METSO:VW 22/9/08 13:36 Page 65

CONTROL VALVES Knowledge of valve condition brought up to date through auditing at Rautaruukki’s Raahe Works

Ruukki’s Raahe Works extend over an area of In the spring of 2007 Metso a good 500 hectares. Automation carried out an extensive audit of the installed equipment base and equipment inventory at Rautaruukki’s Raahe Works. More than a thousand Neles control and on-off valves were audited. Ruukki’s Raahe Works, extending over an area of a good 500 hectares, manufactures steel plate and strip products out of iron ore. Ruukki has been among the on thousands of valves all over Finland. Inspired fieldwork core of Metso Automation’s He has also amassed auditing experience Auditing at Raahe involved fieldwork at customers for decades. abroad, in China and Scotland for the plants’ production facilities and Initially, the collaboration example. inventory. According to Martti Manelius, “With our auditing services, the customer concerned equipment head of the maintenance support can focus their resources on their core services, Metso’s active approach greatly deliveries. Metso Automation, competences, the continuously changing contributed to making the audit decision. then under the name Neles, and ever-demanding tasks in the field of “Metso's people frequently visit our plants delivered valves to Ruukki automation,” Mr Horppu says and adds to discuss topical issues relating to the when the plant was first built. that the same goes for all lifecycle equipment we use.We came to the services offered by Metso. conclusion that an equipment audit would

By Laura Ruippo Ruukki’s Raahe Works uses the following Metso Automation equipment:

Neles control valves he person responsible for the audit • R1 and R21 series segment valves was Osmo Horppu , a regional • RA, RB and RE series segment valves Tsales manager for Metso • Finetrol and Neles RotaryGlobe control valves Automation’s lifecycle services, who spent • T5 series rotary control valves about a month on the auditing work. Of • Most control valves are equipped with either B or E series actuators with spring Ruukki’s personnel at Raahe, the person return, NE700 series positioners and Neles ND9000 intelligent valve controllers who was most involved in the project was Velu Holappa, a spare parts technician Neles automated on-off valves whose areas of responsibility include • RK series ball valves maintenance of the supply and spare • P,D2 and C2 series ball valves parts inventory, and determining of spare • M1, MA and MD series ball valves part needs. • XA, XG and XD series ball valves Mr Horppu is well versed in auditing; • L1, L12, LW7 and LW8 series butterfly valves before taking up his current position he was in charge of one of Metso’s six Neles manual valves regional service centers in Finland.While • L1, L12, LW7 and LW8 series butterfly valves in the field, Mr Horppu performed audits

Reprinted with permission of Automation, May 2008 www.valve-world.net October 2008 65 METSO:VW 22/9/08 13:36 Page 67

CONTROL VALVES be useful.The decision on the practical implementation was reached rather Accurate installed base information brings cost savings quickly because Metso was able to offer It is a well-known fact in most of the process plants, that keeping the equipment a ready-made concept for undertaking information up to date in the maintenance management system is very the audit.” challenging. And yet, the cost of wrong information is high; it may lead to high In the inventory audit, a condition inventory value to ensure the availability. Corrupted data also means that it takes assessment was performed on all valves time to find the right replacement or spare part after a device failure. In many in stock. At the same time, cases this results to wide need for resources in different functions (maintenance, replacements were defined for purchasing, stock handling etc.).Typically, the maintenance process from a valve outdated equipment types, and the failure to inventory replenishment takes from two to six weeks, or in case of inventory of articles was updated. In special products, even longer. Besides the equipment identification, it is very practice, an inventory was made on the important to know the condition of the equipment.When the condition is entire stock of Neles spare parts. known, the maintenance actions are planned and based on a real need. The installed equipment base audit was performed in the field. All valves in Installed base audit and analysis service operation, i.e. a good one-thousand Customer benefits: Neles valves, were inspected and • Correct data in maintenance management system – accurate spare part and audited, and the valves' type markings product purchases – time savings were recorded. A visual condition • Maintenance actions can be planned and directed placed on real assessment was performed on the condition – no unnecessary maintenance actions audited equipment, on the basis of • Suggestions on how to improve the performance of the field equipment is which any deficiencies discovered were included to the service systematically reported. Ruukki’s personnel were a great help in Service features: the audit.“Without the friendly • Visual inspection and evaluation of current condition by Metso Automation assistance of the resident employees, specialists finding the audit targets in that huge • Detailed information of the installed devices gathered using a specific software compound would have been as difficult • Results reported (Audit survey data sheet,TAG report) as finding a needle in a haystack,” Mr • Practical proposals of corrective actions to improve device and process Horppu says. Mr Manelius also gives performance credit to the plant personnel for their • Suggestions for optimization of maintenance actions positive attitude during the audit • Recommendations for possible device upgrades process:“Our people enthusiastically • All gathered and analysed data exported to an Excel-file to a customer took part in the project. An expert maintenance management system. from each process section helped the • Preliminary plan for other maintenance services auditors locate the target equipment. I would especially like to thank Velu Results of the audit: Holappa, who was in charge of • Accurate identification of installed devices in a TAG-report organizing the auditing project in the • Audit survey data sheet including: field.” • condition evaluation Once the fieldwork had been done, the • maintenance proposals data gathered from the audit targets • upgrade suggestions was input into Metso's software to create customer reports for Ruukki's Installed base audit forms an excellent base for Metso Automation's Inventory personnel.The reports featured management service, which includes inventory optimization and product servicing recommendations and repair standardization. proposals based on the observations made.The auditing performed at the Raahe Works last spring particularly has an easier time in planning how to capacity utilization rate.We want to focused on compiling equipment data, maintain a given capacity utilization rate. help our customers reach the desired and the condition assessment Nothing comparing to the audit has capacity utilization rate by offering exclusively focused on the reporting of ever taken place at Ruukki’s Raahe services related to the availability, any deficiencies discovered. Works. optimization and functioning of back-up Through the auditing the plant “With the continuously tightening equipment,” Mr Horppu says. personnel become increasingly aware of competitive situation, production and Processes often have many critical how well the inventory corresponds quality-related improvements in points, and auditing facilitates the with the installed equipment base. processes are always welcome. One making of a criticality classification for Thanks to the auditing, the plant now way to improve is to increase the control valves. Auditing is by nature a

www.valve-world.net October 2008 67 METSO:VW 22/9/08 13:37 Page 68

CONTROL VALVES one-off project, which means that audits at the plants are few and far between. Undertaking an audit is also very laborious and requires thoroughness. Works’ people were pleased with the audit.“We are very happy with Metso’s effort.The auditing was conducted in the most professional manner, and the outcome is commendable in every way,” Mr Manelius says.The atmosphere was great, and the plant personnel were very helpful.“The way the safety of people was taken care of at Raahe deserves special commendation. Outsiders are not allowed to move about the compound unless they are escorted, which is why I was accompanied wherever I went all through the auditing process,” Mr Horppu says.

Future collaboration in the plans The advancement of the collaboration between Raahe Works and Metso has been exemplary.Through the auditing both parties became aware of the existing equipment base, on which a criticality classification was performed. Development of the inventory management will only commence after the audit.“Usually, the customer first asks Hot-rolled strip plant at the Raahe Works. for the inventory management service, and the existing equipment base and the related requirements are determined Water-spray cooling of hot-rolled strip. subsequently. However, in the case of Raahe Works, the benefit gained through our service is maximized thanks to the avoidance of stocking unnecessary components,” Mr Horppu comments. Mr Manelius points out that the actual benefits of auditing will only be revealed and reaped in the years to come:“The audit did help us already by revealing the compatibility of spare parts in our inventory with the equipment in the field. But the other benefits of the audit will only manifest themselves in the coming years.”The data compiled and the results achieved in the course of the audit have been presented to the equipment users and those responsible for maintenance. Metso Automation has presented a Rautaruukki supplies metal-based components, systems and integrated systems to sample inventory management service the construction and mechanical engineering industries.The company has a wide agreement to Raahe Works’ maintenance selection of metal products and services. Rautaruukki has operations in 24 personnel. countries and employs 14,600 people. Net sales in 2007 totalled EUR 3.9 billion.The Corporation has used the marketing name Ruukki since 2004. Photos: Rautaruukki Oyj

68 October 2008 www.valve-world.net