Data Analysis and Predictive Control for a Pusher-Type Billets’ Reheating Furnace

In this paper, the reheating process and the initial milling process, i.e. the roughing phase of steel billets, are analyzed. An Advanced Process Control has been developed and installed on pusher-type billets’ reheating furnace of an Italian steel industry. Data analysis is focused on the proof that the installed measurement tools are reliable and suitable for control purposes. A Model Predictive Control approach is exploited based on an adaptive model of the plant that takes into account the validated measurements. The main purpose of the work is to find a model capable of correlating the absorptions of the first six rolling stands with process variables and field measurements taking into account the different operating conditions of the furnace. The designed control system has been installed on the real plant providing a significant support for plant operators and optimizing the furnace conduction. The developed system received Industry 4.0 certification.