Types of Concrete Mixers

Concrete mixers are stapled construction equipment used to mix cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures to create a batch of concrete slurry. Although it is still possible to develop concrete without a concrete mixer, manually mixing the raw materials take more time and effort, which may decrease productivity. By using a concrete mixer, you save time and labor costs. There are different types of concrete mixers available in the market for rent or sale, each with varying specifications depending on the project’s requirements. Below is more information about the different types of concrete mixers:

Continuous Mixers

The first type is called a Continuous Mixer because it runs continuously until an operator shuts it down or the concreting works are already complete. This mixer usually has a tilting drum that is constantly spinning and commonly at a 15^o angle. Continuous mixers are typically used in civil works such as roads and bridges or high-rise projects. This is because these projects usually require a steady supply of concrete due to its large sections.

Batch Concrete Mixers

A batch mixer has the same function as a continuous mixer but only holds a batch of concrete at a time. Batch mixers also have tilting drums and blades that mix the materials to create concrete, similar to continuous mixers. The drum contents must be discharged until it becomes empty before a new batch is mixed or loaded. Different types of Batch Concrete Mixers vary depending on the direction of their rotation. Below are the different types of concrete mixers:

Drum Mixers. Typically, a drum mixer is made in a double-conical frustum shape and varies depending on its ability to change its angular direction. The first type of drum mixer is a Tilting Drum Mixer which can discharge concrete by tilting to the ground. Since it allows gravity to help during discharge, it is faster to do the discharge process. The next type is a Non-Tilting Drum Mixer which, as the name suggests, cannot change the discharge direction. For this one, there’s a need to set up a chute for the concrete to pass through during discharge which is more hassle than the first type. The last type of drum mixer is a Reversing Drum Mixer. This type can change direction wherein the first direction is intended for loading materials into the drum, and the other direction is for discharge.

Pan Type Mixers. This type of mixer has a pan instead of a drum with blades that look like a star in the middle of the pan for mixing the concrete. The edges function like a scraper which prevents the concrete from sticking to the sides of the pan. The blades may also be adjusted in terms of height and may also be removed if needed. For some, pan-type mixers are the best among the batch type mixers due to their efficiency and since you can scrape off even the tiniest bit of concrete left in the pan.

Choosing the correct type of mixer to use is essential to the quality of your concrete structures. The concrete mixers mentioned in this article are just some of the typical types found in most construction sites. Due to advancements in technology, there are now new types of concrete mixers with more modern functions but are still not used widely. 

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