Volumetric Concrete Mixer – Pros and Cons
Volumetric concrete mixers fill a gap in the market for flexible short run concrete supply. Like any equipment there are volumetric concrete mixer pros and cons and misinformation in the marketplace.
Five myths dispelled
Myth #1: Volumetric concrete mixing is a new and unproven technology
- 1965 – Patent granted for the Concrete-Mobile
- Over 2,500 Concrete-Mobiles were produced by 1980
- Over 10,000 Volumetric Concrete Mixers produced by 2000
- In use in every state in the United States, and over half of all countries in the world
- Used by the U.S. Military, many State and Local Departments of Transportation and many Cities
Myth #2: Volumetric concrete mixers cannot match the accuracy and consistency of a batch plant
- Same tolerances on all materials
- More restrictions on ready mix as water-cement contact occurs at the plant, not at the job site
- ACI 304.6R “Guide for the Use of Volumetric-Measuring” VMMB (NRMCA) approval and specification
- One significant factor is jobsite control of proportioning and mixing
Myth #3: Volumetric concrete mixers don’t produce “good concrete” (e.g. not enough mix time)
- Many examples of quality concrete:
- Bridge deck overlays
- Airport runway repairs
- Structural elements
- Pool builders, Soil retention
- Pervious concrete
- Light weight concrete by foam and lightweight aggregates
Myth #4: Volumetric concrete mixers cannot handle large production pours or projects
- A single piece of equipment can be reloaded at the jobsite – No time or fuel wasted in transit
- Volumetric equipment is capable of production rates in excess of 69 cubic metres per hour
- Many examples of large scale projects done with volumetrics
- Common volumetric model on the market today will produce .76 of cubic metre of concrete per minute
Myth #5: Volumetric mixers are too complex to operate and have too long a learning curve
- Like other jobsite equipment, proper training of operators is a must
- An operator of a volumetric mixer must have more training than a typical barrel mixer operator – “batch plant on wheels”
- We offer extensive training in the operation, maintenance and calibration of their equipment
- Typical “day-to-day” operation is straight-forward and repeatable.