Many may be familiar with concrete mixer trucks but could be hearing about self-loading concrete mixer trucks for the first time. Self-loading concrete mixer trucks are the right machines if you are dealing with a high workload on your construction site. Self-loading concrete mixer trucks are suitable for sites where labor is scarce or for sites that do not have concrete batching plant.
Essentially, these mixers are designed with a self-loading feature that allows the operator of this equipment to load all the raw materials needed in the drum using the bucket. The drum can be controlled such that it can be reversed or tilted. A water dispensing unit is used to discharge the correct volume of water into the drum .After loading the mixing drum(tambor de mezcla) mixes all the materials and the operator drives the truck to the construction site. Note that during transportation to the site mixing still continues to ensure that the concrete mixture does not freeze.
The reasons to purchase self-loading concrete mixer trucks are;
1. One stop service
These machines are literally a combination of a concrete mixer and a cement mixer. The self-loading design facilitates the automatic feeding, weighing and mixing of the various aggregates, cement and water. After mixing the ingredients to get the desired mix the concrete mix is discharged at the desired pour location at the construction site.
2. Easy movement and cost savings
These trucks are compact which facilitates easy movement around the site. In addition most of them are fitted with four wheel drive capability that reduces the possibility that they will be stuck anywhere when maneuvering to pick materials or to discharge concrete at the construction site(sitio de construcción).
The self-loading design eliminates the need for other loading equipment such as wheel loaders. This reduces the fuel and maintenance costs for the construction company. The ability to self-load reduces the time that is normally wasted when a loader is picking materials and transferring them to a concrete mixer truck.
3. Efficient and versatile mixing
A major advantage of these mixers is the versatility they bring in producing various types of mixes especially in large projects. They give a consistent, reliable mix with minimal skill required as long as everything has been set up correctly. All the operations can be conducted by the operator in the driver’s cabin. The operator can use the controls to measure the exact weight of materials by pressing different buttons. Key controls in the driver control provide for greater precision during the mix and a greater degree of control in the production of the concrete mix.
Self-loading concrete mixer(auto hormigonera) trucks integrate feeding, mixing, transport and discharging under a single truck mixer equipment. The time and cost savings achieved by these trucks over conventional mixer trucks and mixing methods make them clear winners. However, the initial cost of buying this type of mixer truck may be high but the investment is worth it. Self-loading concrete mixer trucks are being favored by the construction industry due to their numerous advantages. If you invest in one you are definitely investing in the future.