Application of adaptive control in stone processing industries

The stone processing industries produce different types of material for use in the construction industries. Two major types are stone aggregates used for production of asphalt and concrete, and polished stone slabs used for a range of products including floor and wall tiles. Traditionally, the stone processing industries have relied on manual and subjective methods of plant set up, monitoring and control. The increasing demand for better quality products and lower costs is creating a trend towards process optimization and automatic control. Due to the nonlinear nature of the involved processes, the introduction of automation in these industries is often problematic. Variation in stone properties, in particular, presents a major problem which causes a drift in plant performance in terms of tool wear, system efficiency, and product characteristics. The paper describes the use of adaptive and intelligent control strategies to overcome this problem in both stone polishing and aggregate industries.