AU J.T. 14(4): 308-312 (Apr.

2011)

Development and Performance Evaluation of

Hydraulic Brick Moulding Machine
Pius Bamidele Mogaji
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology
Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
E-mail: <[email protected]; [email protected]>

Abstract
The pressing need for building materials in Nigeria and Africa in general,
particularly for low-cost housing in rural areas, has now become a major issue of
concern. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, sand, wood, and rocks are
over 90% available in these rural areas. However, the cost of sophisticated modern
brick moulding machines ranges between $2,500 and $3,000. Hence, there is a need to
develop and evaluate the performance of a hydraulic brick moulding machine that can
produce large quantities of bricks at an affordable cost by the people in the rural areas.
The developed machine has several distinct parts: U-channel frame section made of
mild steel (23.53 m3 volume), angle plate (10.06 m3 volume), hydraulic reservoir (1,000
m3 volume), hydraulic cylinder, the pump (1.36 hp), pulleys (60 mm and 100 mm
diameter; 125.68 rad/s and 209.47 rad/s angular velocity; 1,200 rpm and 200 rpm
speed), and mould. The performance evaluation of the machine was carried out and a
production of an average number of 86 bricks per hour was recorded, with machine
efficiency of 75%. The machine is effective, easy to operate, relatively cheap with a
production cost of $700 only.
Keywords: Mould, brick, hydraulic moulding machine.

in order to retain its components and keep it in

Introduction good working condition (Meshkat et al. 2001).
Maintenance operations are categorized
The rate at which structural defects or as corrective, preventive, and scheduled
failures occur these days is alarming, and they maintenance operations. As far as this proposed
usually come as a result of sub-standard cement machine is concerned, all these maintenance
blocks used in building construction, hence, operations have to be explored for effective and
there is a need to get highly compacted and efficient quality assessment of brick production
strengthened bricks, which can be made from (Agbamu 1999).
red soil mixed with some additives if needed. A brick can be defined as a rectangular
The quality of bricks is determined by the block of clay backed by the sun or in a kiln (an
reliability and the efficiency of the brick enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to
machine, which will determine how strong the fire, burn or dry materials), which is used as a
structure will be, which in turn will eventually building material or a paving material
determine the maintenance cost of said (Karnopp et al. 1990). Adobe bricks are a
structure. The maintenance concept of the natural building material made from sand, clay,
proposed machine is mainly focused on the water, and some kind of fibrous material
three major parts of the machine: the U-channel (sticks, straw, dung), which is shaped into
frame section, the hydraulic section, and the bricks using frames and dried in the sun. Adobe
mould section. structures are extremely durable and account
Maintenance in simple terms is defined for the oldest existing buildings on the planet.
as all operations that are conducted on a system In dry climates, compared to wooden buildings

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adobe buildings offer significant advantages Determination of Pump Displacement

due to their greater thermal mass (Scott 1997). The pump displacement is given by the
Hydraulic machines are machines and following equation:
VP = (Qm x 1,000) / (nP x vol.p),
tools which use fluid power to do work. In this
(1)
type of machine, high pressure hydraulic fluid
is transmitted throughout the machine to where:
various hydraulic motors and hydraulic VP = pump displacement [cm³/rev];
cylinders. The fluid is controlled directly or Qm = flow rate required by pump
automatically by control valves and distributed [liters/minute];
through hoses and tubes. The popularity of nP = pump shaft speed [rpm];
hydraulic machinery is due to the very large ηvol. p = pump volumetric efficiency (in
amount of power that can be transferred the range 0.85 - 0.97).
through small tubes and flexible hoses, and the
high power density and wide array of actuators Determination of Pump Power
that can make use of this power (Wolansky and The power rating of the pump depends on
Akers 1988, Akers et al. 2006). the pump displacement:
However, the energy considerations P out = p x (VP x nP ) / 600,000, (2)
compel the use of pressed mud blocks in place
of the traditional burnt bricks. Usually bricks where:
can be moulded manually by hand, but there is P out = power [kW];
a need for a machine which would result in p = pressure [bar];
easier, faster and cheaper means of producing VP = pump displacement [cm³/rev];
the bricks. Brick machines come in different nP = pump shaft speed [rpm].
designs, types, shapes and sizes, but this work
considers a simple hydraulic brick machine Determination of Drive Power
which is powered by a hydraulic pump driven The power rating of the prime mover is
by a prime mover. obtained accordingly:
P in = p x (VP x nP ) / (600,000 x ηt. p), (3)
Methodology where:
P in = power [kW];
The design considerations for the distinct p = pressure [bar];
parts of the proposed brick moulding machine VP = pump displacement [cm³/rev];
are simple and straightforward. nP = pump shaft speed [rpm];
ηt. p = pump overall efficiency (0.8-0.9).
Pump Design
Table 1 contains specifications of Determination of Velocity
external gear pumps of three different classes, The velocity is determined by the
which can be used for the hydraulic section of standard analytic expression:
the brick moulding machine.
v = Q x 21.22 / D2, (4)
Table 1. Specifications of external gear pumps. where:
v = velocity in meters per second [m/sec];
Speed (rpm)

Q = flow rate in liters per minute

Discharge

Discharge
(liter/min)
Pressure

(GPM)
Class

[liter/min];
(Psi)

D = inside diameter of pipe or hose in

[mm].
A 1800 2100 - 3000 0.8 3.028 Reservoir Design Considerations
B 3600 2100 - 3000 1.6 6.057 Sizing: Recommended reservoir fluid
C 1200 2100 - 3000 0.7 2.650 volume is 3 to 5 times the pump(s) output flow

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AU J.T. 14(4): 308-312 (Apr. 2011)

per minute with a 10% air cushion, expressed

by the following formula:
V = 3 x Q x 1.1, (5)
where:
V = reservoir volume [gallons or liters];
Q = flow rate of pump [gallons/ minute].
By choosing:
- length of tank to be 20 cm;
- width of tank to be 20 cm; and
- an assumed volume of 10 liters (10,000
cm3); Fig. 2. The main frame of the machine.
the corresponding height can be calculated
from: The sectional view of the main frame and
H = V / (L x W), (6) the dimensions of the U-section are shown in
Fig. 3.
and the result is shown in Fig. 1.

9.5 cm 10.16 cm

25 cm 4 cm
0.5 cm
4.5 cm
Fig. 3. Sectional view of the main frame.

Volume of U-Channel
20 cm 20 cm The volume of the U-channel is given by:

Fig. 1. Reservoir. V = A x L, (8)

where:
Design of the Frame of the Machine L = total length used;
The density of the material is given by the A = cross-sectional area.
equation:
 = m / V, (7) Angle Plate
The dimensions of the angle plate are

 = density of the material, [kg/m3];

where: shown in Fig. 4.
30 cm

m = mass of the material, [kg];

V = volume of the material, [m3].

U - Channel (Main Frame) 60 cm

The main frame of the machine is shown

in Fig. 2. The main frame is characterized by
the following parameters:
- material used: mild steel; and 53 cm
- density: 7.84 kg/m3.

Fig. 4. The angle plate.

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Design of the Mould and Brick

The brick designed in this research work
is an interlocking brick such that the laying
does not require mortar; it just needs to be
aligned together. The mould was designed such
that the shape of the brick has slots and
protrusion. The mould for the brick is shown in
Fig. 5.

230 mm
Fig. 7. Isometric drawing of the machine.

102 mm 152 mm

Fig. 5. Mould for the brick.

The volume of the brick is determined as

follows:
V = L x B x H, (9)
where: L = length; B = breadth; H = height.
The brick shape is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6. Brick shape.

Results and Discussion Fig. 8. The fabricated hydraulic brick moulding

machine.
The isometric drawing of the machine is
shown in Fig. 7. The fabricated hydraulic brick From Table 2, the following parameters
moulding machine is shown in Fig. 8. are known:
The performance evaluation of the Total bricks produced = 86 units;
machine, as recorded by the author, is shown in Total time used = 60 minutes.
Table 2. Therefore, the average rate of brick production
Let: is given by:
Expected rate of production = 2 bricks per min. Average bricks produced per minute =
86/60 = 1.433 bricks per minute.

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Table 2. Performance evaluation of the depends on the performance of the operators

machine as recorded by the author. involved in the production of bricks. The
Time No. of Cumulative No. of machine was designed in such a simple way
Trial that it requires little or no special training for
(min.) bricks production workers
1 5 6 6 2 the operators of the machine.
2 10 7 13 2 The intended maintenance operations for
3 15 10 23 2 the three major parts of the machine, if
4 20 7 30 2 implemented, will bring out good quality bricks
5 25 8 38 2 and enhance the life span of the machine.
6 30 5 43 2
7 35 10 53 2
8 40 4 57 2 References
9 45 9 66 2
10 50 8 74 2 Agbamu, E.A. 1999. Plant service and
11 55 7 81 2 maintenance. 2nd ed., Joeseg Associates,
12 60 5 86 2 Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, pp. 28-30.
Total 60 86 Akers, A.; Gassman, M.; and Smith, R. 2006.

The efficiency () of the machine can be

Hydraulic power system analysis. CRC
Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca
calculated as: Raton, FL, USA, pp. 23-34.
 = (o / i) x 100, (10)
Karnopp, D.C.; Margolis, D.L.; and Rosenberg,

where:  = efficiency; o = output; i = input;

R.C. 1990. System dynamics: A unified
approach. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New

  75%.
resulting in: York, NY, USA, pp. 45-7.
Meshkat, L; Dugan, J.B.; and Andrews, J.
2001. Maintenance modelling for computer-
This implies that if 1.433 bricks are based systems. Proceedings of the
produced per minute, then a total of 86 bricks Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E:
will be produced in an hour. Hence, for a 7-hr Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering
day job the average number of bricks that will 215(3): 221-31, August.
be produced per day is 602 bricks. Scott, B. 1997. Auckland clay industry:
Geology, history and archaeology. Auckland
Regional Council, Waitakere City Council,
Conclusion Auckland, New Zealand, pp. 38-40.
Wolansky, W.D.; and Akers, A. 1988. Modern
A hydraulic brick moulding machine was hydraulics: The basics at work. Merrill's
designed and fabricated. The various series in mechanical and civil technology.
components were properly functioning while Merrill Publishing Co., Columbus, OH,
running. The machine can produce the reported USA, Amalgam Publishing Co., San Diego,
average number of bricks per day, but this also CA, USA, pp. 18-23.

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