System and method for manufacturing cementitious boards with on-line slurry set measurement

A system for manufacturing a cementitious board, the cementitious board having a cementitious core interposed between a pair of cover sheets, the cementitious core formed from an aqueous cementitious slurry, the system comprising:

• a forming station, the forming station configured to form the cementitious board such that the cementitious board is within a predetermined thickness range;
• a conveyor, the conveyor configured to convey the cementitious board along a machine direction away from the forming station, the conveyor extending along the machine direction and a cross-machine direction, the cross-machine direction being perpendicular to the machine direction;
• a slurry set measurement system, the slurry set measurement system configured to measure a set characteristic of the aqueous cementitious slurry of the cementitious board, the slurry set measurement system including a compression member, an actuator assembly, and a force gauge, wherein:
• the compression member is disposed over the conveyor at a measurement position, the measurement position in downstream relationship to the forming station along the machine direction,
• the actuator assembly is configured to selectively move the compression member over a range of travel along a normal axis between a stowed position and an engaged position, the normal axis being substantially perpendicular to the machine direction and to the cross-machine direction, and the engaged position being configured to place the compression member in contacting relationship with the cementitious board supported by the conveyor such that the compression member exerts pressure against the cementitious board, and
• the force gauge is associated with the compression member such that the force gauge is configured to measure a resistance force against the compression member along the normal axis in response to the compression member being in contacting relationship with the cementitious board, the force gauge configured to generate a force signal indicative of the resistance force.