Fully Automated Laboratory

Product Overview

The cement industry’s end-to-end intelligent, fully automated laboratory is specifically designed for quality control in cement production. Integrated Intelligent Quality Inspection Solution , covering the full range of control‑required testing for core materials such as raw meal exiting the mill, raw meal entering the kiln, coal powder, clinker, and cement. The system is based on… Automatic sampling, automatic sample delivery, automatic sample preparation, automated inspection, and intelligent control Centered on this, the development of a fully automated, end-to-end operational system—from sampling to data analysis—represents the core equipment enabling cement enterprises to achieve intelligent production, standardized testing, and precise data management.

The system adopts Real-time sampling + timed sample delivery The integrated operational model employs a patented pneumatic conveying system to efficiently transport samples from the production floor to the central laboratory. Leveraging intelligent robotic arms and grinding‑pressing units, it achieves fully automated sample preparation, followed by precise analysis of material composition and mineralogical makeup using XRF fluorescence analyzers and XRD diffraction instruments. The system can be flexibly configured with automated analytical equipment to perform quality‑control assays such as fineness and free calcium content. With no manual intervention or on‑site supervision throughout the entire process, test data is synchronized in real time to the production quality‑control system, thereby establishing… Detection - Analysis - Feedback - Control Its rapid closed-loop control effectively stabilizes production conditions, comprehensively enhances the quality of clinker and cement products, and supports the digital transformation of cement enterprises.

This system fundamentally transforms the traditional manual testing paradigm, addressing industry‑wide pain points such as low efficiency, significant measurement errors, data delays, and high labor costs, while leveraging cutting‑edge intelligent equipment to enable end-to‑end quality control across the entire cement production process.

Overall System Architecture

The fully automated laboratory employs a modular integrated design, consisting of Five Core Systems It is composed of multiple modules that work in coordinated synergy to achieve full-process automation of testing:

1. Automated Sampling System : A patent for sampling across all product categories, ensuring the core process of sample representativeness.
2. Automated conveyor system : Long-distance closed-loop pneumatic conveying for efficient, non-destructive sample transfer
3. Automated Sample Preparation System High-precision grinding and pelletizing, ensuring standardized sample preparation at low cost.
4. Automated analysis equipment : XRF, XRD, PSD, … Intelligent analysis for precise and efficient quality inspection
5. Quality Control System Real-time data upload and closed-loop control enable intelligent production guidance.

Fully Automated Laboratory System Configuration Diagram

Detailed Explanation of Core Subsystem Technologies

(1) Intelligent Automated Sampling System — The Core Guarantee of Testing Accuracy

The representativeness of the sample directly determines the accuracy of the test data, with an impact that can be as high as More than 70% It is the core component of end-to-end process monitoring. ITECA has extensively invested in the research and development of sampling technologies, holding multiple patented designs; its products are deployed across major cement groups worldwide and have been officially designated by Malvern as the preferred sampling equipment for their particle size analyzers.

1. Sampling for powdered materials: For raw materials, cement, coal powder, and other materials, the following approach is adopted: Variable-Pitch Helical Sampler , it performs full‑cross‑section sampling across the entire chute, ensuring equal sampling probability for all particles; it is equipped with a large‑capacity mixer (55 liters) and a piston‑type secondary sampler, which, through continuous sampling, thorough mixing, and systematic subsampling, maximizes sample representativeness. For air‑flow chute operating conditions, it employs Vertical-through-type inclined-slot sampler , coupled with a patented flow‑diverting plate design, it addresses the issue of stratification‑induced sampling bias and eliminates errors in fineness testing.
2. Beam-type sampling for clinker: Inverted V‑shaped, impact‑resistant and wear‑proof design; cylinder‑driven with adjustable stroke; sampling port covers the entire cross‑section of the material flow, ensuring uniform collection of both coarse and fine particles; equipped with a three‑way splitter and a crushing‑and‑reduction unit, it can simultaneously meet the requirements for laboratory analysis and on‑site sample retention.
3. High-Temperature Operating Condition Patent Sampling: Hot Raw Meal Sampler : With a temperature resistance of 1100°C, a double-seal piston design, and compatibility with high‑vacuum and skin‑forming operating conditions, it features an integrated rapid‑cooling system that preserves the sample’s original properties. Hot clinker sampler : With a temperature resistance of 1500°C, it is installed at the kiln inlet discharge point, featuring a refractory steel beam structure and an integrated cooling, return material, and conveying system; it can be directly connected to a free calcium analyzer.

(II) Projectile Pneumatic Conveying System — Long-Distance, High-Efficiency, and Stable Transfer

The sample delivery system is based on Shell-type pneumatic conveying Centered around a core system, it comprises a sample carrier, a transmitting station, a transport pipeline, a receiving station, and a power-driven fan, offering exceptional reliability and long-distance conveying capabilities.

1. Ultra-long conveying distance : The maximum conveying distance can reach 1.8 km, with bidirectional airflow (suction/blowing) and no significant consumption of compressed air.
2. High-Durability Piping Design : It employs corrosion‑resistant, wear‑proof stainless steel piping with a smooth inner surface and excellent bendability, eliminating blockages and ensuring a service life of over 10 years without the need for frequent maintenance. The three‑layer protective clamp connection provides tight sealing, easy disassembly and assembly, and incorporates thermal expansion compensation.
3. Patent sample holder (shell) : Spring‑loaded automatic shut‑off device, with no rubber seals and no risk of leakage; the copper wear‑resistant slip rings at both ends are individually replaceable, reducing maintenance costs to just one‑tenth of those for comparable products.
4. Minimalist Sending Station : Dual-cylinder drive, simple structure, extremely high stability, and convenient loading and unloading operations.

(3) High-Precision Automated Sample Preparation System — Unparalleled Sample Quality and Stability

The system adopts Split structure, integrated functionality The design concept features a physical separation between the grinder and the tablet press, ensuring optimal sample preparation performance. A linear module linkage enables fully automated processing without compromising sample quality.

1. Smart Inverter Grinder: Supports storage of multiple material‑grinding recipes and accommodates diverse sample‑preparation requirements for XRF (4–7 μm) and XRD (30 μm). Grinding precision can reach dv(50) = 3 μm and dv(90) = 12 μm, significantly surpassing that of integrated systems. The tungsten carbide mortar boasts a service life exceeding 5 years and can process samples with a maximum particle size of 5 mm.
2. High‑intensity boric acid tablet press: 40t pressure pressing, Boron acid–edged, wire-free The process requires no additives and generates no equipment contamination; the tablet surfaces are smooth, with high strength and no powder shedding, achieving a compaction yield exceeding 99.9%. The cost of preparing a single sample is only RMB 0.25, which is just one-fifth to one-seventh of that for conventional steel‑ring sample preparation.
3. Ultra-stable sample preparation performance: It effectively reduces the particle-size effect and the mineralogical effect, with analytical reproducibility closely comparable to that of the fusion‑based sample preparation method.

Particle size distribution after grinding; boron‑acid‑coated tablet compression.

Core Technological Advantages

1. Ultra-high sampling representativeness : Patent‑based sampling technology, covering all materials and operating conditions, ensures the accuracy of measurement data at the source.
2. Fully automated, unmanned operation throughout the entire process. : Fully automated closed-loop system for sampling, conveying, sample preparation, and analysis—eliminating manual intervention and preventing human error.
3. Industrial-grade stability and reliability : Core components are designed for long service life, resulting in low maintenance costs for the tubing, sample holder, and sample preparation unit, along with robust continuous‑operation capability.
4. Real-time closed-loop data management and control : Real-time data is directly integrated into the production control system, enabling rapid production guidance, stable kiln conditions, and improved product quality.
5. Low cost, high efficiency : Significantly reduces laboratory staffing, with sample preparation and operational maintenance costs that lead the industry, delivering exceptional overall cost-effectiveness.
6. Full-scenario adaptability : Compatible with all types of raw materials, coal powder, clinker, and cement, covering both ambient‑temperature and high‑temperature applications, as well as standard and specialized operating conditions.

Application Value and Corporate Benefits

1. Enhance testing quality : Standardization of the entire process, from sampling to analysis, ensures data accuracy and traceability, thereby fortifying the quality‑assurance framework.
2. Reduce operating costs : Reduces manpower requirements at the laboratory workstation, lowers sample preparation and equipment maintenance costs, and delivers a significant return on investment.
3. Improve production efficiency : High-frequency, real-time data monitoring enables rapid response to production fluctuations, stabilizes operating conditions, and boosts output.
4. Promote intelligent transformation : Achieving unmanned and digital upgrades in the laboratory, aligning with the smart‑factory development trend in the cement industry.
5. Standardized Management System : Automated storage, analysis, and upload of end-to-end data, establishing a standardized quality control system.