Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IMLWeb UI: Optimized control for an aluminum smelting plant
Hencon B.V., a Dutch heavy and special machinery manufacturer, successfully integrated an automation and control solution for the automated guided vehicle system (AGV) in Alcoa's Norwegian aluminum smelting plant. The Software & Information Engineering department at Fraunhofer IML developed a customized web UI for user-friendly control and visualization.
Technical implementation and objectives
The aim of the project was to efficiently coordinate and optimize the heavy-duty transport vehicles within the AGV. The AGV control system acted as the central interface between the vehicles and the process control system to ensure a safe and smooth transport process.
The web UI made it possible:
- Secure exchange of transport order data
- Visualization of obstacles on the routes
- Clear display of positions and vehicle statuses
- Efficient management of transport orders
User-friendliness and flexibility
The browser-based web UI developed was specially adapted to the customer's needs. Thanks to responsive web design, the application could be used on various end devices:
- PCs for operators in the control center
- Tablets for crane operators
- Large displays for informing the production staff
Results and benefits
The successful implementation of the Web UI has enabled companies to:
- Increase efficiency in transport control
- Minimize security risks through improved visualization
- Optimize routes and reduce downtimes
- Making the control and monitoring of the transport system more intuitive