The Wet Cast Slab Machinery is a modular system that can start off as a simple piece of stand alone equipment which can be upgraded and added to, to create an automated production line for decorative wet cast patio slabs.
Start off with the bare minimum to suit your budget and upgrade to fully automated production.
The Wet Cast Slab Machinery is manufactured to the highest standard of engineering using up to date production methods.
All components that are used in the manufacturing of the Wet Cast Slab Machinery are of a high standard and are sourced from reliable and reputable suppliers.
The Wet Cast Slab Machinery is designed to use board sizes of 1.2m x 0.66m. This will allow for production of two products at a time.
The control method is manual but may be upgraded to automatic if requested.
The Wet Cast Slab Machinery consists of the following components.
Lowerator
The Lowerator is the initial take in position for a stack of cured products. The forklift operator opens the access door for the Lowerator which stops the pusher from operating and loads the stack into the machine. When the door is closed the stack is lifted leaving the bottom board on the pusher ready to be moved.
Vacuum Demould
When the board is moved into the demoulding area, the Vacuum Demould unit lowers the vacuum head and applies the necessary vacuum force. The product is then lifted out of the liner on the production board and is carried across to another station for product removal.
Take Off Conveyor
The Take Off Conveyor moves the product that has been deposited by the Vacuum Demould to an area away from moving machinery that allows the operators to lift the product and stack them onto wooden pallets or some other storage device.
Tip Out
The Tip Out unit rotates the board by approx. 180 degrees in order to remove any excess concrete or flashing. This leaves the liner empty for the next fill.
Oiler
The Oiler unit sprays a fine mist of oil over the liner as it passes under the oilers position. This assists in the demoulding of the product after it has cured.
Filling Unit
There are several variations of filling unit that can be incorporated in this line. These are as follows.
Manual Filling Unit
The Manual Filling Unit allows for the operator to manually fill the liner. This process is the fastest filling method but reduces accuracy and the ability to change depths of products while using the same liners. The operator pulls concrete from a chute that he can open and close, they can also mix in colour at their own preference.
Single Screw Timed Filling Unit
The Timed Single Screw relies on the filling process running for a set time. This process can be either initiated by the operator or automatically by the machine itself. The operator will have the opportunity to add additional material before allowing the process to continue.
Single Screw Weighed Filling Unit
The Weighed Single Screw gives an accurate amount of concrete being consistently dosed every cycle. This allows the operator to change the depth of the product in an instant.
Each product will contain the same amount of concrete (within a certain tolerance) and will allow for higher quality of products and greater flexibility with moulds and future products.
Twin Screw Weighed Filling Unit
The Twin Screw Weighing system allows for the introduction of colour blending in the face of the finished product. There is on screw for the colour mix and another screw for the base mix. The screws are independently controlled and have several different options with reference to the starting and stopping of each screw. This gives the operator a variety of methods/options on how to fill the slab. The weigh box will also contain a special device for assisting in the colour blending process. This can be used if desired.
Vibration Unit
This unit is specifically designed to give maximum vibration through the product while the board is clamped in position. This will minimise the air bubbles left in the product.
Elevator
The Elevator is the final position for the board and is where the single boards are built back into the stack. The stack is removed by the forklift truck operator and before removal the security door needs opened. This will stop the pusher from running and increases safety.
Optional Extras
Lowerator Intake Station
The Lowerator Intake Station will allow operators to place a full stack onto a station before the Lowerator (MSM-L), this enables the operator to build a stockpile of stacks into the machine that will allow it to run for longer without stopping. Either 1 station or 2.
Lowerator Right Angle Entry
This extra allows the stack of pallets to be loaded at right angles to the direction of travel of the main pusher.
Elevator Outtake Station
The Elevator Outtake Station allows a buffer of either 1 or 2 stacks to be built up before the need to remove the stacks to the curing area. This will allow for longer running times before stops occur.
Elevator Right Angle Exit
This extra allows the stack of pallets to be unloaded at right angles to the direction of travel of the main pusher.
Pallet Recognition
Pallet Recognition allows the machinery to automatically know what product is under the filling hopper. This enables the machinery to know if the correct demoulding head is present, how much concrete to put into the mould, is there a need for colour blending and many other settings.
Automated Palletising System
The automatic palletising system reduces the need for manual stacking for all square edged products. The product is placed face down onto the conveyor line and it moves into the starwheel device that rotates the product through 180 degrees.
The product is then moved into a position where it is squared in preparation for being lifted by the palletising grab. The grab (which can stack 2 slabs side by side in under 14 seconds) then clamps the slabs and stacks them on the wooden pallet. This leaves the face showing to the front and eliminates then need to vacuum the front surface of the products face which may cause nuisance marking.
The pallets are manually loaded and then automatically moved along the line to a position for stacking the slabs. Approx three pallets may be loaded and three may be accommodated after the stacking station.
The wooden pallets are removed by a forklift truck at the take off station.
This system is ideal for any square/rectangular products. If dealing with irregular shapes is necessary then the addition of a manual take off line is implemented. This line will be located to the other side of the vacuum demoulder and will allow the operators to unload irregular shaped products for manual stacking.
This allows for total flexibility in the machine and will enable the switch over between manual and automatic stacking to be relatively seamless, depending if a pallet recognition system is used.
SCADA Package
There is an additional advantage of having all the production data and information simulated in the production manager’s office via a SCADA system. This will allow alterations to recipes/system values to be made by the production manager. It will also allow them to gather production data for the daily production. This system would require a database and has not been quoted in this package but is mentioned as an extra possibility.
Ball Placement Robot
A ball placement robot can be implemented into the line to place small plastic balls into each corner of the product at the second last vibration station. This has two benefits; the slabs will dry better when they are loaded onto wooden pallets due to the small gap that the balls will create between the products. It also reduces any unwanted marking of slabs rubbing against one another during transport.
Further Details
If you require any further information or details about the Wet Cast Slab Machinery, then please contact us.
Customer Responsibilities
- On site cranage, transportation and scaffolding
- On site manual labour, and all civil works
- Any additional equipment that may be required
- Engineers transport, accommodation and food
- Stable power supply to all electrical isolators
- Any additional on site guarding
- Transport of machinery to site.
