Concrete Mixer Machine

The quality of concrete is a major factor responsible for the long life of our structure. The quality of concrete depends on the quality of raw materials used, workmanship, and machinery used for making and laying concrete. A Concrete Mixer Machine is employed for making good-quality concrete. Concrete Mixers are used to get homogeneous concrete mixes. A concrete mixer mixes cement, aggregates, and water to produce concrete mechanically. A typical concrete mixer uses a revolving drum to mix the components.

Instead of making concrete in a plant, the use of concrete mixer machines at the site to prepare concrete gives sufficient time for the workers to use the mixture before it hardens. On the other hand, the use of cement mixers at construction sites not only saves time and labor but also minimizes the formation of cement lumps. These mixers enhance the output of the workers and result in a relatively economical and productive process.

There are various types of concrete mixer machines are available in the market which makes concrete production quick and economical.

Types of Concrete Mixers

Broadly there are two types of concrete mixers:

A) Batch Concrete Mixers

1. Drum Type Mixers

Tilting drum mixers

Non-tilting drum mixers

Reversing drum mixers

2. Pan Type Mixers

B) Continuous Concrete Mixers

A)Batch Concrete Mixers

Batch mixers are widely used machines for concrete mixing. This concrete mixer produces concrete mixes in batches and not in a continuous way. Hence, it is called a batch mixer. The raw material is first poured into the mixer along with water Then this mixer mixes all this raw material by revolutionary motion and with the help of vanes which are provided inside of the drum. After some time mixer discharges a homogeneous concrete mix.

These are the most commonly used concrete mixers and are highly preferable to be used in small and medium-sized construction sites.

There are two types of Batch Concrete Mixer

1. Drum type mixers
2. Pan type mixers

Drum Type Mixers

This type of mixer consists of a double conical frustum-shaped drum. Depending on its type, the drum either has a single set of blades or multiple sets of blades which are used to mix, prepare, and discharge the concrete mixture. Drum mixers are available in a variety of configurations to suit many different needs and applications. The drum mixer uses a paddle with numerous blades curving in different directions; this is called a swing-blade paddle. The swing-blade design allows the drum mixer to maximize liquid movement within the rotating drum, which cuts down the time spent on mixing.

Drum types mixers are classified into three types:

• Tilting drum mixers
• Non-tilting drum mixers
• Reversing drum mixers

Tilting Drum Mixers

Tilting type mixer consists of a bowled shape or double conical frustum shape drum, which rotates about an inclined axis. In this type of mixer feeding and discharging operations are performed through the top opening of the drum. The vanes are provided inside the drum in such a manner as to direct the concrete to move into the circulatory path when the drum is rotated. During each rotation of the drum, these vanes lift the mixture to a certain height and then allow the mixture to drop toward the bottom of the drum which leads to proper mixing of the ingredients. The mixed concrete is then discharged from the open top of the drum by tilting it downwards.

The hand wheel is provided at one end of the mixer machine to facilitate the tilting operation of the drum. Due to the rapid discharge action of the mixer, the segregation of concrete mix is avoided. This type of mixer is good for mixes of low workability and for the mix containing large-size aggregates. Low workability concrete which contains aggregates of size greater than 7.5cm is also mixed efficiently with tilting-type mixers.

The mixing efficiency of this mixer depends on some of the factors as follows:

• The shape of the drum.
• The angle of the drum.
• Size of blades.
• The angle of blades.
• Time of mixing
• Rotational Speed etc.

Mixer assembly has also been provided with wheels for easy transportation of the mixer machine from one place to another.

The disadvantage of this type of drum is that a certain amount of mix gets stuck at the bottom of the drum after the discharge of the concrete. To overcome this problem a method called a buttering of mixer is done. In which some amount of cement mortar is mixed in the mixer before mixing the first batch of concrete. And mixer is well washed once mixing is done.

Non-Tilting Drum Mixers

Non Tilting drum mixer consists of a cylindrical drum, which rotates about a horizontal axis and it does not have a tilting facility. The drum has two openings at opposite ends. The vanes are provided inside the drum. Feeding of the ingredient is done through the front opening and discharging of mixed concrete is done through the rear opening. While discharging the mix, an inclined chute is introduced at the rear end of the drum with the help of a lever. This chute will receive the concrete mix from the drum and discharge it out. As the rapid discharge of concrete is not possible in this type of mixer segregation chances are more in this mixer as compared to a tilting-type mixer. The larger size aggregate is not discharged easily with the mix. So aggregates of size not more than 7.5cm are preferable for this type of mixer.

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