A BOF vessel doesn't fail on a fixed date, it wears down heat by heat, and the plants that get caught off guard are the ones tracking refractory life by memory instead of by heat count. A reline campaign that starts too early wastes good brick, one that starts too late risks a breakout mid-heat. This free template plans the campaign around actual wear data, from first inspection to the vessel back in service. Sign up to run your next reline campaign inside OxMaint.
Why Campaign Planning Matters
Without a tracked campaign, refractory thickness gets checked informally and reline timing gets decided by gut feel. Brick gets ordered late because nobody flagged the wear trend early, contractors get booked on short notice at premium rates, and the vessel either relines too soon or runs too long into breakout risk. Planning against heat count instead of calendar guesswork fixes both.
What The Template Covers
Refractory Wear Assessment
Thickness readings logged against heat count to project reline timing
Demolition & Removal Plan
Sequenced breakout of worn lining with disposal logistics mapped ahead
Brick Installation Schedule
Course-by-course lay sequence timed against the reline window
Contractor & Crew Scheduling
Bricklaying crews and riggers booked and briefed ahead of mobilization
Refractory Inventory Planning
Brick grade, tonnage, and lead time confirmed before wear hits the limit
Dry-Out & Heat-Up Curve
Controlled temperature ramp to protect new brick before first heat
Refractory Wear By Heat Count
Safe Zone
Watch Zone
Reline Zone
0 heats~2,800 heats~4,000 heats~5,000 heats
Safe Zone runs from a fresh lining to roughly 2,800 heats with routine thickness checks. Watch Zone triggers weekly measurements and locks in contractor and brick orders. Reline Zone is the window the campaign is planned to land in, before wear risks a breakout.
Reactive Reline vs A Planned Campaign
| Area |
Reactive Reline |
Planned Campaign |
| Timing decision |
Based on gut feel or a breakout scare |
Based on tracked wear against heat count |
| Brick procurement |
Rushed order once wear is already critical |
Ordered when the Watch Zone is entered |
| Contractor booking |
Short-notice, premium rates, limited availability |
Booked weeks ahead against a known reline window |
| Production impact |
Unplanned vessel downtime disrupting the heat schedule |
Slotted into the production calendar in advance |
Plan Your Next Reline Around Data, Not Guesswork
OxMaint tracks refractory wear against heat count and triggers brick orders and contractor bookings before the vessel hits the Reline Zone. Sign up for a free trial to start tracking your campaign, or book a demo and we'll walk through it with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
Why plan a reline around heat count instead of a calendar date?
Refractory wear tracks with how many heats the vessel has taken, not how many months have passed, so a heat-count trigger catches the actual wear rate even when production schedules speed up or slow down.
Q
When should brick and contractor orders actually go in?
As soon as wear readings cross into the Watch Zone, since brick lead times and contractor availability both need weeks of buffer before the vessel reaches the Reline Zone.
Q
How important is the dry-out and heat-up curve after a reline?
Very. A controlled temperature ramp lets moisture escape the new brick evenly, so rushing the heat-up is one of the most common ways plants damage a fresh lining before it's even taken its first heat.
Get The Free BOF Reline Campaign Planning Template
Wear tracking, demolition sequencing, brick scheduling, contractor booking, and a dry-out curve, ready to run in your CMMS. Sign up for a free trial to plan your next reline, or book a demo to walk through it with your team.
