Automated concrete plant
KTB Machinery, in parnership with its sister company Consmema, acted as a turnkey machine builder to develop the factory for the production of Levvel blocks, which is fully operational and runs 24/7. The factory performed above expectations and made a significant contribution to reinforcing the Dutch IJsselmeer Dam with precast concrete.
The production line was to realize a set cycle time and production capacity. The target number of concrete blocks per unit of time can be produced consistently and reproducibly. We took care of the full process: from engineering and design to construction and commissioning.
1. From design to continuous production
Levvel blocks were produced in an automated carousel with over a hundred steel moulds. Each mould was filled with concrete and removed after curing. Empty moulds were inspected, cleared of cement residue and prepared to be filled again. The plant used over 100 moulds and 160 pallet trolleys, producing one Levvel-bloc every nine minutes, amounting to a minimum of one hundred blocks per day.
2. Opening and milestones
On Friday 27 September 2019, the Levvel-bloc factory was officially opened. After two years of production, the 55,000th block was produced. A total of 75,000 concrete Levvel-blocs for the Levvel construction consortium on behalf of the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works. This production made sure the project was well on schedule.
3. Results and impact
The factory delivered stable and reliable production of high-quality precast concrete elements. Efficiency, minimal downtime and consistent product quality were provided by the continuous process and the automated carousel.
Innovative engineering and automated production processes realized a concrete plant that according to Johan Kooij (director) “looked just as a concrete plant should look today,” The project showed KTB’s high-quality expertise in precast concrete, automation and turnkey machine construction.
The plant has since been dismantled, but the components used live on in other projects, as a proof of KTB’s sustainable and flexible application of solutions.