A device and method for measuring slump of concrete in a hopper feeding a concrete pump. A slump sensor generates a signal from either an ammeter to measure current from a power source feeding an electric motor being configured to rotate an agitator shaft or a pressure gauge configured to measure hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic drive hose passing between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor configured to rotate the agitator shaft. A controlling computer includes a memory in which an operating range may reside, the operating range being a range from a lower slump signal value corresponding to a lower limit of slump value to an upper slump signal value. The controlling computer generates an alert signal when the slump sensor signal falls outside of the operating range. In one embodiment, the controlling computer stops the concrete pump when the alert signal is detected.

The invention relates to a system for extruding cementitious material beads for a robot used for the additive manufacturing of architectural structures, comprising: a head for depositing beads of cementitious material, referred to as printhead (30), comprising an inlet mouth (31) and an outlet nozzle (34) configured to form beads of cementitious material; a feed circuit (20) for said printhead (30), comprising a reservoir (10) for storing cementitious material, a feed conduit (21) connecting said storage reservoir (10) to said printhead (30), and a booster pump (22) for said feed conduit (21), characterized in that it further comprises a sensor (33) for sensing the pressure rate of the cementitious material flowing in said printhead (30), and suitable for transmitting pressure/flow rate measurements to said booster pump (22), and in that the booster pump (22) is configured to control the boosting of the feed conduit (21) on the basis of the measurements transmitted by the sensor (33).

A building material apparatus includes at least one building material transport part which follows a building material drum, wherein the building material transport part is designed to transport building material which is to be at least partially cured, and at least one part sensor. The part sensor is arranged on and/or in the building material transport part and is designed to detect at least one intensive variable, or at least one variable which corresponds at least to the intensive variable, of the building material in the building material transport part.

A slurry dispense system utilizes a buffer chamber to release the pressure from the supply pump, and buffer the irregular flow rate of the supply pump. It also utilizes a positive displacement pump to control the dispense flow. With the help of the buffer chamber, the positive displacement pump is able to provide a constant flow rate, and can be accurately controlled. A high resolution and a high speed can be achieved at the same time.

A device for producing a concrete includes a cement premixer for mixing a cement suspension, the cement premixer having an ultrasonic probe for preparing a cement suspension, a crystallization tank arrangement with the first crystallization tank, for increasing the early strengths of the concrete, and a concrete mixer for producing a concrete mixture from the premixed cement suspension, in particular with the addition of aggregates.

The fiber boxes (60) each contain fiber (62) and are removably mounted to a fiber injector (9) for injecting the fiber (62) into a material flow stream. The fiber boxes (60) each have an enclosure (61) for containing the fiber (62), preferably a single fiber (62). An aperture 70 provides a feed hole (70) for passing the fiber (62) from an interior of the enclosure (61) to an exterior of the enclosure (61). Contacts (64) having ends disposed on an exterior of the enclosure (61), spaced apart for registering with mating contacts (54) on a fiber distribution ring (40). A frangible element (68) extends between the contacts (64) and provides electrical continuity between the two contacts (64), such that when the fiber (62) is fully withdrawn from within the enclosure (61) the frangible element (68) separates and breaks electrical continuity between the two contacts (64).

A slurry dispense system utilizes a buffer chamber to release the pressure from the supply pump, and buffer the irregular flow rate of the supply pump. It also utilizes a positive displacement pump to control the dispense flow. With the help of the buffer chamber, the positive displacement pump is able to provide a constant flow rate, and can be accurately controlled. A high resolution and a high speed can be achieved at the same time.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for the transportation and delivery of set-delayed cement compositions to a well site. A method of cementing may comprise preparing a set-delayed cement composition. The method further may comprise storing the set-delayed cement composition. The method further may comprise transporting the set-delayed cement composition to a well site in a containment vessel. The method further may comprise discharging the set-delayed cement composition from the containment vessel and into a wellbore.

A method for 3D printing a construction using a printing unit includes obtaining a precursor printing material, the precursor printing material including a binder, water, and sand; forming a flow of the precursor printing material towards the printing unit using a material pump; adding downstream of the material pump an amount of a first additive to the precursor printing material; optionally adding one or more additional additives; mixing the precursor printing material, the first additive and the optional one or more additional additives to form the printing material; and extruding the printing material via the printing head.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for the transportation and delivery of set-delayed cement compositions to a well site. A method of cementing may comprise preparing a set-delayed cement composition. The method further may comprise storing the set-delayed cement composition. The method further may comprise transporting the set-delayed cement composition to a well site in a containment vessel. The method further may comprise discharging the set-delayed cement composition from the containment vessel and into a wellbore.