PROCESS STRATEGY FOR IMPROVED OUTGOING QUALITY AND LOWER PROCESSING COSTS FOR SECONDARY FERROUS METAL PRODUCTS

THE RESEARCH PROJECT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPROACH FOR REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PROCESSING SECONDARY FERROUS METAL AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE COSTS. BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE ACTUAL INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE AND OPERATION DATA, IMPROVED METHODS OF GRADING, MARKING, AND SEPARATING ARE BEING SYNTHESIZED. THE DEVELOPED METHODS ARE INCORPORATED INTO AN EXPERT SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES THE MANUFACTURER WITH A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS STRATEGY TO ASSIST AND COST-EFFECTIVE MATCHING OF PRODUCT GRADE WITH DEMAND. THE PROJECT WILL LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS THAT COULD BE PASSED ON TO MANUFACTURERS USING RAW STOCK MADE FROM SECONDARY FERROUS METAL AND WILL RESULT IN U.S. STEEL PRODUCTS BEING MORE COMPETITIVELY PRICED IN THE WORLD MARKETS.