The establishment of the intelligent factory must be based on the digitalization of the factory. Through the process innovation project implemented at the beginning of the 21st century, POSCO successfully realized the digitalization of the plant. Subsequently, POSCO made iron focuses on building intelligent factories based on and at the core of the intelligent data center (posframe).
Since 2015, Guangyang iron and steel plant has been used as an intelligent factory test base by POSCO, and new technologies such as big data have been introduced. Posframe, a unique intelligent platform of POSCO, has emerged.
Posframe is the world's first intelligent factory platform dedicated to continuous manufacturing processes. Different from the traditional digitalization, posframe can not only store all kinds of data collected on the spot, but also manage the data produced in each process of continuous operation effectively. Through accurate analysis, it can improve production efficiency, predict product quality, find product defects, prevent equipment failure and optimize the on-site production environment, so as to comprehensively enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of the iron and steel business of the enterprise 。 Taking finding product defects as an example, posframe can find real-time minor problems in the steel production process through artificial intelligence technology and Internet of things sensors, and timely improve the process to improve product quality and production efficiency.
Posframe covers an area of 2550 square meters, with three floors in total: the first floor is equipped with electrical room, standby power generation room and machinery room, etc., with infrastructure installed; the second and third floors are equipped with the latest IT equipment and management and control facilities. Posframe2 runs for 4 hours. In order to prevent earthquakes and fires, POSCO has also protected it equipment, installed protective devices that can resist earthquakes with a magnitude of 8.0 or above, and equipped with advanced fire-fighting facilities.
It is worth noting that the data in the posframe is accessible to every staff member. For example, field engineers can use their expertise to develop automation models using data from posframe, which can be used in all aspects of smelting. Because posframe collects and standardizes the data, engineers can not only analyze the information of the process they are directly involved in, but also analyze the process before and after derivation. Posframe makes it easier for engineers to deal with problems that previously arose as random events.
Posframe has accelerated POSCO's march towards intelligent factories. Through posframe, almost all employees of POSCO have become "semi AI experts". In order to further speed up the intelligent process, POSCO has been providing intelligent technology training for all employees in recent years to help them improve their skills to a higher level, so as to create a more data-driven work environment. Since April 2018, POSCO has started to provide 2018 basic artificial intelligence education courses for ordinary employees. The goal is to train a few experts as well as ordinary employees with basic knowledge of artificial intelligence, aiming to promote POSCO intelligent solutions to all business areas and jobs within the group. In addition, POSCO will hold an intelligent technology competition conference to improve and test the application ability and data analysis level of on-site employees.
