Casco Totaal at full production with 3D-Betoncasco housing modules
The subsidiary of De Hoop Terneuzen Group in Holland together with Bianchi Casseforme for a new concept of residential building systems
This method, called 3D-Betoncasco, consists in building completely prefabricated concrete housing modules under controlled conditions in a precast factory.
The housing modules are then transported onsite and couple them together in a very short time. They form the building blocks of a new construction project.
This project became reality in 2015 and today Casco Totaal produces housing modules at full speed.
The company Bianchi Casseforme produced a specially developed mould for Casco Totaal. After production of the concrete module it is finished in a carousel system. On the different positions of the carousel insulation, external bricks layer, electricity, heating system, water piping are installed, as well as other essential elements, such as kitchen and bathroom.
Although the modules are 100 % finished Casco Totaal can supply a very flexible engineering and customized projects.
The esthetic result of a 3D-Betoncasco housing module is the same as a traditional building but because the production is done under ideal conditions the building, finishing and insulation quality is higher.
A crucial aspect of this approach is that the construction partners such as architects, planners, developers, contractors, subcontractors keep their role in this industrial process. Casco Totaal firmly believes that each serial project may be unique.
CascoTotaal has chosen the well-proven expertise of Bianchi Casseforme for the supply of:
- Two “3D” Monoblock-Moulds
- A fully automated circulation plant for the handling of the elements in their finishing phases
The main feature of the mould is its flexibility that allows the production of elements with big variety in dimensions.
More in detail, one 3D-Betoncasco modules is made of 2 external longitudinal walls, upper ceiling and 1 trasversal wall. The floor is a flat panel that rests on the lateral walls (once demoulded the module) thanks to their internal structure.
Flexibility of the module can be summarized as follows:
- Internal height from 2,4 to 3,1m
- Length up to 10,0m
- Width between 3,0 to 6,0m
- Wall thickness from 80mm to 280mm
- Therefore, the 3D-Betoncasco modules can be conceived with an upper frame of max height 400mm placed in different positions.
The mold is made by
- A lower base, fixed to the ground, that supports the structure,
- the lateral modular bases of the element
- a set of magnetically fixed separators
- a set of upper perimetral sides
- two lateral sides and one transversal with hydraulical and motorised movements
- an internal core, equipped with an hydraulic system that makes it able to “shrink”, in several phases, in order to allow the detachment of the mold from the 3 internal walls during demolding. The core is modular, through the insertion of several pieces of different width, in order to allow flexibility in precast modules dimensions.
- Mold is completed with a vibration plant, that consists of some low voltage and variable frequency electrical vibrators, placed in the internal part of the “core”, run by a radio remote control or by a pushbutton placed onto the electrical cabinet.
Once demolded, the 3D-Betoncasco element is loaded onto a steel pallet.
The assembling and finishing phases are made inside a new hall where Bianchi Casseforme has supplied and installed a fully automated circulation plant for the handling of the elements on steel pallets.
Several friction and idle wheels allow the smooth movement of the steel pallet loading the elements from different working position. 3
3 crossover trolleys lift the tables up, move them in crosswise direction and settle the tables down onto the next conveyor line. The trolleys are with electric drive motors, hydraulic lifting jacks, position control and power supply (cables, energy chain and gutter).
The automation of the whole system is ensured by an electrical control cabinet ruled by a PLC, visualization software , several sensors to detect the position of the pallet, remote control unit with necessary buttons to move the pallets to the next station.