CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLESTexas-Size Pipe Plant Installed At Hanson Pipe and Precast

AUGUST

2007 2Concrete Plant Internationalwww.cpi-worldwide.com

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Pipe are produced on a Hawkeye Pipe -Pro96 Machine. The form modules usedwith the machine range in diameter from12” (300mm) to 72” (1800mm) and in -clude modules for manufacturing six 24”(600mm) pipe at a time; four 30”(750mm) pipe at a time; and two 48”(1200mm) pipe at a time.

Additionally, any three modules can besimultaneously run on the PipePro96 formaximum production flexibility and out-put. According to Hanson Pipe and Pre -cast Production Manager Ken Morrison,outputs of more than 500 tons per produc-tion shift are achievable. The facility isdesigned as a single shift, double shift, oreven continuous three shift operation.

All manufacturing, transport and post-pro-cessing operations are fully automated.

Pipe are manufactured on a three-stationrotary turntable PipePro96 Machine. Thefinished pipe are automatically offbornefrom the machine to a moving floor sys -tem. The moving floor is part of a circula-ting kiln system that transports the pipethrough curing chambers. The sys tem isdesigned for any length or continuous pro-duction shifts. After curing, a manipulator retrieves thepipe from the moving floor system andtransports it to a depalletizer. The bottompallet and the top joint ring are automati-cally removed, cleaned and stored in anautomatic joint ring storage and retrievalarea. The pipe is then tipped, deburred,vacuum tested, marked and transportedoutdoors for storage. Since three differentsized pipe are manufactured simultane-ously, there are three separate storagerails. A built-in sorter automatically directspipe of a given size to each storage rail.The cleaned joint rings are stored in an

Texas-Size Pipe Plant Installed At HansonPipe and Precast

� The Hawkeye Group, Mediapolis IA-52637, USA

Everything is bigger in Texas! And that includesHanson Pipe and Precast’s new fully automatedpipe manufacturing facility in Houston. Equippedwith a Hawkeye PipePro96 Machine and form

modules that produce up to six pipe at-a-time,Hanson’s new facility is designed to produce tre-mendous quantities of pipe for the growingHouston market.

A 24” (600mm) Sixpack form module isshown being demoulded at the movingfloor.

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A 48” (1200mm) Duoform module isshown being demoulded at the movingfloor.

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The PipePro96 Machine manufactures three different sized pipe at a time on a rotaryturntable.

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automatic storage and retrieval area. Theindividual pallet and top joint ring manipu-lators used to store the rings are also usedto retrieve and feed rings to the Pipe Pro96Machine. If a new mould is put into pro-duction, the manipulators automaticallyretrieve and feed the appropriate size ofjoint rings to the PipePro96 Machine.

To enhance the facility’s production flexi-bility, mould changeover time is less thanone hour and the robotic handling andpost-processing equipment requires nochangeover as it automatically adjusts toany pipe size entering the system. To produce quality concrete pipe withexcellent cosmetics, Hawkeye’s new syn-

chronized vibration technology is utilizedin Hanson’s new facility. This vibrationtechnology assures dense, well compac-ted concrete. In addition, the form sets areequipped with attachments to enhancepipe cosmetics. These attachments includereplaceable, machined jacket and coretops which permit close fits.

Pipe are transported to curing chamberswith a circulating moving floor system thatpermits continuous or any length produc -tion shift.

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Manipulator shown removing 48” (1200mm) diameter pipe fromthe moving floor system for joint ring removal and post-process -ing.

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Pipe shown in the joint ring removal sta -tion. The bottom pallet and the top spigotformer are simultaneously removed andfed to cleaners. The pallet and spigot former removers automatically adjusts to the pipe size entering the station.

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After the joint rings are removed, the pipeis tipped to horizontal for presentation tothe post-processing line.

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A manipulator automatically retrieves six 24” (600mm) diameterpallets and places them on a shuttle. Shuttle presents the palletsto an oiling station, cage placement station and for pickup withthe demoulded form set.

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All pallets and spigot forming headers are retrieved and fed to the PipePro96 machine from an automatic storage area.

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CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLES

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Also, top spigot forming headers are usedand remain on the product throughout thecuring process to insure precision joints.With the combination of stay-in-place hea-ders and automated header removal andhandling equipment, Hanson not only pro-duces a superior joint, but actually redu-ced their labor costs as compared tousing hand-placed shaping rings.

The batching and mixing plant is aWiggert/ACT MobilMat Mo 110 plantwith a HPGM 3750 planetary mixer anda production capacity of 153 Tons DryCast Concrete per hour. The 4 bin aggre-gate row type silo has 260 CuM storagecapacity (or 460 tons storage capacity),

2 X 550BBL cement silos and PCS controlfor unattended control room operation.The concrete batch is initiated by theHawkeye control which monitors the con-crete weight in the Pipe Pro Plus machinehopper. A Deluxe Call station with toughscreen allows the operator to makechanges in order quantity, batch size etcdirectly from the Hawkeye machine ope-rator station. The mix water is automatical-ly adjusted by the microwave Hydromatsystem that compensates water batch toperfectly maintain water/cement ratio.Aggregate Hydrotester probe in theaggregate bins compensate and maintainbatch yield. The silo dust collection systemis serviced by a ground mounted dust

collector. Silos are protected by a silooverfill protection system.

Even considering the large tonnage ofpipe that is produced, Hanson’s new faci-lity is very safe and provides advance-ment and training opportunities for high-level production staff. Morrison reportsthat the facility’s products are receivingtop reviews and that the level of quality isconsistent with Hanson Pipe and Precast’scorporate objective to supply superiorquality products to the industry.

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The bell and spigot end of the pipe are simultaneously deburred. Deburring equipmentis designed for both round and elliptical concrete pipe.

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Pipe are automatically labeled during post-processing.

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Wiggert/ACT MobilMat Mo 110 plant

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Further information:

The Hawkeye Group506 S. Wapello St.Mediapolis, Iowa, 52637 · USAT +1 319 3943197 F +1 319 3943977info@hawkeye-pipe.com www.hawkeye-pipe.com