PROCEDURE

Statistical process control (SPC) in cement manufacturing

Source : Lafarge North America

PURPOSE / OBJECTIVES

Controlling the cement manufacturing process is inherent to making a consistent, low cost
product. Lafarge has adopted the use of statistical process tools, specifically Control
Charting, as a method to control the variability of key quality parameters for milling
systems.
Control systems sometimes fail to achieve their objective of improving system stability and
product uniformity because the nature of the variations inherent in the systems (feedstock
characteristics, process equipment and system design, operating practices, sampling
technique, sample preparation, laboratory methods) make the system uncontrollable. In
such a case, the control attempt, in itself, will be a further source of destabilization of the
system and a further degradation of product uniformity will result. In order to forestall this
possibility, a QUALIFICATION TEST for determining Controllability is applied as a prerequisite to the SPC implementation decision.
WHAT TO DO TO COMPLETE THIS PROCEDURE / TASK

Each plant should designate a plant SPC trainer/champion.

The chosen trainer/champion should someone with good SPC skills. If such skills need
to be developed/enhanced, suggested training are:
Lafarge sponsored Haller SPC training
Lafarge Control Logic / SPC / Variography training

The milling system under consideration will be subjected to the Qualification Test. The
trainer/champion should, with the involvement of the plant Quality Assurance and Production
departments, apply the Qualification Test Protocol including the Variographic Analysis of the
results using the Excel Variography Tool. He should then validate his interpretation of the
Variographic Analysis with one of the designated Variography Experts by e-mailing the

Variography Excel file and following-up by telephone. The flowchart below defines the actions to
be taken on the basis of validated results.
It should be noted that the presence of any detectable amount of cyclical variation represents an
opportunity of the Low-Hanging Fruit variety. Once the cycle characteristics have been quantified
(amplitude and period) through Variographic Analysis, its source can generally be easily identified
and eliminated. This will yield immediate results in terms of product uniformity and will increase
the potential for effective process control.

START

Perform Qualification
Test per Protocol
Resolve Cycling and/or
Materials / Process /
Sampling / Lab Issues

Validate Variographic
Analysis Result with Expert

Degree of Cyclical
Variation C >
10% ?

NO
O
Std Dev. <
IQO ?

YES

Degree of
Randomness
R > 50% ?

NO
O

Develop Control Chart

& apply SPC

YES
Recommendation: apply
Incident Response & Drift
Correction

END

Recommendation: use
adapted Control
Algorithm & Gain Tuning

* Note: For those installations which are using an advanced Quality Control software such as QMC
or Mill LUCIEs Quality Control Module, the tuning of the SPC parameters should be reviewed and
adjusted as necessary, at this point, to assure conformity with the applicable Best Practice SPC
parameters
Create and consult a task

RECOMMENDATIONS (CRITICAL POINTS & ASSOCIATED RISKS)

Links

POSSIBLE NON COMPLIANCE CASES

Links

HUMAN RESOURCES

GOOD EXAMPLES / RECOMMENDED FRAMEWORK

Good examples

Recommanded framework
METHODS & TOOLS

VARIOEX

A Lafarge-designed Excel add-in Variography tool with drop-down menu

Calculates Variograph

Produces Raw data and Variograph plots

Supports Variograph Interpretive Modeling (basic or advanced) by the client and

superimposes modeling result on
Variograph plot

Defaults support use by non-experts

Some advanced options available for high level users

Extensive HELP file / Users Manual

Widely distributed to potential Lafarge users - for availability, contact your CTS Performance
Manager
Links

Development and use of a Control Chart

SPC control qualification TEST Protocol
Use of adapted control algorithm and gain tuning
Use of incident response and drift correction
Variograph calculation and interpretation
Correctogramme
Varioex

PROCESS, EQUIPMENT, PARAMETER, MATERIAL OR PRODUCT IMPACTED

Links

TO FIND OUT MORE

Other Best Practices
Links

Attached file(s) & reference documents

Links
SPC Glossary

Photos

Contacts

FORM REFERENCE
Authors :
Norman Schaak

Date :
23 Jul 2003