Basic Measures to Ensure Brick Quality

Basic Measures to Ensure Brick Quality

Ensuring brick quality aims to produce products that meet strength standards, have uniform dimensions, and are durable. This is not dependent on a single step, but rather on a systematic control throughout the entire process, from raw materials and production to curing. Meticulous management and consistent execution at each step are indispensable for achieving final quality, with standardized operations and continuous monitoring at their core.

The starting point for quality control lies in the strict control and precise proportioning of raw materials. The soil, sand, or other materials used for brick making need to maintain relatively stable composition and properties. Large stones, weeds, and other impurities in the raw materials must be effectively removed, as they can create defects within the brick blank. More critically, controlling the moisture content of the raw materials is crucial. Too high a moisture content will cause the brick blank to deform and crack; too low a moisture content will make it difficult to press and shape. A practical rule of thumb is that the brick should "clump together when squeezed in your hand but crumble when dropped." If the formula includes cement, admixtures, etc., they must be accurately weighed and thoroughly mixed according to a defined ratio to ensure that the "formula" for each batch is consistent. This is the foundation for ensuring the uniform quality of the entire batch of bricks.

Molding control during the production process is crucial in determining the density and appearance of bricks. After the prepared raw materials are fed into the brick press, the pressure and pressing time must be adjusted appropriately based on the moisture content and particle size of the raw materials. Insufficient pressure will result in loose bricks with insufficient strength; excessive pressure or poor air venting may lead to hidden cracks inside the brick blank. Operators need to periodically check the freshly pressed brick blanks to ensure their edges are intact, their surfaces are smooth, and their weight is within the allowable fluctuation range. By cutting open the brick blank, one can visually inspect its internal density, for any delamination or voids. These timely checks are the most direct and effective means of ensuring molding quality.

After molding, the brick blanks must undergo scientific and reasonable curing management to achieve their final strength. Freshly pressed wet brick blanks are very fragile and cannot be immediately exposed to sunlight or freezing. They need to be smoothly transported to a well-ventilated curing area, away from direct sunlight and rain, for a natural "air drying" process. This allows moisture to evaporate slowly and evenly, which is key to preventing drying cracks. Subsequently, depending on the process requirements, several to dozens of days of watering and moisturizing maintenance or natural storage may be necessary to promote full internal hardening. Finally, before the finished products leave the factory, a rigorous visual inspection is required to remove defective products with defects, cracks, or obvious deformation. Simple drop or load-bearing tests can also be conducted on samples to verify whether their strength meets the usage requirements. By formalizing these measures into clear operating procedures and adhering to them consistently, the stability and reliability of the brick quality can be systematically guaranteed.