Recent transactions in the consolidation of mainline European concrete product machinery manufacturers include the sale of Schlosser-Pfeiffer GmbH to the partnership behind German neighbor Hess Machinen-fabrik GmbH. Among early product development efforts earmarked for Europe and North America, company officials cite Triviant, a technology that effects compaction by a combination of roller head and vibration.

The use of rollerhead for precompaction enables the machine to control the flow of concrete into the mold as a function of the requested compaction force. Company engineers contend that the result is an absolutely even compaction over a pipe of very accurate length. The vibration in the rising core finishes to a very thorough and dense product, they add. A twin-operation mode accommodating product of up to 28 in. diameter affords high output and versatility, as reinforced and nonreinforced pipe can be molded simultaneously.

After demolding, green pipe is transported onto a moving floor system for transfer into a kiln. A robot takes cured pipe off the platforms and brings them to a demolding station where the base rings are separated from the pipe. The rings travel to a brushing station and an oil cabinet before returning to the machine. Product is transferred to a deburring station, then an automatic vacuum-test timed with the machine.— Hess Machinery (Canada) Ltd., 905/575-4440