METHOD FOR REPAIRING OR MODIFYING A MODULAR CONCRETE BLOCK MOLD

Abstract

In a method for repairing or modifying a modular concrete block mold having multiple mold parts, a replacement mold part for a mold part to be replaced of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the replacement mold part is installed in the concrete block mold in place of the mold part to be replaced, or a region of a mold part to be adapted of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the mold part adapted in this way is then installed in the concrete block mold.

Claims

1. A method for repairing or modifying a modular concrete block mold having multiple mold parts (19), in which a replacement mold part for a mold part (19) to be replaced of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the replacement mold part is installed in the concrete block mold in place of the mold part (19) to be replaced, or in which a region of a mold part (19) to be adapted of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the mold part (19) adapted in this way is then installed in the concrete block mold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing comprises a 3D metal printing process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the concrete block mold has been manufactured at least in part by a casting process and/or a machining process

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mold part (19) to be replaced or adapted is worn and/or defective.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the shape of the replacement mold part matches the shape of the mold part (19) to be replaced in the non-worn or non-defective state.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the shape of the replacement mold part differs from the shape of the mold part (19) to be replaced in the non-worn or non-defective state.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mold part (19) to be adapted has worn and/or defective regions which are built up or repaired by additive manufacturing.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the additively manufactured region of the adapted mold part is shaped such that the shape of the adapted mold part matches the shape of the mold part to be adapted in the non-worn or non-defective state.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the additively manufactured region of the adapted mold part is shaped such that the shape of the adapted mold part differs from the shape of the mold part to be adapted in the non-worn or non-defective state.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the additively manufactured region of the adapted mold part is a region that goes beyond the shape of the mold part to be adapted in the non-worn or non-defective state.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mold part (19) to be replaced or adapted is a mold part of a mold cavity (5) or a pressure plate (11) or a stamp (15) of the concrete block mold.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modular concrete block mold has been manufactured at a production site and the replacement mold part or the adapted mold part is additively manufactured at the same production site or is additively manufactured at another production site after mold data relevant to the additive manufacturing have been transmitted.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mold data relevant to the additive manufacturing for the mold part (19) to be replaced or adapted can be selected from a plurality of mold data in a database.

Description

[0020] Some embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a modular concrete block mold.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates the steps of production and possible repair and/or modification of a modular concrete block mold.

[0023] In the figures, the same or functionally equivalent components are provided with the same reference signs.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a modular concrete block mold having an upper mold part 1 and a lower mold part 3. The lower mold part 3 has a frame 5 which surrounds an insert 7. The insert 7 has multiple recesses 9 which are designed as mold cavities. Flanges 17 on the sides of the frame 5 enable it to be mounted in a block-making machine (not shown). The upper mold part 1 is arranged opposite the recesses 9 and has a plurality of pressure plates 11 which correspond approximately to the recesses 9 in terms of their dimensions. The pressure plates 11 are connected via pressure punches 13 to a punching plate 15 which combines the pressure plates 11 and the pressure punches 13 into one unit. Both the upper mold part 1 and the lower mold part 3 are assembled from detachably connected mold parts 19. The frame 5 and the insert 7 are composed of multiple mold parts 19. The connection between the mold parts 19 can be established, for example, by tongue-and-groove connections and/or plug-in connections and/or screws. The assembled mold parts 19 form the modular concrete block mold, in which the mold parts 19 are interchangeable, so that in the case of a defect or wear, only the corresponding mold part needs to be replaced or adapted. The replacement and/or adaptation of one or more mold parts 19 also allows the concrete block mold to be modified.

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates the steps of production and possible repair and/or modification of a modular concrete block mold.

[0026] The modular concrete block mold manufactured by the manufacturer as a whole is referred to as the basic mold. It is designed depending on the layout of the concrete blocks to be manufactured with it and is usually manufactured using a conventional manufacturing process, for example a machining process or a casting process, as illustrated in step 21. Nevertheless, the basic mold or at least mold parts of it may also have been additively manufactured wholly or in part. The manufacture of the basic mold includes the manufacture of the mold parts 19 of the concrete block mold and the assembly thereof such that the mold parts 19 are detachably connected. The assembly takes place at a central production site of the manufacturer, where the mold parts have usually also been manufactured, and it is then delivered to the user of the concrete block mold.

[0027] Step 23 illustrates repair or modification of the modular concrete block mold having multiple mold parts. In the case of repair or modification, a replacement mold part for a mold part to be replaced of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the replacement mold part is installed in the concrete block mold in place of the mold part to be replaced, or a region of a mold part to be adapted of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the mold part adapted in this way is then installed in the concrete block mold. In the case of a defect, wear or desired modification of the concrete block mold, it is possible to replace or adapt mold parts using an additive manufacturing process, advantageously 3D metal printing. Mold parts to be replaced are removed from the concrete block mold and replaced with a new, additively manufactured replacement mold part that is installed in the concrete block mold. A mold part to be adapted is removed from the concrete block mold, a region of the mold part is additively manufactured and the mold part that has thus been adapted is reinstalled in the concrete block mold. Replacement and adaptation can be carried out multiple times for the same mold part or different mold parts during the life of the concrete block mold, as illustrated by the returning arrow.

[0028] Additive manufacturing requires mold data, i.e. design data, for the replacement mold part or the adapted mold part, which can be provided for example by the manufacturer, as illustrated in step 25. These mold data can be present as 3D CAD data, by means of which the 3D metal printer is controlled. Such mold data can be provided in a very short time, meaning the time required to provide the replacement mold part or the adapted mold part amounts only to its printing time.

[0029] It should be noted that the method not only allows a defective or worn concrete block mold to be repaired, but also allows it to be adapted to changed production requirements, for example a changed layout of the concrete blocks to be manufactured. The corresponding steps 23 and 25 can be carried out multiple times during the life of the concrete block mold, and so repair and modification increase the life of the concrete mold.

[0030] The replacement mold part or the adapted mold part can be manufactured at the manufacturer's central production site at which the basic mold was also manufactured, or at one of its branches, or by the user of the concrete block mold. The latter case includes not only 3D printing by the user themselves, but also by a third party commissioned by them. With these options, additive manufacturing allows for increased availability of mold parts because there are different production sites available for step 23, whether on the manufacturer or on the user side: The user can print out the replacement mold part themselves using the mold data provided by the manufacturer. This can be done on an as-needed or in-stock basis. The manufacturer can print the replacement mold part themselves at the production site of the basic mold and then send it to the user for installation. If the user has sent the concrete block mold to the manufacturer, the replacement mold part or the adapted mold part is installed by the manufacturer and the concrete block mold is then sent back to the user. If a defect occurs immediately after production, the manufacturer can still use additive manufacturing to repair and/or even modify the mold before delivery. There is also the possibility that the mold part to be replaced is printed at another production side of the manufacturer after the mold data have been made available there. In this case, too, the installation can be carried out by the user or at the other production site.

[0031] The options described above are also applicable for the mold part to be adapted. The adaptation can be made by the user at the central production site or at another production site. Since 3D printing a replacement mold part as a whole is less complex than adapting a mold part, the adaptation is more likely to be done by the manufacturer, whether at the basic mold production site or at another production site.

[0032] The decentralized manufacturing by means of additive manufacturing can be assisted by a database of which the data pool contains mold data. Such a database can be provided by the manufacturer and facilitate the transfer of mold data for the decentralized manufacturing. As an alternative or in addition to such a database, a data transfer system can be provided by which mold data of the mold part to be replaced or adapted is made available as with the original mold part or with incorporated changes, for example according to user wishes or specifications.

[0033] The features indicated above and in the claims, as well as the features which can be seen in the figures, can advantageously be implemented both individually as well as in various combinations. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but may be modified in many ways within the capabilities of a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0034] 1 upper mold part

[0035] 3 lower mold part

[0036] 5 frame

[0037] 7 insert

[0038] 9 recess

[0039] 11 pressure plate

[0040] 13 pressure punch

[0041] 15 punching plate

[0042] 17 flange

[0043] 19 mold part

[0044] 21 step

[0045] 23 step

[0046] 25 step