Are the bricks cracked and lacking in strength? Find reasons from the production link

Are the bricks cracked and lacking in strength? Find reasons from the production link

When the bricks you produce have strength problems such as cracks, corner loss, or breakage, the root cause often lies in one or several links in the production process. By systematically examining the following four core links, you can find the crux of the problem.

1. Raw materials and proportions: The “gene” of bricks determines the upper limit

This is the most basic factor affecting strength.

Cement problem: Is the cement expired and caked with moisture? Do brands or batches change frequently? Is the amount of cement insufficient? Cement is the "glue" of strength, and its quality and dosage are critical.

Aggregate problem: Does the mud content of aggregates such as sand and stone powder be too high? Too much fine powder or too coarse particles? Unreasonable gradation (improper particle size matching) will affect the compactness of the bricks.

Proportioning and Mixing: The water-cement ratio (ratio of water to cement) is key. If there is too much water, the bricks will be too soft and have many internal pores and low strength after drying; if there is too little water, the mixture will be dry and scattered and cannot be fully compacted. Is the mixture evenly stirred? Is there any dry cement mass that has not been stirred up?

2. Forming and pressing: the “shaping” link to create density

Insufficient pressure or improper method, the inside of the bricks will be loose.

Filling problem: Is the amount of mixture filled into the mold insufficient or uneven? This will cause the bricks to be partially dense and prone to breakage.

Pressure vs. Time: Is the actual molding pressure provided by the equipment sufficient? Is the pressurization or vibration time too short? Insufficient pressure or insufficient time to tightly squeeze the raw material particles together is the direct cause of insufficient strength.

Mold status: Is the mold worn or deformed? This will lead to uneven brick sizes, uneven stress, and prone to cracks in some parts.

3. Demolding and handling: hidden dangers of “trauma” during the fragile period

The strength of freshly formed wet bricks is extremely low, and improper handling will cause internal micro-cracks.

Rough demoulding: Does the demoulding mechanism move smoothly? Is the brick being forcibly ejected due to high resistance, causing internal damage that is invisible to the naked eye?

Collision and extrusion: Are there any collisions or falls when handling wet bricks? Are the bricks deformed due to uneven bottom or uneven stress when stacking or stacking?

4. Maintenance and management: the critical period for strength “growth”

Improper maintenance is the most common cause of cracks and strength problems and is often overlooked.

Early water loss too fast (the main cause of cracks):

Phenomenon: Fine cracks or penetrating cracks appear on the surface of the bricks.

Reason: After the bricks are formed, they are directly exposed to sunlight and strong winds. The water on the surface evaporates quickly, causing uneven shrinkage inside and outside, resulting in tensile stress and cracking of the bricks.

Insufficient humidity and inadequate maintenance (the main reasons leading to insufficient strength):

Phenomenon: The bricks are crispy as a whole and their strength is not up to standard.

Reason: Cement needs to be in a water environment to fully complete the hydration reaction and become hard. If it is not kept moist (not covered, not regularly sprinkled with water) during the curing period (especially the first 3-7 days), the cement will not react adequately and the strength will not develop properly.

Stacking and moving too early: When the bricks are stacked or moved before they have sufficient strength (usually need to stand for 24-48 hours), the underlying bricks will be crushed or hidden injuries will occur.

Systematic troubleshooting process suggestions

When a problem brick occurs, please troubleshoot in order:

Let’s look at maintenance first: Check whether the maintenance area has sun and wind protection measures? Are the bricks kept moist? This is the link most prone to problems and easy to improve.

Check the molding again: Check whether the equipment pressure is normal? Is the filling sufficient and even?

Review raw materials: Check whether there have been recent changes in raw materials? Are the proportions and water amounts strictly accurate?

Review the operation: Observe whether the demoulding and handling processes are standardized and gentle.

In summary, producing high-quality bricks is an interlocking and delicate job. Cracks are often a sign of too fast drying (maintenance problem) or external force damage (operation problem); insufficient strength is mostly due to insufficient or failed "glue" (raw material ratio problem), incorrect "extrusion" (forming problem) or poor "growing" environment (maintenance problem). By identifying the problem areas and making targeted adjustments, you can re-produce good, strong and durable bricks.