Perfect Forming Technology at Bauma (Video)
Schlüsselbauer Technology, the Austrian supplier of pipe and manhole production equipment, centered this year’s Bauma presence on its Perfect Forming Technology system. The company showcased many exhibits such as steel molds and pipe and manhole products that represented the wide range of forms available for mass-producing precast items for civil engineering and infrastructure.
The Perfect Forming Technology range includes forms for pipes for both open-cut installation and jacking, for manhole bases, rings and cones, cover and transition slabs, box culverts, infrastructural components, tanks and troughs, and custom elements.
Trend towards casting
According to Schlüsselbauer Technology, we are currently seeing a global shift from conventional manufacturing methods for precast products for civil engineering to casting and in-mold curing using self-compacting and easily compactable concrete. The manufacturer stated that this approach was associated with the major benefit of significantly improved product quality compared to conventional production, particularly with respect to the geometrical accuracy of components and imperviousness of the concrete matrix.
To respond to this trend identified by Schlüsselbauer Technology, the company developed the Perfect Forming Technology system that includes forms and molds for pipes, manhole bases and covers in various designs and nominal diameters. Furthermore, production capacity can be varied and adjusted to demand if and when required. Another reason why Schlüsselbauer Technology is promoting the Perfect Forming Technology system is that it enables gradual automation of the production process at the customer site.
Perfect profile saw
A new addition to the Schlüsselbauer Technology range is the Perfect profile saw. It uses a computer-controlled hot-wire system to cut accurately fitting, custom pipe connections and block-outs from hard polystyrene foam in a quick and easy process whilst keeping material consumption to a minimum. The resulting parts are then used as placeholders during the production of precast items from easily compactable and self-compacting concrete. The profile saw adjusts connecting pieces and block-outs to all commonly used nominal diameters and seal types if required.
The design and development team concentrated on ease of use and a high degree of flexibility and efficiency of the machine, which is enabled by the user-friendly design involving features such as a 19’’ touch screen with a clearly structured menu, the option of presetting cutting programs for commonly used seals and pipe unions, and a remote maintenance option. The entire machine has a footprint of just 4.9 m². The workspace is very easy to access and is illuminated by energy-saving LED lamps.
The Perfect profile saw supports up to 15 different contour cutting tools to enable a particularly wide range of applications. It is thus suitable for producing perfectly fitting EPS pipe connections in diameters from 150 to 1,320 mm and heights of up to 550 mm. The flexible cutting table can also be turned about the B axis and inclined by up to 10°. This is why it is also suitable for cutting connecting parts in diameters of up to 710 mm at an inclination of up to 10°.
