The steel industry is the foundation of the global economy. The US produced 81.4 million tonnes of crude steel in 2023, and industry revenue is projected to grow to nearly $140 billion in 2025.
Steel manufacturers have always found ways to innovate, improve performance, and enhance safety. They have embraced Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) to improve efficiency, sustainability, and profitability, and they have integrated connected devices and sensors to gain greater visibility and insight into their performance.
Despite these advances, many critical processes still rely on scheduled physical inspections. Not only are these inspections time-consuming, expensive, and limited in their effectiveness, but they also put workers at risk. Today, steel manufacturers need a new approach to monitoring that reduces the need for physical inspections and enhances workplace safety at every stage of the production process.
To see how you can gain greater visibility into the health and performance of critical assets, click to download our latest white paper: Mitigating Risk in the Steel Industry – The Benefits of Continuous Thermal Monitoring
The Downsides of Physical Inspections
Steel plants are inherently dangerous environments. Fortunately, the industry has made tremendous progress in protecting workers over the past decade. From 2014 to 2023, global lost-time injuries fell by more than half from 5,040 to 2,486 per year. During the same period, fatalities fell from 130 to 61 per year.
Slips and falls, moving machinery, manual task tools, and gassing and asphyxiation were among the most common causes of workplace incidents.
Physical inspections require workers to operate in hazardous areas. Ladle monitoring and EAF monitoring, for example, require highly skilled technicians to access and evaluate the condition of the asset. Workers use a range of handheld sensors, visual cues, and experience to check for structural damage, wear patterns, slag buildup, or other mechanical issues.
During an inspection, technicians are exposed to extreme temperatures, molten steel and slag, toxic fumes, and heavy equipment. In EAF operations, they may also be working next to live electrical components or active furnace operations, where arc flashes, molten metal splashes, and radiant heat pose significant risks.
In addition to the safety risks, inspections disrupt operations and increase the total cost of production. A single inspection, for example, can take between 30 and 60 minutes and require equipment shutdowns. The subjective nature of inspections means they can be prone to human error, and they are limited by visibility in low-light or obstructed areas,
Finally, scheduled inspections only provide a periodic snapshot of the asset. Faults that occur between inspections can go undetected and unrepaired until a major failure occurs. This lack of timely and proactive maintenance increases the likelihood of dangerous breakouts or steam explosions.
Manual inspections were necessary in the past, and they still serve as a useful redundancy today. But steel manufacturers need to move away from traditional inspections by implementing technologies that improve safety for workers.
Introducing Continuous Thermal Monitoring
Continuous Thermal Monitoring solutions leverage advanced thermal imaging cameras to provide steel manufacturers with 24/7 coverage of critical equipment throughout the production process.
Compared to traditional inspections, Continuous Thermal Monitoring allows Operators to monitor the health and performance of high-value assets from a safe, centralized location.
Thermal cameras capture real-time video and temperature data to provide early detection and warning of equipment degradation, water leaks, or other faults before catastrophic failure occurs. Sophisticated visualization software allows Operators to view and control multiple cameras simultaneously.
Deeper Insights Into the Steel Manufacturing Process
The steel industry will continue to find ways to innovate and improve performance. Continuous Thermal Monitoring solutions build on these advancements to provide greater visibility and insight into important production processes. Real-time thermal data can be used in critical applications such as ladle refractory lining and Electric Arc Furnace monitoring to optimize performance and reduce maintenance costs.
Rather than rely on time-based physical inspections or reactive maintenance strategies, steel plants can take a proactive approach that improves asset utilization, enhances workplace safety, and mitigates the risk of catastrophic equipment failure.