1.

A furniture company wants to make 200 chairs for its customers in the 5th week of august 2005
you have been asked to prepare an MRP (material requirement planning) for the required
component with the product
2. What types of models are most usefull for operation management decision making?
3. How do the characteristics of decision situation affect the choice of a technique to use in
decision analysis?
4. What is break even analysis?
5. What is decision tree?
6. What is scheduling and does it differ from aggregate planning
7. How master scheduling differ under manufacturing strategies of a,make to stock b. assemble-to-
order c, make to order

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Background
A concrete block is primarily used as a building material in the
construction of walls. It is sometimes called a concrete masonry unit
(CMU). A concrete block is one of several precast concrete products
used in construction. The term precast refers to the fact that the
blocks are formed and hardened before they are brought to the job
site. Most concrete blocks have one or more hollow cavities, and their
sides may be cast smooth or with a design. In use, concrete blocks are
stacked one at a time and held together with fresh concrete mortar to
form the desired length and height of the wall.
Concrete mortar was used by the Romans as early as 200 B.C. to bind
shaped stones together in the construction of buildings. During the
reign of the Roman emperor Caligula, in 37-41 A.D. , small blocks of
precast concrete were used as a construction material in the region
around present-day Naples, Italy. Much of the concrete technology
developed by the Romans was lost after the fall of the Roman Empire
in the fifth century. It was not until 1824 that the English stonemason
Joseph Aspdin developed portland cement, which became one of the
key components of modern concrete.
The first hollow concrete block was designed in 1890 by Harmon S.
Palmer in the United States. After 10 years of experimenting, Palmer
patented the design in 1900. Palmer's blocks were 8 in (20.3 cm) by 10
in (25.4 cm) by 30 in (76.2 cm), and they were so heavy they had to be
lifted into place with a small crane. By 1905, an estimated 1,500
companies were manufacturing concrete blocks in the United States.
These early blocks were usually cast by hand, and the average output
was about 10 blocks per person per hour. Today, concrete block
manufacturing is a highly automated process that can produce up to
2,000 blocks per hour.

Raw Materials
The concrete commonly used to make concrete blocks is a mixture of powdered portland cement,
water, sand, and gravel. This produces a light gray block with a fine surface texture and a high
compressive strength. A typical concrete block weighs 38-43 lb (17.2-19.5 kg). In general, the concrete
mixture used for blocks has a higher percentage of sand and a lower percentage of gravel and water
than the concrete mixtures used for general construction purposes. This produces a very dry, stiff
mixture that holds its shape when it is removed from the block mold.
If granulated coal or volcanic cinders are used instead of sand and gravel, the resulting block is
commonly called a cinder block. This produces a dark gray block with a medium-to-coarse surface
texture, good strength, good sound-deadening properties, and a higher thermal insulating value than a
concrete block. A typical cinder block weighs 26-33 lb (11.8-15.0 kg).
Lightweight concrete blocks are made by replacing the sand and gravel with expanded clay, shale, or
slate. Expanded clay, shale, and slate are produced by crushing the raw materials and heating them to
about 2000°F (1093°C). At this temperature the material bloats, or puffs up, because of the rapid
generation of gases caused by the combustion of small quantities of organic material trapped inside. A
typical light-weight block weighs 22-28 lb (10.0-12.7 kg) and is used to build non-load-bearing walls and
partitions. Expanded blast furnace slag, as well as natural volcanic materials such as pumice and scoria,
are also used to make lightweight blocks.
In addition to the basic components, the concrete mixture used to make blocks may also contain various
chemicals, called admixtures, to alter curing time, increase compressive strength, or improve
workability. The mixture may have pigments added to give the blocks a uniform
color throughout, or the surface of the blocks may be coated with a baked-on
glaze to give a decorative effect or to provide protection against chemical
attack. The glazes are usually made with a thermosetting resinous binder,
silica sand, and color pigments.

Design
The shapes and sizes of most common concrete blocks have been
standardized to ensure uniform building construction. The most
common block size in the United States is referred to as an 8-by-8-by-
16 block, with the nominal measurements of 8 in (20.3 cm) high by 8 in
(20.3 cm) deep by 16 in (40.6 cm) wide. This nominal measurement
includes room for a bead of mortar, and the block itself actually
measures 7.63 in (19.4 cm) high by 7.63 in (19.4 cm) deep by 15.63 in
(38.8 cm) wide.
Many progressive block manufacturers offer variations on the basic
block to achieve unique visual effects or to provide desirable
structural features for specialized applications. For example, one
manufacturer offers a block specifically designed to resist water
leakage through exterior walls. The block incorporates a water
repellent admixture to reduce the concrete's absorption and
permeability, a beveled upper edge to shed water away from the
horizontal mortar joint, and a series of internal grooves and channels
to direct the flow of any crack-induced leakage away from the interior
surface.
Another block design, called a split-faced block, includes a rough,
stone-like texture on one face of the block instead of a smooth face.
This gives the block the architectural appearance of a cut and dressed
stone.

A Foursquare-style house design, appearing in the Radford Architectural Company's 1908

catalog Cement Houses and How to Build Them. It was one of hundreds of cancrete block
house designs offered by the Radford company. They estimated that this design could be
built for about $2,250.00, much less than traditional stone masonry houses of the time.
(From the collections of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village.)

Concrete blocks were first used in the United States as a substitute

for stone or wood in the building of homes. The earliest known
example of a house built in this country entirely of concrete block was
in 1837 on Staten Island, New York. The homes built of concrete
blocks showed a creative use of common inexpensive materials made
to look like the more expensive and traditional wood-framed stone
masonry building. This new type of construction became a popular
form of house building in the early 1900s through the 1920s. House
styles, often referred to as "modern" at the time, ranged from Tudor to
Foursquare, Colonial Revival to Bungalow. While many houses used the
concrete blocks as the structure as well as the outer wall surface,
other houses used stucco or other coatings over the block structure.
Hundreds of thousands of these houses were built especially in the
midwestern states, probably because the raw materials needed to
make concrete blocks were in abundant supply in sand banks and
gravel pits throughout this region. The concrete blocks were made
with face designs to simulate stone textures: rock-faced, granite-
faced, or rusticated. At first considered an experimental material,
houses built of concrete blocks were advertised in many portland
cement manufacturers' catalogs as "fireproof, vermin proof, and
weatherproof" and as an inexpensive replacement for the ever-scarcer
supply of wood. Many other types of buildings such as garages, silos,
and post offices were built and continue to be built today using this
construction method because of these qualities.
Cynthia Read-Miller
When manufacturers design a new block, they must consider not only
the desired shape, but also the manufacturing process required to
make that shape. Shapes that require

complex molds or additional steps in the molding process may slow

production and result in increased costs. In some cases, these
increased costs may offset the benefits of the new design and make
the block too expensive.

The Manufacturing
Process
The production of concrete blocks consists of four basic processes:
mixing, molding, curing, and cubing. Some manufacturing plants
produce only concrete blocks, while others may produce a wide
variety of precast concrete products including blocks, flat paver
stones, and decorative landscaping pieces such as lawn edging. Some
plants are capable of producing 2,000 or more blocks per hour.
The following steps are commonly used to manufacture concrete
blocks.

Mixing
 1 The sand and gravel are stored outside in piles and are
transferred into storage bins in the plant by a conveyor belt as
they are needed. The portland cement is stored outside in large
vertical silos to protect it from moisture.
 2 As a production run starts, the required amounts of sand,
gravel, and cement are transferred by gravity or by mechanical
means to a weigh batcher which measures the proper amounts of
each material.
 3 The dry materials then flow into a stationary mixer where they
are blended together for several minutes. There are two types of
mixers commonly used. One type, called a planetary or pan
mixer, resembles a shallow pan with a lid. Mixing blades are
attached to a vertical rotating shaft inside the mixer. The other
type is called a horizontal drum mixer. It resembles a coffee can
turned on its side and has mixing blades attached to a horizontal
rotating shaft inside the mixer.
 4 After the dry materials are blended, a small amount of water is
added to the mixer. If the plant is located in a climate subject to
temperature extremes, the water may first pass through a heater
or chiller to regulate its temperature. Admixture chemicals and
coloring pigments may also be added at this time. The concrete
is then mixed for six to eight minutes.

Molding
 5 Once the load of concrete is thoroughly mixed, it is dumped
into an inclined
 bucket conveyor and transported to an elevated hopper. The
mixing cycle begins again for the next load.

 6 From the hopper the concrete is conveyed to another hopper on

top of the block machine at a measured flow rate. In the block
machine, the concrete is forced downward into molds. The molds
consist of an outer mold box containing several mold liners. The
liners determine the outer shape of the block and the inner shape
of the block cavities. As many as 15 blocks may be molded at
one time.
 7 When the molds are full, the concrete is compacted by the
weight of the upper mold head coming down on the mold
cavities. This compaction may be supplemented by air or
hydraulic pressure cylinders acting on the mold head. Most block
machines also use a short burst of mechanical vibration to
further aid compaction.
 8 The compacted blocks are pushed down and out of the molds
onto a flat steel pallet. The pallet and blocks are pushed out of
the machine and onto a chain conveyor. In some operations the
blocks then pass under a rotating brush which removes loose
material from the top of the blocks.
Curing
 9 The pallets of blocks are conveyed to an automated stacker or
loader which places them in a curing rack. Each rack holds
several hundred blocks. When a rack is full, it is rolled onto a set
of rails and moved into a curing kiln.
 10 The kiln is an enclosed room with the capacity to hold several
racks of blocks at a time. There are two basic types of curing
kilns. The most common type is a low-pressure steam kiln. In this
type, the blocks are held in the kiln for one to three hours at
room temperature to allow them to harden slightly. Steam is then
gradually introduced to raise the temperature at a controlled rate
of not more than 60°F per hour (16°C per hour). Standard weight
blocks are usually cured at a temperature of 150-165°F (66-74°C),
while lightweight blocks are cured at 170-185°F (77-85°C). When
the curing temperature has been reached, the steam is shut off,
and the blocks are allowed to soak in the hot, moist air for 12-18
hours. After soaking, the blocks are dried by exhausting the
moist air and further raising the temperature in the kiln. The
whole curing cycle takes about 24 hours.
Another type of kiln is the high-pressure steam kiln, sometimes
called an autoclave. In this type, the temperature is raised to
300-375°F (149-191°C), and the pressure is raised to 80-185 psi
(5.5-12.8 bar). The blocks are allowed to soak for five to 10 hours.
The pressure is then rapidly vented, which causes the blocks to
quickly release their trapped moisture. The autoclave curing
process requires more energy and a more expensive kiln, but it
can produce blocks in less time.

Cubing
 11 The racks of cured blocks are rolled out of the kiln, and the
pallets of blocks are unstacked and placed on a chain conveyor.
The blocks are pushed off the steel pallets, and the empty pallets
are fed back into the block machine to receive a new set of
molded blocks.
 12 If the blocks are to be made into split-face blocks, they are
first molded as two blocks joined together. Once these double
blocks are cured, they pass through a splitter, which strikes
 them with a heavy blade along the section between the two
halves. This causes the double block to fracture and form a
rough, stone-like texture on one face of each piece.
 13 The blocks pass through a cuber which aligns each block and
then stacks them into a cube three blocks across by six blocks
deep by three or four blocks high. These cubes are carried
outside with a forklift and placed in storage.

Quality Control
The manufacture of concrete blocks requires constant monitoring to
produce blocks that have the required properties. The raw materials
are weighed electronically before they are placed in the mixer. The
trapped water content in the sand and gravel may be measured with
ultrasonic sensors, and the amount of water to be added to the mix is
automatically adjusted to compensate. In areas with harsh
temperature extremes, the water may pass through a chiller or heater
before it is used.
As the blocks emerge from the block machine, their height may be
checked with laser beam sensors. In the curing kiln, the temperatures,
pressures, and cycle times are all controlled and recorded
automatically to ensure that the blocks are cured properly, in order to
achieve their required strength.

The Future
The simple concrete block will continue to evolve as architects and
block manufacturers develop new shapes and sizes. These new blocks
promise to make building construction faster and less expensive, as
well as result in structures that are more durable and energy efficient.
Some of the possible block designs for the future include the biaxial
block, which has cavities running horizontally as well as vertically to
allow access for plumbing and electrical conduits; the stacked siding
block, which consists of three sections that form both interior and
exterior walls; and the heatsoak block, which stores heat to cool the
interior rooms in summer and heat them in winter. These designs have
been incorporated into a prototype house, called Lifestyle 2000, which
is the result of a cooperative effort between the National Association
of Home Builders and the National Concrete Masonry Association.
Where to Learn More

Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Concrete-

Block.html#ixzz6pdij4Ja7

Raw materials used for manufacturing concrete blocks, powdered Portland cement, water, sand, and
gravels are used. The concrete mixture for the blocks has a higher percentage of sand and a lower
percentage of gravel and water.

Light-weighted blocks are made by replacing sand and gravel with expanded clay, shale or slate.

Basic materials also include chemicals like admixtures, which helps in increasing strength. For the
designs, the glaze is coated.

2. Manufacturing Process

The mixing process includes transferring the sand and gravels to storage bins, as per the proportions
required. Then, they are mechanically transferred to a weigh more batch, which measures the proper
amount of each material.

The materials are then transferred to a stationary mixer where they are blended. Two types of mixers
are commonly used, Pan Mixer and the Horizontal Mixer.

After the blending is completed, the required amount of water is added to the mixer according to the
climate conditions and the water temperature. During this time, admixtures and coloring pigments are
added. And mixing is continued for the other six to eight minutes.

3. Molding Process

Molding Process

In Molding Process, the thoroughly mixed materials it is dumped into an inclined bucket and is transported
to elevator hopper. The mixing cycle starts again for the next load. After this hoper, the mixture’s flow rate
is measured while conveyed to another hopper.

After the measurements, they are transferred to molds, which have several mold liners in the outer mold
box. They help to determine the outer shape of the block and inner share of the block cavity. When molds
are full, blocks undergo compaction, by supplementing air or hydraulic pressure cylinders.

The blocks are then pushed down onto a flat steel pallet and blocks pass under a rotating brush which
removes the loose material.
4. Curing Process

The next step is the Curing process, where the pallets are conveyed to the automated stacker and later to
a curing rack.

The curing kiln is an enclosed room where blocks are kept to harden them according to the room
temperature required. There are two types of the kiln: low-pressure steam kiln (not more than 60 degrees
F, per hour) and high-pressure (300-375 degrees F)

Cubing Process

The last stage is Cubing, where the kiln is rolled out, and pallets are removed. At this stage, the pallets
are emptied, and a new set of blocks are fed back.

During the curing phase, few blocks are joined in the curing process and are later struck off by heavy
blades. After the cubing stage, these cubes are carried outside with a forklift and placed in storage.

Factors Affecting the Workability of Concrete Block

The workability and strength of concrete are inversely proportional. The workability of concrete is
measured in terms of the ease in which it can be mixed, transportation to the construction site, or
placed in forms and compacted.

1. Cement content of concrete

2. The water content of concrete

3. Mix proportion of concrete

4. Use of supplementary cementations materials

5. Grading of aggregates

6. Size of aggregates

7. Surface textures of aggregates

8. Use of admixtures in concrete