A concrete mixing system: market analysis, design and testing

The sponsoring company, which manufactures a range of construction equipment, required a study of the concrete industry. This necessitated a world-wide survey of mixing equipment, concrete technology and the construction industry. From this survey, criteria have been established by which mixing plant is judged in the marketplace. An assessment has also been made of the qualities of different types of mixing machines. As the information on the performance of the company's machine was inadequate, a test program was undertaken. This test program involved two of the company's production machines and a prototype machine of new design. The results from this program were compared with those obtained from the literature search. Information on the present problems and likely future developments in the construction industry were obtained by the use of postal market survey, both this survey and the test program indicated the need for further development of the prototype machine. This was achieved by further mixing tests and the use of a mathematical model of the mixing principle involved. The speed of the operation of the developed prototype was such as to require a review of the methods used to handle the constituents prior to mixing. A total systems approach was then adopted and a product specification for a preproduction mixing system was prepared. Detailed designs of two production mixers were produced, thus allowing a comparative systems costing to be carried out, this was found to be favourable when compared with present systems. A corporate plan was then prepared to progress the new mixing system to a viable product.