65 years of manufacturing a wide range of products on KVM machines

Paving stones, curbs, slabs, blocks

KVM’s experience is based on having been the leading producer of equipment and machinery for the manufacture of paving stones, curbs, slabs, blocks etc. in the Scandinavian market for more than 65 years. The well-known Scandinavian preference for high quality, efficiency, environmental friendliness, safety, service and reliability gave KVM the ability to expand, which is why the company has also become the leading supplier in the UK in the 1980s. KVM is now a regular supplier in many parts of the world, mainly focusing on Northern Europe, North America and Central Europe.

KVM’s business is firmly based on a long-term approach. All decisions are made with an emphasis on developing long-term relationships with customers as well as long-lasting and efficient products. The employees’ level of expertise is second to none with many years of working experience at KVM. The company’s financial position is rock-solid and KVM will remain a dependable and trustworthy partner for many years to come.

KVM block machine

At bauma in October, KVM exhibited a block machine belonging to the new generation of production machinery. This machine is a 1500-3/S DF model capable of producing concrete paving stones and slabs, curbs, precast elements, solid and hollow blocks, walling elements etc.

Mold and filling box exchange

65 years of manufacturing a wide range of products on KVM machines resulted in a unique experience in creating special tools for the manufacture of custom products. As one of the few European producers of both molds and block machines, KVM has specific expertise in integrating both components to create a wide variety of concrete products. This knowledge and the willingness and interest from long-term customers in investing time and effort in joint projects developing special products gave rise to the next step in the long development of KVM block-making machinery.

The block machine exhibited at bauma 2022 is fitted with an upgraded mold change system also capable of replacing the filling box within ten minutes. The idea behind this unique system is to ensure that products are manufactured with a filling box specifically designed for the job. The days of being forced to use the same standard filling system for all products are gone. Nowadays, one can always use a filling box made for the specific product, which will ease production, shorten cycle time and reduce waste and cement consumption. Another advantage of this system is that the filling box can be cleaned and serviced while the block machine is in production mode using another unit.

 The base of the machine is an exceedingly strong frame placed on rubber dampers to remove the vibration that would otherwise be passed on to the surroundings. The machine frame comes with an unrivaled 5-year warranty.

CPC control system

The PLC/PC control system is programmed with the latest technology and is designed for optimizing visibility and control of the operation of the entire block plant.

The entire plant, including the batching and mixing unit, block machine, handling and cubing systems, is managed and controlled from a single communication center, where all recipes and product settings are stored and all reports are generated. Visibility is created by on-screen pictures and flow charts in which all relevant positions, valves and motors are visualized on the screen. A new graphic design with symbols provides a multilingual understanding, and together with the 24” industrial monitor a user-friendly view is accomplished.

Help texts and pictures for on-screen guidance allow for the simple and reliable operation for the operator and clear visibility. Online plant documentation enables quick fault finding. The 24/7/365 help line ensures excellent service for customers.

The operator has easy access to and information about:

Frequency and amplitude of the variable vibrator system

Set points and speed for filling box

Mold history with ID number, cycle time, block height, maintenance and defined production details

Store consumption and production capacity of each product

Detailed view of ongoing production running through the handling and cubing system

Monthly production statistics

Alarms and warnings

Production stops with extended user-defined stop positions and time history

All relevant settings are saved in a product setup to be easily recalled next time the product is to be produced.

The KVM control system has an automated energy-saving feature, which stops all motors and hydraulic pumps after a short time when there is no demand from motion control. This reduces both energy consumption and wear.

 Equipped with numerous active support features, operators can retain full command of the plant from a single control panel, using the latest technology in MMI and the latest developments in visualization facilities offering the operator the most extensive communication with the process.

The report section indicates both the current status and operation of the plant and documentation of previously produced batches. Easy access to all historical production data provides considerable advantages when carrying out quality control, while also enabling the customer to document the materials used in any previous shipments throughout the lifetime of the particular product.

The control system makes it possible to display all relevant production data via the Internet, providing the operator and management with greater freedom of movement without relinquishing control of the system.

Close collaboration with customers

Increasing production rates place considerably higher demands on the operator. This is why the new control system was developed by KVM in close collaboration with the company’s customers. The aim was to maintain the quality of the products, maximize operational reliability and increase flexibility of operations. For this reason, the control system features an open architecture design utilizing tried-and-tested components that are both easy to service and readily available throughout the world.

Training and instruction in the use of the control system is carried out at the KVM training center, which holds specially designed courses for the operational use of all the company’s products. More than three hundred operators undergo training at the center every year.

G-Form mold concept for all machine brands 

The G-Form concept is based on wear parts with tight tolerances and the deepest and toughest hardening achievable. Combined with machine parts such as tamper heads and mold frames made of cast steel, this provides a flexible and long-lasting mold solution.

The parts are balanced to produce perfect harmony between mold and machine. In normal use a 1 million cycle guarantee is given for these parts.

Advantages of the G-Form mold concept:

Far better than the average in environmental terms

Replaceable wear parts

Deepest and toughest hardening

No welding during assembly

Tight tolerances on all key dimensions

Surround frames made from vibration-resistant steel

Guarantee on all cast steel mold parts

The mold technology and the manufacturing process of reliable molds are subject to continuous improvement. Quality is managed according to the ISO 9001:2000 system.