An important elementof the construction process, a concrete block is primarily used in construction of walls, for all types of residential and commercial building projects. Amongst various products, concrete blocks belong to the category of pre-cast materials used in construction process.

Concrete blocks - In use since ages
Use of concrete blocks is not a new concept and has been in practice since ages, as concrete mortar was used as early as 200 B.C. by the Romans for construction of robust building structures, binding the shaped stones together. That time, the concrete blocks were cast by hand, but with time and through industrialization, the concrete block manufacturing has itself become a large scaleindustrial process.

What raw materials are used to make concrete blocks?
During the pre-cast process, a concrete block is developed with a mixture of several raw materials, inclusive of sand, powdered portland cement, gravel and water, with adequate proportions as needed by the construction workers in accordance to the building type. The final result is a light gray block, which has a high compressive strength and fine surface texture. Along with the basic components, other chemicals are also used by the construction specialists for enhancing the compressive strength, improving the workability, as well as for giving a certain color shade.
The manufacturing process is basically divided into different structural steps:
•    Mixing
•    Molding
•    Curing
•    Cubing
Standardized procedure for quality production
As concrete blocks are used for developing residential and commercial infrastructure, a higher degree of standardization and quality control is implemented by manufacturers, in accordance to the regulatory guidelines set by the authority body and country-specific government. The quality control measures include constant monitoring, with electronic weighing-in of raw materials, measurement of the water content of gravel and sand with ultrasonic sensors, along with adjustment of to-be-added water amount to compensate. The concrete block machinealso should be in accordance to the regulatory guidelines and must be qualitative in performance and in adherence to health and safety criterions.

Advanced manufacturing process, coupled with cutting-edge concrete block machines have played a key part in developing robust concrete blocks, at a swift rate, resulting in cost-effective, increased and improved infrastructural development around the globe.
Construction firms should look to incorporate the rapidly developing construction technologies with respect to concrete blocks development, sourcing only the best quality machines. Not only the concrete machines, but other construction materials too have become highly advanced, owing to some of the revered and big manufacturers in the industry RMD Kwikform.