Tokuyama’s Nanyo Plant has reported improvements in productivity, energy efficiency and process stability following the deployment of ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer across multiple cement mills at the facility. The Nanyo Plant, one of Japan’s largest factories, has expanded its use of ABB’s advanced process control (APC) technology following a successful initial test deployment on a cement finish mill in 2024. The solution has since been delivered and commissioned on six additional mills, comprising four cement ball mills and two vertical mills used for pre-grinding and slag processing.
The implementation has enabled the plant to achieve an automatic operation rate exceeding 90% in its finish mills. By increasing automated control, the system has reduced manual operator intervention, standardized operating practices and helped maintain more stable production conditions.
Tokuyama reported a 3% improvement in grinding throughput and a 3% reduction in specific power consumption while maintaining stable operations. The results build on the company’s earlier experience with ABB technology in kiln optimization. The kiln optimization project, implemented in 2022, delivered a 3% reduction in specific heat consumption and reduced manual operator actions on the cement kiln by 70%.
Junya Doi, Engineering Section, Cement Manufacturing Department, Tokuyama, said, “When we first introduced ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer for test purposes, results were clear and the project completed smoothly. We decided to extend the use of the solution to the entire cement mill process. ABB has been a reliable partner, collaborating effectively to fit the operating schedules. We believe ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer has delivered exactly the results we expected.”
ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer uses model predictive control and artificial intelligence to predict process behaviour and automatically adjust operating parameters, including feed rate and mill power. By managing mill load and throughput, the technology is designed to support consistent production while improving energy efficiency.
Hiromichi Yoda, Local Division Manager for Japan, ABB’s Process Industries division, said, “ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer has delivered a level of control at Nanyo plant that can not only emulate operator actions but enable process stabilization and optimization at the same time. The continued implementation of advanced digital solutions for Japanese industries supports a desirable pathway to autonomous operations.”
The deployment across the Nanyo Plant’s cement mills provides Tokuyama with a common approach to process control and optimization. Higher levels of automatic operation can also reduce operator workload and provide a more consistent basis for managing production.
ABB’s technology forms part of its broader automation and digital solutions portfolio for process industries. By using real-time operational data, cement producers can improve control of production processes while targeting gains in throughput, energy use, maintenance and overall plant performance.
