How Computers Shaped Steel During the Digital Revolution — With Special Reference to North America
Nirbhar Neogi · Iron & Steel Technology · 2024
From the time the Iron Age began, civilization progressed hand in hand with developments in iron and steel technology. When second-generation computers started appearing on the horizon in the 1950s, the steel fraternity was quick to embrace the technology. Around the same time, the electronics industry, particularly in the U.S., started building up computer manufacturing capability. By the close of the 1950s, a dozen U.S. vendors had delivered approximately 450 large-scale computers. Thus, the collaboration of world's leading steelmakers and best computer manufacturing facilities led to proliferation of the use of computers in steelmaking. Development of monolithic integrated circuits in the 1960s and microprocessors and programmable logic controllers in the 1970s led to an exponentially increasing use of computers in all industries, particularly in steel. By the 1970s, Japan became a major player in steel, with the highest levels of productivity and quality by using computers and novel indigenous technologies. In the 1980s, the use of computers for sophisticated control purposes spread to all units of steel plants using on-line models in many areas. The 1990s heralded the use of artificial intelligence and other novel techniques for difficult-to-control steel processes. All the above developments led to availability of newer grades of steel products for diverse purposes. However, today, the steel fraternity faces one of its biggest challenges in terms of sustainability due to environmental issues. This article attempts to substantiate the above facts with figures and examples.