APPRO-TECHNO Tegulamatic Roof Tile Plant

Manufacturer
APPRO-TECHNO SA
26 Rue de la Ri
B-5660 Couvin (Cul-des-Sarts)
Belgium
Tel. [..32] 60-37 76 71
Fax. [.. 32] 60 - 37 78 87

Description

The Tegulamatic is a roof tile screeding machine that produces 2 tiles at a time. It is supplied with a complete production plant, which, in addition to the screeding machine, comprises 3 frames:

· 1 for 2 overlapping pantiles 49 x 23.5 cm,
· 1 for 1 overlapping under-ridge tile and 1 overlapping edge tile (each 49 x 23.5 cm),
· 1 for 2 49 cm long ridge tiles,

a concrete mixer, a roll of plastic sheeting to be cut locally into 1000 interface sheets, a measuring scoop for mortar, a rubber box to hold fresh mortar, a float, a balance, a 10 litre bucket, a jig to trim the tiles, quality control devices and samples of fibres and colourants. The main bulk of the plant is the set of double tile moulds, supplied in sets of 100 to 400 moulds, depending on the desired production rates (between 190 and 700 tiles per day).

The screeding table is an especially robust steel construction, designed for intensive use over long periods. The electric vibrator has the following characteristics: 3000 rpm, 0.095 kW, 220 V monophase, 220/380 V triphase, 50/60 Herz (tropicalization on request), 24 or 12 V direct or alternating current (also available on request).

The standard thickness of the screeding frames is 8 mm, but frames of 10 mm thickness are also available to produce more resistant tiles.

The self-stacking double moulds are made of galvanized steel. There are 2 different types, one for pantiles and one for ridge tiles. Each double mould is 108 cm long and weighs 4 kg. The following table shows the different sets available for different output rates:

In each case, the nominal output is slightly less than the number of moulds provided, so that the operator can already begin the day's work with the unused moulds of the previous day, while the rest are being demoulded and cleaned.

Figure

Training

Professional training courses (covering both the technology and management aspects) are conducted by APPRO-TECHNO in Belgium or in Abidjan / Ivory Coast, or elsewhere at the customer's request.

1. Spreading and smoothing the mortar under vibration

2. With the frame lifted off the screeding surface, the plastic sheets and screeded mortar are pulled carefully over the mould.

3. The mould is placed on the mould stack for the fresh tiles to cure for 24 hours.

4. View of a Tegulamatic double mould with one tile placed on it.

Operating the Tegulamatic

A variety of design details have been incorporated in the Tegulamatic screeding table to simplify the operator's work. These are, for instance:

· a tray extending on the side of the table to hold the rubber mortar box at working height;

· a foot pedal to clamp down and release the screeding frame, leaving the hands free to do other things, eg hold down the nibs when lifting off the frame (a hand operated lever can also be used instead of the loot pedal, if necessary):

· adjustable screws at the 3 clumping points to ensure a tight lit of the frame on the screeding surface;

· 4 bolts to adjust the level of the table, indicated by 2 water gauges fixed at visible points on the table;

· 3 standardized hinges to facilitate the changing of frames;

· a second foot pedal to switch the vibrator on and off;

· 2 adjustable and retractable brackets to hold the mould and permit the plastic interface sheets and screeded mortar to slip smoothly over the mould.

The production of FCR or MCR tiles on the Tegulamatic is essentially the same as on other screeding machines: clamping down a plastic sheet with the screeding frame, placing measured amounts of mortar on the screeding surfaces, spreading it out under vibration and smoothing the surface, filling the nib construction boxes, lifting the screeding frame, removing the plastic sheets with the screeded mortar and placing them on a the mould for setting. The main difference is that a part of the work is done by means of foot pedals, leaving the operator's hands free to carry out the work more efficiently. Furthermore, the output rate is higher, since two tiles are made per cycle.

After demoulding the tiles the next day, the recommended duration for curing under water is 5 days and subsequent dry curing in a shaded place is 15 to 20 days, after which the tiles are ready for use.

Other APPRO-TECHNO Equipment

APPRO-TECHNO has a long experience record in the manufacture of high standard equipment for the production of building materials. Apart from the Tegulamatic Roof Tile Plant, these are:

1. TERSTARAM, a manually operated mobile soil block press with interchangeable moulds, which can also be used to mould clay bricks and roof tiles:

2. SEMI-TERSTAMATIQUE, a motorized (electric or diesel powered) soil block press with interchangeable moulds, functioning in much the same way as the TERSTARAM, but with a much higher output.

3. TERSTARAM Ground Breaker, a mobile (electric or diesel powered) earth pulverizer, with which the dry clay lumps in the raw material are disintegrated to produce a homogenious soil for brick production.

4. TERSTAMIX (also available under the trade name TETRAMIX ), a mobile (electric or diesel powered) two-paddle planetary mixer, required to prepare the soil for block production but also to prepare mortars and renderings.