LIBERTY Speciality Steels hits a new heats’ record

In December, the LIBERTY team at VIM (Vacuum Induction Melting Shop) in Stocksbridge (UK) achieved a remarkable milestone by setting a new heats/melts record. They successfully completed 12 heats in a single week.

Martyn Green, Plant Manager at VIM, shared insights on this accomplishment:

“Our agreed target with the Supply Chain is to achieve 8 heats per week. The average for the past year was six melts a week. However, responding to higher demand for aerospace steel from our clients, we must be prepared to work at full capacity in the most cost-effective way, without encountering any issues or losses. Ultimately, this will help make our order book more sustainable for the future.

As a team, we identified potential gaps in our operational process and worked collaboratively to address them. A cross-functional group, including operations, engineers and technical experts, was formed. Our specific goal was to achieve 12 heats in a week, and we analysed the current process to identify root causes of potential delays or losses. Brainstorming sessions were conducted to generate ideas and solutions.

Upon consolidating all ideas, we performed an impact-ease exercise to identify any low-hanging fruit where quick wins could be achieved. This process also highlighted more challenging tasks that would require capital investments (CAPEX) which were presented to the senior management team.

One of the significant accomplishments that we achieved during these brainstorming exercises was resolving engineering issues related to earth antennas and sensitive water leak sensors. We also established and reinforced standards for set up and cleanliness, a crucial aspect of VIM operations. Training initiatives for shop floor personnel were implemented to ensure the right skills were in place and this is ongoing. We now conduct weekly meetings to review progress, discuss actions, assess performance, and address any changes.

Trials are also ongoing, particularly regarding nozzle breakouts, a critical quality issue. Stage one trials showed a reduction in breakouts, and stage two trials, initiated just before Christmas, have also been successful.

Additional changes to power ramps in the heating profiles have improved significantly the tap freeze off frequency and improved nozzle condition. 

On top of that, the VIM team achieved 1000 accident-free days this Christmas. However, we still have a lot of work to do and will continue to improve the results.

I am very proud of what we have achieved so far and would like to thank everyone involved in this project, especially Damion Rowland, Jack Hannon, Howard Watkins, Dean Evans, Wayne Palfreyman, Kieran R Dinsdale, Peter Maycock, James Kay, Stewart Jenkinson, and, of course, the entire production team. Well done! 

Our target is to consistently achieve 8 heats a week, however, we are well-prepared to meet the demand for 12 heats a week, possessing the capability, knowledge, right skills, and experience.”

 

The record is an impressive result, and congratulations to the team on this result, and the improvement work is helping further improve the plant stability. The efforts and focus on improving the VIM performance are now starting to deliver a more consistent operation. 

It’s early days, and we still have much to do, but these results are indicators of what we will be able to deliver going forward as we consolidate on the work done so far and future work currently being planned. Again – Well done!”.

Neil Hanson, Head of Operations HVM / Brinsworth