Mortarmixer

Today'smarketincreasinglyrequiresconsistenthomogeneityandshortmixingtimesforthe
industrialproductionofreadymixconcrete,andmoresoforprecast/prestressedconcrete.
Thishasresultedinrefinementofmixingtechnologiesforconcreteproduction.Differentstyles
ofstationarymixershavebeendeveloped,eachwithitsowninherentstrengthstargeting
differentpartsoftheconcreteproductionmarket.Themostcommonmixersusedtodayfall
into3categories:

Twinshaftconcretemixerforconcreteplant
Twinshaftmixers,knownfortheirhighintensitymixing,andshortmixingtimes.These
mixersaretypicallyusedforhighstrengthconcrete,RCCandSCC,typicallyin
3
batchesof26m
(2.67.8cuyd).
Verticalaxismixers,mostcommonlyusedforprecastandprestressedconcrete.This
styleofmixercleanswellbetweenbatches,andisfavouredforcolouredconcrete,
3
smallerbatches(typically0.753m
or0.983.92cuyd),andmultipledischarge
points.Withinthiscategory,thePanmixersarelosingpopularitytothemoreefficient
Planetary(orcountercurrent)mixersastheadditionalmixingactionhelpsin
productionofmorecriticalconcretemixes(colourconsistency,SCC,etc.).
Drummixers
Mortarmixer
(reversingdrummixerandtiltingdrummixers),usedwhere
3
largevolumes(batchsizesof39m
or3.911.8cuyd)arebeingproduced.Thistype
ofmixerdominatesthereadymixedmarketasitiscapableofhighproductionspeeds,
idealforslumpconcrete,andwhereoverallcostofproductionisimportant.Drum
mixershavethelowestmaintenanceandoperatingcostofthethreestylesof
[
]
mixers.
citationneeded
Allthemixerstyleshavetheirowninherentstrengthsandweaknesses,andallthreestylesof
mixersareusedthroughouttheworldtovaryingdegreesofpopularity.

Operatingdiagramofaconcretemixer
Specialconcretetransporttrucks(intransitmixers)aremadetotransportandmixconcrete
uptotheconstructionsite.Theycanbechargedwithdrymaterialsandwater,withthemixing
occurringduringtransport.Theycanalsobeloadedfroma"centralmix"plant,withthis
processthematerialhasalreadybeenmixedpriortoloading.Theconcretemixingtransport
truckmaintainsthematerial'sliquidstatethroughagitation,orturningofthedrum,until
delivery.Theinteriorofthedrumonaconcretemixingtruckisfittedwithaspiralblade.Inone
rotationaldirection,theconcreteispusheddeeperintothedrum.
Mortarmixer
Thisisthe
directionthedrumisrotatedwhiletheconcreteisbeingtransportedtothebuildingsite.Thisis
knownas"charging"themixer.Whenthedrumrotatesintheotherdirection,theArchimedes'
screwtypearrangement"discharges",orforcestheconcreteoutofthedrum.Fromthereit
maygoontochutestoguidetheviscousconcretedirectlytothejobsite.Ifthetruckcannot
getcloseenoughtothesitetousethechutes,theconcretemaybedischargedintoa

concretepump,connectedtoaflexiblehose,orontoaconveyorbeltwhichcanbeextended
somedistance(typicallytenormoremetres).Apumpprovidesthemeanstomovethe
materialtopreciselocations,multifloorbuildings,andotherdistanceprohibitivelocations.
Bucketssuspendedfromcranesarealsousedtoplacetheconcrete.Thedrumistraditionally
madeofsteelbutonsomenewertrucksasaweightreductionmeasure,fibreglasshasbeen
used.