Ready to push more cars through the kiln? Meet the Beast.
One of the advantages of a global installed base is the opportunity to learn from our customers. They inspire us to make brick better.
The 120 AEX came from a request from our friends at Austral Brick, who wanted an extruder with more brick production capacity. The 120 cranks out 67,500 US Standard Brick Equivalent (SBE) per hour — 45% more than the 90 Series, which produces 46,500.
Direct-setting more bricks is the baseline. The 120 is an engineering statement, made with the help of operators and supervisors who run Steele extruders for a living.
Better means safer, faster and easier
We designed and engineered the 120 to be safer, faster and easier to operate and maintain. The first thing you notice about the extruder, apart from its size and mass, is the hydraulic die change sled. You can change dies in about sixty seconds, with hydraulic cylinders at both ends for more push. The sled also ensures easier access to barrel liners and augers, for inspection, cleaning or replacement.
Large access doors in the middle of the machine make washdowns and scheduled maintenance easier. They also make it easier to replace liners, augers and feed rollers. Open the doors and you can see the auger set has a continuous taper. That taper, plus closer tolerances, mean less backflow.
We added an externally driven feed roller and external lubrication system. The gearbox doesn’t drive the external feed roller shaft — no need to pre-prime and no delay at startup.
When you have this kind of production capacity, you won’t want die changeovers or regular maintenance slowing down output.
A better engineered pug sealer
The 90 Series pug sealer fits inside the 120 pug sealer tub. So this is a big ol’ boy, packed with significant refinement. The hinged barrel and large vacuum access doors give operators easier access. Inside the tub, the shaft bristles with 68 pug knives (versus 56 in the 90 Series).
The pug knives bolt on to a protected shaft, so it’s safer, faster and easier to remove pug knives — and no more banging out shanks.
Steele engineers designed the wear-resistant tub for improved material flow. Cleanout ports make maintenance easier. The new structural beams eliminate the need for bottom beam sills, making room for cleanout doors.
We believe in standardized design and common parts, so if you know one Steele extruder, you know all of them. The 120 pug sealer uses the same gearbox as the 90 Extruder. Operators already know it — the only difference is that the 120 gives them more access for maintenance.
We’re big fans of the Atlas Copco vacuum system — lower power consumption, 1/40th the oil and no need to drain the tank.
The 120 makes it easier to push more dirt.
A new sealing auger design for more throughput
The continuously tapered auger profile, plus a closer fitment between the auger and liner optimize pressure and flow. Reduced backflow drives more throughput with decreased wear.
Our engineers eliminated the front knife and designed a smoother transition from the pug tub to the barrel. The bottom line? The 120 will push more dirt and you have easier access to the bigger, heavier wearing parts that shoulder the load.
Maintenance moves the operator out of the line of fire.
An articulated oil manifold for safer operation
Steele introduced its articulating oil manifold in 2019. It’s a safer way for operators to adjust oil pressure — away from the front of an active die door. The color-coded hose system and quick coupling make hose change-outs faster and easier.
Operators can prevent friction and heat buildup in the die, without risking their safety or slowing production.
We’re here to help you make brick better.
The 120 AEX is a high-performance stiff extrusion solution, engineered to increase brick production. And like everything Steele manufactures, it comes with application engineering, installation support, parts and service.
It’s better than anything we’ve ever built — more productive, more cost-effective, safer, faster and easier to operate. If you’re planning to dial up output, the 120 may be the best solution.
Like what you see on the 120 AEX? Want to see these changes on your 90 Series equipment? Talk to your regional Steele sales representative or contact us.