Masonry Magazine May 2007 Page. 31
In addition to greater control over the kilns, manufacturers have improved their testing methods. They can now test bricks in labs and determine their properties before they're manufactured.
"Architects and design-build teams have the most to gain from a mass-produced, quality brick product that is available in a wide variety of styles," Peters said. "The more options we give them, the better we can help their design vision come to life."
Controlling the Outcome
Companies that don't have robots still use other forms of technology, such as the extruded brick process, which started about 50 years ago. This method, used by Higgins Brick, forces a soft mixture of raw material through an extruder to produce an eight-foot-long column. The column is then cut by wires into individual bricks.
The extrusion method keeps air out of the bricks, making them denser, while giving the bricks more strength and sustainability, Higgins explained. Technology has also improved the firing process.
"At the end of the day, the biggest advances are in firing and kiln technology," he said. "The real change is in the firing temperatures. We can electronically control the temperature so the firing curves are set."
The preheating, burning and cooling of the bricks in the kiln is done in zones that have closely controlled temperatures, Higgins said. "The burners are so efficient. We can warm up zones and cool down other zones in the kiln," he added. It used to take the company a month to make a batch of bricks, including setting them out in the fields to dry; Higgins Brick can now make a batch in four days.
In addition to greater control over the kilns, manufacturers have improved their testing methods. They can now test bricks in labs and determine their properties before they're manufactured.
"Now, every company has a lab and everybody knows the shrinkage, Rogers said, pointing out that bricks typically shrink 7 to 8 percent during manufacturing, "Most of the time, a very, very high number of bricks have already been tested in a lab. We know exactly what is going to be coming out."
Fabrizio said his company conducts lab tests as part of research and development, and also to confirm that the bricks being manufactured meet specifications.
"In the early phases, we test the physical properties and test to make sure the brick meets the quality standards and color we publish," he said.
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