A project of Volunteers

in Asia

LaCeta
Ram: Una Maquina para Producir
Buecos de Suelo Ccmentq
by: Roberto

Blmus

E. Lou Ma

Published
by:
Centro de Experimentation
Apropiada
15 Ave 14-61, Z-10
Guatemala
Paper copies are $2.
English summary.

Booklet

Available
from:
Centro de Experimentation
Apropiada
15 Ave 14-61, Z-10
Guatemala

en Tecnologia

in Spanish

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an

en Tecnologia

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of the Centro de
lxperimentation
en Tecnologia
Apropiada.
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IHii CZTA-R&I: i &XlM11, lWR TROlXJCII1GXZLO;~ BLU.,UING BLOCKSOF

SLILMC!&JjJ, tiALdL,Oi4 iiti GENERALUESIGJ OSTilE CINVA-RAM
(Abstract)
21new machine, based on the general design of the CINVA-RAM, has
been developed by the author, for the Droduction of hol.low building blocks from a damp mix-i;ure of earth and a stabilizing
additive, generally cement.
Tile machine IXXJ been named CETA-RAM, honoring the Centro de Experimentscidn en lecnologia Asroqiada (Guatemala), where it was
develo?ed, and the Chilean engineer Rati Ran&z,
creator of the
gII;j&;m.
Ihe CJiA-RAX is composed of three nain assenolies:
1. Erame, with mold box and lid
2. ,old
.
box bottom ylate

3. Lever device (Figure

(Figure

(Figure

3)

4)

Sj

The bottom nla tc has two tubular guides (B), that engage the two
cilyndrical
columns (A) bolted to the base of the frame. The lever
device, similar in operation to that in the CINVA-RAM, activates
the bottom plate to compress the damp soil-cement mixture inside
the closed mold box to form the block, and also to eject the block
from the mold after the lid is opened. The finisbsd block is then
nand carried to a cool place and allowed to set h, -ure for a
minimum of seven days.
Picures 3 to 14 are a ?hotograpilic
operation.

sequence of the CETA-RAISin

irhen working with sandy soils, a pallet (Figure 5) is used to handle

the freshly molded blocks without danger of disintegrating.
Before
filling
tile box, the 7allet is droqoed on the bottom; after the
formed block is ejected, it is carried civay on the nallet,
nlacdd
on the ground, and carefully
turned on its side, thereby freeing
the ?allet for inmediate reuse.
\
Tie blocks Traduce: by the SEIA-Rdt; have tile shanc and dimensions
shown in Figure 2. ?he holes sin?lify
the placement of reinforcing
rods in aseismic wall construction.
The length of three blocks yhs
joints , add exactly one meter. This sirn?lifics
the planning and
excecution of low cost housing projects,
as it allows a modular
coordination
on the basis of 50 or 100 centimeters.
It is the intc:ition
of CXl!A to continue research with other versions
of the ZuL&i-Xl, , to qroduce blocks of other sin:nes nnd dimensions,
,
of soil-cement mixtures and other ?ossiblc mcterials.

Roberto E. Lou Ida

Guatemala, February 1977

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