marks the culmination of two years construction, is the only cement plant in the South East of England. It is also the largest plant to be built in the UK cement industry for five years and will increase CEMEX UK’s cement capacity by 20%.

Strategically located in the Thames Gateway, the new low-carbon plant will deliver products based on cement clinker which is ground to a powder and blended with by-products to produce cements for use in buildings and infrastructure projects. The plant’s capabilities will allow a reduction in the amount of clinker utilized in the process, thereby reducing overall manufacturing impact while increasing sustainability.

Boasting the first vertical mill in the country, the plant will use 20–40% less energy than traditional mills which, when combined with the blended cement capabilities and shipping, barging and rail-loading facilities, will ensure that the carbon footprint per tonne of finished product is further reduced.

As part of the new plant infrastructure, leading weighing specialists Precia-Molen were chosen to design and build a system based around the market-leading GeneSYS and GSM software. With numerous vehicle and multiple train movements every day carrying materials into and out of the site, CEMEX needed an integrated weighing, automated cement loading and traffic-management system to meet the diverse needs of the new Tilbury facility.

However, as well as providing a flexible and innovative on-site weighing and load-management system capable of encompassing all operations, the system also needed to be able to provide fast and accurate management reporting to monitor site performance and efficiency. Precia-Molen therefore designed and built a bespoke solution driven by the power of GeneSYS.

Customized solution

Utilizing a weighbridge-management system developed in house by Precia-Molen, the system has integrated the operation of six weighbridges and 13 driver consoles, including two large electronic information boards which allow fully automated dispatch operations across the site.

A special fast-track weighbridge facility permits even faster processing of CEMEX’s regular fleet of vehicles, which can arrive 24h a day and simply have to pass through the entry and exit weighbridge station.

Seamless operation

To accomplish seamless operation from ordering through to invoicing, the GeneSYS system is fully integrated with CEMEX’s own sales order management system. When an order is placed, it is entered into the sales system and matched against quotes set up in SAP; GeneSYS then imports the order ready for collection or dispatch.

All preferred road vehicles visiting the site are issued with RFID cards for identification. On arrival, a vehicle drives on to the weighbridge and the driver presents the RFID card to the dispatch office; GeneSYS then weighs the vehicle and, if the tare weight is within expected tolerance, directs the vehicle to the correct silo. Data for preferred vehicles is permanently stored by the system to allow faster verification and entry to the site.

If a vehicle is new to the site, the driver reports to the dispatch office where the registration details and order number are entered into GeneSYS. The vehicle is then weighed and the driver is issued with a single-use RFID card and directed to the correct loading area.

Passing under two large electronic information boards, the driver is directed to one of the numerous driver-operated automated loading points. If directed to the CEM 2 silo (blended cement), the driver stops at the first console, inserts his card and is directed to either bay 4 or bay 5.

Driving on to an 18m long pit-mounted Precia-Molen weighbridge, the vehicle is validated by photo sensors to ensure it is in the correct position on the weighbridge. The driver then leaves the vehicle and proceeds up the stairs to the loading bay platform and presents his card into the driver console. GenSYS validates that the vehicle is in the correct bay and signals, via the integrated PLC, that the loading operation can start, which allows the driver to couple the loading bellows to the truck. On command, the nominated load of material is delivered into the truck, with the driver receiving a ticket on completion.

If directed to the CEM 1 silo (ordinary cement), the driver proceeds to bay 2 and goes through an identical procedure. Similarly, if directed to bay 3 (fly ash), an identical procedure is followed.

After loading, all vehicles return to the exit weighbridge or fast-track exit lane to receive their dispatch documentation. The RFID card is inserted into the driver console, allowing the driver to confirm the final weight and receive the relevant documentation with the RFID card being retained.

Inbound materials are delivered to the site by road and again, as with the sales process, each vehicle is issued with an RFID card. The GeneSYS system compares the load details with the purchase order on SAP to confirm acceptance and then directs the driver to one of two unloading points for clinker and gypsum. Both of these locations feature a ramped approach and console reader and incorporate a barrier to prevent incorrect unloading.

A single system

Precia-Molen have provided CEMEX UK with a powerful and flexible system which has met or surpassed the needs of their new, sustainable, low-carbon operation. The plant now has a single system that encompasses all the cement operations, allowing fast and efficient throughput for high volumes of road traffic.

Moreover, the GeneSYS-based solution has created a stable and expandable platform offering efficient management of the entire site and providing important performance and management information. The new system is one of the most advanced automated cement dispatch operations in Europe and confirms Precia-Molen’s position as one of the market leaders in on-site weighing and traffic-management systems.

‘The Precia-Molen system is a great asset for the plant,’ commented Tilbury plant director Gavin Cowen. ‘The automated system allows the plant to function smoothly and hassle-free, and now that the drivers have been trained the system allows my staff to concentrate on production rather than loading trucks. Installation and commissioning was first class and the user-friendly package supplied by Precia-Molen is extremely efficient.’

Further information contact Precia-Molen UK Ltd on tel: (01527) 590320; fax: (01527) 590301; email: sales@preciamolen.co.uk; or visit: www.preciamolen.com