Cement production goes digital: ABB Ability™ supports Holcim’s digitalization drive

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ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager digital solution is providing the cornerstone for visualization of plant data to achieve business goals for cement plants across the globe

ABB, the pioneering technology leader in digital industries, has delivered and installed its ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager solution at Holcim’s cement plant sites around the world. This supports Holcim in its drive towards digitalization and will play an important role in the digital integration of its operations.

Main data

 Customer: 

Holcim

 Site: 

Holcim’s cement plant sites around the world

Customer need: 
  • ability to easily view, analyze, and act upon critical process data
  • a group-wide solution as the backbone for technical information management
  • monitoring downtime and efficiency

Application: 
Customer benefits:
  • emissions monitoring and improvements
  • lower energy costs for grinding
  • increased mill utilization
  • higher operational efficiency
  • coaching and supporting process personnel and operators remotely

Supporting Holcim’s digitalization drive

Holcim is using ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager group-wide as the backbone for technical information management in its cement production facilities.

“Holcim’s digital strategy is focused on the three areas of cement manufacturing, ready-mix operations and distribution in bag markets. Based on our experience and technical evaluation, ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager will provide our cement operations with leading digital capabilities, as well as superior functionality, reliability and flexibility,” said Solomon Baumgartner Aviles, Global Head of Cement Manufacturing at Holcim. “It will serve as a solid digital foundation as we take our operations into the future.”

Solomon Baumgartner Aviles, Global Head of Cement Industrial and Project Management at LafargeHolcim
Based on our experience and technical evaluation, ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager will provide our cement operations with leading digital capabilities, as well as superior functionality, reliability and flexibility. It will serve as a solid digital foundation as we take our operations into the future.”

Acting on data for higher operational efficiency

ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager and its predecessor versions have helped cement and mining customers around the world to improve the performance of their operations for decades. This well-established solution incorporates leading-edge digital capabilities and technology to provide cement and mining industry customers with the ability to easily view, analyze, and act upon critical process data.

Holcim has been using earlier versions of ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager at various sites for almost 20 years with great results. Some of the main benefits include higher plant availability and increased production. ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager monitors and helps to improve emissions at many of their sites, and in particular, the Cement Production Scheduler module significantly lowers the cost of the electrical energy used during the cement grinding and increases cement mill utilization. In addition, the tool helps to coach and support process personnel and operators in a remote way.

ABB has already completed delivery and installation at most of the LafargeHolcim sites.

Easy-to-use mobile interface

ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager is an integrated part of the ABB Ability™ System 800xA process control system and its extensive Minerals Library. It has an easy-to-use mobile interface, so operators can access and act upon process performance information at any time from any location. It includes simplified functions to create, view, and share reports, charts, and production trend analysis. It also contains improvements to navigation and information storage. It draws upon ABB’s vast knowledge of industry-specific process challenges and solutions and facilitates access to and guidance from ABB’s global network of process industry experts.


Users can benefit from simplified functions to create, view, and share reports, charts, and production trend analysis

Learn more

ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager

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