There are two main categories of masonry recognized in the construction industry. These are either block or stone masonry. Recently there has been enormous interest in the use of block masonry as compared to use of stone in construction. Most developing countries in Africa and the world are in the middle of a construction boom and this has created demand for construction equipments.
The Block Making Machine The usage of the block making has been increasing in the recent years, mainly due to the rise in the construction projects around the world. The concrete block making machine offers multiple advantages which has made them more preferred over the stone blocks in the developing countries. Some of these advantages are;
- Guaranteed versatility; the concrete blocks are highly versatile for everyday use due to high structural strength and performance. The blocks can also be manufactured in various colors, shapes and surface textures both for indoor and outdoor usage.
- They are manufactured in larger sizes and therefore requiring much fewer joints as compared to stone blocks which are cut in standard sizes.
- The concrete block machine is able to manufacture blocks of uniform sizes, which allows use of modular systems and accuracy of construction is achieved with these concrete blocks.
- Cost reduction ;the concrete blocks are more cost effective as compared other types of blocks due to the production efficiency derived use of the block making machine. This has also made them attractive for use in the developing countries.
- High compressive strength; the compression strength of the concrete blocks exceeds 10N/mm2. This allows them use in many resistant walls.
Features of the Concrete Block Machine Promoting Demand in These Countries Automation; there has been high level of automation in the manufacturing and construction of the concrete block machines. The current machines have gone one step further to make the machines as semi automatic. One example is the machine construction where the molding trays are easily movable, rather than having to move the entire machine.
Control systems; the equipment comes with a computerized control system including a touch screen interphase and an encoder for various operational processes. These will help in controlling the frequency and range of vibration with exact precision. This makes the concrete block machine to be among the most reliable machines on the market today.
Efficiency in power consumption Continued innovation and research has led to the development of block making machines that have high energy savings, while maintaining high performance levels. This has great advantages in the developing countries where electrical installations and power supply levels are always fluctuating.
Production Capacity The high production capacity of the block making machines has also been a major factor driving demand for the machines and the increase usage of concrete blocks in the developing countries. The machine output per hour can be as high as 1000 blocks depending on the number of moulds and size of the moulds made per hour. With all these positive developments and features, the demand for the block making machine will continue to grow exponentially in developing as well as developed countries.