Gulf Construction Online - Automated production line unveiled

Precast Concrete

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Automated production line unveiled

01 October 2015

Elematic has launched a new fully-automated precast concrete wall production line that offers high factory capacity, top-rate precast product quality and reduced operating costs through state-of-the automation technologies, optimised production plan, carefully-designed production process and individually tailored solutions.

The new fully automated Elematic Edge Wall line optimises the whole precast wall production from building design all the way to the construction site. The line features advanced software, modern table circulation and state-of-the-art production machinery, and its automated functions cover planning, monitoring and controlling the production process.

Elematic Edge Wall has been designed for the production of sandwich panels, cladding panels, solid panels and solid slabs.

The new solution offers clear benefits: Production optimisation and material management are straightforward as materials are directly synchronised with product design information and the manufacturing execution system shows the number of products in process at all times, says a spokesman for the Finland-based manufacturer.

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Line operations are monitored and controlled from one central location, with real-time production data continuously available for any possible process adjustment needs. The system also shows the location of the finished products so no time is wasted for needless tracking.

“We want to offer our customers the most advanced precast wall production system on the market, with full support and expertise from an experienced partner who carries responsibility for the whole delivery,” says Jarkko Salmensivu, automation and software product manager at Elematic.

Elematic Edge covers all parts of the precast wall production line. In addition to the advanced, high-tech systems and products such as automatic Comcaster and ELiPLAN – Elematic’s unique enterprise resource planning software for precast factories – the Elematic product range is now expanded with the automatic shuttering station Elematic E9.

Key elements

• ELiPLAN, specifically designed for precast factories, provides support for operative planning of precast production throughout the whole process – sales, material management, production, warehouse management, transportation planning and machinery maintenance. It works seamlessly with factory manufacturing systems, the spokesman says.

• The manufacturing execution system helps in optimising the use of factory production capacity, monitoring the production status and controlling the operations from one centralised location. Automatic table nesting supports the creation of the production plan through an intuitive user interface and optimises the use of available table surface space.

• The automatic shuttering station E9 enables fast and accurate shuttering process. The station functions also include demoulding, cleaning, oiling and plotting.

“The new station ensures fast and accurate shuttering process as it provides fully-automated control over various shuttering functions such as shuttering placement, demoulding of side forms and table cleaning, oiling and plotting,” explains Salmensivu.

The shuttering station utilises Sommer robot technology.

• The automatic Comcaster E9’s precisely-controlled dosing makes it easy to cast a different height of layers as well as to secure smooth finishing of the components. Casting speed is up to 2,000 litres per minute with self-compacting concrete. Casting is automatically operated to ensure high process efficiency. Comcaster E9’s accurate and fast casting process ensures high end-product quality.

Furthermore, the new Elematic Edge Wall automation can be integrated with CAD (computer-aided design) and BIM (building information modelling) software. Manufacturing details and deliveries can be tracked at the construction site by using an intuitive 3D view of the building.

Elematic, a world-leading manufacturer of precast concrete plants and production lines, holds an ISO 9001-certified quality system and the international quality certificate Investor in People for the development of its personnel.

Since its inception more than 50 years ago, the company has supplied technology to more than 100 countries and to every continent. The turnover of the company, which employs roughly 230 people, is approximately €100 million ($113 million), of which exports generate 95 per cent. Elematic has subsidiaries and sales offices in the US, Germany, China, Russia, India, Hong Kong and the UAE as well as agents in over 20 countries. The company headquarters are located in Akaa, Finland, and production units in Finland and India.