Submitted by Abhishek

1. Dimensions of Quality
All Rights Reserved. Copyright @ 2014 Canopus Business Management Group 1
Gain from the Power of Lean Six Sigma – MOOC
By Nilakantasrinivasan
Assignment Submission of : Abhishek Kumar

2. Product Selected : RFID based Tracking of Hot
Metal Torpedo Ladles
All Rights Reserved. Copyright @ 2014 Canopus Business Management Group 2
A System to Optimize Buffer Management of Hot Metal supply from the
Blast Furnaces to the Steel Making Shops ,implementing the principles of
Theory of Constraints , in an integrated Steel Plant.
RFID or Radio Frequency Identification System is an enabler to Track the
movement of ladles to achieve the objective of the system.
Hot Metal being Poured inside a Torpedo ladle

3. Performance
Features
Conformance
Dimensions of Quality
Reliability
All Rights Reserved. Copyright @ 2014 Canopus Business Management Group 3
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
•RFID Tags on the Torpedo Ladle
•RFID readers at Key Waypoints and Weighbridges
•Interfaces with Level – 2 Automation and Quality Analysis systems of the Blast Furnaces
and Steel Making shops etc.
•IT infrastructure and Networking for the System etc.
• Automatic Capturing of Ladle movement, Weight and data from all
interfaces.
• Processing Through Dynamic Models(Algorithms) and displaying the
processed Data in suitable GUI (Graphical User Interface) .
• High Availability IT Infrastructure and user friendly GUI’s
• RFID Tags sustain transient temperature ranging from 40 - 400 C
• Several Interfaces with PLC’s Load cells, Hot Metal Analysers and
production systems of Blast Furnaces and Steel Making Shops.
• G.A. and Agent based software, implementing Theory of constraints and
other proprietary logistics management Algorithms.
• Conforms to all statutory Industrial Protection, Safety, security etc. norms
for enclosure ,electronics and IT systems
• Patented heat proof chamber for enclosing RFID tags
• Metrics for R.O.I and Key Performance Indicators monitored daily and
found exceeding expectations.
• SLA of greater than 99% with IT partners and Service providers.
• BCP&DR implemented for all Active and Passive components.
• All reliability parameters ,MTBR,MTBF etc. monitored, as RFID tags
prone to transient temperatures up to 400 C.
• System Uptime and availability > 96% for last 6 years.

4. Experience
Aesthetics
Dimensions of Quality
Durability
Service
All Rights Reserved. Copyright @ 2014 Canopus Business Management Group 4
• IP 67 grade enclosures for field electronics
• Patented Heat proof enclosure for Tags
• Redundant IT hardware (Servers , PC’s) ,and Networks .
• Data integrity checks built in for system data base and data from all
interfaces
• SLA of >95% committed to customer departments ,met consistently
• SLA of > 99% with IT Infrastructure maintenance agencies and other
vendors providing field support
• Daily Management system instituted to monitor the uptime of system,
Service Level Agreements(SLA) and Key Performance indicators of the
system.
• Reduced Manpower requirement by developing fully Automated /Person –
less weighbridges .
• System Integrated from off the shelf electronics and in - house design and
development of components and software
• Expertise of Theory of constraints and other SPC techniques leveraged here
• Proprietary and unique system ,Therefore not benchmarked.
• Development team has vast experience in system integration and has
developed customized products for parent company .
• Customer Delight monitored through systematic reviews and matching and
exceeding expectations
• 5s and TPM for regular cleaning, preventive maintenance of the field
electronics.
• Ergonomic, User friendly and Well - designed screens for enabling decision
making and need to know data at various hierarchies