Bratsk Aluminum Plant (BrAZ) belonging to Russian Aluminum group is the world largest aluminum producer, an excitingly fine enterprise of the Russian nonferrous metallurgy. Every year, the plant produce over 900 thousands tons of primary aluminum. The Bratsk plant produces 30% of Russian and 4% of world aluminum output. The aluminum plant employs 6,000 people.
Bratsk Aluminum Plant deployed their first SCADA TRACE MODE based control system in 1998. The gas purifying system at BrAZ included the following components:
- 25 PC-based PLC FESTO IPS Micro RTM runtime software inside;
- 1 TRACE MODE SCADA server running Real-Time Monitor (RTM);
- 1 TRACE MODE SCADA server running network Real Time Monitor (RTM);
- 1 NetLink Light SCADA client console for an additional operator's workplace;
- Documentation Server.
 The system includes about 800 analog inputs, 800 discrete inputs and 320 control and protection channels for technology equipment. To transfer data from TRACE MODE SCADA/HMI servers to the enterprise database (ORACLE), a standard ODBC interface is used.
The setup works including equipment installation and TRACE MODE SCADA project development took just 6 months. The plant's Control System team took care of all the operations. The results enabled decreasing breakdown, downtime and environment load, improve safety and cut costs, release a significant number of material and human resources.
In the end of 1998, BrAZ took on their next SCADA project, the control system at the fluosalt manufacturing shop. The new system included:
- 2 Siemens SIMATIC S7 controllers;
- 10 Remikont 130 controllers;
- 8 Remikont 131 controllers;
- 1 TRACE MODE SCADA server running RTM with 32,000 input-output points;
- 1 SCADA TRACE MODE server running NetLink RTM;
- 1 NetLink Light console.
Altogether, the control system at the fluosalt manufacturing shop included 280 analog and 620 discrete inputs, control of Siemens frequency converters and several control circuits.
Another TRACE MODE based project, "Experimental dry gas purification control system" of BrAZ, was completed in 2000 just within three months. It included:
- 1 Siemens SIMATIC S7 controller;
- 2 Remikont 130 controllers;
- 1 TRACE MODE SCADA server running RTM with 1 024 input-output points.
 The Siemens Simatic S7 controllers communicated to SCADA via Siemens OPC server. Dry gas purification enables much better dust, fluoride compounds and resinous substances arrest. Some of the substances are re-manufactured, others are recycled. By deploying dry gas purification, Bratsk Aluminum Plant ensured significant savings and decreasing overall harmful substances release into the atmosphere.
However, this system has an experimantal status meaning it can be the first in the row. As new dry gas purifiers are deployed, the similar control systems will launch. The Bratsk Aluminum Plant's  managers are planning to automate 24 dry gas purifiers by the end of 2012.
Deploying the TRACE MODE SCADA/HMI control system with Siemens Simatic S7 PLCs resulted in much success e.g.:
- raw material and power savings;
- breakdown elimination and better safety;
- better product quality and lower cost;
- longer equipment service life;
- lower maintenance costs;
- detection of unauthorized employee activities.
"TRACE MODE is a multi purpose and relyable system," says S.V. Kazakov, the control engineer at the fluosalt manufacturing shop, who proactively participated in development of all the control systems of the plant.
Improving automation systems at Bratsk Aluminum Plant is a never-ending story. The development team focuses on integrating the distributed TRACE MODE based control systems into a single enterprise system, configuring interoperability with ORACLE database, forming administrative level of automation system. Additionally, they work on certifying the shop systems.
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