When deciding to purchase a concrete manufacturing plant, one of the factors that define the purchase options is the production capacity of the plant. Manufacturers frequently offer theoretical capacity data in their catalogue, although this does not necessarily correspond to the actual production capacity of the plant. In this post, we indicate the differences and the main criteria that should help when deciding.

As a starting point, we have to define the theoretical hourly production capacity of a plant as the maximum amount of concrete that the plant is capable of producing regardless of the boundary conditions, while the real capacity measures the cubic meters of concrete delivered by the plant in real working conditions.

The boundary conditions that can affect production and that we must take into account would be:

• Capacity of the vehicles or means of reception of the concrete

The plants are designed for specific batch work, although these are not always in accordance with the means of receiving the concrete.

It does not make sense to have a plant with a capacity of 3 m3/cycle if the concrete mixer trucks are in the vast majority of 7 m3 capacity or have a limited maximum weight. In this case, a plant of 3.5 m3 per cycle would significantly increase production by requiring only 2 charging cycles.

• Vehicle logistics

Inadequate positioning of the plant in the work area makes it difficult for trucks to enter and exit, which leads to waiting times in which the plant is ready to unload, but the truck has not been positioned.

• State of the concrete mixer trucks

This aspect affects all plants, especially the dosing plants.

If the concrete mixer truck does not meet the minimum requirements in terms of the state of the mixing blades, the geometry of the reception hopper and the rpm regime, the plant will be forced to reduce its production capacity to adapt to these vehicles.

• Synchronization of all the components of the plant.

If any of the elements of the panel do not meet the recommended minimum requirements, the synchronization of the cycle will be lost.

A clear example is the reused cement silos. If the dimensions of the outlet hatch or the aeration systems are not adequate, the entire production cycle will be slowed down.

• For plants with a mixer, a determining factor is the actual mixing time. Regulatory requirements or restrictions of a certain work cause an increase in mixing time and therefore a reduction in production capacity. In this case, it may be advisable to use intermediate elements such as waiting hoppers for aggregates.
• Settlement of the concrete.

Also in the case of wet process plants, a concrete with a low Abrams cone requires a longer unloading time, so the work cycles have a longer duration.

• Company culture and plant operator

The plant operator frequently sees the theoretical mixing time as an informative time, based on the plasticity of the concrete (ammeter-wattmeter) to define the unloading moment.

At Frumecar, we are aware of the difficulties involved in making decisions, which is why we advise our clients on the best solution for each of the plant’s production requirements, in order to guarantee that a plant is not oversized or undersized. Our goal is to seek maximum productivity and operability, ensuring quality and results in each project we carry out.