Before spending money on concrete mixers, it is important to know how they work. This will ensure that you purchase mixers that will help you with your specific construction projects. It’s important to do the necessary research before purchasing mixers for your site.
Contact B&S Commercial Power to find out all the information you will need to make an informed decision on which mixer you’re going to need. Our staff are trained professionals and will be able to help you choose the perfect concrete mixer for your construction business. Keep reading to learn more about mixers and how they can assist you with your construction projects.
What Are The Different Types of Concrete Mixers?
Concrete mixers are used to efficiently and evenly mix cement, water, and aggregates to produce concrete. There are many different types of concrete mixers that help make the production of concrete economical and quick.
Batch mixers and continuous mixers are broad types of concrete mixers. There are different types of batch mixers which include drum type mixers and pan type mixers. Different types of drum mixers include tilting, non-tilting, and reversing drum mixers.
Tilting drum mixers have drums that discharge concrete by tilting the drum downwards. It has a quick discharge process, and they are commonly used for large construction projects. Concrete is discharged using gravity to prevent segregation.
Concrete that has large aggregates that are larger than 7,5cm is mixed efficiently by these types of mixers, however, this will depend on a few factors. These factors include the shape of the drum, the angle of the drum, the size of the blades, and the angle of the blades.
One disadvantage to these mixers is that concrete often gets stuck at the bottom of the drums. The solution to this is known as buttering. The buttering of concrete mixers is when cement mortar is added to the mixer before mixing the first batch of concrete.
Furthermore, pan type concrete mixers have a circular pan that concrete is mixed in. Blades are used to efficiently mix the concrete. These blades are organised in a star shape inside of the circular pan. There are two different types of pan type concrete mixers.
The first type is constant, and the star blades rotate along the pan’s vertical axis. On the other hand, the second type has a pan that rotates while the blades do not move. Both pan type mixers are efficient at mixing concrete.
The blades are used to prevent concrete from sticking to the pan. The height of these blades can also be adjusted. Moreover, both mixers have a central hole in the pan that is used to collect the concrete.
There are also continuous concrete mixers that are used often. The name of these mixers explains how they work. Loading, mixing and discharging happen continuously unless the project is complete, the workday is over, or during a work break.
This process works by using screw feeders. These mixers are used for large construction projects which include building dams, high-rise buildings, and bridges. Continuous mixers are excellent for large construction projects.
What Is The Best Way To Choose Concrete Mixers?
General concrete mixers are made up of a motor, a dump wheel or rotating handle, and a rotating tank. The amount of concrete needed for a construction project is one of the main factors that go into selecting the right mixer.
For this reason, it is important to keep in mind the difference between the volume of the whole tank and the mixing volume. For example, if the mixing volume is 80% this means that only 80% of the whole tank volume may be filled with concrete.
Additional technical factors that should be kept in mind include drum volume, power of the mixer, main voltage, drum rotation frequency, the mixer blades, wheels on the frame, and noise level.
Furthermore, when deciding on a concrete mixer, it is important to keep in mind how often the mixer will be used. This will determine the drum volume that will be needed. Occasional use on small construction sites will only require a drum volume of 60L.
Frequent use on medium construction sites will require a mixer with a drum volume of 120L. Depending on the size of the construction project a mixer with a drum volume of 160 or 190L will also work well.
Regular or intensive use on large construction sites will require a mixer with a drum volume of 250L. Larger construction sites often require concrete to be made continuously throughout the project. The amount of concrete needed should be calculated beforehand.
The power of a concrete mixer is also important. To find this out, you will need to look at the ratio of the drum volume to the engine power. A weak concrete mixer will not be able to turn the drum at the necessary speed to mix larger amounts of concrete.
A concrete mixer should be chosen based on the quantity that is needed as well as the production time. This will help you choose a concrete mixer that has enough power to mix the volume of concrete you need.
Before purchasing a concrete mixer, you will also need to know the voltage the mixer needs to work. If you purchase a powerful concrete mixer, it will require a higher voltage for it to work properly.
Concrete Mixers: How Should Concrete Be Transported?
If you do not have concrete mixers available on site, concrete that has already been mixed will need to be transported to the construction site. When transporting concrete, it is important to ensure that nothing changes.
During transportation, the slump, consistency, water-to-cement ratio, homogeneity, and air content should not change from their required states. There are two important goals for transporting concrete that need to be achieved.
These two goals include preventing segregation as well as avoiding reducing the workability of the concrete. This requires the transportation process to be well-planned and organised. For small jobs, it is ideal to avoid travelling with concrete for more than 60 minutes.
Additionally, at portable ready-mix concrete plants, concrete must be removed from truck concrete mixers or agitator trucks within a period of two hours. In the case where there is non-agitating transport equipment being used, concrete must be removed within an hour.
If possible, all delays should be avoided to reduce concrete from honeycombing. It is important to choose the correct way to transport concrete. If the wrong option is chosen it will result in concrete becoming segregated which will make the concrete useless.
The type of transportation you choose will depend on weather conditions, the location of the batch plant, the type and constituents of the concrete, the size and type of the construction project, topography, and the cost of the transportation.
There are seven different categories of transportation that are used for different construction projects. The different modes of transportation include:
- Truck concrete mixers
- Wheelbarrow or motorised buggy
- Chute
- Steel skip or bucket
- Concrete pump
- Belt conveyor
- Pneumatic placer
If you are looking into different ways to transport concrete, it is important to consider the above-mentioned points. This will ensure that the concrete being transported will remain workable.
For concrete transportation to be successful careful management is essential. After you have chosen the appropriate concrete transporting equipment and all these important points have been addressed, you can begin transporting your concrete.
Concrete Mixers: What Are the Different Types of Concrete?
In today’s world, concrete can be seen everywhere, including swimming pools, walls, buildings, roadways, bridges, airport runways, patios, floors, and cement houses. Concrete is made from water, cement, and aggregates.
When these three materials are mixed, they create concrete which over time hardens. The volume of water and cement used in the mixture will determine the strength, resistance to heat or radiation, durability, and workability of the concrete.
Concrete that has been freshly made has different applications. Fresh concrete can be cast into different shapes such as rectangles, circles, and squares. These differently shaped concrete casts may be used for doors, staircases, beams, columns, and lentils.
There are different grades of concrete which include normal, plain or ordinary, reinforced, prestressed, precast, lightweight, high-density, air-entrained, and many more. Different grades refer to the strength of the concrete and how it can be used in construction. The type of concrete you use will depend on the end goal you would like.
Normal concrete is made up of sand, cement, and aggregate with a 1:2:4 ratio. This grade of concrete will take up to 30 to 90 minutes to cure, however, this will depend on the weather and the properties of the cement.
This grade of concrete is often used for buildings or pavements that do not require tensile strength. Normal concrete is not used in other structures since it is unable to withstand vibrations or wind loading.
Plain or ordinary concrete is similar to normal concrete. It is made up of sand, cement, and aggregate with a 1:2:4 ratio. It is only used for pavements or buildings. This grade of concrete does not withstand well against vibrations and wind.
Reinforced concrete is used in modern and industrial construction. The strength of this type of concrete is increased by placing steel rods, wires, or cables in the concrete before it has been set. This type of concrete can withstand compressive forces.
Additionally, prestressed concrete like reinforced concrete has rods, wires, or cables, however, these rods are stressed before being placed in the concrete. When the concrete has cured it is placed into compression.
This makes the lower section of the concrete stronger and ensures that it can withstand tensile forces. This type of concrete is used to build heavy-loaded structures, bridges, or roofs.
Get Concrete Mixers From B&S Commercial Power
We have three concrete mixers available. These mixers include BAUMAX BS360L concrete mixer fitted with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine, 400L concrete mixer with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine, and BAUMAX BS500 500L concrete mixer fitted with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine.
The BAUMAX BS360L concrete mixer fitted with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine is ideal for rental companies and contractors. This mixer has a drum volume of 500L, an unmixed capacity of 420L, a mixed capacity of 280L, and a drum rotation of 24rpm.
The 400L concrete mixer with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine is ideal for rental companies and builders. This mixer has a drum volume of 400L, an unmixed capacity of 320L, a mixed capacity of 220L, a drum speed of 25rpm, and a mix cycle of 2,5 minutes.
The BAUMAX BS500 500L concrete mixer fitted with BAUMAX RX200 2:1 engine is also ideal for rental companies and builders. This mixer has a drum volume of 360L, an unmixed capacity of 260L, a mixed capacity of 200L, and a drum speed of 25rpm.
All three of these mixers are fitted with a ring gear cover as well as an enclosed engine cabin. This is necessary to ensure the safety of the people operating these machines.