Have you ever thought about the history of cement mixers? Before these mixers were created, people used their hands and sticks to mix cement. Luckily, with the advancement of technology, making cement has become far more convenient over the past few decades.
If you are looking into making your cement-mixing process much easier, using cement mixers is the way to go. Keep reading to learn the history of mixers and how they have evolved over the years. B&S Commercial Power has many different mixers to offer our clients. We can help you find the perfect cement mixer for your business.
How Have Cement Mixers Evolved?
Before the advancement of technology, people used their hands to mix cement. This way of mixing cement was labour-intensive, of low quality and had little uniformity. The increase in structure development resulted in the search for alternative ways to mix cement.
The first known time that asphalt and cement were discovered was in Greece and Babylon in 625 BC. In the 1800s during the industrial revolution, cement started being used for building roads.
In the 1920s, mixers became popular due to the rise of automobiles. These first mixers had a mixture process that included putting the contents in a container to be heated with coal.
Once the contents were heated and dried, asphalt was added on top and then mixed through by hand. During the 1960s the use of this cement-mixing method became widespread. It was commonly used for building structures.
In the 1970s, tools were developed that improved the way cement was mixed which also improved the quality of the cement being produced. In today’s world of cement mixing, mixers play a vital role.
Additionally, with the development of high-rise buildings, there was a need to develop different mixing methods. There have also been developments regarding cement batching plants. These batching plants were developed due to the increased need for materials, uniform mixing methods, and reduced operation costs.
These batch plants have changed the way that the cement industry runs. Batch plants allow for cement materials to be weighed, prepared, and mixed. Batch plants allow for cement, sand, ballast, and other chemicals to be mixed as well.
Cement batching plants have increased the strength and lifespan of cement. This has been achieved through computerised weighing which ensures the mix ratio is accurate as well as allowing for a controlled mixing process. This ensures the uniformity of the mixture.
Due to these advancements in technology, batch plants have made it easy to deliver central mix or ready-mix cement. With central mix cement, all the required materials are loaded onto a truck, but no mixing takes place during transportation.
However, ready-mix cement involves all the required materials being mixed on the plant and loaded onto a truck. The truck is also loaded with water and mixing takes place while the materials are being transported.
Another amazing advance in technology has been the development of mobile batching plants. These plants can be transported to remote construction sites and sites that are difficult to access due to poor roads.
Small trailer-mounted batching plants have been developed for small construction sites. This has minimised the need for manual mixing methods as well as additional equipment needed for manual mixing.
The demand for these mixers has also increased over the years. With the increase in mixers, at B&S Commercial Power we ensure that our clients receive only the best quality mixers.
Types Of Mixers
There are a few different types of cement mixers as well as different ways that cement can be mixed. The different types of mixers include the following:
Mobile mixers. These mixers include a combination of all materials used, equipment needed on the construction site, as well as a transport vehicle. This mixer often has a trailer or transporter.
Mobile mixers have individual carriers for sand, cement powder, and water to make fresh cement each time. Standard transit mixers deliver large volumes of cement directly to construction sites. These mixers are loaded with ready mix cement from batching plants.
Standard transit mixers make use of trucks that are of different sizes. The sizes of these trucks are often between two to eight cubic metres. These mixers mix wet cement for construction sites that require large amounts of cement. The mixing process happens while the materials are transported to the construction site.
Volumetric mixers provide multiple options. These mixers make use of mobile truck mixers. These mixers separate the materials as well as measure the materials before the cement is mixed. This method of mixing saves on costs due to everything being measured.
Self-loading concrete mixers load, weigh, mix, and discharge cement. They are used to transport and produce cement. These mixers are used in the construction industry and industrial plant industries.
Lastly, traditional mixers or hand-fed mixers. This is a mixing method that involves individuals mixing cement with their hands. Minimal tools are used which include wheelbarrows, drums, and additional construction equipment.
Over the years mixers have advanced immensely. People no longer need to mix cement by hand; however, this method is still used often. Using mechanical cement mixers is ideal for large construction projects.
Is your construction company struggling to deal with the high demand for cement needed to complete projects? This is an easy problem to resolve. B&S Commercial Power will gladly assist you with finding the perfect mixers for your specific projects.
The Benefits Of Using Mixers
Having a cement mixer on site is very useful. These mixers can be kept in one spot or moved around to where they are needed. Construction workers will not have to waste time or energy moving cement around in wheelbarrows. A few major benefits of cement mixers include the following:
- They save time. Cement will be mixed for you; this will not have to be done manually. This will allow construction workers to focus on more important aspects of the construction project.
- They save money. Cement mixers reduce the number of employees you will need on your construction site to mix cement. In the long run, needing fewer employees will help save you money.
- Reduces physical strain. A cement mixer can save you and your employees from the physical strain that often occurs due to manually mixing cement. Doing this manually may result in severe shoulder and back pain.
- Cement can be mixed on-site. There will be no need for you to arrange for cement to be mixed remotely when you have a cement mixer on your construction site. This takes away the hassle of having cement transported to you from different locations.
- They improve the health and safety of employees. Manually mixing cement may cause many different injuries and health problems. Inhaling dust caused by cement mixtures have harmful effects on respiration.
- It is not always easy to estimate how much cement you are going to need for a construction project. Having a cement mixer on site will make it easy for you to make cement whenever you need to.
- They are beneficial for remote construction sites. Delivering cement to remote construction sites is not always possible. If the trucks delivering cement get stuck in traffic on a hot day, water will have to be added to the cement again to use the mixture. This will result in the cement being weaker.
- Cement mixers help keep construction sites tidy. A cement mixer helps reduce the mess made on construction sites. A tidy work environment may also help show clients positive workmanship.
- These cement mixers are environmentally friendly. Only mixing the amount of cement that you need greatly reduces cement waste. Having one on-site reduces the need for long trips as well as repeated trips to collect or deliver cement.
- They are easy to use and convenient. These mixers are portable. Therefore, they can be moved around the construction site wherever they are needed. These mixers do not require specialisation.
Cement And Strength
Cement is a mixture that consists of dry cement, stone, sand, and water. This mixture is used as a binder to join sand and stone to one another. Sand and stone are the aggregates used in the mixture. Aggregates add strength to cement.
Sand and stone help to control the strength of cement. “C” type cement is used to explain the strength of different cement. For example, C20 is a general cement that is used for doorsteps, floors, fixing posts, and making cement blocks.
This mixture is made up of one part cement, two parts sand and four parts stone. C30 is a stronger cement mixture that is used for thin and narrow concrete slabs such as pavements. This mixture is made up of one part cement, two parts sand and three parts stone. Regarding the amount of water needed for these mixtures, the less water that is used the stronger the cement is. The mixture should only be wet enough so that it can be worked with.
The amount of water that is needed should only be 0,4 to 0,6 times the weight of the concrete. For example, if you have a 25kg bag of cement if you use a figure of 0,4 the amount of water you would need works out to 10kg or 10 litres of water.
Once you have mixed your cement it should not be overly wet or slump. When using a shovel to place cement where needed, the mixture should not spread out. The mixture should stay where you have placed it. This is referred to as slumping.
Too much water will reduce the strength of cement. Excess water that does not combine with the cement mixture will evaporate leaving behind small air cavities. This will result in the cement looking like a sponge.
However, concrete that is not wet enough will be challenging to work with and there will not be enough moisture for the necessary chemical reactions to take place.
Furthermore, the tools that you will need to mix cement include a cement mixer, three buckets, a wheelbarrow, a shovel and a barrel.
The protective gear you will need while working with cement includes a dust mask, safety glasses, steel-toe shoes, and gloves. The dust mask is important for protecting your lungs. The safety glasses are used to protect your eyes from cement possibly splashing them.
The steel-toe shoes are necessary to protect your feet and the gloves should be used to prevent your skin from making contact with the cement. If your skin comes into contact with cement it may lead to abrasions and your skin will feel irritated.
Does Cement Expire?
When you purchase a bag of cement, make sure to check the manufacturing date. You will need to use the bag of cement within three months after this date. After three months, the dry mixture may become lumpy when it makes contact with water.