The Challenge
In 2011, a client in Portugal asked Rometa to develop a brand-new installation to manufacture a very specific piece: a 60 x 60 cm sandwich panel, made up of an EPS (expanded polystyrene) insulation base and a top layer of concrete between 25 and 60 mm thick. Its application is insulation for roofs and walkable flat roofs. The goal was to supply the entire Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) within a distribution radius of up to 1,200 km, from a 1,000 m² plant.
The technical challenge was to manufacture two pieces per cycle, with automatic feeding of the EPS pieces, an integrated curing system, palletizing, and a bagged-packaging finish for final delivery to the client.
The Rometa Solution
To meet such a specific demand, Rometa designed a bespoke engineering solution based on the 2030-90 model:
Machine design. Manufacture of an adapted vibropress with a custom-sized tray of 1,300 x 700 mm.
Inverted architecture and dual feeding. An inverted machine was designed, fitted with two feeding systems: at the front, the concrete feed (acting as a double-layer machine); at the back, an EPS feeding system via a servo-motor palletizer.
EPS processing. The line was complemented with a cutting system for the EPS pieces, which arrive originally in 6-metre-long, 60 cm-wide blocks.
Precision handling. To insert the EPS piece inside the mould, a feeder cart fitted with suction cups and assisted by a SCADA control system was integrated.
Feed box redesign. To manufacture such thin concrete pieces (25 mm), the feed box was redesigned to achieve a maximum error margin of just 1 mm across the entire surface of the piece.
Mixing plant and aggregate logistics. A system of 4 hoppers with a direct truck-loading point and an aggregate elevator to automatically load all 4 hoppers, optimising space and eliminating the need for additional storage.
The Result
The result is a fully automatic, brand-new industrial installation, from the intake of the 6-metre EPS blocks through to the palletizing and final bagging of the panels, ready for commercial distribution. The line reaches an output of 300 panels per hour.
