Method for manufacturing mortar-based elements
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Weber
InventorsKersten Opdenbusch, Jan Blaakmeer, Bruno Miguel Nunes Lobo, Lutz Piertzik, Tanja Hofmann
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Abstract
A method is for manufacturing elements including hydraulic binder and aggregates. The method includes mixing a dry mortar composition including hydraulic binder and aggregates with water, to form a wet mortar. The method also includes pumping and conveying the wet mortar towards an outlet. During the conveying at least two physical properties of the wet mortar are measured on-line. The physical properties include viscosity and at least one of flow and density.
Claims21
A 3-D printing method for manufacturing elements comprising hydraulic binder and aggregates, said method comprising:
- mixing with a mixing device a dry mortar composition comprising hydraulic binder and aggregates with water, to form a wet mortar,
- pumping and conveying said wet mortar using a pump positioned downstream of the mixing device towards a printing nozzle of a computer-controlled 3-D printer,
- wherein the wet mortar is conveyed from the pump to the printing nozzle using a hose,
- wherein one or more sensors are arranged between the pump and the printing nozzle such that during said conveying of the wet mortar in the hose towards the printing nozzle at least two physical properties of the wet mortar are measured on-line upstream of the printing nozzle before the wet mortar enters the printing nozzle and downstream of the pump after the wet mortar passes through the pump, said physical properties including viscosity and at least one of flow and density,
- adjusting a flow of water sent to the mixing device based on data received from the one or more sensors, and
- depositing, by extruding the wet mortar through the printing nozzle of the computer-controlled 3-D printer, a layer of wet mortar on a previous layer of mortar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.