PLANTS & SERVICES
Digitalization
Digital Intelligence for the next era or ironmaking
Midrex Digitalization helps partners run closer to the ideal plant, every single day.
Revolutionize direct reduced iron DRI plant performance by turning proven MIDREX™ Process know-how into fast and accurate live decisions in the control room. Midrex Digitalization is a future-focused, data-backed way to operate MIDREX™ Plants nearer to ideal conditions, safely, efficiently and with lower CO₂ emissions.
It enables instant connection of real-time and historical data, advanced analytics, plant automation and Midrex expertise, so your plant runs safer, more efficiently and with fewer unplanned stops.
See more. Act faster. Operate smarter.
The evolution of Direct Reduction
Built on four innovation pillars, Midrex Digitalization collects and connects data from hardware, sensors and digital devices and combines it with advanced analytics and decades of proven Midrex expertise to enable smart plant control & automation technologies for faster action, both on site and remotely. By bringing real-time data into everyday decisions, you can lift your plant’s throughput, stabilize quality, cut unplanned outages and reduce energy use.
Our Digitalization Solutions enable you to predict failures before they interrupt production, deploy simulators to train your operators on rare but critical events without putting people or assets at risk, and support plants remotely as quickly as if you were in the control room.
The power of Digitalization allows us to apply Midrex’s deep process expertise with greater focus and impact, driving higher performance across MIDREX Plants.
K. C. WOODY
PRESIDENT AND CEO, MIDREX TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Pillars of innovation
Midrex Digitalization is built on four tightly integrated innovation pillars. Together, they prepare the plant, embed proven process intelligence, ensures shared visibility and a deeper understanding, unlock performance and support faster, better-informed decisions.
Pillars of innovation
Plant Improvement
Preparing the plant for a digital, data-driven future
Plant Improvement makes it possible for you to see, measure and act fast.It stands for strengthening instruments, sensors and field devices so measurements are reliable, safety is enhanced and the whole system is ready for higher levels of data collection, automation and optimization.
This is achieved via the introduction of robust, future-ready equipment, reliable measurement instruments, safer hardware, new or upgraded sensors, cameras and other devices that offer broader operational coverage.
• Reliability and safety: Upgraded instruments, clearer signaling
• Trustworthy data: Superior data-gathering to enable automation
• Future readiness: Modernized hardware to support advanced controls
Plant Automation
Embedding MIDREX Process intelligence directly into plant behavior
Plant Automation enables consistent responses that keep processes safe and efficientIt injects the MIDREX Process knowledge directly into the plant’s behavior, building proven logic into start-up, shutdown and control sequences so the plant responds quickly, consistently and safely. This translates into fewer manual interventions, fewer people in harm’s way, more stability. It’s about turning repeatable actions into reliable and safe automated sequences and control measures.
• Quality and safety: Automated control reduces manual actions under pressure
• Faster responses: Automated reactions for safe and efficient processes
• Operator focus on high-value tasks: Operators focus on supervision and troubleshooting
Plant Optimization
Turns the plant from ‘just running’ to competing
With Plant Optimization Midrex turns data into competitive performance, using advanced controls and analytics to adjust variables, reduce variability and unplanned downtime, and squeeze more value from assets, energy and materials. Optimization fine-tunes operating processes, improving performance from the same assets while driving the actions needed for greater efficiency and sustainability.
• More value from raw materials: Increased throughput and better equipment utilization
• Lower energy use: Better tuning reduces consumable losses
• Higher product quality: Less rework, fewer off-spec events, better support
• Reduced unplanned downtime: Earlier problem detection, smarter maintenance planning
Plant Digitalization
A shared, real-time view to diagnose, decide and act
Plant Digitalization connects people, data and decisions in real time.With Plant Digitalization Midrex’s knowledge and digital technology come together in real time. It is the connective tissue that makes every part of the process visible and every interaction and decision actionable beyond the control room. Plant Digitalization securely captures data from equipment and systems and turns it into clear insight. By exposing what is happening across the plant, it enables Midrex and plant teams to diagnose issues, make informed decisions and act faster, whether on site or remotely.
• Faster response to problems: Issues can be acted on quickly, on site or remotely
• Shared view of reality: Operations, maintenance and management work from the same data sets
• Better learning over time: Multi-year and multi-plant comparative data enhances designs and operating practices
• Remote Support: Midrex experts and partners can access data and collaborate from anywhere
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Our future-ready digitalization solutions
In a world that needs more steel with far fewer CO₂ emissions, against the backdrop of rising costs and a growing skills gap, our Midrex Digitalization Solutions help our partners run closer to the ideal plant, every day.
Operator Training Simulation (OTS)
Digital twin of the plant for a realistic, risk-free training environment
Remote Connectivity & Remote Professional Services (RPS)
A shared, real-time view of operations for continuous performance overview
DRIpax & DRIpax Expert System
Next-generation control system to support or automate decisionmaking
Operator Training Simulation (OTS)
A Digital twin of your plant for safer & more efficient immersive training
Operator Training Simulation uses a digital twin of the plant to create a realistic, risk-free environment for operators to learn, practice and refine how they run processes. Instead of learning during live scenarios, teams can experience normal, abnormal and emergency situations in a virtual setting that behaves like the real thing.
Mirroring the plant helps operators build confidence and muscle memory before they move into a risk-laden environment. It becomes a safe place to test procedures, explore ‘what if’ scenarios and align the whole team.
Safer operations: Operators can rehearse scenarios, failures, conditions and emergencies without exposure to risk.
Faster, smoother start-up and shutdown: Teams practice full start-up and shutdown sequences, so when it happens for real, they already know the steps to take.
Better handling of rare but critical events: Abnormal scenarios that might only happen once every few years can be simulated repeatedly, ensuring operators are ready when they do occur.
Predictive maintenance awareness: Trainees can see how small changes in trends indicate emerging problems, supporting a predictive mindset in day-to-day operations.
Lower training cost and disruption: New hires and cross-trained staff can be brought up to speed without taking the real plant offline or tying up production resources.
Remote Connectivity & Remote Professional Services (RPS)
A shared, real-time view of operations for faster insight and rapid action
Remote Connectivity and RPS give Midrex and our partners a shared, real-time view of the plant. Midrex experts can monitor, support and guide without needing to be on site, using secure connectivity, advanced sensors and data feeds.
Instead of waiting for a problem to become critical, RPS enables continuous oversight of performance, alarms and equipment health, meaning earlier intervention, faster root-cause analysis and better support for local teams.
Continuous insight into plant health: Real-time data on temperature, pressure, flows, vibrations and more provides an always-on picture of how the plant is running.
Predictive maintenance support: Midrex and plant teams can spot early warning signs and schedule maintenance before failures cause unplanned downtime.
Improved safety: Remote detection of abnormal conditions triggers quicker responses and reduces the need for emergency field checks.
Faster problem resolution: Experts can connect remotely, review live and historical data, and help local teams diagnose and resolve issues without travel delays.
Reduced site visits and associated costs: Many interventions that used to require an on-site visit can now be handled remotely, saving time and cost while still improving reliability.
DRIpax & DRIpax Expert System
Next-generation control system to support or automate your decisionmaking
The DRIpax monitoring and control system is designed to identify emerging conditions in real time and guide corrective action before performance is impacted.
It enables predictive maintenance and performance improvement. The DRIpax advanced control and expert system layer is built specifically for MIDREX Plants. It uses plant data, process models and embedded Midrex expertise to help the control system run closer to optimal conditions, safely, efficiently and consistently.
Instead of operators manually tuning based on their experience alone, DRIpax supports or automates decisions. It stabilizes the process, reduces variability and helps balance throughput, energy use and quality.
Higher and more stable performance: Advanced control strategies reduce swings in key process variables, supporting higher throughput.
Increased reliability: Better control means fewer trips and upsets, less stress on equipment and more predictable operation over time.
Lower operating cost: Optimized use of energy and consumables reduces specific consumption and waste, improving overall cost per tonne.
Data-driven decisions in the control room: Operators see recommendations and insights based on real-time data and proven Midrex logic, strengthening decisions on every shift.
Platform for future AI and analytics: As analytics and AI capabilities evolve, DRIpax provides a structured way to integrate new optimization logic into existing plant control.
