Moldtech has developed a 600-ton prestressing bed for the production of prestressed concrete beams for a customer in Spain. The equipment combines a high-capacity structure, active and passive heads, and a hydraulic release system designed to control the different stages of the prestressing process.
A solution for producing prestressed beams in different configurations
The production of prestressed elements requires precise control of both the geometry of the beam and the high loads introduced into the strands during the process.
The prestressing bed developed by Moldtech has been designed for the production of prestressed concrete beams with variable length and cross-section, both in height and width, allowing the system to be adapted to different structural configurations within the same production facility.
Its maximum prestressing capacity reaches 600 tons.
This flexibility makes it possible to configure the strand distribution according to the specific cross-section of each beam, while always respecting the load conditions established for the stressing heads.
Two heads to control prestressing loads
The installation is built around two main structural assemblies: a 600-ton active head and a 600-ton passive head.
The active head integrates the main components required for the release operations, including the strand mask, the structural frame, the protection systems, and the hydraulic cylinders.
The passive head completes the strand anchoring system at the opposite end of the line.
This configuration makes it possible to absorb and control the forces generated during the prestressing process and provides the structural basis required to work repeatedly with high loads.
A hydraulic system designed to control high forces
One of the most relevant technical aspects of the equipment is the hydraulic release system integrated into the active head.
This configuration makes it possible to control the release operations and the movement of the active mask during the detensioning stage.
Prestressing is carried out progressively
Working with high loads is not only about reaching a specific force. Controlling how that load is introduced is equally important.
The procedure established for the prestressing bed includes a two-stage stressing process.
In the first stage, between 30% and 50% of the total load pressure is applied to each strand. At this point, the correct position of the anchoring elements, the strand path, and the absence of interference with other components are checked.
Once these checks have been completed, a second stage is carried out until 100% of the required load is reached. During this stage, strand elongation is also verified against the values defined for the process.
Each beam requires a specific configuration
One of the particular features of prestressed beam production is that strand distribution is directly related to the geometry of the element.
The arrangement of the strands in the head masks must be defined according to the beam cross-section and the position of its centroid.
For this reason, any modification to the number, distribution, or tension of the strands must be carried out in accordance with the admissible load diagrams corresponding to the equipment.
This configuration capability provides the system with production flexibility and makes it possible to work with different beam geometries using the same prestressing infrastructure.
Precision starts with installation
In equipment subjected to loads of this magnitude, precision begins long before the strands are stressed.
Correct installation of the heads on the foundations is a fundamental part of the overall performance of the system.
The procedure defined by Moldtech includes the positioning, anchoring, and levelling of the plates before the equipment is permanently fixed. Once installation is complete, levelling must remain within a tolerance of ±2 mm.
The installation also requires foundations suitable for the loads transmitted by the system and the placement of grout beneath the anchor plates.
This material ensures proper contact between the base plates and the foundations and contributes to the correct transmission of loads.
From stressing to detensioning within the same industrial process
The prestressing bed has been designed to integrate into the complete production cycle of prestressed beams.
The process includes preparation of the heads, strand placement, progressive stressing, concrete casting, curing of the element, hydraulic release, strand cutting, and subsequent removal of the precast element.
Once the concrete has reached the conditions required to begin load transfer, the detensioning operation starts through the hydraulic release system.
The cylinders make it possible to control this stage before the strands are finally cut, integrating load management into the production cycle itself.
600 tons converted into production capacity
Beyond its maximum capacity, the industrial value of this prestressing bed lies in the combination of structural strength, hydraulic control, flexibility in strand configuration, and installation precision.
This architecture makes it possible to produce different prestressed beam configurations using the same system, adapting each production cycle to the geometric and structural characteristics of the element to be manufactured.
The result is a solution designed to operate under controlled and repeatable production conditions, two essential factors in the industrial manufacture of structural concrete elements.
Moldtech designs and manufactures prestressing solutions in Spain
The prestressing bed has been designed and manufactured by Moldtech in Spain as a specific solution for the production of prestressed structural elements.
As a manufacturer of moulds and equipment for precast concrete, Moldtech develops systems for building, civil engineering, and infrastructure applications, adapting the engineering of each piece of equipment to the characteristics of the products and the production process of each customer.
This new 600-ton prestressing bed adds to Moldtech’s experience in the development of high-capacity equipment, where structural engineering, precision, and process control are essential to turning high forces into a reliable and repeatable industrial production process.
