3D simulation of industrial large-scale ceramics furnace in SIMIO platform environment

This article presents a 3D simulation of an industrial large-scale furnace operating in the NGC (Northern Greece Ceramics) ceramics industrial plant. The 3D modelling and simulation of the long industrial furnace is based on the SIMIO software platform the capabilities of which are explored and tested in such a complex production plant. After the understanding of the real system operational characteristics, its macroscopic behaviour has been extracted and modelled; then a 3D model was created. Using the model, matters concerning the production process optimization are explored, while also alternative production scenarios are simulated, so that conclusions for the system´s behaviour at value variation of the functional parameters of the real system can be extracted, without experimenting on the real process. In the four main sections of this article, the following aspects are presented: the modeling approach of the furnace operation, the SIMIO model of the furnace, its operation, examples of possible model applications and utility of the developed model and further modeling of the whole production procedure preceding the furnace.