CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONEStonedge meets market demand for wet cast hardscape

OCTOBER

2011 5Concrete Plant Internationalwww.cpi-worldwide.com

SPECIAL PRINTCPI 11/05

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“We have gotten through the recession inrelatively good shape,” notes Techo-Blocfounder and president, Charles Ciccarello.“Our sales never stopped growing, whichallowed us to continue to invest in researchand marketing.” One critical area for newinvestment has been wet-cast product devel-op ment and manufacturing. In 2004, St.-Hubert, Quebec, Canada-based Techo-Bloc created the Stonedgedivision in order to add high quality wetcast products to its growing product cata-

log. In order to meet the demand of Techo-Bloc distributors in Canada and the easternUnited States, a dedicated Stonedge plantwas built about 11 miles away in Chambly,Quebec, under the design and engineeringguidance of Canadian engineering andmanufacturing company, Automacad Inc. Within a couple of years, the 15,000 sq. ft.wet-cast plant began to stress the limits of itsmix of manual and semi-automated systems.By the end of 2008, at the height of therecessionary slowdown, Techo-Bloc began

developing plans for a new, much largerwet-cast manufacturing facility. In 2009,the company acquired a 10-acre parcel justdown the street from the original Stonedgeplant and again enlisted the help of long-time partner Automacad to design and builda fully automated wet-cast plant on the newsite. “We have worked with Tech-Bloc andStonedge for the past 10 years, helpingthem meet their goals for productivity, qual-ity and innovation,” says Automacad presi-dent Louis Hébert. Automacad specializesin the design, construction and installationof customized equipment for concrete prod-uct manufacturers. By the time the Automa -cad design team began working on plansfor the new Stonedge plant, the originalplant was operating seven days per week,two shifts per day to meet demand. Theplant was fast reaching its maximum outputof about 10,000 sq. ft. (929 sq. meters) perday.

“Stonedge wet cast products are an inte-gral part of the Techo-Bloc product cata-log,” Ciccarello notes. “Most of our cus-tomer projects blend both dry- and wet-castproducts, such as a column of dry caststones topped by a wet cast cap. We need-ed a new plant that was capable of match-ing the output of our dry cast productionfacilities, and do so with extreme efficiencyand the highest quality. When we startedplanning, that level of output was unheardof. Traditional wet-cast production was toolabor intensive and time-consuming. Weneeded an entirely new approach basedon precision automation.” Over the next two years, Stonedge andTecho-Bloc engineers worked side-by-sidewith engineers from its vendor partners todesign, build, test and implement what isbelieved to be the first ever fully automatedwet-cast product manufacturing facility of itssize in the world.

“Automacad not only engineered and pro-duced the majority of the equipment for thenew plant, but also managed all of theresources and vendors needed to get this

Stonedge meets market demandfor wet cast hardscape

Automacad, Inc., Candiac, Québec, J5R 6X1, Canada

Recession…what recession? At Techo-Bloc Inc. and its subsidiary, Les Pierres Stonedge (Stonedge Stones), the recent recession came andwent with barely a blip on the sales radar screen. Founded in 1989, Techo-Bloc has consistently lead its markets with innovative design andmanufacturing of natural looking, dry cast hardscaping products such as pavers, retaining wall systems and masonry stones.

Charles Ciccarello, founder and president ofTecho-Bloc, stands on the manufacturingfloor of the new 80,000 sq. ft. Stonedgewet cast products plant his company recentlycompleted in Chambly, Quebec, Canada.Just behind him is the Automacad-providedwet line (nearest) and (in orange in back-ground) the ACT MobilMat mo2250-750automatic concrete batching system.

Stonedge plant manager Louis-PhillipeBernier started working for Techo-Bloc in2002 and moved to the firm’s Stonedgedivision in 2004 to incorporate wet castconcrete into the Techo-Bloc product line.The firm’s wet cast masonry veneer is on thewall behind him and wet cast stone slab isunderfoot.

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project done,” Ciccarello explains. “Our close working relationshipwith Automacad means that we share information both ways. Theylearn about this business and what is needed to be successful fromus and they, in turn, provide us with automated systems and processdesigns that help us meet our goals.”

The new, 80,000 sq. ft. plant includes more than 200 custom andsemi-custom innovations in manufacturing automation that make itunique in the industry, including:

Automated concrete mixing and batching plant

Fresh concrete is prepared automatically in the MobilMatMo2250-750 batch plant from Advanced Concrete Technologies(ACT). Dual planetary high shear mixers, computer controlled mixand color recipes, and up to 48 cubic yards/hour (see “Recipe forsuccess”) ensure unimpeded throughput on the wet line.

Automacad Color-I color application robots can deliver up to 14colors for unlimited coloration patterns and non-repetitive effects.The robots apply color to the inside of the mold cavity, just prior tovolumetric filling.

Completed in the summer of 2011, the new 80,000 sq. ft. Stonedgefacility near Montreal, Canada, is believed to be the most highlyautomated wet cast manufacturing plant of its size in the world.A staff of just four per shift is required to run the entire plant, whichhas an output goal of approximately 2,000 sq. meters of productper 8-hour shift.

The Stonedge plant wet line is shown here, prior to plant start-up.Two Automacad Color-I color application robots stand ready in theforeground, while the ACT MobilMat Mo2250-750 concretebatching system looms over the line in the background. Continuousautomatic operation is controlled by the Automacad SCADA centralcontrol.

Dual Automacad product handling robots stand ready on thepackaging lines in the foreground of this interior view of the newStonedge wet cast concrete products facility outside of Montreal,Canada. Automacad, a Canadian design and manufacturing firm,engineered and produced more than 200 pieces of equipment forthe new plant.

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Recipe for success: master the mix

Consistent, fresh concrete made with repeatable accuracy isessential to produce high quality precision precast concreteproducts. The new 80,000 sq. ft. Stonedge wet cast concreteproducts plant in Chambly, Quebec, features a dual-mixerMobilMat Mo2250-750 batching system from AdvancedConcrete Technologies (ACT) of Greenland, New Hamp shire,the American division of Wiggert + Co, and Würschum GmbH.The ACT plant has a output of 48 cubic yards per hour andfeeds face and base hoppers mounted above the Stonedge wetline.

ACT engineers worked closely with Automacad and Stonedgeteams to design the optimal layout for the batch plant. All criti-cal plant components are located indoors to avoid the adverseeffects of Montreal’s harsh winters. Important batch plant fea-tures include:

Dual Wiggert HPGM 2250 high shear planetary mixersThese mixers can produce batches every 2.5 minutes in contin-uous production. Each mixer is equipped with a microwaveHydromat moisture probe that allows automatic batch wateradjustment to maintain the target water/cement ratio definedby each product recipe. Combined with Hydrotester moistureprobes in the sand bins, the ACT system provides the controlneeded to consistently produce precision mix designs requiredfor wet cast production, including SCC (self consolidating con-crete). The mixers are equipped with an automatic mixer clean-ing system that requires just 10 minutes and a fraction of thewater normally used in manual clean-ups. The clean-up water isrecycled back into the production stream. A new automatic batchwater temperature correction system compensates for the widerange of mix component temperatures found in the Montrealenvironment to maintain consistent concrete set times.

COM70-2 Automatic pigment metering systemBecause wet cast concrete products are designed to simulatenatural stone and other natural elements, color is a critical com-ponent of the Stonedge plant. Along with highlight colors thatare added to molds by the Automacad Color-I robotic system,the ACT COM70-2 color metering system is used to produceany base/face color required by a particular wet cast productrecipe, and do so with consistent repeatability. In addition, mul-tiple colors can be preweighed and used to create marbledcolor effects if required, adding beauty, value and flexibility tothe Stonedge production capabilities.

PCS Control SystemPCS Control System features both touch screen and mouse/key-board navigation and provides automatic order tracking, auto-matic in-flight correction of all components; production statistics,inventory administration and alerts, automatic diagnostics, andremote diagnostics and updates. The automated PCS Control isdesigned for unattended control room operation. The Auto -macad operator console includes a built-in ACT call station toenable the operator to initiate automatic concrete calls.

Five 700-ton aggregate silosThe aggregate silos are located inside the production buildingto provide protection from freezing and rain. Dual batching

gates offer fast/slow batching accuracy. The silos are chargedfrom an in In-ground truck dump hopper that allows aggregatedeliveries to be transferred via 300 ton-per-hour conveyor fromground level to the aggregate storage bins without a front-endloader – a 5-position shuttle belt automatically directs differentaggregates into appropriate storage bins.

Three 100-ton cement silosThe 100-ton cement silos are equipped with radar silo probesfor accurate level indication and user definable alarms for“low” and “high” silo levels.

Site design engineering & commissioning ACT worked with Automacad and Stonedge to design a plantlayout for optimal performance and profitability, including on-site visits, plan review, pre-delivery preparation (prewired, pre-plumbed, and pretested at factory), installation and start-uptraining.

Precision wet cast concrete recipes require state-of-the-artmixing and batching. At the new Stonedge plant outside Montreal,Cana da, a computer-controlled concrete batch plant fromAdvanced Concrete Technologies (ACT) delivers consistent, freshconcrete to the Auto macad wet line. The ACT MobilMat Mo2250-750 features dual planetary mixers, PCS Control System, andmoisture probes for complete water/cement ratio control, auto -matic mixer cleanout system, color metering, and automatic batchwater temperature correction.

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Automated wet line

The Automacad-developed wet line features automatic releaseagent coating of polyurethane wet-cast molds; RFID (radio frequencyidentification) mold tracking; color application robots (Automacad’sColor-I system) with up to 14 colors for unlimited coloration patternsand non-repetitive effects; feeds face/base hoppers that supply volu-

metric filling stations for precise dosage no matter what size cavity;adjustable frequency/amplitude vibration stations consolidate con-crete ensuring complete cavity fill; and granulator dispenser thatapplies protective granules to some products to protect them laterduring packaging.

Automated transfer within curing chamber

Product handling systems (see “Handle with care” sidebar) fromHess Machinery efficiently collect and transport molds using fingercar transport, and elevators and lowerators. A Hess-supplied racksystem holds filled molds within an Envirocure curing chamber fromCDS Concrete, where optimal temperature, humidity and air circu-lation are maintained for the 8-12 hour curing cycle.

Automated demolding or dry line

Here, Automacad-developed conveyor systems move the moldsalong the line through various demolding steps, including a legboard flipper, rotation, an automated demolding station, moldreturn, and stacking station. Leg boards with demolded productmay either be returned for an additional cure period or sent directlyto the packaging lines.

Automated packaging lines

Two independently controlled packaging lines, each featuring aproduct handling robot (see “Close-up on packaging” below) de -veloped by Automacad, provide high throughput, eliminates manu-al labor, reduces breakage, and provides flexible palleting andwrapping options.

Hess Machinery played a key role in outfitting the new Stonedgewet cast manufacturing plant. The firm provided 24-ton capacityfinger cars for transporting freshly poured molds to the curingchamber and for moving cured product to the demoldinglower ator. In addition, Hess provided curing racks and elevators/lowerators.

Close-up view of the dual Automacad packaging robots, eachequipp ed with custom vacuum heads that use powerful suction toenable each to lift 700 pounds of product at full extension andmaximum speed. The precise control system created by Automacadallows the robots to handle any size or shape concrete product andorient it vertically, horizontally or any angle in between required forpacking.

Handle with care: Hess transfer and handling systemsmake a difference

“Hess was an important partner in providing a fully automated,integrated production solution for Stonedge,” says AutomacadConcrete president Louis Hébert, whose company developedmore than 200 pieces of custom or customized equipment forthe new Stonedge wet cast plant in Chambly, Quebec.

Hess Machinery provided 24-ton capacity finger cars for trans-porting freshly poured molds to the curing chamber and trans-porting cured product to the demolding line lowerater. TheHess finger car is powered by electric servo motors for precisionmovement, avoiding the possibility of damage to newly pouredwet cast products. In addition, Hess provided curing racks and elevator/lowera-tors. The zinc-coated curing racks were designed to meetStonedge requirements for spacing, number, and distance oflayers and load factors. Loading and unloading of the producthappens with an automated roll door control. The racks areinstalled within the Stonedge curing chamber controlled by theEnvirocure system from CDS Concrete.

Once curing of the product is completed, the product is trans-ported to the lowerator by the finger car and transferred to thedemolding line. The lowerator/elevators have a 24-ton loadcapacity, allowing them to take a full load from the finger car. “The scale of this plant required new specifications in size forthe handling system and Hess really stepped up to provide a

high level of service for this project,” notes Stonedge plant man-ager Louis-Philippe Bernier. “At various times, we had engineersfrom many different vendors helping us during design, develop -ment, installation and start-up. The Hess engineers workedalongside Automacad to fine tune their systems for optimal effi-ciency.”

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Complete SCADA(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) central control

Automacad oversaw development of the custom plant control sys-tem, requiring thousands of hours of design, programming and test-ing time. The system tracks individual molds with embedded RFIDidentification tags, and manages all recipes using 14 Siemens PLCs.The system also provides real-time cost monitoring via productiondashboards that are web accessible by secure access. Potentialdaily production capacity is shown in bar graph form. As produc-tion is scheduled for the day, the bar graphs fill up to show howmuch time or capacity remains available for each shift. Trends, his-toric tracking and planning are all included in the control system.

The new Stonedge wet cast plant is capable of producing approxi-mately 2000 sq. meters per shift of patio slabs, steps, and acces-sories. The plant will supply Techo-Bloc markets in eastern Canada,and the U.S. East Coast and Midwest.

“We expect more than twice the output from our new plant, yet we’llneed less than half the staff to run it,” says Techo-Bloc’s Ciccarello.He notes that the company views the first Stonedge plant as aresearch and development trea sure trove and that the lessonslearned there were put to good use in the design for the new plant.

Ciccarello says that centralized control and full automation enablethe company’s new plant to overcome one of the most serious detri-ments to wet cast production: lack of consistency. The use of com-puter control and the reduction in manual labor and human inter-vention has made the new Stonedge plant a model of accuracy andquality control. From the computer-controlled concrete mixing andbatching plant delivered by ACT — ensuring precision in maintaining

Automacad designed a special vacuum head, powerful enough to liftany shape or size concrete wet cast product, and position it forpackaging at any angle. Automacad used sensors from ifm efectoron the head to control vacuum pressure and other parameters. Thesystem enables Stonedge to pack a board of product every sevenseconds without any human labor

Automacad squeezer clamp is electrically and pneumatically power -ed and can handle blocks of nearly any design, size or height,prelocating them safely and easily in preparation for the packagingrobot.

Compact and durable turnover unit is self-adjustable to any moldthickness and holds even the tiniest pieces securely, making it one ofthe most efficient machines of its kind in the industry.

Release agent applicator and volumetric filling station.

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consistent water/cement ratios, base color,and mix temperature — to the overall manu-facturing flow control provided by theAutomacad SCADA system, the Stonedgeplant delivers repeatable accuracy 24x7.

This control and automation also makes iteasy for Stonedge to meet market demandsfor product variety and innovative new fea-tures. “One big problem that other wet castmanufacturers face is inflexible produc-tion,” explains Stonedge plant managerLouis-Philippe Bernier. “Many other wetcast manufacturers have lines devoted tospecific products and are locked into thoseproducts or form factor. Our design goalfrom the outset was to make this new planthighly versatile and efficient. We’veachieved that and then some.” In just five minutes, production at theStonedge plant can be switched from patioslabs to masonry block, or any other prod-uct the plant produces. RFID labels onevery mold and scanners throughout theplant allows the SCADA system to knowexactly what’s currently on the line andhow much to produce. Integration with theACT concrete batching system means thecorrect mix recipe is ready and waitingwhen a product change is required.

Automation specialist Automacad helpedthe Stonedge team study every aspect ofwet cast production to identify areas ofimprovement and potential bottlenecks. Tomaximize efficiency and productivity, cer-tain areas in the production process were

doubled to eliminate choke points. Forinstance, multiple vibration tables are usedto increase throughput.

Close-up on packaging

Special attention was paid to the design ofthe plant’s demolding and packaging lines.These lines were found to be sources ofdelays at the original Stonedge plant.There, cured slabs, for instance, werestacked at the exit buffer, lifted by plant per-sonnel and transported manually to thestrapping area to be packed and shipped.In the new plant, these lines are fully auto-mated and designed to be 20% faster thanthe wet line. To achieve this goal, the Automacad teamdesigned an automated conveying systemequipped with two ABB® industrial articu-lated robots each with a 5-axis overheadarm that can pick and place the cured con-crete slabs from the conveyor to the pack-ing area. The robotic arms are equippedwith a specially designed vacuum headthat uses powerful suction to lift up to 700pounds of product at full extension and atmaximum speed.

Automacad create the precision control sys-tem to allow the robots to handle concreteproducts of different shapes and sizes.Each robotic vacuum head is equippedwith ifm efector PQ Series vacuum sensorsand communication modules that use theAS-I DeviceNet interface to send andreceive information.

“Packaging was our number one challengein order to obtain the efficiency we need forprofitable operation,” notes plant managerBernier. “Our new plant is the first to beable to package a board of product in sevenseconds, in any orientation – vertically, hori -zontally and anything in between. Most ofour slabs must be packed vertically to mini-mize the risk of breakage since they aretypi cally about two inches thick. With tworobots and two lines, we can package dif-ferent products if we need to at the sametime. The robots can also be reconfiguredvery quickly with different vacuum heads tohandle a variety of products.”

What was it like to design, build, test andinstall more than 200 new pieces of equip-ment? “It’s what we do,” says Automacad’sHébert. “If you want to gain a competitiveadvantage in any market, you can’t simplydo exactly what the competition is doing oruse the same equipment and expect to getbetter results. You need to innovate andchallenges yourself. That’s what Techo-Blocand Stonedge have done”

Hébert credits the cooperation of Auto -macad’s many partners and other equip-ment suppliers in helping to keep the com-plex development project on track for near-ly two years. “ACT for mixing and batching,Hess for finger cars and elevators, CDS forthe curing system– all of these partnersplayed critical roles. Wet cast productshave been very popular in Europe for manyyears. Only recently have we begun to seetremendous interest building in NorthAmerica. We believe that automation is thekey to creating a profitable wet cast manu-facturing business and that Stonedge is aprime example of how to do it right.”

Why Automacad?

“They’ve done a great job for us for thepast ten years and we’re very happy withthe results,” says Ciccarello. “They are theideal partners for this type of new venture.Nothing is beyond the realm of possibilitywhen you work with a partner likeAutomacad that thinks outside the box andis focused on solving large scale problemswith creative solutions.” �

Automacad deployed sensors from ifm efector North America throughout the Stonedge plantto track product as it moves through the facility and feed information to the Automacad-designed SCADA central control system.

Wet cast stone and accessories deliver the beauty and warmth ofnatural materials at a fraction of the cost and with greater consistencyand durability. In 2004, Techo-Bloc added wet cast products to itscatalog and built a dedicated wet cast manufacturing facility outsideMontreal, Canada, to produce the highest quality wet cast productsfor its customers in eastern Canada and eastern United States.Shown here are photos of actual customer installations. Photo Afeatures the Inca slab series in the Victoria color scheme; Photo Bfeatures Monaco interior/ exterior masonry veneer; Photo C featuresthe Muro Naturale textured stone; and Photo D highlights thePortofino pool coping/edge.

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FURTHER INFORMATION

Les Pierres Stonedge, Inc., 8505 Samuel Hatt Chambly, QC J3L 6V4 · Québec, CanadaT +1 450 447 4780 · F +1 450 447 4786info@techo-bloc.com · www.pierre-stonedge.com

Automacad, Inc.240 Liberté Avenue · Candiac, Québec · J5R 6X1 · CanadaT +1 450 632 6323 · F +1 450 632 6335infos@automacad.com · www.automacad.com

Wiggert & Co. GmbH, Wachhausstr. 3 b, 76227 Karlsruhe, GermanyT +49 721 943460 ·F +49 721 402208 info@wiggert.com · www.wiggert.com

Hess Group | Hess Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG Freier-Grund-Straße 123 · 57299 Burbach-Wahlbach, GermanyT +49 2736 49760 · F +49 2736 497620info@hessgroup.com · www.hessgroup.com

CDS Group, Cinderhill Industrial Estate, Weston Coyney RoadLongton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 5JU, UKT +44 1782 336666, F +44 1782 599279info@cds-concrete.com, www.cds-concrete.com