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Action plan
| 1 - INTRODUCTION |
I am studying Informatics at the University of Teesside and, as a part of the bridging year, in the second semester we have a Live Project to complete in order to pass the degree. I�m going to do it in the British Steel Limited, Teesside Technology Centre, Grangetown, Middlesbrough.
I will first discuss in this document about the Project Objectives, what is needed to do in this project and what I�m expected to deliver at the end.
I will then introduce the Work-Based Supervisor that will follow my work here and the resources that are available to me in order to complete this work.
I will finally talk about the Milestones and the working hours I�m expected to attend.
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| 2 - PROJECT OBJECTIVES |
2.1 Client Oriented Objectives
During the continuous casting process step of steelmaking, steel solidifies in a water cooled copper mould and is withdrawn at a constant rate. If the steel shell is not sufficiently thick at the exit of the mould, a breakout may occur. Breakouts lead to machine damage and loss of machine time, they can cost typically up to �100000. The most common kind of breakout is a sticker breakout. Fortunately sticker breakouts can be detected using thermocouples installed in the copper plate. Complex software utilising pattern recognition has been developed at British Steel to detect these events.
The aim of this project is to try and develop Artificial Neural Networks that will allow increased sensitivity of Sticker Breakout Detection without increasing (and even possibly reducing) false alarm rates.
2.2 Student Oriented Objectives
2.2.1 Technical Skills
Many skills will be required in this project, the main one is of course the programming skill, which is the most important in Computer Science course.
I will also need to be able to study and learn about a new subject, one that I had never dealt with before. The important point is that this subject, Neural Networks, is fairly difficult to comprehend.
2.2.2 Personal and Interpersonal Skills
I will be working for two people, my first primary contact is Phil HEWITT and my secondary contact is Neil HUNTER who is the knowledge group leader for Mould Technology and is Phil's boss. However other members of the knowledge group will also be able to help me and offer advice. I will be working as part of the knowledge group team.
2.3 Project Deliverables
On completion of the project, I will have to hand over to the client:
- A report of the work that has been done and the work that was not feasible. It will then be possible to decide whether or not Neural Networks are adequate to increase the sensitivity/reliability of the current algorithms.
- The complete source code of the Visual Basic program produced.
- Understandable documentation to enable future work to be carried out.
And to the University:
The Logbook including the Registration Form, Action Plan, Fortnightly Reviews and Reports.
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| 3 - RESOURCE PLAN |
3.1 Project Liaison
My Work-Based Supervisor, as well as the client, for this project is Mr Phil HEWITT. Although it has not been established at this time, meetings with him should not be a problem as I�m working in his office.
3.2 Non-Technical Resources
- The lunch is provided and the travel fees paid.
- A desk within my Supervisor�s office is at my free disposal.
- A personal badge allows me to move freely in the building, except in the sensitive areas.
- The opportunity to ask to people with high-level knowledge about all I would need to know, from as simple as "Where are the toilets, please?" to "Why is that attractor from the McCullan-Pitts Model not pulling the data towards that pattern ?"
3.3 Technical Resources
In order to study in good conditions, this resources are available to me:
- A PC workstation, running Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0, Ward Systems NeuroShell 2.
- An access to the Internet and Local Network, which allow me to use any shared resources, including printers, a mail account, a notice-board, and much more.
- The library, where I�ll be able to borrow any books dealing with steelmaking, as well as magazines and papers on various subjects.
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| 4 - PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PLAN |
4.1 External Milestones
- Registration Form to be submitted within seven (7) days of project start date.
- Action Plan for WBLP to be submitted within seven (7) days of project start date.
- Completed Logbook hand in to Live Project Administrator, Room 0/24, Computing And Mathematical Sciences Building by June 5, 2000.
4.2 Internal Milestones
- 4 weeks to find and study information dealing with Artificial Neural Networks.
- 2 weeks to learn the advanced usage of NeuroShell 2.
- 6 weeks to develop a Visual Basic program using NeuroShell 2�s Networks to process given data to detect Sticker Breakouts, if applicable.
- 3 weeks to write a comprehensive documentation on the subject to allow any later programmer to carry on the development.
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| 5 - AGREED WORKING HOURS |
Working hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 8:30am to 5:00pm including one hour for lunch.
Thursday, Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm including one hour for lunch.
Place of work:
Teesside Technology Centre
PO Box 11
Grangetown
Middlesbrough
Telephone No: 01642 467144
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