My Work at ATI Metals
Summer 2018
About ATI
Allegheny Technologies produces high performance materials and also flat rolled products. They create titanium and nickel alloys for industries ranging from aerospace to kitchen appliances. The Pittsburgh based company has $4 billion in sales and has a valuation of about $3 billion as of 2019. I interned at the Washington PA facility where they rolled and finished plates, a surprisingly lucrative business.
Summer 2018 Process Engineering Internship
In my first summer, I was on the production side, helping to make the plant more efficient from a process perspective. I was hired and employed under Plant Supervisor of Operations.
In sum, I worked on projects that he wanted to start but did not have the time. I reported mostly to my boss but also interacted with anyone that could assist me on or off the floor. However, most of the work was done independently. Each Project would overlap.
Work Rolls Optimization Project
*Excuse the cropped photos, I did not want to show detailed information.
Overview
Work rolls, shown left, are the actual rolls that flatten plates of metal. After two days, rolls need to be sent out to be ground and refurbished back to the perfect shape, to prevent further damage. ATI kept a record of every rolls' performance. My task was to come up with a better, continuous system that would allow easy analysis of each vendor and roll.
The Project Details
The old method is shown to the right. It was organized horizontally for hundreds of columns. I had to balance my boss's wants with my excel ability with the ease of future use. The hardest problem was creating a database anyone could operate, regardless of computer knowledge. Everything else could be solved with hard work, YouTube videos, and experimentation.
Finished Product
After several weeks of changes, I created a mostly automatic organizational system to actively show roll performances. The project is used to track all rolls now.
New System Features:
Easy, Updating Analytics
Better Organization
Autonomous Graphing
Easy Directions/ Videos
Learned
Balancing Priorities
Advanced Operations of Excel
Excel Functions that Allow for Continuous Updating
Everyone has Varying Skills of Computers
The Vision of a Project Differs by Person
Scanning Automation Project
Slabs are occasionally read incorrectly and switched by workers, leading to incorrect heating and rolling. Â Each slab has a worth of tens of thousands of dollars making the prevention of mistakes worth it.
Below is a simplification of the current process:
Forklift Brings Slabs in Front
Proposed Solution:
We could scan each slab in a stack and send the information directly into the computer. This new process should eliminate the possibility for human error. My task was to determine how effective the labels and scanning would be in the identification process. With labels exposed to harsh elements, will the quality even endure?
My Responsibilities
Data Organization
Developing a Database of All Valuable Data
Data Presentation
Displaying of Results and Problem Areas
Data Collection
Daily Information Acquisition of ID Labels
Data Analysis
Trend Recognition and Failure Statistics
Corrective Action
Printer Cleaning
Having problematic printers cleaned helped more labels scan
Tag Location Changes
The orientation and location of each label impacted the scannability. Sometimes a forklift could scrape them, or wooden blocks would be pressed on top of them.
Raised Awareness
People have to be informed in procedure differences to yield the subtle changes.
Printer Maintenance
We would install a preventative maintenance program to ensure quality labels.
End of Summer Results
Success!
After a rough start, we were able to drastically improve the percentage of labels that scan. The results are shown to the right, increasing from 27% to 75%. As time progresses, these numbers should improve with an increased awareness and maintenance.
Out of my Control
Because I was just an intern, I had to accept that sweeping changes would take time, and I would be gone by then. Therefore, the software, hardware, and project approvals would be above my head. However, I was glad I could build the foundation and help test the new system.
Learned
Change Is Difficult to Administer
Problems Are Often Gray, Not Black and White
Think Ahead for the Best Data Organization
How to Present Numbers and Charts
Data Analysis
Outside Perspectives Help
Optimization of Sheer Scrap
Overview
My last project was to analyze inconsistencies in the excess scrap from our shear. About two inches of scrap was necessary for a clean cut, but 8 inches was a waste of material.
What I Did
Again, Data Collection
For weeks I was on the floor taking measurements of plates and matching them with their ID's. The mill workers would shear each piece one by one, giving me the opportunity to measure, one by one.
Data Analysis
Once I was satisfied with a large enough sample size, I looked at a dozen factors. I combined every possible factor through filtering and if statement to separate every causation and correlation.
Presentation of Findings
After I felt confident about a trend and could illustrate it through graphs, I presented it to my boss. These felt like exams where I was graded on new ideas
Reflection
After presenting, we would discuss further action. Sometimes it was more data, sometimes it was that I was wrong, and sometimes it was an issue we would look further into. Overall, it was like doing corrections on an exam until you achieved an acceptable outcome.