Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

College of architecture & civil engineering

Department of civil engineering
Selection Criterias for Pretensioned/Precast Concrete
Plant

Prepared by girum mindaye

 SELECTION CRITERIAS FOR PRETENSIONED/PRECAST
CONCRETE PLANT

Fabricate, store, transport and erect precast/prestressed concrete members prestressed by the
pretensioning method. Pretensioned precast prestressed concrete products are products
prestressed by the pretensioning method. In this method, steel components are stressed and
anchored; the concrete for the product is then cast and cured, and finally the stress in the steel
components is released from the anchorages to the concrete through bond, after the concrete
has attained its specified release strength.
A precast prestressed concrete plant, hereinafter called plant, is an independent operating
facility capable of performing all the operations necessary to fabricate precast/prestressed
concrete products. In order to be certified as a plant the following conditions must be satisfied.
1. The plant shall have plant manager, plant engineer, production superintendent, and the
quality control supervisor or consultant in charge of quality control.

2. The plant shall have a unique Plant Quality System Manual based on operations at that
facility. The Plant Quality System Manual shall, as a minimum, cover the following:
a. Management commitment to quality.
b. Organizational structure and relationships, responsibilities, and qualifications of key
personnel.
c. Management review of the quality assurance program at regular intervals, not to
exceed one year, to ensure its continuing suitability and effectiveness. This review
will include handling of non-conformances, corrective actions, and response to
customer complaints.
d. Plant facilities in the form of a plant layout that notes allocation of areas, services,
machinery, and equipment.
e. Purchasing procedures for quality control compliance that includes project
specification review for specific requirements.
f. Identification of training needs and provisions for training personnel in quality
assurance requirements.
g. Control, calibration, and maintenance of necessary inspection, measuring, and test
apparatus.
h. Uniform methods for reporting (including sample forms), reviewing, and maintaining
records. Each precast concrete unit shall be uniquely identified to a specific set of
applicable quality control records.
i. Standards for shop (erection and production) drawings to ensure accuracy and
uniform interpretation of instructions for manufacturing and handling.
j. Procedures for review and dissemination of project specific requirements to
production and quality control personnel.

3. Plant procedures should be documented as specific instructions to operating personnel. This

will help to ensure uniformity in daily operations and the training of present and new
employees. Refer to Appendix A of MNL-116, Quality Control for Plants and Production
of Structural Precast Concrete Products for developmental guidelines of a Plant Quality
System Manual.
 SELECTION CRITERIAS FOR PRETENSIONED/PRECAST
CONCRETE PLANT

4. Plants shall have available the services of a registered professional engineer experienced
in the design of precast concrete. The precast engineer shall prescribe design policies for
precast concrete elements and be competent to review designs prepared by others.

5. Plants shall utilize experienced personnel competent to prepare shop (production and
erection) drawings in general accordance with the PCI Drafting Handbook Precast and
Prestressed Concrete, MNL-128. Shop drawing should clearly and completely detail the
requirements of the contract documents in a manner that minimizes the possibility of errors
during the manufacturing and erection processes.

6. Production personnel shall be qualified to produce units in accordance with the production
drawings, the plants quality control requirements, and other project requirements such as
approved samples when stipulated.

7. The plant shall have lines of communication to engineering, production, and management;
however, direct responsibility shall only be to management. Quality control personnel shall
not report to production personnel. Quality control personnel shall be responsible for
ensuring that the following activities are performed at a frequency adequate to meet plant
specific quality objectives.
a. Inspecting and verifying the accuracy of dimensions and condition of forms.
b. Verifying procedures for batching, mixing, placing, consolidating, curing, and
finishing concrete.
c. Verifying procedures for concrete repair, handling, storing, and loading of
finished products.
d. Verifying the proper fabrication and placement of reinforcement and cast-in
items.
e. Inspecting tensioning operations to ensure conformance with specified
procedures.
f. Preparing or evaluating mix designs.
g. Taking representative test samples and performing all required testing.
h. Inspecting finished products for conformance with the shop drawings and
other project requirements, such as approved samples, when required.
i. Preparing and maintaining complete quality control records.

8. The responsibilities of the architect/engineer and the precast manufacturer are subject to a
contractual relationship with the owner. The manufacturer shall be responsible for
translating the project requirements into samples (as required), shop drawings, tooling,
manufacturing procedures, and installation procedures in accordance with the appropriate
provisions of the contract documents.
 SELECTION CRITERIAS FOR PRETENSIONED/PRECAST
CONCRETE PLANT

9. The plant facility shall be adequate for production, finish processing, handling, and storage
of product in accordance with MNL-116, Quality Control for Plants and Production of
Structural Precast Concrete Products manual.

10. The plant shall establish and maintain a written program that encourages workers' safety
and health. A safety program should include the following basic elements:
i) Policy. A written statement of plant or company policy for safety that
establishes clear lines of authority.
ii) Rules. Safety rules designed to help employees avoid injury.
iii) Training. A training program to ensure that employees are instructed in safe
operating procedures.
iv) Accident investigation. An accident investigation procedure to identify
causes or areas needing improvement, better supervision, or employee
training.

11. The plant shall have batching plant within the compound which is fully equipped with
batching machineries and material strength testing equipment and must comply with ASTM
standards or plant shall employ a testing firm or consultant to perform the material strength
tests.

12. Prestressing equipment should comply with the following requirements:

a) Should be able to measure the prestressing force to an accuracy of +/- 2%;
b) Force should by measured using a load cell (direct reading dynamometer). Note that
the hydraulic jack is generally a form of load cell, once its internal losses such as friction
are known;
c) Pressure gauge to be at least 150 mm in diameter and should be used in the range of
50% to 90% for maximum pressure;
d) The hydraulic circuits should have self-sealing connections;
e) The tensioning equipment should be calibrated before use and at frequent intervals
thereafter. The plant should provide the calibration certificates; and
f) Extension of tendons should be measured to +/- 2% or +/- 2 mm, whichever is more
accurate.

13. The plant shall have the following machinery and/or equipment for production of
Prestressed concrete element which is made up of different intermediate phases.
Machinery and Equipment
Needed for Pretensioned Concrete
 PRODUCTION PHASES
The production phases should be organized over a 24 hour cycle taking
into account the production quantity desired and the climatic conditions.

1 Cleaning and Oiling of the production beds

2 Laying of the steel wires or strands

3 Stressing of the steel wires or strands
4 Concrete transport and distribution
5 Concrete casting
6 Element marking
7 Fresh concrete working
8 Concrete curing
9 Detensioning of the steel wires and strands
10 Element cutting

11 Transportation of the elements for stocking

12 Casting beds

13 Ancillary equipment
 1 CLEANING AND OILING OF THE PRODUCTION BEDS

A certain amount of concrete waste will always remain on the production beds once the elements
have been removed, therefore the beds must be thoroughly cleaned before re-using them.
This operation is fulfilled by a multifunction bed cleaner that moves along the production beds
removing debris and water.
It only takes one run of the machine along the production bed for the bed to be ready for re-use.

MULTIFUNCTION BED CLEANER WITH ROTATING BRUSH

FOR STEEL BEDS

The bed cleaner with a rotating brush is able to

clean all the debris and water left over from the
previous production cycle into an easy-to-empty
container.

ADVANTAGES
Multitasking
(cleaning, oiling and steel wire laying);
Electrically or LPG powered;
Excellent cleaning of the casting beds;
Heavy-duty construction and efficient so is able to lay all the
steel wires simultaneously;
4 wheels independently driven by hydraulic motors to give the
machine maximum traction on the rails;
Double regulation system for the height of rotating brush group;

Multifunction Bed Cleaner with rotating Large diameter rotating brush made up Detaching oil sprayer Bar to lay the steel wires
brush interchangeable PVC rings

Replaceable squeegee for water Replaceable squeegee to spread the Container for collecting debris and Electrical supply from a cable reeling
collecting detaching oil water with hydraulically powered drum
emptying

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 1 CLEANING AND OILING OF THE PRODUCTION BEDS

VACUUM BED CLEANER

FOR CONCRETE BEDS

The machine cleans and vacuums the production

beds sucking the debris and water. The debris
is ground and collected into an easy-to-empty
container after the cutting and removal of the
concrete elements.

ADVANTAGES
Multitasking (cleaning and oiling);
Accurate cleaning of the casting beds;
Heavy-duty construction and efficient so is able to clean and
oil the bed in one phase;
4 drive wheels operated by independent hydraulic motors to
give the machine the maximum traction on the rails;
Able to remove the debris attached to the production bed.

Vacuum bed cleaner Debris removal system Container for collecting debris and Detaching oil sprayer
water with hydraulically powered
emptying

Water tank to apply water to the Protective noise reducing panels Bed before cleaning Bed after cleaning
production bed using drippers, during (Optional)
the cleaning phase
 1 CLEANING AND OILING OF THE PRODUCTION BEDS

DEBRIS CONVEYOR CHAIN

The debris conveyor chain is positioned across the
tail end of all the production beds (at the opposite
end from the stressing side). It collects the cutting
water and the debris of the production beds and
conveys it into a slurry tank.

ADVANTAGES
Solves the problem of the collection and removal of cutting
water from the previous cutting cycle;
Can convey solid debris even large pieces;
Reduces costs by reducing maintenance and removing the
need to manually clean the bed at frequent intervals.

Debris conveyor chain Water and the debris in the slurry tank Safety grate for debris conveyor chain Water being collected manually
without the debris conveyor chain
 2 LAYING OF THE STEEL WIRES OR STRANDS

After the cleaning and oiling of the bed a wire drawing trolley can pull the steel wires along the bed.
The cross section and the quantity of the steel wires to be positioned depends on the type of the
concrete elements being produced and the load bearing requirements.
The steel wires are taken from the coils placed within stackable decoilers at the end of the production
beds.

WIRE DRAWING TROLLEY

The machine is used to lay the steel wires on the

casting beds, unwinding the cable from the wire
coil holder trolley or the stackable strand decoilers.
The steel wires are fixed to the back of the trolley by
means of quick coupling devices or to the movable
anchor from the detensioning sides reaction beam
using anchor grips and appropriately positioned on
the trolley.

ADVANTAGES
Heavy-duty construction and efficient so is able to lay all the
steel wires simultaneously;
Fast operation;
4 wheels independently driven by hydraulic motors to give
maximum traction on the rails;
Independently diesel powered;
Operators seat.

Wire drawing trolley The anchor and the wire spacer in their Equipment to lift the movable anchor
positions on the trolley (Optional)
 2 LAYING OF THE STEEL WIRES OR STRANDS

WIRE COIL HOLDER TROLLEY

The wire coil holder trolley is placed at one end
of the production bed and is used to store and
unwind the wires from the coils.

ADVANTAGES
Possibility to stock up to 96 coils;
Able to be move in front of the production bed being prepared;
Possibility to stock different types of wires;
Quick and easy operation to change coils.

Coil holder trolley during the laying of Guide for the wires during the Safety grill protections with side and
the steel wires unwinding back panels

STACKABLE STRAND DECOILER

The stackable strand decoiler is used to store the

coils of 2-3 wires or strands in a steel frame from
where they can be unwound. They can be loaded
from the front or from above.
The wire stackable decoilers can be mounted on
top of one another to save space and they can be
disassembled to reduce space during transport.

ADVANTAGES
Economic and easy to use;
Equipped with anti-rolling systems of the prestressed wires;
Possibility to adjust the frame to suit the width of the coil.

Stackable decoilers for strands or 2-3 Stackable decoilers for single wires
wires

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 3 STRESSING OF THE STEEL WIRES OR STRANDS

To perform their function the steel wires have to be prestressed and fixed on the reaction beams
before concrete casting.
The stressing can be done in two different ways, single or multi stressing.
Single wire stressing:
The wires are stressed one by one by means of a stressing jack.
Multistressing:
The wires are fixed on a movable anchor and this is pulled by hydraulic cylinders. In this way the wires
can be stressed simultaneously in one single operation.
In both cases the wires are fixed on the reaction beam by means of anchor grips.

WIRE STRESSING MACHINE

The wire stressing machine is used to stress the wires

using stressing jacks.
Depending on the version required by the customer
the wire stressing machine can be equipped with
4 different stressing jacks, each one able to stress
different cable types at different pressures.

ADVANTAGES
Fast tensioning;
Possibility to set the machine according to customers
requirements;
Accuracy of the load applied;
Easy to operate.

Wire stressing machine Wire stressing machine with 4 stressing Each stressing jack has its own Wire stressing machine holder trolley for
jacks each with 600 mm strokes dedicated hydraulic circuit movability and to support the stressing
jack during the steel wire stressing
(Optional)

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 3 STRESSING OF THE STEEL WIRES OR STRANDS

PAIR OF REACTION BEAMS

SINGLE WIRE STRESSING
The reaction beams, lodged in the concrete
anchoring blocks, are used to bear the load of the
stressing wires.
Depending on the type of the element to be
produced reaction beams of 150t 200t 300t
400t and 500t are available.
Each pair consists of a tensioning beam at one of the
bed and a detensioning beam at the other end of the
bed. The detensioning beam also includes a movable
Tensioning side anchor for steel wire releasing before cutting.

ADVANTAGES
Detensioning side Possibility to detension the wires before cutting;
Large range of load capacities up to 500t for the production of
concrete elements up to 1 m high.

Tensioning beam (tensioning side) Detensioning beam (detensioning side) Heavy-duty construction Reaction beam with reaction spacer
incorporated

MULTISTRESSING
MULTI-STRESSING GROUP
The multi-stressing group is used to stress and
release the steel strands simultaneously using
hydraulic cylinders.
The multi-stressing group is movable across the
heads of the production beds.

ADVANTAGES
Quick tensioning and detensioning;
Only one machine is required to tension and detension
stressing wires of different dimensions;
Operated at a safe distance by remote control;

Movable multi-stressing group at Possibility to use the multi-stressing

the head of a production bed to be system on long production beds 200
stressed metres and over

10
 4 CONCRETE TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION

The concrete transport from the batching plant to the casting machine can be carried out in
different ways depending on the customers requirements and the factory layout.
The most economical method is to use a bucket hooked to a overhead crane.
In cases where quick and high volume production is required it is possible to use flying buckets
and concrete distributors which follow the casting machines along the production bed reducing
the time needed to deliver the concrete.

BUCKET
MECHANICALLY OPENED FOR DRY CONCRETE

This bucket, hooked to an overhead crane is used

to transport concrete from the batching plant to
the hopper of the casting machine.

ADVANTAGES
Easy and cost-effective solution;
Wide range of bucket capacities.

The discharge door is activated mechanically by engaging the steel

triangles situated on both sides of the casting machines hopper

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 4 CONCRETE TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION

BUCKET
HYDRAULICALLY OPENED FOR DRY AND WET CONCRETE

This bucket, hooked to an overhead crane is used

to transport concrete from the batching plant to
the hopper of the casting machine.

ADVANTAGES
Easy and cost-effective solution;
Special design for wet concrete;
Wide range of bucket capacities.

Bucket for wet concrete transport The bucket for wet concrete has a
battery operated special design to avoid concrete
leaking from the sides during discharge

BUCKET HOLDER ROTATING PLATFORM

The platform, positioned between two columns is
used to position the buckets under the mixer when
the mixer is situated out from the production area.
After the first bucket is loaded the platform is
rotated so that the empty bucket is now under the
mixer.
The already full bucket can now be hooked to the
overhead crane and transported to the casting
machine.

ADVANTAGES
User friendly;
Minimum space required.

Bucket being loaded under the mixer

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 4 CONCRETE TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION

BUCKET HOLDER TROLLEY

MOTORIZED TYPE
The trolley holds the buckets and transports
them and the concrete from the mixer to the
production area.

ADVANTAGES
Easy and cost-effective solution.

Trolley during the bucket transport Trolley for 2 hydraulic buckets (Buckets Anti-collision protection
from the batching plant to the optional)
production area

BELT CONCRETE TRANSPORTER

The machine is used to supply concrete to the
casting machine when there is no overhead
crane available.
It travels along the rails of the production bed.
The concrete is delivered from the transporters
hopper to the casting machines hopper using a
belt conveyor.
The transporters hopper is hydraulically lifted
during the concrete discharge and lowered
when the transporter needs to move along the
production bed.
The supply to the casting machine can be done
from either the front or the back of the machine.

ADVANTAGES
Easy and cost-effective solution.

Concrete being supplied to the casting machine

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5 CONCRETE CASTING

When the production bed has been cleaned and oiled and the wires have been positioned and
stressed the casting phase can begin.
Depending on the type of concrete element being produced the casting phase is performed by one
of three NORDIMPIANTI casting machines evo Extruder, sf Slipfomer or wf Wet Casting machine.
In all cases, the casting machines should be continuously supplied with concrete along the
casting bed.
 5 CONCRETE CASTING
EXTRUDER SERIES evo
CASTING MACHINES
NORDIMPIANTIs evo Extruder machines have
been designed for the production of a wide range
of prestressed concrete hollow core slabs both
for floors and walls on long production beds.
The machine offers a cost-effective solution
for companies who are looking for a flexible
approach to produce hollow core slabs in
various sizes.
The Extruder machine casts elements in a single
phase using the extrusion method without the
need for vibration thus keeping the noise of
the machine to a minimum.
Concrete is pushed into place around the
forming tubes by the Archimedean screws
ensuring an excellent level of compaction at
every point along the element.
NORDIMPIANTI evo Extruder machine Production of 2x600 mm hollow core
slabs
Gear box in a constant oil bath Excellent surface finish
ADVANTAGES
Excellent concrete compaction and steel wire bonding;
Excellent top surface flatness;
Accuracy of slab dimension;
Cross-section heights available from 150 mm to 520 mm;
Wide range of element widths i.e. 2 x 600 mm, 1200 mm,
1250 mm, 1500 mm, 2 x 1200 mm or 2400 mm;
Internationally proven;
User friendly;
Hard wearing materials designed for long service life;
Wear parts engineered to be changed with the minimum
of down-time;
Rapid production changeover to manufacture different
profiles and slab heights;
Machine noise kept to a minimum.
The forming tubes and the side formers create
the shape and the voids of the element.
The machine is modular and the power
unit together with the hopper can easily be
transferred to another forming insert to enable
a slab with a different height to be produced.
Standard heights range from 150 mm to 520
mm while the widths available are 600 mm,
1200 mm, 1250 mm, 1500 mm and 2400 mm.
The heights of the elements, as well as the
thickness of the vertical ribs can be varied within
certain limits according to the application and
the element specifications required.
Production of 2x1200 mm hollow core Excellent concrete compaction and
slabs steel wire bonding
Minimum downtime for forming insert User friendly
changing
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 5 CONCRETE CASTING
SLIPFORMER SERIES sf
CASTING MACHINES
NORDIMPIANTIs sf Slipformers machines have
been designed for the production of a wide
range of prestressed concrete products both
for floors and walls on long production beds.
The machine offers a cost-effective solution
for companies that are looking for a flexible
approach to produce prestressed elements
such as hollow-core slabs, inverted T-beams,
vineyard posts, lintels, half slabs, solid slabs,
inverted double T beams, grandstand panels
and other special shapes.
The sf Slipformer casts elements in a single
phase using the vibration method without the
need for formworks.
Concrete is delivered from the main hopper by
feeding tables into delivery hoppers mounted
on the forming insert. From here the concrete
NORDIMPIANTI sf Slipformer machine T-Beam production
Foundation pile production Inverted double T Slab production
16
ADVANTAGES
Product flexibility;
Cost-effective;
Cross-section heights available from 80 mm to 1000 mm;
Internationally proven;
Wear parts engineered to be changed with the minimum
of down-time.
is delivered to the production bed and the
voids are formed by a set of forming tubes.
Special vibrating groups provide a two stage
vibration process ensuring an excellent level of
compaction at every point along the element.
The machine is modular and the power unit
together with the hopper can be easily and
quickly transferred to another forming insert
to produce a different element.
Standard heights range from 80 mm to 1000
mm while the width can be up to 1200 mm.
Different widths are available according to
customer requirements.
The heights of the elements, as well as the
thickness of the vertical ribs can be varied within
certain limits according to the application and
the element specifications required.
Lintel production Vineyard post production
Inverted double T Slab production Half slab production
with exposed steel mesh stirrups
 5 CONCRETE CASTING
WET CASTING SERIES wf
CASTING MACHINES
NORDIMPIANTIs wf Wet Casting machines
have been designed for the production of
prestressed concrete products with special
attributes such as exposed wire or a corrugated
upper surface.
The machine offers a cost-effective solution
for companies that are looking for a flexible
approach to produce hollow core slabs, solid
slabs, inverted T-Beams and lintels that require
these special attributes.
The wf Wet Casting machine casts elements
in a single phase using the vibration method
without the need for formworks.
Concrete is delivered from the auxiliary
hopper to the Wet Casting machines main
hopper. It then falls by gravity directly onto
the bed passing through the vibrating mould.
NORDIMPIANTI wf Wet Casting machine Excellent surface finish
Steel mesh exposed (Installed by a dif ferent
machine also supplied from NORDIMPIANTI)
ADVANTAGES
Produces elements with special attributes;
Excellent surface finish;
Internationally proven;
Wear materials designed for long service life;
Rapid production changeover to manufacture different
profiles and with different slab heights.
The vibrating mould is equipped with 2
vibration motors ensuring an excellent level of
compaction at every point along the element.
After, the concrete moves through the finishing
mould which gives the final profile to the element.
To start production of a different element it is
only necessary to change the finishing mould
mounted on the machine. This is a quick and
straight forward operation.
Standard heights range from 60 mm to 300
mm while the width can be up to 1200 mm.
Different widths are available according to
customer requirements.
The heights of the elements, as well as the
thickness of the vertical ribs can be varied within
certain limits according to the application and
the element specifications required.
Exposed wire Corrugated upper surface
 6 ELEMENT MARKING

Element marking is widely used to print product information or mark out lines on the concrete
elements before element cutting.
Product information may be product data such as, name, company manufacturers logo, date of
production, product length, batch code or the type of stressing wires used. Mark out lines may be
used for cut lines, drawing out wet working templates or to meet the end users specific requirements.
These operations can be achieved by machines equipped with an inkjet printer head.
The ink used for the printing is waterproof and if required can be applied immediately after
casting when the concrete is still wet.

PLOTTER
FOR HOLLOW CORE SLABS

The machine is used to mark hollow core slabs

directly on the production bed.
The machine is self powered and travels on the
production bed controlled by computer software
and a laser device.

ADVANTAGES
High quality printing;
Ability to print almost any type of line or character on the
element;
Easy to program and to transfer the data to the plotter
wirelessly;
Self powered from a high capacity re-chargeable battery.

Plotter for hollow core slabs Inkjet head for during the element Laser device Large touch screen control panel
marking phase

Operators working on the fresh Different types and marks and texts on the elements
concrete marked out by the plotter

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 6 ELEMENT MARKING

T-BEAM MARKING MACHINE

AUTOMATIC TYPE
The machine is used to mark Inverted T and I-Beams
directly on the production bed.
The machine is motorized and travels on the
production bed controlled by computer software
and a laser device.

ADVANTAGES
High quality printing;
Ability to customize the printing text;
Easy to program.

T-beam marking machine - automatic Laser device Ink jet head for marking the cutting Printed information on Inverted
type point T-Beams

T-BEAM MARKING MACHINE

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TYPE
The machine is used to mark Inverted T and I-Beams
directly on the production bed.
The machine travels on the production bed
coupled and pushed by the cutting saw. The
machine is connected to the saw mechanically and
electronically.
The electrical supply and printing data comes from
the saw. As the saw starts its own cutting cycle it
sends a signal to initiate the printing cycle.

ADVANTAGES
High quality printing;
Ability to customize the printing text;
Element marking and cutting carried out at the same time;
Printing data transfer is directly from the saw.

T-beam marking machine - semi- Connection between T-Beam marking Printed information on Inverted
automatic type machine and Saw T-Beams

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 7 FRESH CONCRETE WORKING

The concrete elements may require notches, holes or breaks according to the design of the building.
This operation can be carried out by a special machine that sucks up concrete from the element
whilst the concrete is still wet.

CONCRETE ASPIRATOR

The machine is used to make openings such as

notches, holes or breaks on the wet concrete on
elements previously marked out either manually or
by a NORDIMPIANTI plotter machine.
The wet concrete is sucked through a manually
operated suction nozzle and pipe. The removed
concrete is deposited in a container within the
machine that can quickly and easily be emptied.
With this machine it is also possible to remove
concrete at the cutting point to expose the wires.

ADVANTAGES
Ability to suck the concrete from elements made by either the
Extruder or Slipformer machine;
High Vacuum power;
Versatile and user friendly;
Collection bin operated hydraulically and easy to empty;
Interchangeable suction head;
Manually operated suction tube mounted on a weight
balance for ease of use.

Concrete aspirator Side vacuum pipes for rail cleaning Equipment to apply a curing Vacuum assembly with sound insulated
(Optional) compound (Optional) inspection panel

Concrete being removed at the cutting Different shaped openings are possible
point to expose the wires

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 8 CONCRETE CURING

Once the concrete casting has been completed, it needs a certain period of time to reach the resistance
of 350 Kg/cm2 before the steel strands can be released.
If there is no problem regarding the production volume required the elements can be allowed to cure
naturally. The time necessary varies and depends on the ambient temperature and the size of the
elements being produced. Normally the time required is between 24-72 hours.
If the number of production beds is limited and daily production output needs to be maximized it is possible
to shorten the curing time by using heat. Curing times can be shortened to 6-8 hours, after which the stressing
cables can be detensioned and the elements cut. However it is always advisable to check the resistance of
the concrete before cable detensioning using a cube test or smooth hammer device.
The concrete curing can be achieved in different ways. The most common method is with hot water
where hot water is pumped through pipes positioned under the beds. Other heating methods use
superheated steam or diathermic oil.
During the curing it is advisable to use covering sheets on the elements in order to limit the rate of
water loss from the concrete.

COILER HOLDING TROLLEY

The trolley moves along the production bed in

order to lay and roll up the nylon sheets used for
the covering of the concrete elements in order to
reduce the curing time of the concrete.
The coiler is a steel frame mounted on the trolley to
hold the nylon sheet. The nylon sheets have to be
rolled up manually.

ADVANTAGES
Easy and cost-effective;
Possibility to use cover sheets of different widths depending
on the concrete element to cover.

Coiler holding trolley - manual type The coilers are easily interchangeable The trolley allows the coiler to be shifted to one side when another machine needs
on the trolley to pass on an adjacent production bed

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 8 CONCRETE CURING
HEATING PLANT HOT WATER SYSTEM
Heating plant hot water system (in
container)
Pumps for the secondary pumping
circuit to the production bed
Heating plant hot water system (in a
boiler room)
Pressure gauge with ball valve (in-flange
type) for each production bed
The curing system supplies hot water to pipes
within the production bed to speed up the curing
of the concrete.
The heating plant can be supplied separately or
already assembled within a 20 ft. container, ready
for use and able to be placed in the desired position
within the production factory.
The heating cycle is fully controlled and managed
by a maturity control system software.
ADVANTAGES
Efficient operation;
Easy plant maintenance;
Easy to install. Container version avoids building work;
Low labour costs as the heating cycles are temperature
adjustable.
Insulated aluminium pipes Primary pumping circuit manifold
9 DETENSIONING OF THE STEEL WIRES AND STRANDS

When the concrete has reached the required strength to counteract the spring-back of the
prestressing wires inside the element the wires can be detensioned.
Detensioning can be achieved in different ways depending on the stressing method used, single
or multi. With single cable stressing the detentioning involves a mobile hydraulic power unit that
is moved to the cylinders on the detentioning side of the bed. The Power unit is then connected
to the cylinders and the cylinders are moved to release the tension.
With multi stressing, the detensioning is achieved by means of the same cylinders that initially
stressed the cables, releasing the anchor until the tension of the cables is released.

DETENSIONING PUMP UNIT

FOR SINGLE STRESSING

This is used for the control of the detensioning

cylinders installed within the reaction beam on the
detensioning side.

ADVANTAGES
Cost-effective solution;
Fast detensioning.

DETENSIONING CYLINDERS

Installed in the reaction beams (detensioning side), the

cylinders are used to release the tension of the steel
wires before the cutting of the prestressed concrete
element. They are heavily chromium plated.
The connections between the detensioning pump unit
and the cylinders is by high pressure tubes and quick
release connectors.
The detensioning cylinders
come complete with collar
spacers.

The detensioning cylinders installed in the reaction beams

23
10 ELEMENT CUTTING

On the production bed the concrete is formed as a continuous element by the casting machine
along the entire length of the bed.
When the elements are cured and the cables are detensioned the elements can be cut to length
using an appropriate cutting saw machine. The cutting saw machine moves along the bed and
is positioned at the desired cutting point where the element will be cut using a diamond blade.
Cuts can be transversal, longitudinal or angular at any point along the element depending on
the cutting machine used.
The time required to make a cut varies between 90-180 sec. depending on the type and height of
the product. During the cutting the blade is cooled by a jet of water either from an onboard tank or
through a tube wound round a motorized cable reel and connected to a tap at the end of the bed.

CONCRETE SAW ETR

TRANSVERSAL TYPE
The saw model ETR is used to cut prestressed
concrete elements to the desired length directly on
the production bed.
Transversal cut (0)
The machine is stopped on the bed whilst the
cutting head cuts transversally across the element.

ADVANTAGES
Precision Cutting;
Manual or automatic Control system with PLC;
Cutting blade electric motor with toothed drive belt;
Economical and efficient;
Heavy duty construction;
Fast cutting;
Inverter controlled drive wheels.

Concrete Saw ETR Electric motor and toothed drive belt

to rotate the cutting blade

Protection grills Water shields Laser device for automatic movement Noise reduction panels (Optional)
control (Optional)

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 10 ELEMENT CUTTING

CONCRETE SAW AM
MULTI-ANGLE TYPE
The saw model AM is used to cut prestressed
concrete elements to the desired length
directly on the production bed.

ADVANTAGES
Precision Cutting;
Manual or automatic Control system with PLC;
Cutting blade electric motor with toothed drive belt;
Heavy duty construction;
Fast cutting;
Joystick for the manual control of the machine.

Transversal cut (0) Angular cuts (- 90 < 0 > 90)

The machine is stopped on the bed whilst the The machine and the cutting head advance in
cutting head cuts transversally across the element. synchronisation to create angled cuts.
Longitudinal cut (90) All the movements of the machine are electronically
The machine cuts the element advancing along driven and controlled by the operator using a
the bed whilst the cutting head is fixed in position touch screen panel.

Concrete Saw AM Transversal cut Longitudinal cut Angular cuts

Operators seat position and touch Double protection shield (one mobile Laser guide to make a cutting line on Water shields (Optional)
screen panel and one fixed) for protection when the the element
cutting blade is in operation
 11 TRANSPORTATION OF THE ELEMENTS FOR STOCKING

After the elements are cut they are ready to be lifted and transported to the stocking area. A
special lifting clamp is used for transportation.
These lifting clamps can be hooked onto the overhead crane or onto a special independently
powered lifting machine. This machine travels along the production bed and takes the concrete
elements outside the factory.
The concrete elements are taken to the end of the factory where they are transported to the
designated stocking area by overhead crane or fork lift truck ready to be loaded onto the
transport delivery lorry.
The concrete elements can also be moved by using special lifting equipment such as trolleys or
tower cranes depending on the customers requirements.

LIFTING MACHINE
This machine is used to lift and carry the cut
elements from the production bed to the exterior
of the factory, from where a forklift or overhead
crane will take them to the stocking area.

ADVANTAGES
Elements can be lifted without using the overhead crane;
Quick lifting operations;
Ability to adjust the position of the clamps depending on the
elements to be lifted;
Diesel engine with catalytic convertor and silencer;
High load capacity.

Lifting Machine 3500S Lifting Machine 7000S Lifting Machine 12000S Possibility to change the lifting clamps
depending on the element to be lifted

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 11 TRANSPORTATION OF THE ELEMENTS FOR STOCKING

PULLING DEVICE FOR TRANSPORT WAGONS

The equipment is used to pull the transport wagons
outside the production area.
It is composed of:
Power unit positioned outside the factory in the
stocking area.
Spring loaded buffer positioned at the beginning
of the transport line

ADVANTAGES
High Load and transport capacity;
Ability to move more than one pair of trolleys simultaneously;
Ability to carry different elements without changing
equipment.

Concrete element transport line Pulling device for transport wagons Buffer cylinder with safety protections Possibility to cover large distances
operated by an inverter at the beginning of the transport line

TRANSPORT WAGONS
The wagons are used to transport the elements
outside the production factory where a lifting
trolley or a overhead crane is used to stack them.
The frame is of heavy duty construction with wheels
designed for heavy loads.
The elements can be removed from the production
beds and loaded one on top of another onto
correctly spaced wagons.

ADVANTAGES
High load capacity;
Easy to use, elements with different sizes can be carried together;
Wagons available in singles or doubles.

Single element transport wagons Double element transport wagons

27
 11 TRANSPORTATION OF THE ELEMENTS FOR STOCKING

TELESCOPIC LIFTING BEAM FOR HOLLOW CORE SLABS

PRODUCTION USE
The telescopic lifting beam, hooked to an overhead
crane, lifts and removes the elements from the
production beds.
It consists of the following:
Fixed main beam with 2 lifting hooks;
Telescopic beams with clamp supports that move,
adjusting the clamp positions;
Pair of clamps with electromechanical opening-
closing mechanism complete with safety chains.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and quick operation;
Wide range of lifting beam lengths;
Available in standard lengths of 9m 12m 16 m. Clamps with electromechanical opening-closing mechanism;
NORDIMPIANTI can supply other customized lengths
Ability to change the clamp depending on the elements being
lifted;
on request. Safe.

Telescopic lifting beam for hollow core Double lifting hook Leg supports when arm is not in use
slab

MECHANICAL LIFTING BEAM FOR HOLLOW CORE SLABS

PRODUCTION USE
The Lifting beam, hooked to an overhead crane, lifts
and removes the elements from the production beds.
It consists of the following:
Lifting beam with adjustable clamp supports and
safety pins;
System to adjust the clamps position along the
lifting beams length;
Pair of clamps with opening and closing mechanism
complete with safety chains.

ADVANTAGES
Available in standard lengths of 6m 7m 9m 12m. Practical and cost-effective;
NORDIMPIANTI can supply other customized lengths Wide range of customized lengths;
on request. Safe.

Mechanical lifting beam for hollow Clamp distance adjustable over the Double lifting hook for long lifting Pair of clamps with opening closing
core slabs length of the beam beams mechanism complete with safety chains

28
 11 TRANSPORTATION OF THE ELEMENTS FOR STOCKING

MECHANICAL FIXED LIFTING BEAM FOR HOLLOW CORE SLABS

ON-SITE CONSTRUCTION USE
The lifting beam, hooked to the building yard
crane, is needed for the lifting and erection of the
concrete elements.
It consists of the following:
Lifting beam with clamp supports adjustable
along the length of the beam;
Pair of clamps with opening and closing
mechanism complete with safety chains.
The adjustment of the clamps along the length of
the arm is carried out manually.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and cost-effective;
Wide range of lifting beam lengths;
System to adjust the clamp positions along the length of the
beam;
Safe.

Mechanical fixed lifting beam for Clamps with opening and closing Ability to change the clamps to lift hollow
hollow core slabs mechanism complete with safety chains core wall panels

TELESCOPIC MECHANICAL LIFTING BEAM FOR HOLLOW CORE SLABS

ON-SITE CONSTRUCTION USE
The lifting beam, hooked to the building yard crane,
is needed for the lifting and erection of the concrete
elements.
The extension of the telescopic arms is done manually.
It consists of the following:
Fixed main beam;
Telescopic beams with clamp supports adjustable
over the length of the beam;
Pair of clamps with opening and closing mechanism
complete with safety chains.

The extension of the telescopic arms is done manually.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and cost-effective;
Wide range of lifting arm lengths;
Clamps adjustable over the length of the beam;
Safe.

Clamps with opening and closing mechanism

complete with safety chains

29
11 TRANSPORTATION OF THE ELEMENTS FOR STOCKING

MECHANICAL LIFTING BEAM FOR INVERTED T-BEAMS

PRODUCTION USE
The Lifting beam, hooked to an overhead crane,
lifts and removes the inverted T-Beams that are
more than 2.5 m long from the production bed.
It consists of:
Lifting beam with adjustable clamp supports and
lifting hooks
Pair of clamps with opening-closing mechanism
complete with safety chains.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and cost-effective.

Mechanical lifting beam for inverted

T-Beams

MECHANICAL CLAMP FOR INVERTED T-BEAMS

PRODUCTION USE
The clamp, hooked to an overhead crane, lifts and
removes the inverted T-Beams that are less than 2.5
m long from the production bed.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and cost-effective.

Rubber grips to avoid damage to the

elements during lifting

HYDRAULIC LIFTING BEAM FOR POSTS

PRODUCTION USE
The Lifting beam, hooked to an overhead crane,
lifts and removes the elements from the production
beds.
It consists of the following;
Fixed main beam with lifting hook;
Pair of clamps with hydraulic opening-closing
mechanism.

ADVANTAGES
Practical and cost-effective.

30
 12 CASTING BEDS

The production beds are used as the casting surface of the manufactured product and can be
either concrete, cast directly on the floor of the production factory or an assembled metal bed.
The choice of the type of bed depends on the products to be manufactured.
Concrete beds are used when the surface of the produced elements that are in contact with the
bed do not require a high quality surface finish such as posts, beams or lintels. When the quality
of the surface in contact with the casting bed is paramount, as when producing hollow core
slabs, steel casting beds are used.
In both cases the beds are of vital importance to achieve a good quality of the finished product
and should be prepared with great care and precision.

STEEL CASTING BEDS

Steel casting beds are made from precision engineered
modules consisting of the base, side edges and rails
to carry the production machines and are reinforced
longitudinally and transversally along the entire
length of the bed.
Each module is 12 m long and is ready to be
assembled on site using appropriate levelling and
fixing accessories.

The modules have holes ready to install
heating pipes if this is required.
ADVANTAGES
Manufactured for strength and precision;
Can be installed quickly and precisely without creating work for
the customer;
12 metre modules ready for quick and easy installation.

Steel casting beds Underside insulation Casting bed leveling plates (Optional) Special design with side water
channels reduces the need to manually
clean the corridors between the beds

Pipes for bed heating Bed extensions for machine exit Casting bed leveling plates (Optional) Quick installation times with 12 m
(Optional) (Optional) modules

31
12 CASTING BEDS
To meet the diverse needs of customers
NORDIMPIANTI provides different bed models each
with its own specific characteristics.
All the models are built to the same quality
standards and are designed to withstand all loads
expected during element production.

BED MODEL 1530/10/160/40

Side edge 160x20mm

Plate thickness 10mm
Width bed 1530mm
Element weight approx. 250 Kg/m

BED MODEL 1530/10/40/20

Side edge 40x20mm

Plate thickness 10mm
Width bed 1530mm
Element weight approx. 210 Kg/m

BED MODEL 1290/8/57/25

Side edge 57x25mm

Plate thickness 8mm
Width bed 1290mm
Element weight approx. 180 Kg/m

32
 12 CASTING BEDS

CONCRETE BEDS

The bed is formed by a smoothed concrete base with

a set of rails on which the production machines run.
The track gauge is chosen according to the type
and number of the products to be produced

ADVANTAGES
Low installation cost;
Suitable for the production of elements not requiring an ultra
fine finish.

Track laying Concrete bed preparation

MILLING MACHINE
FOR CONCRETE BEDS
The machine is used to level the concrete bed with
respect to the rails and polish the concrete bed to
a smooth finish.
The polishing takes place by means of a diamond
disc and be used to re-polish the bed as and when
necessary.

ADVANTAGES
Available for hire as well as for purchase.

Milling machine for concrete beds Worn Concrete bed Concrete bed recently polished Element with uneven lower surface
produced on a worn bed

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13 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

The production of prestressed concrete elements requires many accessories,

consumables and spare parts.
To ensure efficient production at minimum cost Nordimpianti supplies its customers with the
highest quality accessories and spare parts.

DIAMOND CUTTING BLADE

The cutting blades are used to cut prestressed

concrete elements with special sawing machines.
The diameter of the blade to be used must be
chosen according to the height of the element to
be cut.

Blade Height max. element

600 mm 150 mm
700 mm 200 mm
800 mm 250 mm
900 mm 300 mm
1100 mm 400 mm
1350 mm 520 mm

Blade mounted on the cutting machine

34
13 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

WEDGES AND BARRELS

Wedges and barrels are used for fixing the
prestressing wires onto the reaction beams.
Depending on the type of application barrels may
either be closed or open type. The closed type
barrels have the wedges kept in place by a ring
with a spring
The choice of wedges
and barrels depends on
the type and diameter
of the prestressing wire
to be used.

Wedges and barrels

SINGLE WIRE 2 WIRE STRANDS 3 WIRE STRANDS STRANDS (7 WIRE)

mm
3 2x2.25 mm 3x2.25 mm 3/8 (9.3 mm)
4 3x3 mm 1/2 (12.5 mm)
5 6/10 (15.2 mm)
6
7

SERVICE PLATFORM
The service platform helps make the maintenance
and calibration of the casting machines easy and
efficient.
The machines are supported allowing easy access
to the underside of the Extruder, Slipformer and
Wet Casting machines and perform maintenance
operations conveniently and safely.

ADVANTAGES
Convenient for maintenance operations on the machines;
Structure can be disassembled;
Wide ramps and walkways.

Service platform in the production area Single service platform Double service platform

35