Accurate, consistent, and timely dosing of water and admixtures is critical to the production of high-quality concrete that is workable and durable enough for long-term use. However, the tools and processes necessary to manufacture concrete that meets these benchmarks varies depending on whether you’re a ready-mix or precast concrete producer.
The importance of optimizing your flow meter system for precise, accurate dosing cannot be overstated. Not only can poor performing water meters increase your operating costs via maintenance intervals or downtime in production, but they can also hamper your ability to produce a quality product — in the concrete manufacturing industry, the performance of your flow meter can affect the appearance, quality, and durability of the concrete you produce.
No matter the industry, no matter the application, sustainability has become more than a trend in recent years — in fact, it’s actually emerged as a top priority for manufacturers across North America as more than 90% of those surveyed issue an annual sustainability report.
A precise, efficient water metering system is key for any industrial application that requires water flow. This is especially important for concrete batch plants because consistent and accurate water batching helps create a quality, durable final product. While concrete batch plants can and do operate year-round, spring is typically the beginning of the busy season ahead of a summer surge in productivity, and concrete batch plants need to ensure the component parts of their industrial water meters are functioning at peak performance.
You may not immediately associate concrete batching with creating a recipe for a cake or a pie, but hang with us for a moment and it’ll make sense. In the conception of a recipe, the accurate measurement and timely introduction of component ingredients like flour or water baking soda is key to a final product that is both visually appealing and delicious.
How this applies to concrete batching is as simple as pie, really.
Winter is coming! Game of Thrones reference aside, the change in seasons and the onset of colder weather is quickly accelerating deadlines for end of summer or fall concrete jobs and prompting concrete plants across large sections of the country to evaluate the best ways to extend productivity and efficiency of water heating processes into the winter months.
Let’s talk about pancakes. The perfect batch of pancakes is really only as good as the batter dispenser mechanism used to drop the right amount of batter into the pan. Too much batter and your pancakes could be too dense; too little batter and your pancakes will have too little structure or shape. In either situation, the proper amount of this foundational ingredient is perhaps the most important element to ensure you have a high quality end product.
When batching additives or water into your concrete mix, it’s vital that each component is added to the mix accurately. When concrete and admixtures are not properly mixed — or if water is not added in the right proportion — workability is not guaranteed. Your meter and transmitter can help you batch accurately every time, but how do you calibrate it? Here, we’ll discuss how to calibrate your meter for accurate batching.
Spring is here. A welcome time for most, it brings warming temperatures, rain, and seeing green peek out from the snow for the first time in months. However, the change of seasons can be challenging for the concrete industry.
The United States economy relies on infrastructure. From roads and bridges to railways, waterways, and electrical grids, the country depends on it to stimulate economic growth, transport goods from one place to another, and connect people. It allows transportation, internet connection, electrical supply, and directly affects public health by providing safe drinking water, eliminating pollution in bodies of water, and eliminating waste.