Document gGxZmdOnBydKnbQg1REB2GKQ
CERTAIN-TEED PRODUCTS CORPORATION
Ardmore
January 10, 1956
FaoLi Engo
Mr0 Oo F0 Grieve
REi AGENDA 1956 PLANT MANAGERS MEETING
Bit Ho C Johnson - jc
]ir0 P '.3. Fischer, VP. - Ardmore Mr6 Ho Jo Zelms - Acme^-'j Ur. Ho Fo Debo - Akron !.'`J'.lj Hr. So W,, Brown - Blue Rapids lar, Myron Read - Fort Dodge Hr0 Ae 3o Ten Elahof - Grand Rapids Jlra E L. Flinn - Sigurd Mr. Jo Hart - Pryor Mra M. iio Powers - Akron Mr0 ? 'To Codwise - Thorold Mr. Vc Go mil - Paoli liTo H oO, Puckett - Fort Dodge Hr. 0. io Hoggatt - Paoli Hr0 M Fo Fink - Ardmore ilr C0 Go Shuttleworth - Paoli Lafco
_In compliance with instructions in your letter of December 12, 1955, I have prepared a paper on assigned Topic No. lU, "Automation and Gypsum Processes11 and am sending each of those addressed a copy.
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AUTOMATION & OYPSUM PROCESSES m
H C0 JOHNSON
TOPIC NO. 1U* GYPSUM PLANT MANAGERS MEETING JANUARY 16, 19$6
INTRODUCTION
During the past few years Automation has become a by-word and a catch phrase used indiscrimately in technical articles, magazines, periodicals and even in newspaper reportingo Headlines such as these have bacon part of our daily reading*
" Automation is sure to make money for some companies,," " Automation is in the best interests of all." " Automation is key in the 13 week strike of Westinghousc. Workers
balk at 5 year contract as they envisage speed up and replacement of men by machines " Machines (or automatic processes) can't buy car*3 or pay union dues, but within a few years they511 replace nearly half the workers in this country No matter who you are or where you work your future way of life is going to be revolutionized." " G.E. executive says 9 Automation evolution will double industry's maintenance job."
Automation and automation thi rising has developed so rapidly that it has tended to blind a common sense approach to its proper application. Although Automation implies an industrial utopia, management Is understandably reluctant to invest large sums in something which is surrounded by an aura of mysticism and could lead to Increased labor resentment and strife. Dill it actually reduce costs or will increased in vestment capital and maintenance costs change utopia, the island of perfection, into a distant mirage?
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A Yi Jo Dyck, editorial writer for Paper Industrys has these comments on the subject:
rt YMle human imagination has run wild - giving us at times a greatly distorted picture of automation - a few elementary lessons soon convince us that such toms as "electronic brain", "central thinking robots", etc,, are highly misleading0 Electronic computers or control Instruments do not actually thinks VJhat they do is respond to an impulse thousands of times more quickly than a human being can ever hope to do They can never do anything else but respond according to prescribed patterns along preset and precise channels They do not have a choice in their approach to the problem nor in the method of solving it,"
" There is great need for education and dissemination of Information on the subject of automation Labor must be acquainted with the "job enlargement" concept of auto mation, so that the term will not be used as a "psychological weapon" to retard pro gress under the guise that automation would create permanent mass unemployment, w must also strip automation of any implication that it is too conplicated for people to understand, that we may be creating a Frankenstein, or that people will become sub servient to it"
Henry Ford the II sums it up in 3h words The term automation itself has become a catchword with dubious implications. Actually, it is nothing more than a handy means of describing something industry has been doing for years - improving the methods of production,"
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AUTOMATION TERM3NOLOOT To understand automation thinking let'a review the more common terminology and see what they mean and how they could be applied to our processo
1. ANALOG COMPUTER An electronic calculating machine which solves problems by translating conditions like flow, temperature, or pressure into electrical quantities o
APPLICATION t Used principally in design work or in a mechanical brain*
20 AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER A device or instrument which is capable of measuring and regulating anything from color to chemical make-up*
APPLICATION: Now used to regulate heat input to dryer zones. Could he used at wet end in board plants or paper mill to control a continuous process* // CIBEIMETICS A new field of science which attempts to relate the operation of automatic devices to the
yautomatic functioning of the human body!s nervous system* Once accomplished, it hopes to evolve a theory blanketing the field of control and communication -- both in machines and men* Or in other words a system which will respond to nsituations"*
APPLICATION: At some future date perhaps but not now*
Uo DATA HANDLING OR SEDUCTION SISIEM - Automatically operated equipment engineered to simplify"the use mid interpretation of the bewildering mass of data gathered by modem instru ment installations* Can, for sample, automatically handle information fed to it from thousands of widely scattered points in a plant*
APPLICATION: Not for our plants as yet*
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$0 DIGITAL COMPUTER A calculation machine which counts numbers rather than quantities as do analog machines* Performs basic arithmetic at speeds in millionths of a second* It can remember the result of one calculation and employ it later to come up with a complete answer*
APPLICATIONt Non forseeable in our plants* Used in design work*
6. LOGGER Not a woodsman but an instrument which automatically scans conditions (temp., press., humidity) and records or logs findings on a chart* Can come equipped with lights or alarms to signal danger points* APPLICATION: Part of any automatic system for checking errors*
OPTIMALIZATION The approach to economically perfect plant operations accomplished primarily by analytical rather than hit or miss methods* APPLICATION; Something for all of us to conjure with*
8* PROGRAM CONTROL A control system which automatically holds or changes its target value on the basis of time to follow a prescribed "Program" for the process* APPLICATION: IBM has a controller which programs 2iO function and as many as 10 at a time* Start up production lines, turn on heat, lights ovens etc*
9* SEWO-MECHANISM A type of closed loop control system in which mechanical position is the controlled variable, (anti aircraft gun positioning is a servomechanism). APPLICATION: None that we know of, as long as the Russians behave*
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10. TRANSDUCER An element which converts one form of energy Into another. Usually refers to an element creating a signal in relation to a condition being measured, like a thermocouple or strain gage0 APPLICATION t Specialized control.
(NOTE; Indebted to Minneapolis - Honeywell Regulator Co. for above definitions.)
All these sound intriguing but actually only a few would find application in our business. Automation for us, at least now, must be simply a realistic grouping of elementary controls, and equipment additions and revisions.
AUTOMATION IN OUR PLANTS Now how do we apply this technique to our business? Certainly there are many places in our process where automatic controls will improve quality, reduce raw material cost, and reduce man power. But will the initial expenditure and maintenance cost offset these to the point where operating costs actually increase? There is no point in making a process automatic just to have it automatic. To show you what is involved we have set up a more or less hypothetical automation layout based on the Akron plant production of plaster. It could ap ply however, with minor changes, to any of our plants. Although we have done some painstaking work time did not permit a rigorous engineering study to develop cost, detail equipment specification, or savings to be realized. Since this is
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not a finalized layout, please bear with me if you detect errors in our preliminary thinking. Much of this work was done by one of our new engineers, a Mr. Homan Robinson, who until 2 weeks ago knew nothing about plaster packing. On the other hand, he is not inhibited by pre conceived ideas and something good can always be obtained from a fresh approach*
At Akron two men are involved on the raw material floor, a mixer man and a raw material procurer. We want to eliminate the mixer man.
To begin this study the plant prepared a six month plaster production recap by formula numbers. From this information (neglecting Kalite production) Norm prepared the following charts. Chart #1 is simply a listing of the 2$ in gredients involved. Chart #2 is a formulation of the types of plaster produced, batch size, ingredients by code number and amount per batch.
Chart #3 was developed to determine the storage layout and weighing range required for a one ton packer.
Chart was devised from previous charts to show the batch factors or number of separate weighing operations for each ingredient. Note that the total number of weighs is better than lt0Q,000/yr.
At this point we decided to investigate the possibilities of using a larger packer to reduce the batching cycles. Thus Chart $ reveals the packing cycles and storage facilities required for a 2 ton mixer and packer. After studying the batch factors required for each ingredient it was decided to drop the idea of complete plaster packing automation, and to use only one large automatic packer and use 2 small manual machines for the odd formulas.
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chart 1
EIGRSPIKITS (1) Stucco - Land plaster M - 20 (2) Stucco - Land plaster AK - 21 (3) Stucco - Tubed Stucco AK - 50 (ii) Soda Ash (5) Retarder (6) Manila Fibre (7) Stucco AK - 31 (8) Cotton ftood Defibrator Fibre (9) Stucco - AK - 35 (10) Hydrated lime (11) Sand - 100$ thru lU mesh (12) Gum Arabic - Powdered
(13) Accel.- AK - 95 & 99
(lU) Dried plastering sand (15) Expand perlite C lb./ft.3 (16) Air dried regular wood fibre (17) Shavings - Rammer Mill ground (18) Molding Plaster BR - 230 (19) Old Hickory Clay (Air Float Grade A) (20) Globe Dextrine #150 - Powdered or Amidex (21) Peruvian Ochre (22) Stucco - AK - 38 (23) Moldene (fibrous talc) (2U) Stucco BR-3S (Sunflower Molding) (25) Litharge #10 Pure.
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- 8CHARE II
FORMULATION AND INGREDIENTS Eg NUMBER
------------ pres-------- ~EIBH!SDXMTS------ r
FORjJflU.A SIZE_
as; /BATCH..:
------------- wm--
FORMULA... SIZE____
INGREDIENTS ...
35 2000 3H 2000
1 99.91 %
i
2 ~T9T9H$r~
(
3 i~20CX3
:
90 201U
13 5
6! 8
3 2000 ~Tj
91 2015
13
6i !
6 2! ;
5 7!
3
92
2015.5
13 6
5
2000 ! 6
' ' 2e 5 J< ' 7
93
100
116 1\
1 V
1 ii!' | 128 i 1 1 130 j
132
Now AK-92
2013
7 II4OO 3 600 8 10
53
2016
3 7 10
11
18
13 5
500 900
liO
5F8 5 6
7
150U.25
3 1)4 13 _6
3 15 1327.125 13
"1
2166*6 113 t6
525
975
i.3r
1 Q-T5
2.19 -i 1T65
160
--wr
o.5qo"T
3.756T`
TO'O'O
160
2.9 i
0 fT f
_______ ____ \J 0 y
J
1000
133
LI660I
it ~ 03
160 2.9
C 3.2
3 1000
137 L2U6oU
15 13
2^0 2.9
i5i LOO 2 25
5
% 5
3*5" JQQQ
2.2'5~
3 --1900
180 200lu75 16
25
10 75
----------
5 T7!T 3 900
187 1503^25
7
T7
180 I2S
13 3729"
18 1000
19 IBS
CM
190 1207.16
20
c**:
0.60
21 2755"
t
200 Same as 22-50
1
205 2000
22
231 2000
22
237 1000
22 23
238 1000
2U 23
.3
9
311 1U98.5 25 12
-20
h
800 200 Soo 200
572 37 27 3I io5
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8i
JU
CHART III STORAGE PROBLEM aND TlEIGHIRG RAHQE
PaGE NINA
150. '
2
-----------
r i
i.
0
j
i.JJLA
TYPE ! NO*
1 AK-20 1
; AK-21
hake
Land Plaster Land Plaster
SPECS.
3
i AK-50 i
Tubed Stucco
from #30 Stucco
CO *
7
a ! aK-31
Stucco
coarse grind
o
"5
O
: a!-3F~
Stucco
Treated
18
22
i> BR-230 i AK-38
Molding Plaster
| fine unna
Stucco
Treated
2U
i$tjs BRp-38
Sunflower bolding
i t
6i
i
8
i ^|
16
3 sj L
wi
17 1
5
L
f Aiii 5 i
i* lb i
"'BaairHSS Cotton Rood
;
.
Defibrator Fibrej Regular
'
food Fibre
Air Dried
Shavings 1
Banner Mill Ground
Sand
100$ thru ill mesh
ftriec!
Sand
Plastering
T
-ET-- ,-
'lO
!
{ Soda Ash 1
Retarder
Lime
Hydrated
TLitfiGiSST 1 LB/BATCH
2000 2000 2000
975
j SMALLEST
STORAGE ! LB/BATCB
|
i t
stable :
n >
\ ii
2000 2000
ft ! 5oo
f Tf U80 .....
1000
2b hrs. > 572
lOOO
stable
1000
2000
2b hrs.
800
800 stable ;
7.T"" 1' stable' 10 n
5
;
.
!
25 n :
120 n
800
C75
5
25 120
558 975
1.5 8 75
n n
stable stable
1
one wk*
558 975
1.5
0.6 ho
T3
15 ' "N\
"
20
21
23
25
3C--O oo
Acceli
Perlite Old
Hickory Clay
0 lb/ftJ
Air Float Grade A
Globe Dextrine Powdered
Peruvian uolire
boldene
Fibrous Talc
Litharge
#10 Pure
" 'T
2li hrs.
1.35
........ . 11
____2bQ_______ jsiable------
___ 189
2h
2.56
stable stable
stable
____ 18Q____
3
2.56
200
stable
200
37 stable 37
Guta Arabic
Powdered
27 stable 27
Dextrine
#l50 Powdered
20
Amidex
... ... , ,,
i<fl#^ ....
2b stable
3
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CHART IT_
XtB^lapnenfrt., ,Q.J^attCh...EacJMnM.
6,,].fontha
Ingredients
Mo. of
Total Use
Batches for
20ms__________ __
lo.
Lbs.
Ions each ingredient
Tons
Batch Factors
1 209 209
2 r~ ?7 ' 77
3
--317277
f""ET,792
u i.5
11
5 6
-------58*-----
Hi. 5
"TTOT5
S7I5S
7 "5------
0353 ------O- ijTjg5-----------------------
lill.E _
0o5
ia. ......255 ... ..._ 0.7
n 7.2
12 13 ...
28^ '
o.iuii . CoT_.
30
26
n
1
"
14....
... . 31.4 I
77
15 ...
--.2*5PO,,l
...... . .
16 ......... 85
17.....
_______ZlLS____ _ .714?................
18 ............................. ...1.1. .
7
19 j 0.6 ............7..................
20 18
CM CM
a 23 24 ~~2%----
17 1
24178
" 3575 --------- 35F72--
7
339 S3 5^
11
35,946 per 6 mos.
72,000 per year approx.
204,755 per 6
1003.
410,000 per year approx.
* l&ved into ton column
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CHART V
PACKING CYCLES AND EON VOLUME REQUIRED FOR 2 - TON PACKER
NO. NAME Retarder
LARGEST 1SMALLEST LB/BATCH Ilb/batch
] 16.00
1.20
3" Tubed Stucco AK-50 iiOOO. 00 11060.00
13 Accel. AK-99
12.00 j 2.7b
IT' Perlite
6 Manila Fibre
1 Stucco AK-31 ~T Stucco ak-35> 17 Shavings
U80.00 j |
5.00
320.00
1.00
1950.00 j 960.00
2000.00 2LG.00
! liUU.oo A
i 2U0.00
8 Defibrator Fibre Z2~ Stucco AK-38
23 Moldene TT Land PlasterAK-20
20.00 I4DO0.OG
Uoo.oo U000.00
j 10.00 f j 1600.00 1
j Uoo.oo
j U000.00
BATCH FACTORS 1 USE(TON ) APPRQX .BIN VOLUME FOR PER 7X. ! pur m. LB/FT3 nr il DaY
f,
6 day t
|si fU 70 no
910 1200.00 60
6660
91b
3.2U 60
110
700 112.00 8
U700
U05
o.5U 20
5U
23
18.50 60
620
16
16.50 60
55o
15 17.00 20 '
290
9 170 lbs. 20
9
7
9.25 60
310
5
1.00 U5
U5
u
8.00 60
270
2U Stucco BRr-38
1600.00 1600.00
2
i.5i 60
5o
T Land PlasterAK-21
UOOO.OO
U000.00
2
2,96 60
100
lU Plastering Sand
1950.00 1950.00
2
l.LU 100
29
10 Hydrated Lima
150.00
80.00
1
5U lbs. 5o
1.1
li Sand(lL mesh)
1116.00 1116.00
1
552 lbs. 90
6.2
20 Amidex "u Soda Ash
Ub.oo '
6.00
1
7.6 lba< Uo
0.2
Uo o.ou
12 Gum Arabic
5U.00
5U.00
1 12 lbs. 5o`: 0.3
25 Litharge
18
Molding Plaster BK-230
7U.00
2000.00
7U.00
2000.00
1 v. 1
16 lbs. 300 25U lbs, 60
0.06
U.3
1^
CO
19 Old Hickory Clay
360.00
360.00
1 U6 lbs. 65 0.8 OCM
21 Peruvian Ochre
b Regular YTocdFibre
s*
5.12
5o,oo !
5.12
50,00 1
1
0.7 lbs. 70
0.01
0. CD
1
s 3,28 lbs.' 20
CO 0,2
12 -
Our next step was to group as many formulas as possible which contained the largest batch factors and those which were compatible for packing on the automatic machine. This is shown in Chart #6.
Chart #7 itemizes the production and ingredients used in the formulas to be produced on the 2 small manual packers.
The end results of all this manipulation is shown in Chart #8 where you will note the decrease in number of batches and that the number of separate manual weighing operations was reduced from Ul0,000 to 12,000 or a decrease of 91%.
To give you our version of what an automatic packer setup might look like we have prepared this drawing, and would like to review some of the problems involved.
As mentioned before this preliminary study is somewhat hypothetical. Bo you think it merits further study? Have you suggestions as to a different ap proach? Are there installations in your particular plant or operation that would justify automation? lour comments and suggestions will be appreciated.
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mssLXL.
fagtettffift.fflxi feyff&sa&a. njmJUwsi. aatociaUa..packgr.
Packer ji^rauIa^V tbs.' 'Batches " Batch T~*"' Tngr^i pntsfik*
Ho* Ho. Prod, Per 6 Lbs.
--' -- --' 11,11 IllMl'W- ' Mil HIM
Factors*;
.................*11 s " !"". --
(Code Nos.)
" --
AK-90
8
-91 1*251
-92 601*1
2
-100
1*22
~n6
26
New
Hooo ib,
replaces old it 2
-130 -132
-133 -137 -180
1*551 2300 1U,86U
6
i*
and 3 TOTALS 32,1*73
k 2109 2997
209 13 31*29 1975 12,7UO
5 2
23,U83
12 6U36 11,988 836
91 17,11*5
9,775 50,960
20 8
99,2?!**
3 13 3 13 3 13 3
3 13 3 13 3 13
3 13 3 13 3
5
5 5 5 5
g
5
g
g 5
6 6
6
(5
87 8 7 10 - 33
15 15 15
15 10 16
ftsighing operations ** This figure was 198,51*2 for the 2000 lb, packer
The 10 ingredients, out of a total masher of 25, used in above formulas represent 95% of total tonnage produced.
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CHART VH PRODUCTION & INGREDIENTS FOR THE 2 ONE TON MANUAL PACKERS
PACKER NO.
FOfeiflJLA ~ 5"uos7 baSCkBTWf NO. PffiD. ^.pubiios. FACTORS
aK-35 -38
209 209 77 77
If
209 3 'Tl
15U
la
1' j
!
m3BI0m---------------------------
(c ?DE N<li5.)
rr ii i i i 1
1
old 2000 lb.
-151 -190 -205 -231 -237
398 U
152 25 81
796 7
152 25
162
1592 35
152 25
32U
l
5i IE 1? 2C 21
22
22
{ 1
22 2}
t
1
ii
ii i ii ii i
;
1
-238
-311 TOTALS
3
old 2000 lb.
Ak-128
-187 TOTALS
U9 8
1003 58
98 11 1537 77
553 735
j611 812
196 66
2753 385
29UO 3325
23 zh
i
ii s 2C
1
3 L2 25 b
5 ij
c ---- ,--
it 13 &
|f I
j
" ^ --1--3-r~-J---1--?- 1------------
* SIGHING OPERATIONS
7'5 ~ 13 - 3 - 6 - 7 also are used in new packer,,
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CHART VIII
Llarrual
%
----------------------------------P-BE-yaac___________ ~ .Ratnhea...... 2 Seduction Batch Factors . Reduction
Using h - 2000 lb. packers
98,630
U09,2UD
Using 2 -- 2000 lb. manual& 1 - UOOO lb. packer with automatic feed
L,66U
U7.6
12,156
97 o0
NOTE* The UOOO lb. packer will handle 99.5 of the total output
(32,U73 tons from total of 3k*087 tons).
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