Why should I buy plasters from Lafarge Prestia ?
In short : because we believe that we will succeed in our business only if
You succeed in yours. Therefore we take all actions to understand your specific needs and satisfy them. And because -our customers confirm so often- our plasters offer the highest quality and the best consistency while bringing them
cost-savings. And also because our ISO 9002 system and our almost 20 years experience in the business make us a very reliable partner to our customers. For more reasons, please take some time to browse through our Website and
contact us to give us a chance !
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How can your plasters help me save costs ?
Let's consider together this typical situation in the ceramic industry :
What is the best for a company ? plaster X at 150 "local currency" /ton which gives a mold life of 65 cycles or plaster L at 200 "local currency"/ton which gives a mold life of 100 cycles ?
Too simple answer : plaster L because the cost per mold is only 2 "local currency" where as "cheaper" plaster X gives a cost per mold of 2.3 "local currency". More professional
answer : there is not such a big difference on direct costs (2.3 "local currency" vs 2 "local currency") but there is a bigger difference in total costs as Plaster L will yield higher productivity,
lower labor cost per mold (in the mold shop), less clayware waste and less stock of plaster. So Plaster L brings much more benefits than simply the lower direct cost/mold. Top of page
What parameters impact on the performance of plasters ?
Thanks to their formulation, PRESTIA plasters are less sensitive to working conditions than ordinary plasters. However, it is recommended to follow rigorous working procedures in order to maintain a constant level of performance. Here is a summary of the influence of the main parameters on setting time, fluidity, absorption and mechanical strength :.
What is your advice on mold casting ?
The case mould should first be soaped on all working surfaces with an appropriate demoulding agent. To avoid any air entrapment, the mixed slurry should be cast slowly at constant speed.
The pouring lip should be close to the case mould and the slurry should be poured on one side of the case mould. Top of page
What is the shelf life of your plasters ?
Our bags are specially designed to ensure protection against moisture, delay ageing and resist even tough handling. Our pallets can be plastic wrapped for further protection. We
are very flexible in terms of packaging as we serve so many different countries and markets, each with specific packaging requirements. Most of our plasters have a shelf life
of at last 6 months, when properly stored. However, please check with our sales team for any particular plaster you are interested in.
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Bags must be kept dry in a closed room and must be stored so as to avoid direct contact with the ground, protected from moisture and condensation. It is recommended that product be used within 4 months of manufacturing date.
First In First Out (FIFO) stock management is highly advisable, of course. Top of page
What are your purchasing conditions ?
Our standard payment terms are Telegraphic Transfer before delivery or irrevocable Letter of Credit. We are currently preparing the possibility for customers who find it more efficient to
pay through internet with credit card. We plan to launch E-commerce on line early in year 2000. Top of page
What is your packaging and your container's weight ?
Our bags are specially designed to ensure protection against moisture, delay ageing and
resist even tough handling. We supply the bags on strong wooden pallets. For export markets, we prefer to ship 21 tons per containers (except in Korea where
maximum container load is 17 tons and Tokyo harbor where maximum load is 20 tons). Do you have any other question ? Please
35 |
49 |
52.5 |
58 |
63 |
84 |
87.5 |
93 |
98 |
54 |
55 |
57 |
58 |
45 |
63 |
67.5 |
74 |
81 |
108 |
112.5 |
119 |
126 |
69 |
71 |
73 |
75 |
55 |
77 |
82.5 |
90 |
99 |
132 |
137.5 |
145 |
154 |
85 |
87 |
89 |
92 |
65 |
91 |
97.5 |
107 |
117 |
156 |
162.5 |
172 |
182 |
100 |
103 |
105 |
108 |
75 |
105 |
112.5 |
123 |
135 |
180 |
187.5 |
198 |
210 |
115 |
118 |
121 |
125 |
85 |
119 |
127.5 |
140 |
153 |
204 |
212.5 |
225 |
238 |
131 |
134 |
138 |
142 |
95 |
133 |
142.5 |
156 |
171 |
228 |
237.5 |
251 |
266 |
146 |
150 |
154 |
158 |
105 |
147 |
157.5 |
173 |
189 |
252 |
262.5 |
278 |
294 |
162 |
166 |
170 |
175 |
115 |
161 |
172.5 |
190 |
207 |
276 |
287.5 |
305 |
322 |
177 |
181 |
186 |
192 |
125 |
175 |
187.5 |
206 |
225 |
300 |
312.5 |
331 |
350 |
192 |
197 |
202 |
208 |
135 |
189 |
202.5 |
223 |
243 |
324 |
337.5 |
358 |
378 |
207 |
213 |
218 |
225 |
145 |
203 |
217.5 |
239 |
261 |
348 |
362.5 |
384 |
406 |
223 |
229 |
234 |
242 |
155 |
217 |
232.5 |
256 |
279 |
372 |
387.5 |
411 |
434 |
239 |
245 |
250 |
258 |
Water (L) |
Plaster (kg) |
Total weight (kg) |
Total volume (L) |
Here is some more information : Impact of mixing conditions Impact of mixing water temperature
Best water : drinking water Top of page
Mixing conditions must be controlled in order to avoid any variations in the mould quality.
They are adjusted (speed and duration) to obtain a good and complete circulation of the slurry. The uniform dispersion of the plaster grains will give a homogeneous mix with no lumps.
With appropriate mixing equipment, speed should be between 300 and 500 rpm (and never exceed 800 rpm except for small mixers).
The mixing water temperature significantly impacts on porometry and therefore absorption characteristics of the moulds. To maintain consistent performances, we recommend working at constant temperature.
It is preferable to use a water as clean as possible in order to limit the introduction of soluble salts which could be prejudicial to the moulds quality. It is recommended to work
with drinkable water. Top of page
How should I dry and store plaster molds ?
Drying is an important step in mould making. It allows the extraction of surplus water and
helps the moulds to achieve optimum porosity and mechanical strength. The drier must combine:
- a fixed and homogenous temperature at all points, Moulds are typically dried face down and, where possible, boxed and strapped to limit their deformation. The drying phase is finished when mould weight is constant. Moulds should then be
cooled slowly, to avoid any thermal shock, which could cause damage. Moulds should be stored in dry conditions and away from moisture, dust and heat, in order to avoid any fungal growth and to limit their ageing.
An up-to-date stock inventory should be done to ensure a good rotation of moulds. Before being put into service, the moulds should be cleaned and then preconditioned
through humidification before the first usage, to ensure the success of the first casts.
- a rapid and uniform air circulation (space out moulds),
- a controlled humidity (permanent renewing of the air) .
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What type of mixing equipment should I use ?
Mixing equipments should be in stainless-steel, in good shape and clean before use. Use preferable a propeller with axial flow (boat propeller type) or with 4 blades at 45 to pull down the mixed plaster slurry without turbulence.
The motor power should be strong enough to provide a constant rotation speed. Ideally, the motor should be equipped with a speed variator in order to adjust the propeller
speed to the slurry viscosity and completely mix it (no stagnant area on the surface). Top of page
What is the most critical parameter on the performance of plaster ?
Simply : the water/plaster mixing ratio. Each plaster requires a specific one. Therefore, the necessary quantities of plaster and water must be carefully weighed on a regularly calibrated scale.
Mixing ratio variations can definitely affect the performances of the moulds, especially their wear resistance and absorption. This is a table, to help with weight and volume calculations
Australia |
12 to 15 days |
Bombay |
10 to 15 days |
Jakarta |
7 to 9 days |
Kuala Lumpur (by truck) |
3 days |
Manila |
9 to 14 days |
New Dehli |
18 to 20 days |
Seoul (Inch'on) |
11 or 12 days |
Shanghai, Guangzhou |
7 to 12 days |
Singapore |
3 or 4 days |
Sri Lanka |
10 to 15 days |
Taiwan |
7 to 9 days |
Tianjin |
7 to 12 days |
Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka |
10 to 12 days |
Viet Nam |
3 to 4 days |
Our logistic know-how, our flexibility in production and our location very close to Bangkok harbor (Laem Chabang) enable us to offer short delivery time to Asian countries. Examples of shipping time between Laem Chabang and…
Here is a regularly updated list of the most frequently asked questions by our customers and by browsers on our Website. Please contact us directly for your own questions, we will be glad to answer them.
Why buy from us?Cost savings with our plasters?Performance parameters?Moulds casting, drying and storage?About plaster mixing?
Shelf life of our plasters?Plaster bags storage?
P/W % |
140 |
150 |
165 |
180 |
140 |
150 |
165 |
180 |
140 |
150 |
165 |
180 |
W/P % |
71 |
67 |
60 |
55 |
71 |
67 |
60 |
55 |
71 |
67 |
60 |
55 |
The data presented in this document
are in accordance with the present state of our knowledge, but do not absolve the user from carefully checking all supplies immediately on receipt. We reserve the right to alter product constants within the scope of technical progress or new
developments. The recommendations made here should be checked by preliminary trials, because of conditions during processing over which we have no control, especially where other companies' raw materials are also being used.
Prestia is a registered trademark of Top of page
For any information or reclamation about this Website kindly contact our webmaster@lafargeprestia.com .