Using particle size to reduce manufacturing costs: lessons from the cement industry

The cement industry provides a clear example of the multiple benefits that manufacturers can access by adopting modern analytical techniques, such as laser diffraction, which transition from the lab through to the process arena. Cement manufacturers are:

• Finding that laser diffraction data particle size data more sensitively reflect product quality than their traditional technique (Blaine surface area measurement)
• Setting manufacturing specification that deliver superior product quality on the basis of correlations between particle size parameters and critical aspects of performance.
• Using at-line or automated lab technology to make the analytical procedure more responsive to operational needs
• Improving manual control using real-time measurement
• Automating process control via strategies that range from simple PID loops to complex multivariate systems
• Reaping substantial economic gains from transformed control: better, more consistent product quality; reduced waste and energy consumption; reduced manual input; increased use of alternative feeds (waste streams from other industries); higher throughput; faster transition times (start-up/product changeover).

Many of the lessons learned are transferable to all manufacturing sectors.

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