The Challenge
A client in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) commissioned Rometa to build a new high-performance plant to produce concrete blocks, EPS-insulated blocks and pavers for the demanding Dubai market. The project combined three constraints:
Very limited space. The plant had to be installed on a site where a standard block plant would not fit.
Continuous production 20 hours a day. The line had to run continuously for 20 hours a day.
Extreme climate. The entire installation had to withstand the high temperatures and desert humidity of the Dubai summer.
The Rometa Solution
Custom 4050S-90 configuration. Rometa designed the installation on a special configuration of the 4050 model, compacting every area of the plant to build upwards rather than outwards.
Compact storage and mixing plant
8 hoppers of 200 tonnes. Eight high-capacity hoppers of 200 tonnes each store raw material for more than 24 hours of continuous production while taking up as little space as possible.
Single unloading point. One unloading point, fitted with an aggregate elevator and a high-output 160 m³/h distributor.
Batching with 2 mixers and 3 silos. The batching system feeds both the main line and the double-layer system for paver production.
Moulding and vertical dryer
High-density plastic trays. Trays measuring 1,400 x 1,200 x 50 mm, chosen for their stability under the extreme humidity of the curing area and the high heat of the production area.
15 blocks of 20 cm per cycle. Each machine cycle produces 15 blocks of 20 cm.
18-level curing towers. Curing vertically optimises the plant's floor space.
Closed, insulated curing chamber. An air recirculation system distributes humidity evenly throughout the chamber, achieving uniform drying and improving the final strength of the pieces.
High-speed palletizing and packaging
Double gripper with preparation table. Palletizing in a 1.2 x 1.2 m format.
Electric servomotors. The gripper and all its movements are driven by electric servomotors to keep up with the machine's 18-second cycle.
Horizontal and vertical strapping. The downstream line straps the packs in both directions so they are delivered directly without a pallet.
Artificial intelligence assistant built into the PLC
As a major technological innovation, Rometa has integrated an artificial intelligence system into the line's PLC. The operator can ask the PLC about faults or operating questions directly, through an interface connected to their mobile phone.
The Result
An extremely compact new installation, with a 1,800 m² plant, high capacity and great versatility: it produces 3,000 blocks per hour (15 blocks of 20 cm every 18 seconds), runs 20 hours a day in Dubai's extreme climate and manufactures blocks, EPS-insulated blocks and double-layer pavers. Integrating artificial intelligence into the PLC puts Rometa at the technological forefront of the industry.
