SETTING UP AN EFFICIENT WALL PRODUCTION LINE

With the call for precast concrete walling growing across the globe, the task of developing better and faster techniques to produce advanced, efficient machinery has fallen on equipment manufacturers. Simultaneously, quality is of the highest concern and companies like Elematic, based in Finland, have responded with diverse product ranges to suit different applications. Its SEMI, PRO and EDGE equipment ranges were developed to assist precast manufacturers to meet the output required with varying degrees

of automation to speed the process.

The company has a wide range of other layout options f or di f f er ent capacities which have been proven to perform well in many existing factories. “Our strength lies in our customised wall production solutions,” says Toni Koitmaa, product director for wall technologies.

Transfer wagon “One device that seems to be making a huge di f ference in improving the efficiency of wall production lines is the central transfer wagon, especially when the product range includes both simple, fast-moving elements and complex panels that require more production time.

“ T he c entr al w agon mo v es the elements that take more time to be fabricated away from the main line, so bottlenecks in production are avoided. T his allows the elements that are fabricated faster to move forward and makes production very flexible.

“Pre-defined processes and proper d o c um e n t a t i o n d u r i n g t h e w h o l e manufacturing process are important to ensure consistency in production and quality control. Table moulds, for example, are a long-term investment. You have to ensure that the moulds can support the requirements set for the wall element. Table moulds must be flat and straight and must withstand the load placed on them without bending. It takes a lot of expertise to make mould tables within strict tolerances,” explains Koitmaa.

Casting machine He adds that the casting machine is another crucial piece of equipment. Elematic’s unique Comcaster is very accurate and fast, while allowing for lower water-cement ratios. It can also cast stif fer grades of concrete than conventional casting machines and reduces surface finishing time.

(Above): The Elematic PRO Wall system.

Decreasing waste in the precast production process and improving costef ficiency and safety are important goals . One can use hal f the usual amount o f wood needed f or t able moulds, battery moulds and column and pillar production by employing the right shutter system.

The FaMe system is comprised of pushbutton magnets and aluminium side forms to replace wood and steel, which leads to substantial savings. It was designed to improve work safety and lower the risk of finger injuries. Battery moulds, which are used to cast solid load-bearing walls, can likewise have a big ef fect on ef ficiency.

Cold shutter The cold shutter system, which is offered by very few equipment manufacturers in the industry, practically doubles the capacity of a standard battery mould. By transferring the cold shutter plates to the battery mould after the previously cast elements have been taken out, the casting cycle is significantly accelerated. “The cold shutter system really speeds up the production cycle, since only casting and hardening take place inside the battery mould. Using it is a great way to increase capacity,” says Koitmaa.

“Digitalisation also goes a long way towards reaching peak efficiency. Using digital systems can help you get the maximum capacity from precast lines by optimising the process at different stages of production, leading to faster delivery time and saving on resources.”

Elematic wall production lines SEMI is for precast wall production of 70 000-150 000m² per year. SEMI Wall features straightforward and easy-tolearn basic technology. Theoretical capacity: 280-600m²/day (one casting) Personnel: 10 Production area: 2 000m² Land area: 20 000m² No of tables: 10-15 Typical table size: 3,5 x 8,0m PRO is for precast production in the annual range of 170 000-300 000m². All the PRO key functions are auto

mated. The PRO Wall line consists of a circulation line, optional battery moulds and tilting tables. Theoretical capacity: 680-1 200m²/ day (one casting) Personnel: 12-20 Production area: 2 800m² Land area: 45 000m² No of tables: 20-30 Typical table size: 3,8 x 9,0m EDGE for very high capacity – in the annual range of 400 000-750 000m² – with a wide product range and highly automated precast production. The tables move automatically between the production steps for high productivity. Logistics are enhanced with a central transfer wagon that ensures smooth traffic. Productivity is further improved by fully automated concrete transportation and an automatic shuttering station. Theoretical capacity: 1 600-3 024m²/ day (one casting) Personnel: 30-35 Production area: 9 000m² Land area: 70 000m² No of tables: 40-60 Typical table size: 4,0 x 10m