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Simulation · Minimal Factory · Iron and steel

Meiderich ironworks · blast furnaces in Duisburg-Nord

Three blast furnaces of an ironworks as a model: blast furnace gas flare above, tapping into torpedo cars below, plus burden bunker and blower house in Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord.

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Trailer

Real are location, terrain and structures (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The daily output per furnace has not been handed down, the use of the gas is interpreted; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.

In today's Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord stand three blast furnaces of the Meiderich ironworks; in the model they are blown in again one after the other. Above, the blast furnace gas flare burns, below, the pig iron flows into torpedo cars at tapping, and ore and coke trains arrive at the burden bunker. The gas goes through a pipeline to the blower house; that is interpreted.

Five controls steer the works: investment (one to three blast furnaces), workforce, supply, quality and market. Pigs of iron pile up on the pig-iron stockpile when more pig iron is made than the steelworks take. If ore and coke are missing, the blast furnaces run only in part.

Real are location, terrain and structures from official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap, and all three blast furnaces really stand there. The daily output per furnace has not been handed down; quantities, processes, times and the use of the gas are model values, and one working day lasts ten seconds. The page is for museums and exhibitions, schools and universities, industrial heritage and local history.

From raw material to product

  1. 01

    supply – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker

  2. 02

    blast furnaces – top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below

  3. 03

    pig iron yard – takes in what is not sold

  4. 04

    dispatch – pig iron in torpedo cars to the steelworks

A site at work

01

A site at work

Meiderich ironworks: Three blast furnaces in today’s Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord are blown in again one by one: flare, tapping, torpedo cars – and ore and coke arrive at the burden bunker.

Blast furnace 1 (real)

02

Blast furnace 1 (real)

Blast furnace 1 (real) – A blast furnace: the top-gas flare burns above, below the pig iron runs into the torpedo cars at tapping; the top gas goes to the blower hall (interpreted).

What is shown – why – for whom

What is shown Why For whom
Three blast furnaces with gas flare WhyShows how an ironworks with several blast furnaces is laid out. For whommuseum, teaching
Tapping with torpedo cars WhyShows how the liquid pig iron leaves the furnaces. For whommuseum, exhibition
Burden bunker with ore and coke trains WhyShows where the raw materials arrive and the burden goes to the furnaces. For whomteaching, history of technology
Blower house and blast furnace gas pipeline WhyShows where the wind for the blast furnaces came from and where the gas goes in the model. For whomteaching, history of technology
Pig-iron stockpile WhyShows what happens to pig iron the steelworks do not take. For whomeconomics teaching, exhibition
The ironworks' gas holder, today a diving pool WhyShows what became of a part of the plant after the ironworks era. For whomindustrial heritage, local history
Five controls with output, stockpile and daily result WhyShows connections in operations, not operating figures. For whomeconomics teaching
Blast furnace 3

03

Blast furnace 3

Blast furnace 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.

Five levers, one works

04

Five levers, one works

Full investment – three blast furnaces: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.

Films from the model

  • Above Meiderich ironworks

    A flight across the whole site: low approach, Blast furnace 1, then across the works to the long shot – everything moving, with the sound of the works.

  • From raw material to product

    The works’ chain in one flight – supply (ore and coke trains at the burden bunker), blast furnaces, pig iron yard, dispatch: station by station.

  • A working day in time-lapse

    In time-lapse working days pass in seconds: shifts at the gate, traffic on the supply and dispatch routes, the stockpile (pig iron yard) changing along.

  • A works grows

    Investment step by step: new blast furnaces appear, the workforce grows with them, then more supply and a boom in the market.

  • Bottleneck – the works respond

    First materials run short and the plant only runs in part, then the market takes too little and the stockpile fills up – in the boom the works recover.

  • Using the software

    With the full interface: open the works, set investment and market, look at stockpile and plant – every lever acts at once.

Facilities and areas in the model

  • Blast furnaces

    A blast furnace: the top-gas flare burns above, below the pig iron runs into the torpedo cars at tapping; the top gas goes to the blower hall (interpreted). In the game: all 3 real.

  • Pig iron yard

    Whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when it is full the surplus goes at a discount, when the market wants more it is drawn down.

  • Supply

    Ore and coke trains at the burden bunker. A bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.

  • Dispatch

    Pig iron in torpedo cars to the steelworks. The market only takes what it needs.

  • Blower hall

    Where the blast for the furnaces was made; in the model the top gas runs there through a pipe.

  • Burden bunker

    Ore and coke trains unload here; from here the burden goes to the furnaces.

  • Gas holder

    The ironworks’ gas tank, today a diving pool.

When things get tight

05

When things get tight

Pig iron yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.

Medium long shot

06

Medium long shot

Medium long shot – Blast furnace 1: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.

Processes in the model

From raw material to product

  1. 01supply – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker
  2. 02blast furnaces – top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below
  3. 03pig iron yard – takes in what is not sold
  4. 04dispatch – pig iron in torpedo cars to the steelworks

Expansion

  1. 01raise investment by one step
  2. 02another blast furnace is built on its plot
  3. 03set the workforce to match, otherwise it only runs in part
  4. 04the market decides whether it pays – success in one number at the top

Bottleneck and recovery

  1. 01supply short – the store empties
  2. 02materials missing – the plants only run in part
  3. 03market in a slump – the stockpile grows until the fire sale
  4. 04boom – the stockpile empties, the result rises

What the model can be used for

  • Museum and exhibition

    The blast furnaces explain themselves on the plant: above, the gas flare burns, below, the pig iron runs into the torpedo cars at tapping, at the burden bunker the ore and coke trains unload.

    For whommuseums, visitor centres, exhibitions

  • School and university

    What is blast furnace gas, and what was it used for? Terms like blowing in, burden bunker, blower house and pig of iron sit where they belong.

    For whomschools, universities, vocational training

  • Industrial heritage and landscape park

    What has become of the blast furnaces in Duisburg-Nord? The model shows them running, with the ironworks' gas holder, today a diving pool, on the real terrain.

    For whomindustrial heritage, city marketing, local history societies

  • Understanding operations

    Investment, workforce, supply, quality and market act at once on output, stockpile and result. It becomes visible why a third blast furnace without ore, coke and sales costs money.

    For whomeconomics teaching, further training

Blast furnace 1 at work

07

Blast furnace 1 at work

Blast furnace 1 at work – top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.

The whole software

08

The whole software

Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.

What you can change

Controls

  • Investment: Number of blast furnaces (1 to 3): more money builds more, less shuts them down; without more people they only run in part.
  • Workforce: Enough people for all blast furnaces – output rises, and so does success. Too many people cost wages without more output.
  • Supply: More material arrives – the plant no longer has to wait. Levels short, normal and double; supply security costs money.
  • Quality: More quality means less scrap and fewer breakdowns but costs testing and maintenance (levels low, normal, high).
  • Market: Slump, normal or boom. In a slump more is made than sold: the stockpile grows and success drops. In a boom the market takes more: the stockpile empties and success rises.

Disruptions

  • Too few people: Workers are missing, part of the plant stands still.
  • Material missing: Supply is not enough; once the store is empty the plants only run in part (message: “Parts store empty – supply is short”).
  • Too much built: More is made than the market takes: the stockpile grows; when it is full the surplus goes at a 40 % discount (message: “Stockpile full – fire sale at a discount”).
  • Market wants more: Demand is greater than the works can make; once the stockpile is empty orders are lost (message: “Stockpile empty – orders are lost”).

What the model brings

  • 01

    The real terrain as a stage

    Blast furnaces, tracks and surroundings stand on terrain from official elevation data. You show the site as it lies, not as a diagram.

  • 02

    Three furnaces one after the other

    The blast furnaces are blown in one after the other. You see how an ironworks with several furnaces starts up.

  • 03

    Bottlenecks without damage

    Ore and coke fail to arrive, the store empties, the pig-iron stockpile fills up. You see where it gets tight first, and set it back.

  • 04

    For big screens and the browser

    Runs in the browser and on large projections. A working day in fast motion lasts ten seconds.

  • Meiderich ironworks: Three blast furnaces in today’s Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord are blown in again one by one: flare, tapping, torpedo cars – and ore and coke arrive at the burden bunker.
    Meiderich ironworks: Three blast furnaces in today’s Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord are blown in again one by one: flare, tapping, torpedo cars – and ore and coke arrive at the burden bunker.
  • Meiderich ironworks from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
    Meiderich ironworks from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
  • Medium long shot – Blast furnace 1: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
    Medium long shot – Blast furnace 1: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
  • Far out near Duisburg-Nord – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
    Far out near Duisburg-Nord – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
  • From above – Meiderich ironworks as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
    From above – Meiderich ironworks as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
  • Meiderich ironworks from above at an angle – supply, blast furnaces, pig iron yard and dispatch at a glance.
    Meiderich ironworks from above at an angle – supply, blast furnaces, pig iron yard and dispatch at a glance.
  • All around Duisburg-Nord: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
    All around Duisburg-Nord: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
  • Blast furnace 1 (real) – A blast furnace: the top-gas flare burns above, below the pig iron runs into the torpedo cars at tapping; the top gas goes to the blower hall (interpreted).
    Blast furnace 1 (real) – A blast furnace: the top-gas flare burns above, below the pig iron runs into the torpedo cars at tapping; the top gas goes to the blower hall (interpreted).
  • Blast furnace 2 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
    Blast furnace 2 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
  • Blast furnace 3 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
    Blast furnace 3 (real) – a real structure of the site, running in the game: top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below.
  • Pig iron yard – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
    Pig iron yard – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
  • Supply – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
    Supply – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
  • Blower hall – where the blast for the furnaces was made; in the model the top gas runs there through a pipe.
    Blower hall – where the blast for the furnaces was made; in the model the top gas runs there through a pipe.
  • Burden bunker – ore and coke trains unload here; from here the burden goes to the furnaces.
    Burden bunker – ore and coke trains unload here; from here the burden goes to the furnaces.
  • Gas holder – the ironworks’ gas tank, today a diving pool.
    Gas holder – the ironworks’ gas tank, today a diving pool.
  • Pig iron yard close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
    Pig iron yard close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
  • Supply in full swing – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker; the bigger the contract, the more is on the move.
    Supply in full swing – ore and coke trains at the burden bunker; the bigger the contract, the more is on the move.
  • Blast furnace 1 at work – top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
    Blast furnace 1 at work – top-gas flare above, pig iron at the tapping below; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
  • Blast furnace 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
    Blast furnace 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
  • Dispatch – pig iron in torpedo cars to the steelworks; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
    Dispatch – pig iron in torpedo cars to the steelworks; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
  • At the gate – the shifts arrive here, paths lead to the plants, the workshop and the break area.
    At the gate – the shifts arrive here, paths lead to the plants, the workshop and the break area.
  • Full steam – all three blast furnaces running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
    Full steam – all three blast furnaces running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
  • Small investment – only Blast furnace 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
    Small investment – only Blast furnace 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
  • Full investment – three blast furnaces: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
    Full investment – three blast furnaces: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
  • Every facility labelled – blast furnace 1 to 3, pig iron yard, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
    Every facility labelled – blast furnace 1 to 3, pig iron yard, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
  • Blast furnace 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
    Blast furnace 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
  • Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
    Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
  • Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: pig iron yard.
    Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: pig iron yard.
  • Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the blast furnaces only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
    Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the blast furnaces only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
  • Pig iron yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
    Pig iron yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
  • Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
    Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
  • The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
    The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
  • Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
    Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
  • One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
    One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
  • Facility card – blast furnace: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
    Facility card – blast furnace: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
  • Stockpile card – pig iron yard: stock, space used and growth per day.
    Stockpile card – pig iron yard: stock, space used and growth per day.
  • Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
    Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
  • Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
    Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
  • Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
    Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
  • The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
    The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
  • Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.
    Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.

Your site as a model

Would you like to show your plant, your museum or your industrial site like this? Write to us or call. We will send you the password for starting it on request.

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Ask about this

Minimal Factory: Hüttenwerk Meiderich · Hochöfen in Duisburg-Nord

What you enter goes to this site alone and serves only to answer you.

Basis and limits

Real are the location, terrain and buildings in Duisburg-Nord (official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap). The plant in the middle is our own simplified interpretation: quantities, processes, times and prices are model assumptions; the economy runs in time-lapse (10 seconds are one working day). Not a simulation of real operations and no cooperation with the site.

Public sources the model is based on:

  • Wikipedia (German), article on the site: Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord
  • Website of the site
  • Geobasis NRW: digital surface and terrain models DOM1/DGM1 (Data licence Germany – Zero – 2.0)
  • OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): streets, tracks, water, land use

More places in the model

← Minimal Factory

Real are location, terrain and structures (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The daily output per furnace has not been handed down, the use of the gas is interpreted; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.