Clay pipes are often employed especially in the Near East when the modernisation or extension of the existing infrastructure is concerned. A current project in Saudi Arabia with a special customer/supplier relationship is described below.
Production of the vitrified clay pipes
The clay pipe-handling units is part of a newly built factory for SVCP (Saudi Vitrified Clay Pipe Co.) in Saudi Arabia. The special thing about the project was the relationship between the partners involved. The companies Steinzug-Keramo and Münstermann are linked by a long-standing relationship based on a close partnership. The production process at Steinzeug-Keramo in Frechen has been brought up to date in recent years. Münstermann was responsible for the complete handling system including the kiln and dryer car circulation, automation and a well thought out safety concept.
Steinzeug-Keramo has on the other hand far-reaching experience in the sector presses and of course as one of the respected suppliers of clay pipes extensive know-how in the daily application of these respective units. This was knowledge that Münstermann just did not have to that extent. When the enquiry for the presses and the related handling system reached us from the Saudi factory, it was decided to pool the Münstermann's competences in the sectors plant engineering and project implementation with Steinzeug-Keramo's pressing machines and production know-how and offer these collectively. The result is a system solution, that convinces straight into the details such as automation or embedded in the press handling system.
Description of the project
Basically the whole unit delivered consists of four individual press plants including the complete handling system. The complete processing of the pipe including the shaping and buffing of the coupling sleeve, and the labelling of the pipe is implemented directly at the press by the handling system. The pipe does not need to be transferred to other handling systems but is placed onto the dryer car by the material handling system at the press. The presses, including the handling system, are an integral part of the complete newly designed production unit. Other contractors supplied the sections for the subsequent steps in the production process such as drying, firing, and glazing.
Summary
In this project no new revolutionary concepts or production processes are employed. In fact for one thing for example many details such as the control system or the pick-up of the pipe from the press in accordance with the Steinzeug-Keramo production were optimised and on the other hand as a turnkey supplier of the press unit any possible interfaces between the press and the actual positioning of the pipe on the dryer car could be avoided. In addition to the plant components already presented Münstermann can also supply the kiln and dryer transportation circuits including the plant units such as the transfer cars or the turntables and the control systems of the complete unit even at command level.