Have you ever wondered how bricks are made? Believe it or not, WPT Power industrial clutches play a pivotal role in the process!
The most common process of brick formation is called extrusion, where a combination of materials are poured into a mixing chamber by way of conveyer. This chamber consists of rotating teeth that grind up the material compound into the desired consistency. Once mixed, the materials are fed into the extruder below, then released through a die creating one big slab. The slab is forced through tightly strung wires to cut the material into segments. All of this happens in preparation for the drying and firing process which yields the final product.
The two main components of this process require industrial clutches—the mixer and the extruder. WPT provides Power Grip PO pneumatic clutches in a variety of sizes which are responsible for the cyclical behavior of these components. The mixer usually needs to hold a very large load, for an extended period. The industrial air clutch is engaged to allow connection of the machine’s main shaft to transfer power from the motor to the mixer. Once the material compound is mixed correctly, our clutch is disengaged, and the compound is dumped into the extruder. The extruder generally requires a smaller clutch than the mixer, but it is responsible for engaging and disengaging very quickly and repeatedly. Due to the high demand on the clutch, you might expect a high wear-rate, but a properly set up Power Grip PO clutch has been proven to last for many years in this process.
The WPT line of Power Grip PO industrial clutch units and parts are also one-hundred percent interchangeable with Twin Disc™ style PO industrial air clutch units and parts. We can help to fix an issues you may have!
So, whether you are the original equipment manufacturer of brick extruders or the maintenance supervisor at a brick factory, WPT has the industrial clutch solution to meet your needs! Give us a call or visit our website at www.wptpower.com.