Today, the modern construction market is rich in all kinds of building materials, and polystyrene blocks are the most popular.
Their peculiarity is that if you have the necessary raw materials and equipment, you can make them at home, and if you follow certain instructions, they will turn out no worse than purchased ones. The production of polystyrene foam blocks takes very little time.
Manufacturing Features
By this material is meant hardened foam concrete, in its shape resembling ordinary brick and consisting of oval particles of different sizes. The production of polystyrene foam blocks occurs by mixing the main ingredients and using certain equipment. During construction, this material can be used either purchased or made at home.
Equipment for the manufacture of foam blocks
One of the main conditions for obtaining good building material is high-quality equipment. For the production of polystyrene foam blocks, metal molds, a pressure unit and a compressor will be required. Usually, two types of compressor are used - either operating from a conventional 220V power supply, or from a diesel generator.
It is necessary for the generation of air, therefore it is one of the most basic elements. Barostanovka is, first of all, a ready-made machine for the production of polystyrene foam blocks, there is no foam generator in it, the components are mixed under pressure. After the material is completely ready, it is poured into metal molds, where it solidifies, then after a few days they are broken and the foam blocks are taken out.
Some builders use equipment for the production of polystyrene foam blocks instead of a barostation separately: a vibrating screen, a foam mixer, a foam generator and a mixer. Vibrating screen is necessary for cleaning bulk materials, such as sand, from large debris, the quality of the finished foam blocks depends on this. It consists of a special grid, frame and an electric motor.
The foam mixer is used to prepare the foam; it is a construction in the form of a container where the foaming agent and water are mixed until a foam mixture is obtained. To work faster, the water is preheated. After the formation of foam, it is foamed in a foam generator, and then it enters the mixer. There, in addition to the resulting foam, the remaining components are mixed: cement and sand.
The foamer in its appearance is similar to a barrel inserted in a special frame, in the lower part of the container there are blades that mix foam concrete. They are powered by an electric motor. The foam generator costs a lot, so it’s cheaper to make it yourself, in addition, many factory models have not enough high speed. To do this, you will need to purchase a metal body, several hoses, a pump, a compressor and a container where whipping will take place.
Equipment for the production of polystyrene blocks takes up little space.
Manufacturing steps
The production of foam blocks occurs in stages. First, prepare the necessary components (sand, water, cement) in certain proportions, add them to the barrel and mix for 30-60 seconds. A foam stabilizer is added and everything is mixed for about 3-5 minutes.The finished foam concrete is poured into molds, left to harden for a day or two, the resulting blocks are taken out and dried for 15-20 hours.
Production Technologies: Injection
Expanded polystyrene blocks are usually made according to two technologies: injection and cutting.
The essence of injection technology is to prepare a foam concrete mixture and pour it into standard forms, where it hardens and mineralizes. The main advantages of this technology include the lack of additional processing or trimming blocks. The disadvantages are the standard form.
Production Technologies: Cutting
The essence of cutting technology is that foam concrete is poured into large molds; after solidification, finished blocks are sawn. The advantages of this technology are that it is possible to obtain material of any size. The disadvantage is that it is necessary to purchase additional equipment for the manufacture of different-sized foam blocks. But it is quite expensive.
In construction, both technologies for the production of polystyrene foam blocks are usually used: injection molding for the construction of standard structures, and cutting for non-standard structures.
Foam blocks are a special building material, where the choice of equipment directly depends on material capabilities, the availability of necessary raw materials and the type of future construction. Well, the quality of production depends on how responsibly the builder approached the matter, since even with good materials and non-compliance with all construction conditions, you can build absolutely not what you need.
