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{{site header}}
{{Hint|Last updated Jan 2018}}


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[http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/CEB_Press_6_-_Overall_Machine_-_Development_Board Link to CEB Press Build June 2015]


=Introduction=
{{OrigLang}}


CEB - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_earth_block Compresssed Earth Block press] - regarded as the highest quality natural building method; also used in upscale housing; does not require curing - so may be built continuously; lends itself to 100% onsite building material sourcing; excellent thermal, acoustic, and strength; aka structural masonry. Also usable in fences, cisterns, road paving, Usable for ovens in a bakery, pond dams, thermal storage cisterns, silos. Used for barns, dairy plant, bakery building, additinal housing, greenhouses, etc. I would go so far as that could be the secret weapon of the entire operation. Other connections in diagram: requires soil to be pulverized, which may be done with the agricultural spader. May be used for building raised beds, modular building and greenhouse units. High value flex fab enterprise opportunity for any entrepreneur interested in fabrication of machine- huge profits are possible, because other CEBs are expensive ($25k for one of 3-5 brick/minute performance). Livelihood opportunity for independent builders. Requires as little as 1 person to operate. OSE design is based on power from tractor hydraulics - where the tractor is a general tool that can supply power to a large number of devices. Output with 2 people - a 6 foot high round wall, 20 feet in diameter, 1 foot thick, can be built in one 8 hour day. Fabrication is simple - after metal is cut - a drill press is required for drilling holes for [[design-for-disassembly]] structure. Welding is required in a few places where bolting is not practical, such as the hopper box. Summary: a high performance, rapid, semi-skilled building technique, which lends itself as a building method for creating advanced civilizations. Lifetime design.
<html><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/49864277" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/49864277">The CEB Story 2012.</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/opensourceecology">Open Source Ecology</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></html>


=OSE Product Development Cycle - CEB=
{{GVCS Header}}


This OSE Product Development Cycle is explained [http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Main_Page#Deployment on the main page]. On this page, we go through the actual development process, from concepts to design to prototype to fabrication facility to production for market.
=Overview=


==[http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Main_Page#OSE_Product_Cycle '''Core Team''']==
[[File:Machine.jpg|right|400px|thumb|CEB Press (aka "The Liberator"). See [[CEB_Press_6#Instructional_Files]] for detailed pictures of the latest machine build (v6), and for an exact picture of v6. Version shown is v3.]]
[[File:Liberator_bricks.JPG|right|400px|thumb|Bricks pressed on [[The Liberator]]]]


Presently, we are recruiting the Core Team for this effort. We presently have the [http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/ Factor e Team] on technical development and [http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Sam_Rose Sam Rose] on the social enterprise development. We are looking for peer reviewers and strategic developers.
The Liberator is OSE's automatic, high throughput Compressed Earth Brick Press. It is named The Liberator because it is intended to free people from the single highest cost of living - housing. See [[Cost of Living]].


==[http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Main_Page#OSE_Product_Cycle '''Ecological Review''']==
The CEB is at product release status and is being actively manufactured at Factor e Farm. The presses was used heavily as a part of the [[Factor e Farm Infrastructure Buildout 2011]]. Builds using the OSE CEB ress continued with the [[Microhouse 1]], [[Microhouse 2]], [[Microhouse 3]], and [[MicroHouse 4]] built in 2014 - [http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/01/prweb12440135.htm]. We have also built a utility room brick floor and an 8' wall section out of CEBs in the 2016 build of the [[Seed Eco-Home]].


We ask a basic question at the outset: is the CEB press worth developing? Should you consider a CEB press if you are building your own house? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_earth_block Wikipedia] provides a neutral overview of the CEB construction method. We do not have a neutral evaluation of this building technique because we conclude that no other building method comes close when an integrated evaluation is considered.  
In 2020, we did a [[CEB Microhouse Build in Belize]].


Consider these main building options for North America. You have a choice of wood: stick-frame, timber frame, post and beam; structural masonry: brick, concrete block, rock, CEB (note that CEB falls into the class of structural masonry); earth: adobe, rammed earth, stabilized earth blocks; and natural building methods: strawbale, cordwood, earthbag, papercrete, cob, and many others. Here are some considerations.
The bill of materials cost of the current, fully-automated machine is about $5000 US. See [[CEB Press#BOM]].
#'''Suitability of building technique for economic localization''' - CEB walls can be made with 100% insite soil, and even with the soil that is removed for a basement or foundation. Machine production can also be completely local. Only lumber houses can come close to localization potential when lumber is harvested locally and sustainably.  Other earth or natural building techniques can use local material, but they don't contribute too much to mainstreamable localization economics because they are too expensive due to the building time requirements.
#'''Ecological qualities''' - 100% local, natural, onsite material, even for the 'mortar' - see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_earth_block Wikipedia]. Non-stabilized earth and other natural building methods also score well on local, ecological use of materials.
#'''Strength''' - CEB is second only to [http://www.coldspringgranite.com/comparing_granite_to_other_build.htm rock] and steel. Strength of CEBs is up to 2000 psi according to Wikipedia. Walls are tornado- and bullet-proof.
#'''Cost''' - if one has access to a $3-5k machine of the type being developed here and onsite soils, then CEB wins hands down. A tractor with loader and rototiller are required to prepare the soil for massive building projects.
#'''Building ergonomics''' - 3-5 bricks per minute (bricks are 6x12x4 inches) means a 6 foot high wall for a 300 square foot round building can be erected in one workday. This is possible because the mortar used is a slurry of the same material as the bricks, with added water. This is as fast or faster than walls with stick framing in the context of a 2-person team with tractor and rototiller. On this account, other natural building methods do not even come close. We have first hand experience with cordwood and earthbag, in that they take about 10 times more time than engineered methods. The natural building methods are not by any stretch easily replicable, unless one feels good about committing the large amounts of time
#'''Durability''' - Unsurpassed except for stone. 100-500 year lifetime is expected.
#'''Thermal properties''' - unsurpassed. Significant thermal flywheel.
#'''Aesthetics''' - see [[CEB house examples]]


Stick frame construction is the main building method in North America. It is a weak but fast building method, which makes money for developers but returns little value to the homeowner, if one considers lifecycle cost of buildings. Procuring lumber drains money out of local economies. This is not to mention clear-cutting and vast lumber monocultures that supply the lumber. We are interested in raising the standard of building, away from stick frame. We believe that with all these considerations, the CEB is the only building technique that even remotely has a chance of substituting for stick frame constuction, and that with our machine, priced $3-5k and designed for fabrication replication, will fill in a great need. CEB construction has the potential for mainstreamability in home construction.
The machine can also be made as a manually-controlled version with hydraulic valves. Other options are:
*small or large hopper
*with or without hopper shaker
*automatic controller at 6-10 bricks per minute, depending on power unit


We have heard one recurring critique of CEB construction. [http://radio.weblogs.com/0119080/stories/2003/04/09/theMythAndPromiseOfDirtChe.html It has been said ] that CEB building is either for the idle rich, who can afford the high cost of construction, or the idle poor, who can afford to take the time to build the house. Both cases imply outrageous time requirements, and this appears inconsistent with claim 5 above. Based on our experience we find that to be untrue. We believe that the truth is that poor people do not have access to high performance machines, and rich people are charged a lot because the quality of the finished product is high, regardless of how many hours went into construction. The answer to this seeming inconsistency is the availability of a high-performance, low-cost Liberator.  
'''We are currently selling the full machine without power unit for $10k FOB Kansas City, lead time 2 months. Email info at opensourceecology dot org.'''
*Price is FOB Kansas City, Missouri, USA, for a fully assembled machine, with quick couplers, ready to be plugged in to a power source. Price for other packing/crating options is extra.
*Delivery time: machines are produced during scheduled production runs, with 8 weeks lead time from submission of payment.
*Buyer is encouaraged to attend the build event - to learn how the machine is designed, built, and therefore, to learn about repair and modification. Basic instruction on using FreeCAD will be provided for viewing the CAD file. An operating and maintenance manual will be provided to the client. The buyer is encouraged to brind additional people to the build event to learn about the machine.


Our experience has shown $30/square foot costs for the cordwood house, and similar rates for the earthbag house, if $10/hour labor is considered. We estimate time requirements to be at least 5 times shorter for CEB construction, we are expecting $5/sq ft total building costs including $10/hour labor. That is dirt cheap for top quality housing. Direct data, gathered from our building program beginning in April, will prove or disprove our claims.
A tractor loader is used to provide approximately 2 cubic yards of soil per hour at at 6 block per minute pressing rate. A tractor loader is needed to keep up with the machine throughput. Approximately 3 people are required to keep up with the machine for stacking the block upon pallets. Approximately 30 people would be required to load the machine manually with shovels and buckets if no tractor loader were available. At the minimum, 4 people (1 tractor operator, 3 stackers) are required to produce palletized block on an all-day basis.


For these reasons, we conclude that anyone who is interested in building a new house, or making a house addition, should consider the CEB press seriously because of its ecological, economic, durability, replicability, and localization merits. While other building techniques may be superior on one of these qualities, CEB construction is the only technique that scores well on all these criteria.
==Specifications of the Standard Model==
*Block is plain block, not interlocking. Please see discussion on [[Interlocking_bricks]]
*Version 17.08 is our most current model. See [[CEB Press Genealogy]] for past versions.
*Open source hardware, controller, and software ([[CC-BY-SA 4.0]], [[GPLv3]])
*Controller is fully automated for hands-off operation
*Does NOT come with a power source - it is powered by a hydraulic power source, such as by our [[Power Cube]] or a tractor hydraulic take-off.
*Full size bricks are 4"x6"x12", plain flat-faced bricks
*Brick height is adjustable from 2"-4"
*Brick dimensional variations: +/- 1/16". This assumes uniform soil. Soil uniformity will determine height uniformity of brick.
*The standard model guarantees 6 full-sized bricks per minute at 12.5 gallon per minute hydraulic flow. See [[Brick Pressing Calculations]]. Brick pressing rate will increase with a higher hydraulic flow, up to the maximum rated flow of the hydraulic solenoid. Hydraulic solenoid valve is rated for a maximum of 10 gpm fluid flow at 3000PSI.
*Cost of production for actual block ranges from 5 cents to 40 cents per block - depending on amount of cement used for stabilization (0-10%) and cost of labor (free to $25/hr). See [[Cost_of_CEB_Block]]
*Fuel consumption with [[Power Cube]] running at 12.5 gpm fluid flow - about 1 gallon per hour
*System hydraulic pressure - 2400 psi
*Comes with hydraulic quick couplers ready to be connected to a power source
*Weight - 1700 lb
*Moving: brick press is moved with forks. Footprint (with legs in the inner position) allows machine to be placed in the bed of a 3/4 ton pickup. It has adjustable legs for uneven terrain. Machine can be moved around on a trailer (not included)
*Material cost: $3000-$6500 depending on suppliers; manual machine (without  hydraulic solenoid, machine costs $1000 less in materials. Production cost for a full kit: US$5000 above the bill of materials/supplies/consumables cost, paid by the buyer. Production currently occurs in [[Extreme Manufacturing]] Workshops - where the buyer is invited to the build so they understand how the machine is built - and is part of the buyer's Lifetime DIY Warranty. This warranty means that the user can maintain the machine for decades because they know how the machine is built, how it works, and how to source parts for the machine from local and online sources. This means that this is not a consumer machine, but a prosumer machine.
*3'x6' grate for loading the machine with a tractor. Includes soil deflectors


==[http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Main_Page#OSE_Product_Cycle '''Product Definition''']==
=Additional Power=
The machine can be used to produce up to 10 blocks per minute with a larger power source. A larger secondary hydraulic cylinder must be used in that case. See [[CEB Press Log]] for developments.


===Deliverable===
=BOM=
Here are the specifications for the OSE CEB machine: '''''The Liberator'''''. Lifetime specifications will be verified in field testing.
See build BOM from 2017 at [[CEB_Press_v17.08#BOM]]
=Versions=


#Bricks per minute output: 3-5
{{Hint|'''For full project version history, see [[CEB Press Genealogy]] and [[CEB Press Controller Genealogy]]'''}}
#Brick size: 12x6x6 inches (30.5x15.3x10.2 cm)
#People operating machine: 1-2
#Machine power source: tractor hydraulics or any hydraulic power source with 6 gallon per minute capacity
#Machine mounting: tractor 3 point hitch or stand-alone foot
#Hydraulic pressure: 2000psi
#Hydraulic cylinder: 5 inch diameter, 19.6 inch area; 2.5 inch rod
#Pressing cylinder pressure:  39,250 lb pushing force (~18 tons)
#Controls: 2 spool, manual, hydraulic valve; automatic version forthcoming.
#Compressive strength of bricks: to be measured
#Structural cold rolled steel construction throughout
#Design-for disassembly: full bolt-together construction for frame, compression chamber, table, tractor mount, and feet; welded hopper assembly and press plate; cylinders readily removable with pins
#Wearable components: 1/8" Nylon 6/6 liner on compression chamber and table surface, each piece held by 2 bolts
#Machine lifetime goals: 1 million bricks before repairs; liner may be replaced every 100,000 bricks
#Material costs: $1000-1350
#Fabrication time requirement for optimized production: 3-5 days, about 20 hours of direct fabrication
#Manual fabrication tooling requirements: drill press, welder, acetylene torch
#Optimal fabrication tooling: XYZ table with torch, MIG welder, hoist
#Cost for machine: $3-5k


=Details=
The CEB Press takes earth/dirt/soil and compresses it tightly to make solid blocks useful for building.  Compressed earth blocks have many advantages as a building material: by making the building materials from the readily available dirt on the building site, they eliminate the need to transport bricks from elsewhere, reducing financial cost and environmental impact.  Compressed earth blocks are very strong and insulate well against both heat and sound, making for very energy-efficient building (especially combined with the energy savings from not needing to transport them from offsite).  Best of all, the material they use is already on-site and does not need to be purchased -- quite literally, dirt-cheap!  See the wiki page on [[Compressed Earth Blocks]] and the [[:Category:CEB|CEB category]] for more details on building using CEBs.


We would like to emphasize our approach and cost predictions: we're open source, lean, mean, and optimal. This effort is funded by voluntary contributions, so our development costs are zero. We have low overhead costs of $107 per person per month because we have donated facilities and lifetime tenure. We are working on a thorough process for a quality product. Indeed, we aim to create a new model for the way products are developed. We aim for full transparency in our development process, so you can see how your money is being spent. And, we are giving the business model away for others to replicate. No strings attached. You can read details of our 3-year plan [http://openfarmtech.org/OSE_Proposal.doc here].
The Liberator has been fully designed and tested by the [[Open Source Ecology]] team. Because the Liberator is an open source technology, you can freely download instructions to build your own from materials you can obtain yourself, or contact ''opensourceecology[at]gmail[dot]com'' to buy a kit or a finished machine.


Our pricing policy is to cover labor and fabrication costs, and to capture value from optimized fabrication. This means that we are able to fund further developments by putting all proceeds back into the operation, and you get a low-cost product. Both sides win. That is our pricing strategy. We are able to consider special payment arrangements for collaborators or others interested in development for the common good. We do not want cost to stand in the way of access to liberatory technology.
Building a machine yourself might seem intimidating, but every step of the process is fully documented and the OSE community is available on our [http://forum.opensourceecology.org/ discussion forums] if you need help, advice, or a little hand-holding.


===Timeline===
Using the CEB Press, two people can build a 6 foot high (1.83m) round wall, 20 feet (6.1m) in diameter, 1 foot (30cm) thick, in one 8 hour day, though construction time will vary somewhat depending on preparation time, what equipment is available (tractor to prepare the ground and move the blocks where they need to go), the quality of the soil, and other factors.  The bigger the block size, the faster a wall can be erected, but at the cost of heavier blocks that are more of a strain to work with.  Blocks from ''The Liberator'' average 25 pounds (11.3kg).


January 16-20:
See [[CEB Design]] for more information.
*Recruiting of Core Team and Advisory Team
*Documentation of existing CEB progress and CEB Product Cycle development
January 20-27:
*Posting of Social Enterprise Website
*Documentation of existing sawmill progress and Sawmill Product Cycle development
January 27- Feb 22:
*Funding cycle #1
*Bids procured


===Budget===
=Product Ecology=


Here we present an economic analysis for the CEB machine to explain costs involved.
[[Image:4b-Constructioneco.png|thumb|600px|center|Construction [[Product Ecology]]]]


Here is the Bill of Materials (BOM) for the CEB prototype:
'''From'''
*{{Furnace}}
*{{Welder}}
*{{Torch Table}}
*{{Ironworker}}


[[Image:CEB_BOM.jpg]]
'''Uses'''
*{{PowerCube}}
*{{Rototiller}}
*{{Tractor}}
*[[Earth]]


References:
'''Creates'''
#http://surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2008010512293756&item=9-1143-08&catname=hydraulic
*[[CEB Bricks]]
#Gotten from surplus.
#http://surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2008010512293756&item=9-7156&catname=hydraulic
#http://surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2008010512293756&item=9-6702&catname=hydraulic for $156
#Gotten from surplus.
#Item # 905-12120 and 905-1236 at http://surpluscenter.com/
#Item 8609K13 at http://www.mcmaster.com/


The main cylinder and control valve used were from surplus, so this price may rise by about $250 for the cylinder and $100 for the valve, for a total of about $1350 in readily-accessible parts. The total number of hours spent building this protoptype was about 140 hours. The time expected for fabricating the second prototype is 40 hours. Production runs are expected to take about 20 hours per machine, using an XYZ torch table for fabrication assist.
'''Enables'''
*[[Workshop]]
*[[Greenhouse]]
*[[HabLab]]


Here are the capitalization requirements for fabrication capacity. The ''Cost'' column reflects the price structure if off-the-shelf tools and materials - and proprietary development procedures - are utilized. This cost is conservative, as intellectual property costs are probably higher than the $10k that was specified. The alternative route, or the ''Open Source Cost'', is that which utilizes open source know-how and is built on a land-based facility. The open source option means that certain equipment may be fabricated readily from available components when a design and bill of materials is available.
=See Also=
*[[CEB Press Genealogy]]
*[[Brick Pressing Calculations]].
*[http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/uk/d/Jh2380e/4.3.1.html Soil Testing]
*[http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/uk/d/Jh2380e/4.3.2.html more Soil Testing]
*[[CEB Design]]
*[[Compressed Earth Blocks]]
*[[Cinva Ram]]
*[[CEB_FAQ]]
*[[CEB Press/Rollers]]
*[[CEB Press/ModularRollers]]
*[[Hablab]]
*[[Metric CEB Press]]
*[[CEB Press/Field Testing 2011|Field Testing 2011]]
*[[CEB Press/Videos]]


===Future Phases===
{{GVCS Footer}}
 
[[Category:CEB Press]] [[Category:GVCS]]
Future phases for CEB evolution that we are considering beyond the present funding cycle are:
#Fully automated CEB machine, like The Liberator, where manual controls are replaced with automoatic valves and a control circuit. The only control required is turning the machine on, and from that point one simply loads soil and unloads bricks. Added material costs in this version are approximately $500.
#More powerful machines. More speed may be achieved by
##A dual machine, which features 2 compression chambers operating in parallel
##Faster machine by virtue of redesign to allow faster cycling through the steps
 
The automated machine is a clear and desirable upgrade, which essentially frees up one person to load soil, unload bricks, and build with the bricks right after they are produced. The other machines, such as dual or faster versions, will be reevaluated after significant  experience has been reached by the Factor e Team and collaborators.
 
 
#'''Design Phase'''
#'''Review'''
#'''Bids'''
#'''Fundraiser Recruitment'''
#'''Fundraising'''
#'''Product Delivery'''
#'''Produce Testing'''
#'''Prototype Optimization'''
#'''Fabrication Development'''
#'''Fabricator Recruiting'''
#'''Fabrication Optimization'''
#'''Production'''

Latest revision as of 01:46, 30 April 2021


HintLightbulb.png Hint: Last updated Jan 2018

Link to CEB Press Build June 2015

The CEB Story 2012. from Open Source Ecology on Vimeo.


CEB Press
   Home  |  Research & Development  |  Bill of Materials  |  Manufacturing Instructions  |  User's Manual  |  User Reviews    CEB Press.png

Overview

CEB Press (aka "The Liberator"). See CEB_Press_6#Instructional_Files for detailed pictures of the latest machine build (v6), and for an exact picture of v6. Version shown is v3.
Bricks pressed on The Liberator

The Liberator is OSE's automatic, high throughput Compressed Earth Brick Press. It is named The Liberator because it is intended to free people from the single highest cost of living - housing. See Cost of Living.

The CEB is at product release status and is being actively manufactured at Factor e Farm. The presses was used heavily as a part of the Factor e Farm Infrastructure Buildout 2011. Builds using the OSE CEB ress continued with the Microhouse 1, Microhouse 2, Microhouse 3, and MicroHouse 4 built in 2014 - [1]. We have also built a utility room brick floor and an 8' wall section out of CEBs in the 2016 build of the Seed Eco-Home.

In 2020, we did a CEB Microhouse Build in Belize.

The bill of materials cost of the current, fully-automated machine is about $5000 US. See CEB Press#BOM.

The machine can also be made as a manually-controlled version with hydraulic valves. Other options are:

  • small or large hopper
  • with or without hopper shaker
  • automatic controller at 6-10 bricks per minute, depending on power unit

We are currently selling the full machine without power unit for $10k FOB Kansas City, lead time 2 months. Email info at opensourceecology dot org.

  • Price is FOB Kansas City, Missouri, USA, for a fully assembled machine, with quick couplers, ready to be plugged in to a power source. Price for other packing/crating options is extra.
  • Delivery time: machines are produced during scheduled production runs, with 8 weeks lead time from submission of payment.
  • Buyer is encouaraged to attend the build event - to learn how the machine is designed, built, and therefore, to learn about repair and modification. Basic instruction on using FreeCAD will be provided for viewing the CAD file. An operating and maintenance manual will be provided to the client. The buyer is encouraged to brind additional people to the build event to learn about the machine.

A tractor loader is used to provide approximately 2 cubic yards of soil per hour at at 6 block per minute pressing rate. A tractor loader is needed to keep up with the machine throughput. Approximately 3 people are required to keep up with the machine for stacking the block upon pallets. Approximately 30 people would be required to load the machine manually with shovels and buckets if no tractor loader were available. At the minimum, 4 people (1 tractor operator, 3 stackers) are required to produce palletized block on an all-day basis.

Specifications of the Standard Model

  • Block is plain block, not interlocking. Please see discussion on Interlocking_bricks
  • Version 17.08 is our most current model. See CEB Press Genealogy for past versions.
  • Open source hardware, controller, and software (CC-BY-SA 4.0, GPLv3)
  • Controller is fully automated for hands-off operation
  • Does NOT come with a power source - it is powered by a hydraulic power source, such as by our Power Cube or a tractor hydraulic take-off.
  • Full size bricks are 4"x6"x12", plain flat-faced bricks
  • Brick height is adjustable from 2"-4"
  • Brick dimensional variations: +/- 1/16". This assumes uniform soil. Soil uniformity will determine height uniformity of brick.
  • The standard model guarantees 6 full-sized bricks per minute at 12.5 gallon per minute hydraulic flow. See Brick Pressing Calculations. Brick pressing rate will increase with a higher hydraulic flow, up to the maximum rated flow of the hydraulic solenoid. Hydraulic solenoid valve is rated for a maximum of 10 gpm fluid flow at 3000PSI.
  • Cost of production for actual block ranges from 5 cents to 40 cents per block - depending on amount of cement used for stabilization (0-10%) and cost of labor (free to $25/hr). See Cost_of_CEB_Block
  • Fuel consumption with Power Cube running at 12.5 gpm fluid flow - about 1 gallon per hour
  • System hydraulic pressure - 2400 psi
  • Comes with hydraulic quick couplers ready to be connected to a power source
  • Weight - 1700 lb
  • Moving: brick press is moved with forks. Footprint (with legs in the inner position) allows machine to be placed in the bed of a 3/4 ton pickup. It has adjustable legs for uneven terrain. Machine can be moved around on a trailer (not included)
  • Material cost: $3000-$6500 depending on suppliers; manual machine (without hydraulic solenoid, machine costs $1000 less in materials. Production cost for a full kit: US$5000 above the bill of materials/supplies/consumables cost, paid by the buyer. Production currently occurs in Extreme Manufacturing Workshops - where the buyer is invited to the build so they understand how the machine is built - and is part of the buyer's Lifetime DIY Warranty. This warranty means that the user can maintain the machine for decades because they know how the machine is built, how it works, and how to source parts for the machine from local and online sources. This means that this is not a consumer machine, but a prosumer machine.
  • 3'x6' grate for loading the machine with a tractor. Includes soil deflectors

Additional Power

The machine can be used to produce up to 10 blocks per minute with a larger power source. A larger secondary hydraulic cylinder must be used in that case. See CEB Press Log for developments.

BOM

See build BOM from 2017 at CEB_Press_v17.08#BOM

Versions

HintLightbulb.png Hint: For full project version history, see CEB Press Genealogy and CEB Press Controller Genealogy

Details

The CEB Press takes earth/dirt/soil and compresses it tightly to make solid blocks useful for building. Compressed earth blocks have many advantages as a building material: by making the building materials from the readily available dirt on the building site, they eliminate the need to transport bricks from elsewhere, reducing financial cost and environmental impact. Compressed earth blocks are very strong and insulate well against both heat and sound, making for very energy-efficient building (especially combined with the energy savings from not needing to transport them from offsite). Best of all, the material they use is already on-site and does not need to be purchased -- quite literally, dirt-cheap! See the wiki page on Compressed Earth Blocks and the CEB category for more details on building using CEBs.

The Liberator has been fully designed and tested by the Open Source Ecology team. Because the Liberator is an open source technology, you can freely download instructions to build your own from materials you can obtain yourself, or contact opensourceecology[at]gmail[dot]com to buy a kit or a finished machine.

Building a machine yourself might seem intimidating, but every step of the process is fully documented and the OSE community is available on our discussion forums if you need help, advice, or a little hand-holding.

Using the CEB Press, two people can build a 6 foot high (1.83m) round wall, 20 feet (6.1m) in diameter, 1 foot (30cm) thick, in one 8 hour day, though construction time will vary somewhat depending on preparation time, what equipment is available (tractor to prepare the ground and move the blocks where they need to go), the quality of the soil, and other factors. The bigger the block size, the faster a wall can be erected, but at the cost of heavier blocks that are more of a strain to work with. Blocks from The Liberator average 25 pounds (11.3kg).

See CEB Design for more information.

Product Ecology

Construction Product Ecology

From

Uses

Creates

Enables

See Also


The Global Village Construction Set
Habitat CEB Press Cement Mixer Sawmill Bulldozer Backhoe
Agriculture Tractor Seeder Hay Rake Well-Drilling Rig
Microtractor Soil Pulverizer Spader Hay Cutter Trencher
Bakery Oven Dairy Milker Microcombine Baler
Industry Multimachine Ironworker Laser Cutter Welder Plasma Cutter
CNC Torch Table Metal Roller Rod and Wire Mill Press Forge Universal Rotor
3D Printer 3D Scanner CNC Circuit Mill Industrial Robot Chipper Hammermill
Drill Press Induction Furnace
Energy Power Cube Gasifier Burner Solar Concentrator Electric Motor Generator Hydraulic Motor
Steam Engine Heat Exchanger Wind Turbine Pelletizer Universal Power Supply
Nickel-Iron Battery
Materials Aluminum Extractor Bioplastic Extruder
Transportation Car Truck

Imprimante 3D Scanner 3D Extracteur d'Aluminum Pelleteuse Four à Pain Presse à balles de paille Extrudeuse à bioplastiques Bulldozer Voiture Presse BTC Betonnière Broyeur à marteaux Imprimante de circuits électroniques Table de découpe numérique Trayeuse Perçeuse à colonne Moteur électrique Gazogène Faucheuse Râteau à foin Moteur hydraulique Fourneau à induction Bras robotisé Poinçonneuse Découpeur Laser Laminoir à plaques Microcombine Microtracteur Multimachine Batterie Ni-Fe Machine à granulés Torche plasma Power Cube Presse hydraulique Laminoir à barres et fils de fer Pulvérisateur de terre Scierie Semoir Concentrateur solaire Roto-bêche Moteur à vapeur Echangeur de chaleur Tracteur Fraiseuse de tranchée Camion Alimentation électrique universelle Rotor universel Poste de soudure à l'arc Plateforme de forage de puits Eolienne

Key Design Planning Prototype Almost done Full Release
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