Concrete Pipe Casting with Delayed Sleeve Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the wet concrete casting method for producing concrete pipes, air bubbles in the pourable concrete escape upwards and form undesired air pores in the coupling attachments, and the setting behavior of the concrete is difficult to account for, leading to irregular surfaces and inefficiencies in demolding.
Innovation Solution
Pourable concrete is poured into the moulding space with the upper mould sleeve removed, allowing it to set for a predefined time before the closed ring mould sleeve is pressed into the pipe body, enabling air bubbles to escape and allowing for smooth surface formation during compression moulding of the coupling attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the upper mould sleeve remains open on the front side to allow concrete pouring, then the pouring process is simplified, but air bubbles collect in the region of the open front side causing undesired air pores in the coupling attachments
Solution Approach 1:
The upper mould sleeve is closed before the concrete setting process begins, preventing air bubbles from collecting in the coupling attachment region. The sleeve is then pressed into the concrete after a predefined setting time has elapsed, forming the coupling attachment without air pores.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of keeping the mould sleeve open during pouring and accepting air pore formation, the invention closes the sleeve and inverts the process sequence: the sleeve is closed before pouring completes, allowed to set with the closed configuration, and then pressed into the concrete to form the attachment.
2Productivity
If the upper mould sleeve is pressed onto the concrete body immediately after pouring, then the coupling attachment is formed early, but air bubbles cannot escape and air pores form in the concrete
Solution Approach 1:
The concrete is allowed to set for a predefined time period before the upper mould sleeve is pressed into it. This preliminary setting period enables air bubbles to escape while the concrete is still pourable, preventing air pore formation before the attachment formation process begins.
3Ease of operation
If the mantle is divided and expanded for demoulding, then the pipe body can be removed from the mould, but the process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mantle is divided into segments that can be radially pulled apart during demoulding, allowing the pipe body to be removed. This segmentation enables easy demoulding while maintaining a relatively simple mould structure that can be reused.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method ensures true-to-size formation of coupling attachments and prevents air pores, allowing for better control over the setting behavior of the concrete, resulting in smooth, pore-free surfaces and efficient demolding within manufacturing tolerances.
Implementation Method 1
the concrete body in the casting mould must cure before it can be demoulded
Implementation Method 2
In the course of the setting process the air bubbles included in the pourable concrete escape upwards
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing concrete pipes in a vertical casting mould comprising a moulding space (4) between a core (2) and a mantle (3) divided lengthwise and comprising mould sleeves (5, 9) which terminate the moulding space (4) at the bottom and at the top is described, wherein pourable concrete is poured into the moulding space (4) and the pipe body (7) is demoulded after setting of the concrete by opening the mantle (3). In order to be able to cast high-quality concrete pipes, it is proposed that the pourable concrete is poured into the moulding space (4) in a predetermined quantity when the upper mould sleeve (9) is removed and that the upper mould sleeve (9) forming a closed ring is pressed in a shaping manner into the end face of the pipe body (7) only after a setting time for a predefined setting volume of the cast pipe body (7) between the core (2) and the mantle (3).