MONROE, Wash. (August 30th, 2018) — Bricking Solutions, a full solution provider of refractory
installation equipment, offers the Ez Flexx50 Bricking Machine. The largest version weighs 3,100 pounds (1,406
kilograms), making it one of the lightest in the industry. Despite its weight, the
bricking machine offers the highest load capacity on the market, as much as
13,200 pounds (5,987 kilograms) with a 17.1-foot (5.2-meter) work deck.
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| Assembly with no tools needed |
Bricking Solutions designed the Ez Flexx50 without the
many nuts, bolts and washers used for assembly of other machines, instead
choosing a pin-together system coupled with redesigned, lightweight parts. This
allows an experienced crew to assemble the machine in 60 to 90 minutes,
compared to 6 to 8 hours for many competitive models. Like all Bricking
Solutions equipment, the Ez Flexx50 is simple to assemble and maintain, and
provides outstanding safety, productivity and ROI. The machine is available in
standard, high-capacity and small sizes, each with available upgrades.
“We’ve been building bricking machines for over 50 years
and have sold more than 1,000 worldwide,” said Lars Lindgren, Bricking
Solutions president. “That significant investment in time and learning about
our customers has allowed us to develop one of the most innovative machines in
the bricking installation industry. It’s all about making refractory
installation as easy, safe and profitable as possible.”
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| Back view of Ez Flexx50 Arch |
Masons use the Ez Flexx50 to quickly and safely install
the upper half of refractory brick in kilns. Easily adjustable screw jacks
support the unit’s arch, eliminating the need for tools. The arch is mounted to
a trolley cart that travels the entire length of the deck on wheels. Pneumatic
cylinders push bricks into place, vastly reducing the risk of injuries from
unsupported overhead bricks, which is common with other methods.
Bricking Solutions fabricates the Ez Flexx50 out of
high-strength 6061-T6, aircraft-grade aluminum. The metal is as strong as
steel, but weighs two-thirds less, making the machine the industry’s lightest.
Other manufacturers build bricking machines with a combination of steel and
aluminum, resulting in almost 25 percent more weight than Bricking Solutions’
largest model yet with less than half the loading capacity.
The Ez Flexx50 offers the industry’s largest capacities.
The standard unit can hold as much as 8,800 pounds (3,992 kilograms) or as much
as 13,200 pounds (5,987-kilograms) with an optional capacity upgrade.
Installers can load the largest model’s platform with three pallets of brick —
totaling 10,185 pounds (4,620 kilograms) — as well as workers and tools, while
maintaining a 3-to-1 safety factor. 
Each model provides ample deck space. The largest Ez
Flexx50’s deck is 17.1 feet (5.2 meters) long — larger than any competitive
machine. The standard unit’s deck length is 14 feet (4.3 meters) long while the
Ez Flexx50 Small provides 12 feet (3.65 meters) of deck length. The large area
provides sufficient room for bricks and workers, minimizing brick handling.
This also improves productivity and reduces brick damage and loss associated
with the constant material handling required with smaller decks. In addition, any
Bricking Solutions machine designed for kilns 15.7 feet (4.8 meters) in
diameter and larger provides enough clearance beneath the scaffolding for
forklift access. 
Setup and teardown times are also the industry’s best
thanks to lightweight and interchangeable symmetrical components. Heavy-duty
hitch pins and clevis pins, rather than bolts, hold components together, which
further improves setup and teardown speed. The lower weight also makes the
machine easy to move.
The standard Ez Flexx50 comes in a variety of adjustable
and fixed configurations for use in 12- to 25-foot (3.6- to 7.6-meter) diameter
kilns. The largest adjustable model can adapt up to 6.6 feet (2 meters). Rather
than a “one-size-fits-all” approach, the machine’s custom size minimizes parts
and improves efficiency, lowers maintenance and extends service life.
The Ez Flexx50 Small is sized for use in 10- to 13-foot
(3- to 4-meter) diameter kilns. The machine weighs 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms)
and features capacity to hold a 3,395-pound (1,540-kilogram) pallet of brick
plus workers and tools.
Keying is simple with the Ez Flexx50. It is the only
bricking machine in the industry to include an ergonomic cut-away section in
the front arch to allow keying access to close out a ring. Bricking Solutions also
designed an ergonomic stair step on the trolley to allow the key mason to easily
place brick in the cut away section of the arch and install shims. Other
machines require the key mason to close out the ring while the front arch is in
the way, taking more time. The machine’s double arches support two rings at
once for efficient installation, allowing masons to start installing the next
ring while the previous is keyed out.
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| Key Mason Cut-Away Section |
Rubber bumpers articulate to align flush with the brick
face and follow the brickwork, which ensures a tight installation. These
features allow an experienced crew to install 3.3 feet (1 meter) of brick per
hour, compared to roughly .6 meters per hour with other techniques. In
addition, the arches feature an open design for 10-minute change-outs of
cylinders when needed.
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| Back and front view of arch |
As opposed to rigid and non-adjustable arches, installers
can easily adjust the arch up and down, or add and remove panels, using the Ez
Flexx50’s dual arch components. This unique design allows masons to easily adjust
the arch segments to accommodate kiln distortion, conical sections or ovality.
The machine’s dual master valves allow masons to extend or retract all of the cylinders
at once rather than having to actuate each cylinder individually.
Polyurethane double wheels with brakes support the
structure and allow users to move the machine within the kiln. This minimizes
the risk of brick damage, which is common with hard rubber wheels. The four-position
casters also allow installers to rotate the kiln while the machine stays in
place.
Bricking Solutions builds the Ez Flexx50 for
industry-leading safety. This includes a non-slip deck, a dual braking system
and fall guards. In addition, the bricking machine method is far safer in
confined spaces than more manual methods such as jack and timber, bolt and
timber, pogo stick, mechanical jack screws or gluing. The Ez Flexx50’s
cylinders include safety check valves to maintain pressure in case of sudden
air loss.
Bricking Solutions offers upgrades for the Bricking
Machine, including a movable work table, a 20-foot (6.4-meter) steel storage
container, tool trays, LED lights, an up-kiln ladder and more.
About Bricking Solutions
Bricking Solutions manufactured the industry’s first
bricking machine in 1966 to give refractory installers a safer, more efficient
alternative to manual installation methods. From that time the company has
believed that machines should do the heavy work rather than the people and customer
feedback should drive product development. Bricking Solutions manufactures a
wide variety of equipment for the cement, foundry and steel industries,
including bricking machines, conveyors, pallet transfer systems, platforms,
ramps and safety cages. For more information: Bricking Solutions, Inc., 1144
Village Way, Monroe, WA 98272; 1-360-794-1277; info@brickingsolutions.com; www.brickingsolutions.com; Facebook; Twitter or YouTube.
