WACHEMO UNIVERSITY

COLLAGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DESIGN OF HYDRULIC MINI BRICK MACHINE

A Research Proposal Summited In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the
Award of the degree of
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
BY
Fasika Tekabe
Shalom Tamirat
Temsegen
Advisor:
March 19 2024
Hossana Ethiopia
 DECLARATION

We hereby declare that the research paper titled Design of hydraulic mini brick machine submitted by us
is based on actual and original work carried out by us. Any reference to work done by any other person or
institution or any material obtained from other sources have been duly cited and referenced. We further
certify that the research paper has not been published or submitted for publication anywhere else nor it will
be send for publication in the future.

Advisor Name: Adisu K/Mariam Examiner Name: Johnson

_________________ _______________

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Table of Contents
DECLARATION................................................................................................................................................... i
CHAPTER ONE.................................................................................................................................................. 3
BACK GROUND OF BRICK AND BRICK PRODUCTION........................................................................................3
1.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 History of brick.......................................................................................................................................3
1.3 Raw materials for bricks........................................................................................................................ 4
1.4 Manufacture of bricks............................................................................................................................5
1.4.1 Molding of bricks............................................................................................................................ 5
1.5 Classification of bricks............................................................................................................................6
1.6 Problem statement................................................................................................................................ 7
1.7 Goal........................................................................................................................................................ 8
1.8 Importance of the project......................................................................................................................8
1.9 Objective of the project......................................................................................................................... 8
1.9.1 General Objective........................................................................................................................... 8
1.9.2 Specific objective............................................................................................................................ 8
1.10 Significance of the paper..................................................................................................................... 9
1.11 Scope of the project.............................................................................................................................9
1.12 Limitation of the project.................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER TWO............................................................................................................................................... 11
LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................................................................11
2.1 Brick making machines........................................................................................................................ 11
2.1.1 Brick making machines based on source of power.......................................................................11
2.1.2 Brick making machines based on power transmission..................................................................12
2.2 Establishing target specification.......................................................................................................... 13
2.3 Conceptual design............................................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER THREE............................................................................................................................................. 15
METHDOLOGY............................................................................................................................................... 15
CHAPTER FOUR.............................................................................................................................................. 16
TIME AND BUDGET........................................................................................................................................ 16

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REFERANCE.................................................................................................................................................... 19

CHAPTER ONE
BACK GROUND OF BRICK AND BRICK
PRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
In the recent past, there has been an increase in demand for brick making machines due to expansion in the
construction industry. The expansion is largely due to increase in demand for housing and improved
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economy. The brick making machine are needed to ensure that there is constant supply of high quality and
cheap bricks to be used in the ever expanding construction industry. This increase in demand for bricks can
no longer be satisfied by the traditional brick making processes.

Although the demand for brick making machines has mainly been pushed by high demand for bricks,
quality bricks and cheaper bricks; there are also other factors that have pushed the demand for brick making
machine upward. These factors include: reduced labour cost, ability to make bricks of varying designs and
reduced physical labour demand.

Technological advancement has prompted the need for design and making of cheaper and hydraulic brick
making machines

1.2 History of brick

Bricks are one of the most common place and durable building materials in the world. Sun dried bricks have
been excavated in Jericho from approximately 7000BC. Later civilizations, such as the ancient Egyptians
and Greeks, discovered the durability of sun dried bricks and used them extensively as a building material.
It was the ancient Romans, however, who first began firing bricks in ovens, producing bricks which are
similar in many respects to those that are made today. In fact, so successful were the
Roman brick makers that examples of Roman brick buildings can be found all over the
ancient Roman world, many of them in remarkably good condition.

Clay bricks are used in a wide range of buildings from housing to factories, and in the construction of
tunnels, waterways, bridges etc. Their properties vary according to the purpose for which they are intended,
but clays have provided the basic material of construction for centuries.

1.3 Raw materials for bricks

In brick-making terms, clay covers a range of naturally occurring raw materials which are used to make a
product. The clays vary considerably in physical properties, colour, hardness etc. and mineralogical
content. They do, however, have certain properties in common. They have the ability to be crushed and
mixed with water to form a plastic material which can be molded into various shapes. This can then be fired
to a high temperature during which process it attains a hard, weather resistant characteristic. The key, in
geological terms, is the mineral content of the raw material. This is common to all clay types. Pure clay
mineral is formed from the erosion and weathering of primary igneous rocks. The clay mineral is
transported away by the action of water, wind, ice etc., and re-deposited elsewhere. In the process it picks

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up a number of impurities, Quartz, mica, Calcium Carbonate (lime), Iron Oxide etc. The subsequent deposit
becomes a sedimentary rock.

Composition of bricks; mainly consists of clay and sand (Alumina and Silica), in such properties so as to
render plastic state when mixed with water.

1) ALUMINA: chief constituents of every clay, readily absorb water, imparts plasticity to the clay. Good
brick contain 20 to 30% of Alumina. Excess Alumina makes bricks shrinkage.
2) SILICA: prevent brick from shrinkage, cracking, warping and undue hardness. Exists in free or
combined state. Free sand mechanically mixed with clay and in combined from exists in chemical
composition with Alumina as silicate of alumina. Good brick contains 50 to 60% of silica. Excess silica
destroys the cohesion and makes the brick brittle and useless.
3) LIME: presence of small quantity of lime in good earth is desirable and prevent from shrinkage, enables
the sand to fuse (or melt) during burning, bins particles together. Excess lime causes the brick to melt
and lose its shape.

4) OXIDE OF IRON: small quantities used to fuse sand and binds particles of brick together giving
hardness and strength. It imparts red color to brick and excess make it dark color.
5) MAGNESIA: small quantity in brick earth give rise to yellow tint to bricks and decreases shrinkage.
Excess results in decay of bricks.

1.4 Manufacture of bricks

1. Preparation of brick clay

2. Molding

3. Drying

4. burning

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1.4.1 Molding of bricks

[Link] Hand molding

Hand Molding: Molding of bricks with hand using standard mold of wood or wrought iron may be done
either on ground or on table and accordingly known as ground molded and table molded bricks. For hand
molding bricks, the clay is forced in such a way that, it fills all the corners of mold. Extra or surplus clay is
removed either by wooden stick or frame with wire. Mold is then lifted up and raw brick are ready. When
such bricks becomes sufficiently dry, they are carried and placed in drying sheds.

Current process of producing the rectangular brick hossana zone without hollow is produced in rectangular
shape made from wood which are opened at top through which the mixture is feed and all other side of the
rectangle is closed. The local name given for this rectangular box is called stanbo. (Stanbo-is an Italian
word given for this purpose).the sequence of the production is as follows, first, the clay, sand and water
mixed together by using human power. The water added to this mixture is by assumptions. Second, the
mixed raw material is feed the stanbo by using their hand. Third, after this mixture got rectangular shape
and remove immediately on the ground. The weight of brick produced have (1.5-3) kg with dimension of
(150x70x45) mm.

By an average one person can produce or make 300-400 bricks per day

Figure 1stanbo (current equipment for brick production

[Link] Machine Mould

Machine Mould: This method of molding can be used with advantage where large number of bricks to be
made at the same spot where clay is hard and strong. Brick making machines can be classified into different
categories namely; source of power and method of power transmission to the compressing piston. In source
of power classification there are three main groups that is electric powered, internal combustion engine
powered and man powered brick making machines. There are also three groups in method of power
transmission classification:
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Pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical brick making machines. The electrical powered machines can either
have pneumatic or hydraulic power transmission; the internal combustion engine can have either pneumatic
or hydraulic transmission, while the power transmission in man powered brick making machines is mainly
mechanical that is forces multiplied and transferred by levers.

Brick making machines in jimma are often used on large scale appliance enterprise. In fact provision of
bricks for construction enterprise has been characterized for a long time by large, heavy and expensive
machines meaning that brick making machines have become bigger in size as the demand for bricks
increased.

Tendency has been for the brick making enterprise to become capital intensive and highly centralized as a
result of the large size of the brick making machines

1.5 Classification of bricks

1) Class I Bricks:- they have uniform color, thoroughly burnt, but not over burnt, shall have plain
rectangular faces with parallel sides and sharp straight edge. They have fine compact and uniform
texture and emit a clear ringing sound when struck 20% by weight in water absorption test, slight
efflorescence.
2) Class II Bricks:- they have uniform color, may be slightly burnt, but not over burnt, may be slightly
distorted and have round edges, fine compact, uniform texture and emit a clear ringing sound when
truck. 22% by weight in water absorption test, slight efflorescence.
3) Class III Bricks:- may slightly burnt or over burnt, may distorted and have round edges defects in
uniformity and shape, causes difficulties in obtaining uniform courses with their use. 25% by weight in
water absorption test, moderate efflorescence.
Strength requirements of Bricks

Common building bricks shall have minimum compressive strength of 35kg/cm2

1) Compressive strength not less than 70kg/cm2 Grade B-II Class.

2) Compressive strength not less than 105kg/cm2 Grade A -I Class.

3) Compressive strength not less than 140kg/cm2 Grade AA Class.

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Compressive strength of any individual bricks shall not be less than the average value as specified above
20%.

 Less than 35kg/cm2 will in class III Grade C

 Strength of sun dried bricks (unburnt) 15 to 25% kg/cm2.

 Heavy bricks or Engineering bricks are prepared for masonry in heavy engineering works such as
bridge structure, industrial foundations, machine foundations, multi-story buildings. They have high
durability, low absorption of water, high compressive strength, manufacturing by pressing process
or Extrusion process.

1.6 Problem statement

Production of brick in most ethiopia zone is by applying human power using their hands to get a rectangular
shape brick. The workers of the enterprise mix proper amount of clay, sand and water by their leg. After the
mixture they use their hands to give some strength and rectangular shape for the brick. These ways of
production have some problem like,

• Speed of production is low

• Quantity of production produced per day is small

• Human power wasted versus quantity of product is not proportion.

• Quality of production and product is poor.

• Strength of product is not sufficient.

• So, those problem stated above can be overcome by designing hydraulic mini brick machine for the
production of brick.

1.7 Goal
The main goal of the project is:

 To construct a model of the hydraulic mini brick machine for laboratory testing

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1.8 Importance of the project

 To decrease the down time of the production

 To keep the safety of the workers

 Solving the societies problem

 Understanding how to design the machine

 Reviewing the course we have studied

1.9 Objective of the project

1.9.1 General Objective
The general objective of our design is:

 To design a modified brick making machine with new features and simplified
operation.

1.9.2 Specific objective

The following are the specific objective of hydraulic mini brick machine;

1) The machine intended for the society to solve the deficiency of brick for different purposes.
2) To save the human power used in local ways of production.

3) Encourage the number of production per day from an existing ways of production.

4) The focus is on the strength and quality of brick produced.

5) Contributing to the development of the country though encouraging the workers of brick by
providing simply and modified machine for the production.
6) involved in the modern house and decoration activities

7) improve the house construction style of the society

8) To determine the cost of production of the brick making machine and to establish its technical and
financial viability.

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1.10 Significance of the paper

The primary beneficiary of this paper is brick manufacturing enterprise. Based on the study, those
companies will benefit from the following:-

 The production and market competence of brick products will improve

 The enterprise will get more customers than the previous
 Ultimately, its annual income will increase

In addition, the study will benefit others directly or indirectly. To mention some of them:

o Workers of the enterprise, Whole sellers and distributors and Service users or customer

1.11 Scope of the project

The scope of project is clearly define the specific field of the research and ensure that the entire content of
this thesis is confined the scope. This project is start with the literature review on product specification in
order to satisfy the project objectives. After obtaining the product specification, this project is done based on
the scope below:-

 Project will focus on rectangular brick making machine with two hole and without hole.

 Designing the rectangular brick making machine that fulfil the project objective.

 Machine design to suit the regular rectangular bricks.

 This project will focus on the production of six bricks per one stroke.

 The project goes until detail design of rectangular brick making machine.

 The major output of this project is to produce the detail drawing for the machine design and
manufacturing the prototype of the machine

 Fabrication (prototype) of machine is not included in this project.

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1.12 Limitation of the project

Even if the project is successfully accomplishing there will be a lot of limitations that can be render us from
doing it. Some of the limitations are:-

 the time that given for doing of the project is short

 scarcity of budget for manufacturing of prototype of the machine
 academic overload and
 Lack of material in our campus such as computer access.

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Brick making machines
When clay soil of the right water content is compressed to pressures above 30 bars, the soil will strongly
bond together to form a brick. These high pressures are achieved by using high power sources such as
electricity, gasoline engines or multiplying man muscles power by using levers. The high pressures also
considerably reduces the size of the soil sample and this reduction must be factored in so that the right

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amount of sample is used for a given brick size and shape. For various brick shapes, the shape of mould of
the machine is usually changed by changing its parts.

2.1.1 Brick making machines based on source of power

[Link] Man powered brick making machines
These types of brick machines use power from man’s muscles. The machine has a lever to multiply the
force produced by the operator several times and hence enabling the compression piston to produce high
pressures for compressions. The lever usually has its fulcrum much closer to the piston and much further
from the effort application point. From previous course TCBTP phase four manufactured manually operated
mini brick making machine. This machine make one brick at one punch, which have two holes. Since the
machine operated manually the machine operated and make one brick at one cyclic the human power and
time of production is not efficient comparative to the profit obtained from the production. During
demonstration of this project our instructor suggested us to modify in to hydraulic system to produce more
than three brick per stroke. Depending on this suggestion we try to do the final project on hydraulic mini
brick machine that produce six brick at one stroke. [1]

This type of brick making machine is preferred when

 Limited capital

 Absence of energy sources such as fuel and electricity

 Limited number of bricks to be produced

[Link] Electric brick making machines

The machines uses electricity to run oil pumps or air compressors that are used in hydraulic and pneumatic
transmissions machines respectively. Electricity is used as source of power when:

 It is available abundantly and affordably

 Higher output is required

 Emission free production is required

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[Link] Internal combustion engines brick making machines

Internal combustion engines have also found use in the brick making machines. Power from the engine is
used to compress air or to run oil pumps that operate hydraulic oil. This source of power is used when:

 There is no electricity(remote areas)

 Portable machines

 High production is required

2.1.2 Brick making machines based on power transmission

[Link] Mechanical brick making machines
Mechanical brick making machines depends on levers for force multiplication. The distance from the
fulcrum to the effort arm is usually several times longer than from fulcrum to the load point. The great
difference between effort arm and load arm multiplies the force to levels high enough to achieve a pressure
of 20MPa that is required to compress soil during the brick making process. [2]

[Link] Pneumatic brick making machines

Pneumatic brick making machines uses air or any other gas instead of liquids to transmit forces from the
source of power production to the compression piston. The source of power can either be electric motor or a
gasoline engine. The engine/motor is used to drive a compressor. The compressor, compresses air/gas from
low pressures usually atmospheric pressures, to high pressures. The high pressure is stored on a reservoir
tank whose pressures are monitored by a pressure release valve. When under operation the air at high
pressure, moves through pipes to the actuating cylinder. In the actuating cylinder, high pressure is used to
actuate the compression piston. The resultant pressure on the soil sample is a factor of pneumatic pressure
and the areas of the actuating and compressing sides of the piston. [3]

[Link] Hydraulic brick making machines

Hydraulic brick making machines depends on hydraulic system for power transmission from the source of
power production to the compressing piston. The power source is used to drive a pump which creates
pressures in the hydraulic fluid. Since pressure in fluid is equal at all points, the pressure at the piston end in

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contact with the hydraulic fluid will experience the same pressure as generated by the pump. Depending on
the area of the piston with the fluid a force will be generated for compressing the soil into brick. In our
project, a high quality machines in which optimize from the current machine design is going to propose
according to the feedback and the need from the rectangular brick [Link] hydraulic load of pressing of the
brick in simple rectangular brick making machine about 1.5-2.5 ton.

The basic raw material is clay and sand and. Very little water is used. This is possible only with mechanized
compaction gives the block high quality in spite of the lean mix, which uses very little cement. This
rectangular brick is formed from mixture ratio of clay: sand: water [Link] [4]

2.2 Establishing target specification

Specifications provide a precise description of what a product has to do. It is the translation of the customer
needs into technical terms. Target for the specifications are set early in the process and represent the guide
for generating the idea of machine modification. Later these specifications are refined to be consistent with
the product concept.

Table 1specification target

Capacity of production 7000-9500 Brick per day

Efficiency of the machine 80 %
Load 16.48Kn
Brick size 222x90x73mm
System Hydraulic system

Mixed feed Manually

Break removal Manually
Row material Clay (90%), sand (7%), proportional water (3%)
Weight of brick (2-3) kg

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2.3 Conceptual design

The machine creates the motion of piston in the cylinder due to the pressurized fluid. This movement of the
piston upward and down ward is used to compact the mixture (clay, sand and water) in the mold cavity.
This machine is used to create rectangular brick between upper die and lower die due to the movement of
piston down ward on the upper die. The brick is made up of sand, clay, and water with different amount of
quantity. To create this machine we use different shape of metal like sheet metal, solid metal, and duct
metal. The machine has six mold cavities so, this makes the machine can do at once six bricks. To do these,
rectangular brick with the help of hydraulic mini brick machine requires the following successive steps.
First, the proportion amount of sand, clay and water should be mixed together correctly with the help of
designed mixer. Second, the mixed mixture is feed to the cavity (mold cavity) by moving box prepared.
Third, know this is going to compressed or compact between upper and lower die. Fourth, the upper die
moves down ward and compact mixture in the mold cavity. This movement of upper die is due to the piston
rod in the cylinder move upward and downward by the created pressure. Last, after this mixture got some
strength with rectangular shape it allowed to taken out of the mold cavity by some means.

Finally, these brick is going to dry by any means and used for different purpose like for construction house
and compound.

CHAPTER THREE
METHDOLOGY
This chapter consists of methods for completing the product (brick making machine).The applied methods,
primary and secondary sources which are well-structured; provide a step-bystep approach to complete the
task of this project. The primary source is direct observation and secondary sources are mechanical and civil

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construction books, and internet websites. The method we follow to achieve complete design of the machine
we have back ground and literature review of the machine, problem statement, objective of the project and
finally to bring conceptual design. In this design the procedure we follow during the full design of this
proposed machine is;

 First, identifying and decide the size and shape of the brick produced.
 Second, preparing the mold cavity that fit the size and shape brick defined.
 Third, preparing upper and lower die that is used to shape the brick.
 Fourth, preparing the hydraulic circuit that can perform the task needed.
 Fifths, preparing the overall frame used to hold and support the machine part.
 Sixth, assembly all parts of the machine together to make the size and shape of brick
decided.
 We were analyzing the machine in two ways

1) Calculating the necessary parameter like;

 Applied force on the upper die and lower die.

 Stress on upper die, lower die and frame that support cylinder.
 Bending moment on flat plate that support lower die.
 Shear force and safety factor
2) ANSIS program, using this software identifying where more stress, force, bending
moment and shear force found on the machine parts.

CHAPTER FOUR
TIME AND BUDGET
Table: show the number of material and their cost

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Table 2 cost analysis

No Material Type Dimension(m Quantity Cost(birr) Total

cost
m)

1 Motor(3.5kw) 2 4500 9000

2 Hydraulic Double acting ∅80x350 3 6100 18300

cylinder

3 Ball bearing Angular contact-02 ∅45x19 2 190 380

4 Shaft Circular ∅45x600 1 1400 1400

5 Sheet metal for 4mm(thickne 1 450 450

hopper
ss)

6 Sheet metal for 8mm(thickne 1 600 600

cylindrical mixer
ss)

7 V-belt B-type 11x1905 4 130 520

8 Directional 4-way, 2 600 1200

control valve 3postion,spring
centered, manual
actuated.

9 Large pulley V-grooved ∅300x1219 1 1450 1450

10 Small pulley V-grooved ∅137x1219 1 1300 1300

11 Steel beam Open 4x54 16 520 8320

12 Spring Helical ∅4x3142 1 295 295

13 Wood Rectangular 472x310 1 50 50

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14 Filter 1 740 740

15 Thank Cylindrical ∅1000x800 1 450 450

16 Mould cavity Rectangular 164480mm2 1 2700 2700

17 Bolt Cylindrical ∅10x30 2 15 30

18 Pump Gear pump 1 4600 4600

Total 51,785

Table: show activities in the manufacturing and their time taken for done

Table 3 time schedule

No Activities W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7

1 Finalizing the research proposal

2 Finalizing the review of related

literature

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3 Hydraulic component assembling

4 Settled and making die

5 Welding a hopper

6 Welding cylindrical mixer

7 Bolt the table with cutting

machine

8 Welding casing

9 Writing report of research

10 Presentation

REFERANCE
Patents

1) [Hasluck, P. N. (1906). Bricks and brickmaking: Varieties and qualities of bricks;

brick earths and clays; brick kilns; hand-manufacture of bricks; machine-
manufacture of bricks; manufacture of roofing tiles, ridging, quarries, coping, etc.
London: Cassell & Co.
2) H.C. Sumpf, Brick Machine, United States Patent Office, Application December 16, 1946,
Serial No. 716,564, Cl. 25-41.

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3) Judson A. Hereford, Brick making apparatus, United States patent, Application January 1991,
Serial No. 636,726, Cl. B29C 43/00.

Books

1) [Link] and [Link], third edition, text book of machine design, 2005
2) Shigley, eighth edition, mechanical engineering design.2005
3) Anthony Esposito, sixth edition, fluid power with application 2000.
4) [Link], [Link], second edition “Building construction and soil mechanics,
Satyaparakashan, New Delhi.
5) Timoshenko, S., & Gere, J. M. (1972). Mechanics of materials. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co
6) Spofford, C. M. (1939). The theory of structures. New York: McGraw-Hill Book
Company.

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