Block Machine for Solid Bricks: What Actually Makes a Good Solid Brick?

The task of a block machine that produces solid bricks is a simple one in theory: pour concrete into the mould, tam it down and eject a brick.

Solid bricks do not give much leeway in practice as they appear.

 

No big holes to minimize material consumption and/or conceal filling irregularities. Each brick contains more concrete and differences in moisture, feeding and compaction soon build up to differences in weight, surface and production costs.

This is a new way for a solid-brick producer to view the machine.

Compaction is the first step in the production of solid bricks.

With hollow blocks, the manufacturer will place a lot of emphasis on the speed of the cycle and the size of the mold. When faced with solid bricks, compaction quality should be given as much consideration.

The form needs a fairly tight volume to contain the mix and the mold must be able to compact evenly. The weak filling can cause an imbalance in compactness of the one part in comparison to the other part. Instability of pressure or vibration may make it more difficult to maintain brick-to-brick consistency.

Qunfeng provides vibration-forming machine as well as hydraulic pressing machine. It can switch molds for solid bricks, hollow blocks, pavers and curbstones and its QS1000 concrete block machine adopts servo vibration. The QP600 hydraulic block machine on the other hand is specifically targeted at dense solid bricks and pavers and features 600-ton static pressure.

No single name should be used to select either approach. First product specification and then raw material.

 

Vibro-Forming or Static Pressing?

This is another of the more useful questions that can be put to a solid-brick buyer.

 

The conventional block line makes the mold compact the concrete mix, which is relatively dry, by vibrating and applying pressure to the mix. Gives flexibility in the same factory, where the production of solid bricks and hollow blocks or other concrete products are to be switched between.

Static hydraulic pressing is a different way. The QP-series machines from Qunfeng feature high hydraulic force, and are geared to dense bricks and paving products. For instance, the QP800 hydraulic block making machine has an 800 ton pressing system and among its primary applications it includes the production of solid bricks.

But the difference has value to consider before looking into the headline capacity of a dedicated solid-brick plant.

Production Situation	Point to Evaluate
Mainly solid bricks	Compaction consistency
Solid + hollow blocks	Mold-change flexibility
Dense pressed products	Hydraulic pressing option
Variable recycled material	Feeding and mix control
High material consumption	Unit material cost
Limited pallet budget	Pallet-free process option

 

It's easy to forget to feed till Brick Weight begins to move.

Bricks are made from a significant quantity of material per brick.Compaction alone is not necessarily a solution to overcome an imbalance in the amount of mix in one part of the mold compared to another. This is the reason behind feeder design.

The double motor feeding and micro vibration system of the QP800 ensures a more uniform material spread before pressing. Qunfeng says that the system is a feeding balance and uniformity-improved system.

Do not test just the best looking brick of a batch in a factory trial. Measure the weights of a number of sample pieces taken from each of the different cycles and search for a trend.

One good sample is not as important as consistency.

Sample Check	What to Record
Dimensions	Length, width and height
Unit Weight	Compare several cycles
Edge Condition	Chips or damaged corners
Surface	Voids or uneven texture
Color	Variation across batch
Demolding	Sticking or deformation
Batch Position	Where sample came from
Mix Condition	Moisture / material batch

Better is NOT More!

There is a large press that can crush the material. Can't convert an an unstable recipe into a stable production process.

Factors that influence the mold filling and the behavior of the brick after pressing are the aggregate grading, the moisture of the aggregate and the aggregate recycled-material variation.

This becomes even more crucial in the case of the factory when the intention is to utilize materials from industrial or municipal solid wastes. The block production solutions of Qunfeng involve projects to make processed wastes into hollow blocks, paving stones, curbstones and solid bricks.

It is important to note that representative materials from the local area should be included in the production plan prior to final equipment selection and not assume one mix will behave as another.

Pallets Can Become a Hidden Cost.Pallets Can Be a Hidden Cost.

Production pallets are required to circulate between the molding and transport / curing in a vibration block plant.

When the quotation focuses on the main machine, that cost can be easily overlooked.

There are some static pressing systems which do not use the same method to make solid bricks. The QP600 is a machine that adopts the pallet-free technology, and Qunfeng's QP900 adopts board-free operation for high-density bricks production.

When it comes to production pallets that are eliminated, it's more than just the machine price for a plant producing large quantities of dense products. It can also alter the way the fresh brick comes off the press and pallet storage and replacement planning.

It's a plant level question, not a brochure feature.

Now Count Saleable Bricks, Not Only Cycles

Solid bricks are heavy duty products. A higher cycle rate is beneficial only if feeding, compaction and handling are constant.

When asking about machines, please seek the following information:

l pieces/cycle for your brick size;

l expected cycle range;

l shift output;

l rejected-product assumptions;

l The amount of material used for each finished unit.

As a reference, Qunfeng is able to print 39 pieces in one cycle for a 240 × 53 × 115 mm solid brick based on its QP800 specification. It also lists output for individual brick size on its QS1300 page, instead of providing one single production number.

The latter method is more suitable for the planning of the raw material and stocks.

Whenever the Brick is Demolded, Think About it!

The press isn't the end of the process.

There is still a considerable amount of work to be done before the fresh solid bricks can leave the molding area without being deformed, without collision and without unnecessary handling. The amount of material contained in each unit is high and downstream transport should be considered.

Static-pressed products can also operate under a unique handling system as opposed to traditional pallet handling blocks. Qunfeng's high density products can be immediately stacked, which can affect the amount of floor and curing-handling equipment required, says Qunfeng.

Review a layout from the mold to the storage. That frequently reveals issues, not evident in the specification of the main-machine.

Dedicated machine or Flexible machine?

Not all factories want to continue manufacturing solid bricks in perpetuity.

For customers that are purchasing hollow blocks, pavers or curbstones as well, a mold-change block machine might be a more commercial option. The QS1000 from Qunfeng is shown in particular as a multi-product machine which can switch between these product families.

A plant may place more value on hydraulic pressing instead, or in special feeding if it is in the business of manufacturing high density solid bricks or pressed paving products.

The key is to determine which business you're building, before determining which machine is more advanced.

Final Selection Check 

Prior to ordering the block machine for making blocks of solid bricks make a product sheet which consists of product dimensions, daily requirements, raw materials, density or quality requirements and future varieties of products.

Next, talk about feeding, compaction, demolding and downstream handling around that brick.

But the correct machine for solid-brick production is not necessarily the one which presses the hardest or cycles the fastest. It's the one that will ensure the finished brick is consistent without making all the other bricks at the factory unnecessarily expensive.

FAQ

Q1. Is it possible to make both solid and hollow bricks using one block machine?

Yes, several of the vibration block machines can be used to alter molds for various products. Please check the mold size, product height and desired feeding configuration first.

Q2. Which is better for solid bricks, hydraulic pressing or not?

Can be very suitable for dense solid bricks and paving products. The selection still remains to be the best depending on raw material, product quality and the range of product required.

Q3. Why is it important to feed solid bricks?

More material in the entire mold cavity is a solid brick. When the filling is not even, it can thus impact brick weight, compaction and consistency.

Q4. Should production pallets be used for all solid brick machines?

No. Pallets are commonly used in conventional vibration lines and some hydraulic static-press machines are available in pallet free lines.

Q5. What information do I need to give before requesting a machine?

Provide brick size, raw materials, shift production and planned product assortment. Some pictures or sketches of the completed brick are also helpful.