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Simulation · Minimal Factory · Brick and clay

Lage brickworks · ring kiln

A ring kiln as a model: the fire travels in a circle from chamber to chamber, raw bricks are set in at the front and fired bricks carted out at the back, on the real terrain in Lage.

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Real are location, terrain and buildings (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The number of chambers has not been handed down, further kilns are interpreted, the season from March to October is not modelled; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.

The brickworks in Lage stands as a block model on its real terrain. In the ring kiln the fire travels day and night in a circle from chamber to chamber: fresh raw bricks are set in at the front, the fired bricks carted out at the back. The clay comes from the pit, the bricks go by cart to the building sites.

Five controls steer the brickworks: investment (one to four ring kilns), workforce, supply, quality and market. Further ring kilns are built on the field. The brick stacks grow when more is fired than built with; when they are full, the surplus goes at a 40% discount.

Real are location, terrain and buildings from official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap. The number of chambers has not been handed down; new kilns, quantities, processes and times are an interpretation of our own and model values, and one working day lasts ten seconds. The season from March to October is not modelled. The page is for museums and exhibitions, schools and universities, industrial heritage and local history.

From raw material to product

  1. 01

    supply – clay from the pit

  2. 02

    ring kilns – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber

  3. 03

    brick stacks – takes in what is not sold

  4. 04

    dispatch – carts to the building sites

A site at work

01

A site at work

Lage brickworks: The brickworks in Lage: in the ring kiln the fire moves round day and night, the clay comes from the pit, the bricks go to the building sites.

Ring kiln 1 (real)

02

Ring kiln 1 (real)

Ring kiln 1 (real) – A ring kiln: the fire moves round from chamber to chamber; fresh green bricks are set in at the front, fired bricks wheeled out behind.

What is shown – why – for whom

What is shown Why For whom
Ring kiln with travelling fire WhyShows how the fire travels in a circle from chamber to chamber. For whommuseum, teaching
Setting in fresh raw bricks at the front, carting out fired bricks at the back WhyShows how the kiln is loaded and emptied without a break. For whommuseum, exhibition
Clay pit and clay carts WhyShows where the raw material comes from. For whomteaching, history of technology
Brick stacks WhyShows what happens to bricks that are not built with at once. For whomeconomics teaching, exhibition
Carts to the building sites WhyShows how the bricks leave the works. For whomteaching, industrial heritage
Further ring kilns on the field WhyShows what an expansion brings and what it requires. For whomeconomics teaching, local history
Five controls with output, brick stacks and daily result WhyShows connections in operations, not operating figures. For whomeconomics teaching
Ring kiln 4

03

Ring kiln 4

Ring kiln 4 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.

Five levers, one works

04

Five levers, one works

Full investment – four ring kilns: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.

Films from the model

  • Above Lage brickworks

    A flight across the whole site: low approach, Ring kiln 1, then across the works to the long shot – everything moving, with the sound of the works.

  • From raw material to product

    The works’ chain in one flight – supply (clay from the pit), ring kilns, brick stacks, dispatch: station by station.

  • A working day in time-lapse

    In time-lapse working days pass in seconds: shifts at the gate, traffic on the supply and dispatch routes, the stockpile (brick stacks) changing along.

  • A works grows

    Investment step by step: new ring kilns appear, the workforce grows with them, then more supply and a boom in the market.

  • Bottleneck – the works respond

    First materials run short and the plant only runs in part, then the market takes too little and the stockpile fills up – in the boom the works recover.

  • Using the software

    With the full interface: open the works, set investment and market, look at stockpile and plant – every lever acts at once.

Facilities and areas in the model

  • Ring kilns

    A ring kiln: the fire moves round from chamber to chamber; fresh green bricks are set in at the front, fired bricks wheeled out behind. In the game: 1 real, 3 as expansion (interpreted).

  • Brick stacks

    Whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when it is full the surplus goes at a discount, when the market wants more it is drawn down.

  • Supply

    Clay from the pit. A bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.

  • Dispatch

    Carts to the building sites. The market only takes what it needs.

When things get tight

05

When things get tight

Brick stacks filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.

Medium long shot

06

Medium long shot

Medium long shot – Ring kiln 1: the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber.

Processes in the model

From raw material to product

  1. 01supply – clay from the pit
  2. 02ring kilns – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber
  3. 03brick stacks – takes in what is not sold
  4. 04dispatch – carts to the building sites

Expansion

  1. 01raise investment by one step
  2. 02another ring kiln is built on its plot
  3. 03set the workforce to match, otherwise it only runs in part
  4. 04the market decides whether it pays – success in one number at the top

Bottleneck and recovery

  1. 01supply short – the store empties
  2. 02materials missing – the plants only run in part
  3. 03market in a slump – the stockpile grows until the fire sale
  4. 04boom – the stockpile empties, the result rises

What the model can be used for

  • Museum and exhibition

    The ring kiln explains itself on the plant: the fire travels from chamber to chamber, fresh raw bricks go in at the front, the fired bricks are carted out at the back.

    For whommuseums, visitor centres, exhibitions

  • School and university

    How does clay become brick, and why did the fire in the ring kiln burn without a break? Terms like firing chamber, firing zone, raw brick and clay pit sit where they belong.

    For whomschools, universities, vocational training

  • Industrial heritage and local history

    Brickworks, clay pit and fields lie on the real terrain in Lage. You see where the clay comes from and where the bricks go by cart to the building sites.

    For whomindustrial heritage, city marketing, local history societies

  • Understanding operations

    Investment, workforce, supply, quality and market act at once on output, brick stacks and result. It becomes visible why a further ring kiln without clay, people and sales costs money.

    For whomeconomics teaching, further training

Ring kiln 1 at work

07

Ring kiln 1 at work

Ring kiln 1 at work – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.

The whole software

08

The whole software

Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.

What you can change

Controls

  • Investment: Number of ring kilns (1 to 4): more money builds more, less shuts them down; without more people they only run in part.
  • Workforce: Enough people for all ring kilns – output rises, and so does success. Too many people cost wages without more output.
  • Supply: More material arrives – the plant no longer has to wait. Levels short, normal and double; supply security costs money.
  • Quality: More quality means less scrap and fewer breakdowns but costs testing and maintenance (levels low, normal, high).
  • Market: Slump, normal or boom. In a slump more is made than sold: the stockpile grows and success drops. In a boom the market takes more: the stockpile empties and success rises.

Disruptions

  • Too few people: Workers are missing, part of the plant stands still.
  • Material missing: Supply is not enough; once the store is empty the plants only run in part (message: “Parts store empty – supply is short”).
  • Too much built: More is made than the market takes: the stockpile grows; when it is full the surplus goes at a 40 % discount (message: “Stockpile full – fire sale at a discount”).
  • Market wants more: Demand is greater than the works can make; once the stockpile is empty orders are lost (message: “Stockpile empty – orders are lost”).

What the model brings

  • 01

    The real terrain as a stage

    Brickworks, pit and fields stand on terrain from official elevation data. You show the site as it lies, not as a diagram.

  • 02

    A fire that travels in a circle

    You see the fire move on from chamber to chamber before you steer the brickworks yourself.

  • 03

    Bottlenecks without damage

    The clay fails to arrive, the store empties, the brick stacks grow. You see where it gets tight first, and set it back.

  • 04

    For big screens and the browser

    Runs in the browser and on large projections. A working day in fast motion lasts ten seconds.

  • Lage brickworks: The brickworks in Lage: in the ring kiln the fire moves round day and night, the clay comes from the pit, the bricks go to the building sites.
    Lage brickworks: The brickworks in Lage: in the ring kiln the fire moves round day and night, the clay comes from the pit, the bricks go to the building sites.
  • Lage brickworks from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
    Lage brickworks from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
  • Medium long shot – Ring kiln 1: the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber.
    Medium long shot – Ring kiln 1: the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber.
  • Far out near Lage – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
    Far out near Lage – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
  • From above – Lage brickworks as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
    From above – Lage brickworks as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
  • Lage brickworks from above at an angle – supply, ring kilns, brick stacks and dispatch at a glance.
    Lage brickworks from above at an angle – supply, ring kilns, brick stacks and dispatch at a glance.
  • All around Lage: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
    All around Lage: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
  • Ring kiln 1 (real) – A ring kiln: the fire moves round from chamber to chamber; fresh green bricks are set in at the front, fired bricks wheeled out behind.
    Ring kiln 1 (real) – A ring kiln: the fire moves round from chamber to chamber; fresh green bricks are set in at the front, fired bricks wheeled out behind.
  • Ring kiln 2 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
    Ring kiln 2 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Ring kiln 3 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
    Ring kiln 3 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Ring kiln 4 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
    Ring kiln 4 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Brick stacks – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
    Brick stacks – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
  • Supply – clay from the pit: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
    Supply – clay from the pit: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
  • Ring kiln 1 close up – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber.
    Ring kiln 1 close up – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber.
  • Brick stacks close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
    Brick stacks close up – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
  • Supply in full swing – clay from the pit; the bigger the contract, the more is on the move.
    Supply in full swing – clay from the pit; the bigger the contract, the more is on the move.
  • Ring kiln 1 at work – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
    Ring kiln 1 at work – the fire moves round the ring kiln from chamber to chamber; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
  • Ring kiln 4 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
    Ring kiln 4 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
  • Brick stacks in day-to-day operation – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
    Brick stacks in day-to-day operation – stack upon stack as soon as more is made than the market takes.
  • Dispatch – carts to the building sites; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
    Dispatch – carts to the building sites; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
  • At the gate – the shifts arrive here, paths lead to the plants, the workshop and the break area.
    At the gate – the shifts arrive here, paths lead to the plants, the workshop and the break area.
  • Full steam – all four ring kilns running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
    Full steam – all four ring kilns running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
  • Small investment – only Ring kiln 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
    Small investment – only Ring kiln 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
  • Full investment – four ring kilns: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
    Full investment – four ring kilns: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
  • Every facility labelled – ring kiln 1 to 4, brick stacks, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
    Every facility labelled – ring kiln 1 to 4, brick stacks, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
  • Ring kiln 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
    Ring kiln 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
  • Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
    Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
  • Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: brick stacks.
    Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: brick stacks.
  • Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the ring kilns only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
    Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the ring kilns only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
  • Brick stacks filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
    Brick stacks filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
  • Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
    Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
  • The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
    The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
  • Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
    Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
  • One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
    One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
  • Facility card – ring kiln: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
    Facility card – ring kiln: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
  • Stockpile card – brick stacks: stock, space used and growth per day.
    Stockpile card – brick stacks: stock, space used and growth per day.
  • Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
    Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
  • Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
    Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
  • Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
    Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
  • The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
    The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
  • Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.
    Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.

Your site as a model

Would you like to show your plant, your museum or your industrial site like this? Write to us or call. We will send you the password for starting it on request.

Start with password

Request the password if you are interested →

Ask about this

Minimal Factory: Ziegelei Lage · Ringofen

What you enter goes to this site alone and serves only to answer you.

Basis and limits

Real are the location, terrain and buildings in Lage (official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap). The plant in the middle is our own simplified interpretation: quantities, processes, times and prices are model assumptions; the economy runs in time-lapse (10 seconds are one working day). Not a simulation of real operations and no cooperation with the site.

Public sources the model is based on:

  • Wikipedia (German), article on the site: Ziegelei Lage, Lippische Ziegler
  • Geobasis NRW: digital surface and terrain models DOM1/DGM1 (Data licence Germany – Zero – 2.0)
  • OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): streets, tracks, water, land use

More places in the model

← Minimal Factory

Real are location, terrain and buildings (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). The number of chambers has not been handed down, further kilns are interpreted, the season from March to October is not modelled; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows…