Volumetric Cement Mixers: Guide to Maximize Efficiency

The adoption of volumetric cement mixers directly impacts efficiency and cost reduction in construction projects. This article provides a detailed look at how these mixers enable on-demand, precise concrete production and the subsequent benefits – from reduced waste and operational savings to enhanced scheduling control. Whether you’re a seasoned contractor or considering a transition to volumetric mixers, we explain what you need to know without overwhelming technical jargon or unnecessary details.

Key Takeaways

Volumetric concrete mixers lead to significant cost savings by reducing waste via exact measurements and less dependence on manual labor, eliminating unnecessary material transportation, and are documented to potentially save up to 40% in operational costs.
Efficient scheduling and on-site mix adjustments made possible by volumetric concrete mixers contribute to reduced delays, precise quantity control for each pour, and a range of production speeds, making them a valuable asset in maintaining project timelines.
Volumetric mixers are distinguished for their diverse applications in construction projects, showcasing versatility in paving and repairs, municipal infrastructure, and specialized applications like gunite and shotcrete production, providing flexibility and control over concrete consistency.

The Advantages of Volumetric Concrete Mixers

Imagine a construction scenario where waste is minimal, schedules are under control, and costs are significantly reduced. This ideal scenario becomes a reality with the use of volumetric concrete mixers. These innovative machines, also known as mobile concrete mixers, provide an array of benefits that are reshaping the construction landscape.

One of the key benefits of volumetric mixers is:

Cost savings, achieved by reducing waste through accurate measurements, which in turn conserves resources like water and energy
Operational cost reductions
Increased productivity with the exact mix of concrete

Another significant advantage of these mixers is that they offer control over schedules. By allowing on-site control of the concrete mix design, project managers can make real-time adjustments to the mix design and produce the precise amount of concrete required at the right time. This eliminates delays associated with waiting for concrete deliveries, thus ensuring projects stay on schedule.

Additionally, by reducing waste, volumetric concrete mixers promote sustainability. By producing the exact amount of volumetric concrete mixer is needed for a specific task, overproduction and the resulting material waste are eliminated. This not only results in a more cost-effective process but also leads to a more sustainable construction process, considering the environmental impacts of construction waste.

Cost Savings

Volumetric concrete mixers, utilizing the volumetric mixer technology, are capable of producing concrete as needed, thereby eliminating the requirement for surplus concrete and minimizing the risk of overproduction. This precise production process ensures that there is no leftover concrete being wasted, ultimately resulting in a decrease in material waste. This has a significant impact on the bottom line of construction projects, as it leads to reduced material and disposal costs.

In addition to reducing material waste, the volumetric technology in concrete mixers also help minimize labor costs. By utilizing mechanical mixing, the reliance on manual labor is decreased. This not only results in a reduced need for laborers during the mixing process but also lowers the overall transportation of materials, leading to savings in labor expenses. In fact, there are documented case studies available that highlight significant cost savings by eliminating transportation expenses and reducing waste, resulting in expedited project completion and potential savings of up to 40% in operational costs.

Schedule Control

On-demand concrete production with volumetric mixers offers several benefits:

Prevents delays related to concrete delivery
Allows for accurate monitoring of project advancement
Enables prompt modifications without additional expenses or scheduling setbacks

These advantages improve project scheduling and efficiency.

Volumetric mixers provide the following benefits:

Precise regulation of the quantity of concrete being produced, ensuring it meets the specific requirements for each pour and facilitating enhanced control over the construction process.
Capability to produce concrete at a range of speeds, typically between 15 to 90 cubic yards per hour.
Capability to deliver concrete at a rate of 1 cubic meter per minute, offering flexibility to accommodate the pace of any project.

These advantages make volumetric mixers a valuable tool in the construction industry.

Reduced Waste

Volumetric concrete mixers facilitate the production of the exact amount of concrete needed for a specific task, thereby eliminating overproduction and the resulting material waste. This leads to a more sustainable construction process. By precisely mixing the required exact amount of concrete for a job, overruns and leftovers commonly associated with traditional concrete mixers are eliminated.

Minimizing concrete waste leads to decreased project costs, resource conservation, avoidance of unnecessary expenses related to surplus material, such as acquisition and disposal costs, and reduction of landfill charges. Moreover, the utilization of a volumetric mixer contributes to sustainability in construction by minimizing the waste of concrete ingredients, leading to decreased CO2 emissions, and promoting sustainable construction practices focused on minimal environmental impact.

Volumetric Mixing Technology: How It Works

To truly appreciate the benefits of volumetric concrete mixers, it’s important to grasp the technology that powers these machines. Volumetric mixing technology utilizes mixers with separate compartments for materials, combined with batch plant functionality, to enable on-site concrete production.

The separate compartment system in a volumetric concrete mixer is designed to store various concrete ingredients in separate sections. This includes:

Sand
Stone
Cement
Water

This design allows for precise control over the exact mixing ratios for each batch produced on-demand.

Additionally, the batch plant feature converts the volumetric mixer into a mobile batching plant. This innovation eliminates the need to transport concrete from a stationary plant, saving time and improving efficiency by reducing waste. It’s worth mentioning that this functionality may have varying technical specifications across different models, allowing for a range of options to suit different project needs.

Separate Compartments

The individual compartments of a volumetric concrete mixer typically contain:

Sand
Stone
Cement powder
Fly ash
Water
Additives

Each material is stored separately, providing the operator with control over the exact amount of each ingredient. This segregation and precision control ultimately lead to consistent mixing ratios.

In volumetric concrete mixers, all materials, including:

sand
stone
cement powder
water

are continuously blended on demand without a specific order, ensuring a consistent and homogeneous mix. The materials are proportioned and released over time by volume, which allows for a carefully calibrated and consistent mixture.

Batch Plant Functionality

Acting as a mobile batch plant, a volumetric concrete mixer:

Weighs and combines aggregates, cement, water, and additives individually on-site
Mixes these ingredients in the mixer on the truck to produce a uniform and consistent concrete mixture
Allows the concrete to be used immediately at the construction site
Eliminates the need for transporting concrete from a centralized plant
Offers significant advantages in terms of time and cost savings

Further, the on-site and on-demand concrete production with volumetric mixers involves the transportation of raw ingredients to the job site and the custom mixing of concrete at the location. This approach eliminates the requirement for pre-mixed concrete deliveries and enables the production of concrete as required, leading to waste reduction and enhanced efficiency.

Diverse Applications for Volumetric Cement Mixers

The versatility and productivity of volumetric cement mixers render them ideal for a multitude of applications. Whether it’s paving and repair, municipal infrastructure projects, or the production of gunite and shotcrete, these volumetric concrete mixers bring numerous benefits to the table.

Volumetric cement mixers are incredibly beneficial for various paving and repair projects. They enable:

Pouring of curbs, road and pavement restorations
Support in underground utility work
Road and bridge construction
Building industry projects such as slabs, walls, and foundations
Specialized areas like foam concrete production, slurry wall construction, and tunnel construction

These mixers offer municipalities a wide range of applications and are a versatile tool for construction projects.

Additionally, volumetric cement mixers offer significant advantages for gunite and shotcrete production. They effectively handle low-slump mixtures such as pervious concrete and roller-compacted concrete, while also providing the flexibility to adjust mix slump capacity as required at the job site.

Paving & Repair

Volumetric mixers enhance paving and repair projects by enabling:

Precise batching
Measuring
Mixing
Dispensing of concrete on-site

This control over production guarantees the required design mix and quantity for each particular job site, eliminating inefficiencies and wastage linked to excessive or inadequate material delivery from a centralized plant.

On-demand concrete production benefits paving and repair projects by offering the following advantages:

Flexibility to mix concrete directly at the job site
Reduction in expenses related to transporting concrete from a central plant
Enhanced operational efficiency by simplifying the placement and finishing processes.

In fact, volumetric mixers have demonstrated their effectiveness in a variety of projects, such as underground utility work that demands diverse concrete mixes and in the refurbishment of roads and pavements where consistent quality and punctual delivery are essential.

Municipalities

Volumetric concrete mixers offer numerous advantages to municipal infrastructure projects, including:

Cost reduction
Waste and overrun minimization
Maintenance of high-quality concrete
The ability to produce concrete on-site, particularly in remote or limited access locations.

Volumetric cement mixers demonstrate versatility and find application in a variety of municipal projects, including general construction, infrastructure work, and specific tasks such as pouring flowable fill into open trenches to cover underground utility lines and equipment. There are several case studies illustrating how municipalities efficiently employ volumetric concrete mixers for maintenance and diverse construction assignments, enabling them to manage expenses and meet project timelines.

Gunite & Shotcrete

Gunite and shotcrete produced using volumetric concrete mixers play a significant role in specialized construction applications. The distinguishing characteristic between gunite and shotcrete is that gunite is a dry mix that is combined with water at the nozzle, whereas shotcrete is wet concrete that is fully mixed before it is applied.

Volumetric concrete mixers provide the versatility to create these materials with precise management of the consistency, which is essential for their specific application techniques. Furthermore, specialized applications of gunite and shotcrete produced by volumetric concrete mixers may include:

Foam concrete production
Quicker installation
Construction for roads and highways
Precast elements
Remote jobsites
Military uses
Utility infrastructure
Short pour tasks
Readymix delivery
Civil applications
Mining operations
Creating specialized concrete projects such as pools and landscaping.

Popular Volumetric Concrete Mixer Models

There are numerous models of volumetric concrete mixers available in the market, each offering unique features and benefits. However, two models that have gained significant recognition in the industry are ProAll’s P-Series Mixers and Cemen Tech Mixers.

ProAll’s P-Series Mixers are known for their accuracy and control, providing a custom solution for precast concrete. These mixers come with standard tank sizes of 40L/10gal and 80L/20gal, and are powered by a Tier 4 Diesel Engine with 75 horsepower, making them a reliable choice for diverse applications.

Conversely, Cemen Tech Mixers have received positive reviews from users, with achievements from more than 60 countries highlighting impressive feats like pouring over 50,000 yards without needing belt changes. These mixers have played a pivotal role in business expansion and in delivering exceptional mixing results.

ProAll’s P-Series Mixers

ProAll’s P-Series mixers, such as the PC85, are designed to provide precision and control specifically for precast concrete applications. These mixers are furnished with a Tier 4 Diesel Engine to ensure efficient and dependable performance and are available with standard tank sizes of 40L/10gal and 80L/20gal.

These mixers are suitable for a variety of industries, including utilities, roadworks, and oil fields, due to their capacity range of 10 yards, illustrating the versatility of these mixers.

Cemen Tech Mixers

Cemen Tech Mixers ensure reliability in concrete production by employing high-quality manufacturing, reliable housing, excellent performance, and versatility. They offer distinctive features such as:

The AP-Touch(TM) control system
Auto-Stow(TM) and Auto-Washout(TM) functions
High & low flow admix tanks with digital flow meters
Exclusive dual auger cement metering system
Ni-Hard wear blades
6” vertical drop for highest accuracy in aggregate flow

Furthermore, the versatility of Cemen Tech mixers is demonstrated through the utilization of various types, sizes, and configurations of volumetric mixers. These mixers are customizable to accommodate specific project needs and have the capability to accurately measure, mix, and dispense concrete from a single unit.

Expanding Your Concrete Delivery Business with Volumetric Mixers

For those in the concrete delivery business, investing in volumetric mixers could revolutionize your operations. These machines contribute to the efficiency of a concrete delivery business by:

Minimizing operational costs
Eliminating waste
Reducing emissions
Boosting profits

This ultimately provides a positive return on investment.

Not only do volumetric mixers enhance efficiency and profitability, but they also improve customer satisfaction by offering:

On-demand concrete mixing
Efficient and adaptable operations
Increased business revenue
Decreased operational expenses

Furthermore, volumetric mixers provide the flexibility necessary for concrete delivery businesses to broaden their services, resulting in new revenue streams and efficiency gains in labor and time.

Choosing the Right Volumetric Mixer for Your Needs

Several key factors should be considered when choosing a volumetric concrete mixer. These include evaluating quality and durability ratings, asking pertinent questions, and assessing equipment quality and reliability.

The capacity of the mixer needed to produce it for a particular project is another important consideration. It is important to consider the average volume of concrete required for the project and the variety of concrete mixes needed.

Moreover, the mobility feature in a mobile concrete mixer, particularly in a volumetric concrete mixer, holds significant importance as it enables the mobile concrete mixer to access remote or challenging locations, offering flexibility and convenience for construction projects.

Maintaining and Troubleshooting Volumetric Cement Mixers

To guarantee peak performance and longevity of volumetric cement mixers, proper maintenance is vital. Here are some regular maintenance tasks to keep in mind:

Check the hydraulic return filter
Maintain the hydraulic fluid level
Inspect roller chains
Conduct regular inspections
Keep the mixer clean and lubricated
Train operators to identify issues promptly

By following these maintenance tasks, you can significantly extend the lifespan of the mixer.

Moreover, understanding how to troubleshoot common issues can also help to maintain the mixer’s performance. For instance, if the concrete mixer is not mixing properly, it could be due to a clogged impeller, the rotating arm responsible for mixing the concrete.

Regular maintenance and troubleshooting not only enhances durability but also prevents premature wear and tear, and ensures continued optimal functioning, thereby minimizing the risk of machine breakdowns.

Summary

In summary, volumetric cement mixers offer a multitude of benefits that make them an invaluable asset in the construction industry. From cost savings and schedule control to reduced waste and diverse applications, these machines are revolutionizing the way concrete is mixed and delivered. Whether you’re a contractor looking to enhance your concrete delivery business or a municipality seeking a versatile solution for infrastructure projects, volumetric mixers are a worthy investment that can significantly boost efficiency and profitability.

Certified MTP offers a full line of Cement Mixers, Stationary Cement Mixers, Concrete Mixers, Concrete Cement Mixers, and Portable Concrete Mixers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the disadvantage of volumetric cement mixers?

Volumetric cement mixers can be more expensive than traditional drum mixers and may have higher maintenance costs. It’s important to carefully consider these factors when weighing the pros and cons of using this type of mixer.

How do you mix concrete by volume?

To mix sand and concrete by volume, use the “old rule of thumb” ratio of 1 cement: 2 sand: 3 gravel. Mix the dry ingredients and slowly add water until the concrete is workable. This mixture may need to be adjusted based on the aggregate used to achieve the right workability.

What are the three types of volumetric cement mixers?

The three types of volumetric cement mixers are drum concrete mixers, twin-shaft concrete mixers, and vertical-axis concrete mixers. Each type has its own advantages and best uses.

How does a cement mixer work?

Volumetric cement mixers work by using a revolving drum to mix the components of concrete. The direction of the mixer drum’s spin squishes the wet concrete into the back of the mixer, which is then pushed out through the chute at the construction site.

What are the advantages of using volumetric cement mixers in construction projects?

Volumetric cement mixers provide cost savings, better project schedule control, and reduced construction waste, making them advantageous for construction projects.