The structural ceramics industry is a sector where the continuity of the production process is critical for maintaining final product quality, energy efficiency, and plant profitability. Although equipment such as extruders, dryers, and kilns usually garner the most attention, the actual stability of the line depends heavily on auxiliary transport, accumulation, and material handling systems.
These systems allow for the absorption of variations in the production pace, prevent interruptions, and ensure the correct handling of pieces throughout different phases of the process.
According to industrial automation sector studies, unplanned downtime can reduce plant productivity by between 5% and 20%, while the incorporation of optimised automation and transport systems can improve overall operational efficiency by more than 15%.
Table of contents
ToggleThe importance of auxiliary systems in ceramic lines
In continuous processes such as the manufacture of bricks or structural ceramic materials, each stage is directly dependent on the previous one. A minor misalignment in transport or handling can lead to incorrect accumulations, material breakage, or production stoppages.
Auxiliary systems enable:
- Maintaining a constant flow of material
- Reducing manual handling
- Minimising product breakage
- Improving operator safety
- Adapting the pace between different machines
- Optimising internal plant logistics
In modern ceramic plants, transport and handling systems can represent up to 30% of the total production line automation, being decisive for its stability.
Rotating forks: precision and synchronisation in product handling
Industrial rotating forks are systems designed to handle ceramic packages or pieces during the production process, allowing for controlled orientation changes without interrupting the line flow. In the structural ceramics industry, this type of solution is especially relevant in the transition between stages such as extrusion, drying, or preparation for setting (stacking), where the material’s orientation must be modified with precision.
Their automated operation allows for movement synchronisation with conveyors and other auxiliary systems, avoiding misalignments or abrupt handling that could cause product defects.
Among their main benefits are:
- Controlled handling of fragile or freshly formed pieces
- Reduction of breakages during internal transport
- Simple integration into automated lines
- Adaptation to different product formats
- Improvement of process repeatability
In automated industrial environments, controlled mechanical handling can reduce incidences of defective products and positioning errors by approximately 10–12%, especially in continuous production lines.
Cable haulage systems: continuous transport in demanding environments
Cable haulage systemsare industrial transport systems designed to move materials robustly and constantly along the production line. In the ceramics industry, where working conditions include dust, abrasion, and continuous operation over long periods, these systems stand out for their reliability and mechanical resistance.
Their design allows for the transport of materials or packages at controlled speeds, maintaining the stability of the production flow and avoiding interruptions between process stages.
Their most relevant technical characteristics include:
- High durability in severe industrial environments
- Continuous operation with low wear
- Reduced maintenance
- Capacity to work over long distances
- Stable and uniform transport
This type of solution contributes directly to improving the line’s operational availability, reducing downtime due to mechanical incidents, and optimising internal plant logistics. In continuous production systems, the incorporation of robust conveyors can improve line availability by more than 10%.
Turning stars: automation of orientation changes
Turning stars allow for rotation or product position change operations to be performed automatically and in synchronisation with the rest of the production line. This type of machinery is key when the production process requires modifying the material’s orientation to continue its journey towards phases such as drying, setting, or firing.
The design of turning stars allows these movements to be carried out progressively and in a controlled manner, avoiding impacts or stresses on the material that could affect its integrity.
Operational advantages include:
- Continuous turning (turnover) without stopping production
- Synchronisation with conveyors and accumulation systems
- Reduction of manual handling
- Greater stability in the workflow
- Adaptation to different product formats
The automation of repetitive operations such as turning not only improves productivity but also increases occupational safety. In automated lines, the reduction of manual handling can decrease associated accidents by up to 20–25%.
Pack accumulators: balance between process stages
Pack accumulators perform a fundamental function in continuous production lines: acting as regulation systems between different phases of the process. In the ceramics industry, where equipment like extruders, dryers, and kilns may work at different paces, accumulators allow these speed differences to be absorbed without stopping production.
They function as a production “buffer” that maintains the material flow even when small stoppages or adjustments occur at any stage of the line.
Main benefits include:
- Reduction of downtime
- Greater operational flexibility
- Stability in the feeding of subsequent machinery
- Optimisation of internal logistics
- Continuity of the production process
In automated industrial lines, accumulation systems can reduce process interruptions by around 15–18%, significantly improving the overall efficiency of the facility.
Solids transport and kiln car guidance systems
Internal material transport is one of the structural elements of any ceramic plant. The correct synchronisation between equipment depends heavily on the reliability of these systems.
Solids transport and kiln car guidance solutions allow material to be moved between different process stages safely, in a controlled manner, and efficiently, especially during the transfer between extrusion, drying, and firing. These systems are designed to work continuously and in synchronisation with production, ensuring the stability of the material flow within the plant.
Contributions to the process include:
- Automation of internal transport
- Reduction of operational errors
- Improvement of operator safety
- Optimisation of the logistical flow
- Integration with industrial control systems
In modern ceramic plants, the automation of internal transport can improve overall operational efficiency by between 10% and 15%, as well as significantly reducing reliance on manual handling.