My involvement: PLC programmer, system integrator, and performance analyst.

Overview ****

As a Trainee Automation Engineer at Bestway Cement, I was tasked to developed an automated process stop logic for cement mills to address a significant cost challenge during Pakistan’s daily 4-hour peak electricity pricing window. The solution replaced the existing manual shutdown sequence, which was inefficient and energy-intensive.

By introducing automation into the stop sequence of over 26 instruments including motors, dampers, fans, and elevators etc. I reduced both the shutdown time and energy consumption, resulting in substantial daily energy and cost savings.

This initiative now saves over PKR 74,000 every day.

The Challenge

• During daily 4-hour peak hours, electricity cost was significantly higher than normal rates
• Mill operators had to manually stop ~26 instruments per mill (motors, dampers, fans, elevators, etc.)
• Manual shutdown took 26.5 minutes and consumed 2,584.6 energy units per mill
• The lack of automation led to unnecessary delays, operator fatigue, and high energy bills

The Approach

• Analyzed the existing manual shutdown process and energy usage data
• Designed a fully automated shutdown logic using Siemens PLC programming
• Mapped each instrument’s stop sequence and safe delays to prevent equipment damage
• Optimized the shutdown order for speed and energy efficiency