Blending Control Using Component Availability Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing plants face challenges in producing end products with desired properties when one or more components are available only for a partial blend duration, leading to production delays and increased costs due to the use of more expensive components.
Innovation Solution
A digital processing system determines intermediate blend points and flow rates to attain target properties by optimizing the use of available components, minimizing costs, and ensuring desired property ranges are met before and after the component's availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional blending is executed without considering component availability timing, then production delays occur and economic loss increases, but the blending process simplicity is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of intermediate blend points and flow rates before the unavailable component becomes available. By pre-determining the blending strategy that accounts for component availability timing, the system avoids production delays and ensures continuous production without waiting for component availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blending ratios and flow rates are dynamically adjusted based on component availability. The system transitions from static conventional blending to dynamic blending where ratios change over time - using available components at initial ratios, then switching to optimized ratios when the unavailable component becomes available, thereby maximizing productivity throughout the blending process.
2Manufacturing precision
If expensive components are used in substantial quantities to meet desired properties, then property targets are achieved, but aggregate component cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the blending parameters (ratios and flow rates) based on component availability. By calculating intermediate blend points, the system optimizes the parameters to use expensive components only when necessary and in minimal quantities, while using cheaper alternatives during periods when expensive components are unavailable, thereby reducing aggregate cost while still achieving desired properties.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive components in substantial quantities throughout the entire blending process, the system applies partial action by using them only for the duration needed to meet property targets. The optimization calculates the minimal necessary usage of expensive components, avoiding excessive use and thereby reducing aggregate component cost.
3Device complexity
If blending ratios are computed without considering expected availability time of unavailable components, then calculation simplicity is maintained, but cost optimization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The blending process is segmented into distinct phases: initial blending using only available components, and subsequent blending after the unavailable component becomes available. By dividing the calculation into segments with different ratio requirements, the system manages complexity while enabling cost optimization through phase-specific ratio optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present invention takes advantage of the information of expected time of availability of an unavailable component to meet a desired criteria (e.g., minimize the aggregate cost of components). An intermediate product properties combination, which can be attained from an initial heel volume by mixing the available components, may be determined. The combination further permits the target product properties also to be attained from the intermediate product properties combination, while meeting various constraints and desired criteria. The flow controls of the individual components are accordingly controlled to blend the components and produce the desired product. Such features may be useful in environments such as oil refineries.