How Does Concrete Mixer Truck For Sale Work?

Key Takeaways

• Cement mixers, essential for construction projects, combine heavy loads, powerful engines and rugged construction to transport concrete to sites, with most trucks ranging from 250 to 300 horsepower.
• The mixer itself, often a volumetric plant, is custom-fitted to the truck's engine and frame, allowing for a mix-and-match approach to meet specific company needs.
• Key to a cement mixer's operation are its axles and braking system, which manage the heavy load.

Most construction equipment is easy to understand. Cranes move things up and down. Dump trucks load up, move out and unload. Bulldozers push and graders grade. The one exception to this is the humble cement mixer, beloved by children, hated by in-a-hurry drivers, and misunderstood by most people outside the cab of the 30,000-pound (13,608-kilogram) behemoths.

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While concrete has been around in one form or another since before the Romans built the Appian Way, the transit mixer is a child of the 20th century. But recent invention or not, the mixer is here to stay.

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The misunderstanding begins with the name. What people refer to as a cement mixer is known in the construction industry as a concrete mixer and comes in a large number of types, sizes and configurations to handle the many tasks set before it each day. That need to fill so many roles means the machine is dynamic, changing shape and form as the needs of the people using concrete change as well.

In this article we'll examine some of the major types of mixers, from the traditional drum-shaped ready-mix transit mixer to the less-common but growing in popularity volumetric mixer, essentially a concrete plant on wheels. How cement mixers work and why they work the way they do is a fascinating combination of old and new technology. You'll never see a cement mixer the same way again.

But before we begin, let's clarify the difference between cement and concrete. In baking terms, the difference between concrete and cement is the difference between flour and a loaf of bread. Concrete is a generic term for a mix of aggregate -- usually stone or gravel, water and cement. Modern cement is a complex blend of finely ground minerals, and goes by the generic name of "portland." Concrete is made by combining the three ingredients in a mixer, whether that mixer is stationary or driving down the road, and the water is absorbed by the cement, which then binds the aggregate together, creating concrete.

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Stephen Stepanian developed and applied to patent the first motorized transit mixer in , in an effort to replace the horse-drawn concrete mixer used at the time. Wooden paddles churned the mixture as the cart wheels turned, but the design was of limited use -- it was cumbersome and slow. The same, however, could be said of the engines and trucks during that period. But by the s, engines and truck-frame construction caught up to the need for a rugged vehicle capable of hauling thousands of pounds of wet, or unset, concrete. As the building boom following World War II went into full swing, mixer trucks came into their own.

The large drum mixer seen on roads today hasn't changed much from Stepanian's vision of a better concrete hauler. Mobile transit mixers are a mix-and-match selection of engine, truck frame and rotating mixer. The mixer is similar, though larger in scale, than the smaller ones found on construction sites. A large motor, separate from the engine, rotates the drum on the truck body, and a series of blades or a screw powered by the same motor keeps the aggregate, water and cement in constant motion. This keeps the premixed concrete from setting, though the clock is often ticking to get the load to the construction site, road section or parking lot. Most cement manufacturers suggest keeping the time between mixing and pouring to 90 minutes at most. It's even better to get it to the site in less than an hour.

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As technology has changed, so has the basic mixer design. While many transit mixers still have rotating drums, most don't simply pick up a load of wet cement and transport it. The few that still do head mostly to road sites where it's possible to pour the mixture immediately.

Most transit mixers have a separate water tank in the truck. The spinning drum keeps the dry ingredients, aggregate and cement mixing during most of the trip. When the driver is within a few miles of the site, water is added to create concrete fresh for delivery.

This is considered "batch" delivery of ready-mixed concrete, mixing ingredients off site and trucking them where they're needed. Advances in technology have made it possible to mix concrete at the job site, though transit mixers are still the workhorse of the field.

Volumetric and metered mixers are becoming more common. Both types are essentially on-site custom concrete plants. Separate holding tanks of aggregate, cement and water are contained in one truck with a computer hooked to augers and pumps. At the site, the customer can order a specific type of concrete (there are more than a dozen) that can be mixed by the truck.

Volumetric and metered mixers are often used during high-rise construction and can be paired with pumper trucks to deliver concrete more than 15 stories above the ground.

The Concrete Past

Some form of concrete -- the mix of a binder, aggregate and water -- has existed since the dynasties of the Egyptian pharaohs when water, sand and lime were mixed to use as mortar in building sections of the pyramids. Romans also used a form of concrete in constructing their aqueducts, the Coliseum and other major constructions. Scientists in the s began experimenting and perfecting hydraulic cement, which is what the construction industry still uses today. The name for portland cement came from the Isle of Portland, off the English coast, where deposits of the mineral components used in modern concrete were first found and chemically isolated. By , Thomas Edison was experimenting with building pre-cast concrete houses in Union, N.J. Most of those houses are still standing and being used. Then there are the famed Hoover and Grand Coulee dams, built in , that stand among the wonders of the world.

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While concrete comes in bewildering array of types, one thing is certain -- it's heavy. A large batch of concrete can weigh more than 30,000 pounds (13,608 kilograms), not counting the weight of the truck itself, anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds (4,536 to 13,608 kilograms). For a truck to haul that weight, it has to be powerful. And to get that load over the rough terrain of a construction site, the truck has to be tough.

The trucks come in three separate parts -- engine, frame and mixer. Most truck companies provide the engine and frame, with amenities ranging from sleeper cab to computer navigation. The mixer, or volumetric plant, is added on at a later time. The mix-and-match approach to building trucks is aimed at giving a company -- spending anywhere from $30,000 to more than $100,000 -- a new truck built to order. Each company has specific wants and needs and requires a truck tailored to those. For example, some may need a truck with a heavier engine and a lighter drum, which could be removed at a later time and turned into a trash hauler with a few modifications.

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Most truck engines range from 250 to 300 horsepower, depending on the application. Some companies offer engines with more than 400 horsepower. Horsepower is a measure of power, an engine's "oomph," in other words. The "oomph" is usually supplied by a diesel engine, most commonly manufactured by Cummins or Caterpillar. Diesel engines produce more torque at lower engine RPM than a similar gas engine, making them ideal for low-speed, high-power applications like towing or hauling. Diesels are also preferred for their longevity -- many can go for a million miles (1,609,000 kilometers) or more with routine maintenance -- as well as their ruggedness.

Unlike gas engines, diesel engines operate using compression ignition and require a heavy engine block to withstand the tremendous forces at play inside them. That same compression ignition means the engine function with a higher compression ratio within the cylinders, thereby producing more power. That power is translated to torque, or rotational power, through special gearing in the transmission -- mixers have anywhere from 7 to 18 gears and can be manual or automatic, and differentials.

Most concrete trucks produce anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 foot-pounds of torque. What this means, in layman's terms, is a concrete truck will never beat a street car at a quarter-mile race, but it will be able to break through the concrete crash barrier at the end without a blip in engine RPM and keep going.

Gas engines develop torque at higher RPM than diesel engines. Anyone who has ever towed a boat or trailer behind a gas-powered vehicle has experienced the need to press the gas pedal to make it up a hill. Diesel engines, because of their design, actually produce better torque at lower revolutions per minute. So slowing on a hill actually provides more torque.

But even a truck with the most power and torque can't control a 60,000-plus-pound load with ease. That's where the truck's axles come in, and these play a larger role than simply keeping the wheels and tires in their correct places.

Most of the newer trucks are equipped with live axles. Live axles are generally non-drive axles and are equipped with air brakes. Those brakes can be used to help steer the truck. There are usually at least three axles behind the cab, though some larger volumetric mixers can have up to six. Some of those axles are lifted and lowered to help distribute the weight of the truck and load.

The defining factor in truck type is a given state's bridge laws. Each state puts bridge crossing weight restrictions on construction vehicles. Contractors who break those laws face fines and penalties, and each state has different legal requirements, including many that require a bridge axle, or an extra axle off the back of the truck used to further distribute weight when making crossings.

Mixing with Pop Culture

The rumbling and grumbling of mixer trucks, with the seeming magic of pouring cement, has led the machine to play a role in several children's shows and become popular toys. Perhaps the most notable mixer truck is Tumbler, a yellow and green truck featured on the "Bob the Builder" series. Patrick, another transit mixer, made a brief appearance in the "Thomas and Friends" videos, based on the Thomas the Tank Engine character, claiming he was the most important piece of equipment at the construction site. The machines learn they all need to work together to get the job done and one isn't more important than the other.

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All mixers leverage power,torque and weight distribution to get the concrete to the site, but getting it out of the truck is where you'll see differences in truck designs.

Most of the mixer fleet, especially older batch model trucks, uses a simple tip-and-pour method to get the concrete out of the mixer. A chute attaches to a port and the concrete oozes (or pours, depending on its consistency) out of the mixer to the project. Usually, the driver of the truck operates the machinery and aims the chute. Many transit mixers are coupled to a hydraulic lift bed that can tip up the drum, similar to a dump truck, if needed.

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Other trucks, many of them volumetric and the newer transit mixers, use a pump to move the concrete from the truck to the project. The pumps, usually reciprocating piston pumps, can be mounted on the front or the rear of the truck. Having the pump in front allows the driver to maneuver to a section of the work site and direct the concrete from inside the cab. The controls can be mechanical, electro-mechanical, hydraulic or purely electronic. Newer trucks are employing more on-board computers to monitor pumps and other components of the mixers.

Before the concrete is pumped or poured, a number of simpler machines act in concert to keep the concrete from setting, and even mix the concrete at the site. Some of the older portions of the fleet, like early mixers, used paddles to stir the concrete and keep it from "settling out," or separating into its component pieces. This technology has been largely replaced by the use of augers and fins. Inside a traditional batch mixer is a concentric series of fins with a slight corkscrew pattern. The direction of the drum's spin squishes the wet concrete into the back of the mixer. When the mixer arrives at the site, the driver reverses the direction of the machine to push it out of the mixer to the chute. From there, gravity does the rest.

Volumetric mixers use augers to move concrete. These are similar to the blades in the batch mixer but smaller. Inside the mixer, an operator feeds data into the mixer and several augers feed aggregate and cement together. Water is added to the mix and larger augers blend the components.

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Archimedes' Screw

The Greek mathematician, engineer and inventor Archimedes is credited with inventing a pump that used a long, helical screw rotating inside an enclosed tube to lift water from a source to where it was wanted. The screw pump is essentially an inclined plane, one of the simple machines, curled around a central axis. This idea led to the development of augers to move dry ingredients, and the fins set in a corkscrew shape to direct liquids. These machines are used extensively in the processing and mixing of concrete at plants and in volumetric mixers, as well as in traditional transit mixers.

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"Breaking up is hard to do" is more than a song lyric to concrete-truck owners. The simple truth of the matter is, once the last of the concrete trickles out of the drum or dribbles out of the pump, the truck isn't empty. A small amount of concrete always remains inside the truck, especially in drum mixers. You can wash the truck out, run water through the drum while it rotates and even pressure-wash the inside. But some concrete is always left. And it dries. The next trip a little more is left. And it dries. Over time, this becomes a problem, reducing the volume of the mixer and its capacity.

Several companies offer pre-treatments, chemical and acid baths and high-pressure washes for drums and interiors. But eventually, the concrete will build to a point where the only viable alternative is mechanical removal. Many smaller companies handle this on their own, sending in a worker with a jackhammer to chip out the hardened concrete. This job, largely unknown outside of the construction field, got its 15 minutes of fame during an episode of the Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs" series, which sent host Mike Rowe to work with Jim's Chipping Service, one of the few companies specializing in cleaning hardened concrete.These highly specialized vehicles are essential to the construction business and it doesn't look like they're going away any time soon. But what will cement mixers look like in the future? Read on to find out.

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These highly specialized vehicles are essential to the construction business and it doesn't look like they're going away any time soon. But what will cement mixers look like in the future? Read on to find out.

If you are in the production industry. You are likely well aware of the importance of having the proper tools and systems for the activity. A concrete mixer truck is one such device that is essential for any creation challenge that includes blending concrete. These cars provide many advantages that could help improve performance, exceptionality, and safety on the Hobby Net page. This article will discover the numerous benefits of concrete mixer cars and why they're essential tool for any construction crew.

Understanding Concrete Mixer Trucks

A concrete or truck mixer is a massive automobile designed to combine and ship concrete from one place to another. These vans are generally used in the manufacturing corporation for many obligations, such as the development of buildings, bridges, and roads. Concrete mixer motors have revolutionized the improvement employer, making transporting and mixing large quantities of concrete more accessible and environmentally friendly.

One vital blessing of using a concrete mixer truck is that it allows for regular and first-rate concrete mixes. The mixing method in cement vehicles is managed by the operator, who can alter the speed and rotation of the drum to ensure that the concrete is very nicely blended. It prevents inconsistencies in the mixture, which could result in inclined spots in the completed product.

Components of a Concrete Mixer Truck

Several key components make up a concrete mixer truck. These embody the drum, mixer blades, water tank, and hydraulic tool. The drum is the most critical element, and it is responsible for mixing and transporting concrete. The mixer blades are connected to the internal drum and assist in combining the concrete as it rotates. The water tank holds the water introduced to the concrete mixers. At the same time, the hydraulic gadget powers the mixer blades and tipping mechanism that empties the drum on the assignment internet web page online.

The drum layout is essential to the performance of the concrete mixer truck. The drum is usually made of metallic and designed to withstand the wear and tear of the integration technique. The drum length can depend on the size of the concrete mixing truck, with larger cars commonly having big drums. The mixer blades are also vital, as they help ensure the concrete is thoroughly mixed.

How Concrete Mixer Trucks Work

Loading a concrete mixer truck works efficiently. Once the concrete mixture has been loaded into the drum, the mixer blades will rotate, lightly blending the cement, sand, and water. As the drum spins, the concrete is transported to the project net site online, wherein it may be poured right now into the office work. Once the concrete has been poured, the truck can return to the batching plant to refill a cutting-edge-day batch of concrete prepared for the following pour.

Concrete mixer vans are available in loads of sizes and configurations, with a few automobiles carrying as much as 11 cubic yards of concrete. The length of the concrete shipping truck will rely upon the project's specific goals, with extensive duties requiring huge vehicles. Concrete mixer trucks have become an essential part of the development enterprise, helping to streamline the blending and transporting of concrete.

Advantages of Using Concrete Mixer Trucks

Concrete is one of the most widely used substances for introduction. It is essential to have the right tools and equipment to ensure that your project is completed efficiently and successfully. One of the most precious gadgets in the introduction corporation is a concrete mixer truck, which offers numerous benefits that could increase productivity and profitability.

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

As stated, one of the most enormous blessings of using a concrete mixer truck is improved performance and productivity. With a mixer truck on the website, you may save effort and time by eliminating the need for guide mixing techniques. The car can combine enormous quantities of concrete in a single load, so you can complete the task faster and circulate to the subsequent assignment quicker. It permits you to have more responsibilities in less time, growing your average productivity and profitability.

Consistent Concrete Quality

Another principal benefit of using a concrete mixer truck is that it allows for the excellent making of specific, constant concrete. The mixer blades in the drum rotate at a challenging and fast tempo, guaranteeing that all additives are lightly mixed. This way, you may get a constant batch of concrete every time; this is essential when working on a large construction project in which nice is vital. Consistent concrete super can also assist you in avoiding high-priced errors and redesign, saving you time and cash in the long run.

Reduced Labor Costs

Using a concrete mixer truck can also help lessen complex work charges. By disposing of the need for manual mixing and transporting the concrete, your team can be interested in other obligations, allowing you to get extra achieved with an equal number of employees. It can motivate fee economy, financial savings, and extended profitability for your industrial employer. Additionally, using a concrete mixer truck can assist in reducing the hazard of worker injuries, which could result in steeply-priced clinical payments and misplaced productiveness.

Enhanced Jobsite Safety

Concrete mixer vehicles additionally provide more robust job site safety. With the concrete being combined and transported in a single automobile, there's a fantastic deal less chance of accidents occurring while manually transporting the material. Additionally, a concrete mixer truck restricts the amount of dirt and particles at the undertaking site, which can bring about a steady and even more snug artwork environment. Using a mixer truck can also assist in lessening noise pollution, which may be a scenario in residential areas.

Environmental Benefits

A concrete mixer-prepared mixture of concrete cars or cement vehicles can also offer environmental advantages. A mixer truck could lessen the waste generated at the online process site. The vehicle can combine the amount of concrete needed, lowering the hazard of overproduction and waste. Additionally, using a concrete mixer truck can assist in reducing your project's footprint by reducing the number of people required to move the concrete to the procedure site.

Using a concrete mixer concrete truck can offer numerous benefits that can help boost productivity, profitability, and protection for your introduction assignment. Investing in this precious tool ensures that your task is finished correctly, efficiently, and with the excellent, perfect necessities.

Types of Concrete Mixer Trucks

Cement mixer motors are essential in the construction organization, considering the green and properly timed mixing and transportation of concrete to production websites. There are several outstanding kinds of concrete mixer vans, each with precise abilities and competencies. In this text, we will discover the three most unusual sorts of concrete mixer trucks: elegant, volumetric, and specialized.

Standard Concrete Mixer Trucks

Standard concrete vehicles are the most unusual shape of mixer trucks used within the creation employer. These motors typically are six-axle vehicles with a drum capacity of between 8capacity of between 8 and 12 cubic yards. They are used for oversized packages, from small residential initiatives to huge commercial agency production websites. They are designed to transport premixed concrete from a batching plant or production facility to the development website, where the concrete is discharged from the drum and used for the assignment.

Standard concrete mixer motors are organized with a rotating drum that combines the concrete additives as the car is in transit. The mixing drum is established on the lower decrease returned of the truck. It is powered by a hydraulic machine that lets it rotate in every recommendation format, guaranteeing that the concrete can be very well mixed and homogenous when it reaches the improvement web page.

These mixer cars are available in various sizes and configurations, with some models offering extra abilities such as automatic controls, GPS monitoring, and onboard water tanks for cleansing the drum.

Volumetric Concrete Mixer Trucks

Volumetric concrete mixer trucks are a newer type of mixer truck that is gaining popularity. These vehicles have a very particular format that allows them to mix and ship concrete online on the manner website. Unlike famous mixer cars, which might be designed to mixers transport premixed concrete, volumetric mixer vehicles have separate cubicles for the numerous substances used to make concrete. These additives are combined at the device's internet website, giving thoughts more flexibility and control over the combination technique.

Volumetric mixer vans are quality for smaller tasks and can regularly be rented for brief periods. They are also helpful for tasks that require unique kinds of concrete mixes because the additives may need to be fixed to meet the appropriate requirements of the undertaking.

Specialized Concrete Mixer Trucks

Specialized concrete mixer vehicles are designed for particular programs, including transporting shotcrete or excessive-electricity concrete. These vehicles often have unique talents and abilities that permit them to handle those specialized materials thoroughly and efficaciously.

Shotcrete mixer vans, for instance, are designed to transport and mix shotcrete, a form of concrete sprayed onto surfaces using compressed air. These motors usually have a smaller drum capability than favored mixer vehicles, as shotcrete is jumbled together in smaller batches. They are also equipped with specialized systems, such as spray nozzles in transit mixers and air compressors, which are critical for the shotcrete software program system.

However, High-power concrete mixer automobiles are designed to move and blend concrete with a higher compressive energy than elegant concrete. These vehicles are prepared with more potent engines, hydraulic structures, and strengthened drums and chutes to address the heavier hundreds and better pressures related to blending cement with high-power concrete.

In give up, numerous beautiful forms of concrete mixer automobiles are available, each with specific talents and capabilities. Whether you are running a minor residential assignment or a substantial commercial business enterprise manufacturing website, there may be a wholly hardened concrete mixer truck to fulfill your wishes.

Applications of Concrete Mixer Trucks

Residential Construction Projects

Concrete mixer trucks are generally used for residential production duties, including building foundations, patios, and driveways. With a mixer truck on site, you can quickly and easily combine and transport the concrete desired for the challenge, making it a more green and cost-effective choice.

Commercial Construction Projects

Concrete mixer trucks are also commonly used for larger commercial construction projects, including constructing parking systems and excessive upward push houses. With a mixer truck on the internet web page, you could ensure a constant supply of extraordinary concrete, allowing you to maintain the mission transferring and on-time desk.

Infrastructure Development

Concrete mixer motors are crucial for improving infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, and other transportation structures. With the potential to mix and transport concrete quickly and efficaciously, one's motors are essential for completing one's big-scale responsibilities on time and within the rate range.

Conclusion

At the stop, a concrete mixer truck is available for any advent institution that works with concrete. With the capacity to mix and deliver large quantities of concrete rapidly and successfully, those cars provide significant blessings that could enhance productivity, super, and safety on the challenge internet web page. Whether you're working combined concrete on a minor residential assignment or a massive-scale commercial production website, a concrete mixer truck is a treasured asset that will let you get the venture performed right.

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