Production of AAC in Wehrhahn plants
Every individual part of a production plant is a link in a long chain of actions and reactions. The key is perfect flow.
Raw material preparation
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is produced by mixing the raw materials sand or pulverised fuel ash, cement, anhydrite (gypsum), lime, water and a small quantity of aluminium powder.
Dosing and mixing system
Wehrhahn’s fully automated dosing and mixing plant WECOMIX enables accurate dosing, weighing and mixing of all raw materials. The mixture is then poured into moulds, where chemical reactions cause it to rise like a cake.
Cutting
After the cake has attained sufficient strength, it is removed from the mould and cut with wires and knives into blocks or panels with precision accuracy. Hand holds, tongue and groove are cut before the cake is autoclaved in order to avoid milling into the hardened material – a sustainable cost-saving measure and an element of our „zero system waste” concept.
Autoclaving / curing
After cutting, the AAC is hardened by autoclaving in a saturated steam atmosphere at a temperature of approx. 180 – 190°C. It is this steam curing that creates the unique crystalline structure and lends AAC its excellent qualities in comparison to building materials which are not steam cured.
Sorting and packing
After autoclaving the blocks or panels are packed and are then ready for dispatch to the construction site.
