Authoritative Guide to the Cost and Return of Automation Transformation for
Quartz Sand Production Line
Key data: For the transformation of a medium-sized production line (with an
annual production capacity of 200,000 tons), the total investment is between 1.8
million and 2.5 million yuan, the cost per ton of sand is reduced by 15 to 25
yuan, and the investment payback period is 2 to 3 years
1. Cost breakdown of key modules
1. Intelligent control system (accounting for the highest proportion of about
40%)
- Core PLC/DCS system: covering 8-12 process control points (including
redundancy design), with mainstream brand configuration requiring
450,000-600,000 yuan
- Central monitoring console: industrial configuration software + dual-screen
workstation, with an investment of 80,000-120,000 yuan
- Industrial-grade network architecture: fiber optic ring network and
wireless coverage, costing 150,000 to 200,000 yuan
2. Online quality monitoring system (25%-30%)
- Laser particle size analyzer: real-time monitoring of product fineness,
investment of 250,000 to 350,000 yuan
- X-ray fluorescence iron content analyzer: ensure purity meets standards,
costing 180,000 to 250,000 yuan
- Microwave moisture tester: for controlling the drying process, costing
60,000-90,000 yuan
3. Upgrade of executing agencies (accounting for 20%-25%)
- Frequency conversion drive transformation: key equipment such as ball mills
and conveyors, costing 350,000 to 500,000 yuan
- Wear-resistant pneumatic valve assembly: Replacing manual adjustment, with
an investment of 150,000 to 200,000 yuan
- Automatic sampling and dividing machine: reduces manual intervention,
costing 50,000-80,000 yuan
4. Auxiliary systems (accounting for 10%-15%)
- Dust monitoring network: 8-10 sensor points, costing 70,000-100,000
yuan
- Intelligent video security: equipped with AI behavior recognition function,
with an investment of 90,000-120,000 yuan
- Energy management system: fine monitoring of electricity consumption,
costing 60,000-80,000 yuan
II. Hidden costs and risk control reserves
- Installation and commissioning fee: accounting for 15% of the total
equipment cost (approximately 250,000-350,000 yuan)
- Production halt loss: The loss due to segmented construction control within
3-5 days is 150,000 to 250,000 yuan
- 10% risk reserve fund (approximately 180,000-250,000 yuan) for
response:
- Sensor calibration anomaly (a common issue with particle size
analyzers)
- System compatibility adjustment
- Postponement of personnel training
III. Panoramic Perspective of Economic Benefits (Based on a Production
Capacity of 200,000 Tons/Year)
1. Electricity consumption cost: reduced from 28 yuan/ton to 22 yuan/ton,
saving 1.2 million yuan annually
2. Labor cost: reduced from 16 yuan/ton to 9 yuan/ton, saving 1.4 million
yuan annually
3. Quality loss: The raw material loss rate has been reduced from 5% to 1.8%,
saving 640,000 yuan annually
4. Maintenance cost: reduced from 9 yuan/ton to 6 yuan/ton, saving 600,000
yuan annually
Annual comprehensive income: 3.84 million yuan
IV. Empirical model of investment recovery
- Basic plan (investment of 2 million yuan): annual income of 3.2 million
yuan → payback period of 7.5 months
- Advanced plan (investment of 2.3 million yuan): annual income of 3.84
million yuan → payback period of 7.2 months
- High-end plan (investment of 2.8 million yuan): annual income of 4.1
million yuan → payback period of 8.2 months
*Note: The investment amount can be offset by 15%-20% when applying for smart
manufacturing subsidies*
V. Verification of successful cases in Jiangxi
- Scope of transformation: full-process intelligentization of crushing →
grinding → magnetic separation → classification
- Investment amount: 2.18 million yuan (with a government subsidy of 370,000
yuan)
- Core achievements:
- The number of operators has been reduced from 32 to 14
- Electricity consumption per ton of sand has decreased by 24%
- The fluctuation in product fineness has been reduced from ±3μm to
±0.8μm
- Realize investment recovery within 9 months
VI. Phased implementation strategy
Phase 1: Diagnostic Assessment (1-2 weeks)
- Process pain point audit (focusing on analyzing crushing
efficiency/magnetic separation accuracy)
- Prepare the "Automation Level Assessment Report" (citing the IEC 62264
standard)
Phase 2: Scheme Design (3-4 weeks)
- Lock key parameters (ball mill filling rate ±2%, magnetic field strength
±50 Gauss)
- Joint supplier review (focusing on mining transformation experience)
Stage 3: Modularization transformation (12-16 weeks)
- Priority 1: Automation of raw material pretreatment → Closed-loop control
of grinding
- Priority 2: Hierarchical intelligent linkage → Packaging logistics
automation
- Golden principle: production downtime for single module modification should
not exceed 3 days
Stage 4: Acceptance Criteria
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvement ≥15%
- Control system response delay < 200 milliseconds
- The rate of human error has decreased by 90%
conclusion
The essence of the automation transformation of the quartz sand production
line lies in the "data-driven process revolution". The focus is on investing in
two core modules: the ball mill expert system and online particle size
monitoring (contributing 60% of the benefits), which can quickly achieve a
breakthrough in reducing the cost per ton of sand. It is recommended to adopt a
"three-year phased transformation" plan: the first year focuses on overcoming
energy consumption bottlenecks, the second year on optimizing quality control,
and the third year on establishing a full-process digital twin system.
Ultimately, the proportion of intelligent costs should be compressed to less
than 8% of the total output value.