The Difference Between Ready-Mix Concrete Batch Plants and Central-Mix Concrete Batch Plants

Two Types of Concrete Batching Plants

Typically, concrete batching plants can be of two types, depending on how the mix is made and when the concrete arrives at the job site. The first is a ready-mix plant, which consists of mixing all the concrete components together except water, which is added as a final ingredient during transportation to the job site. Central mixing batch plants are another type. A central mixing plant mixes all the components of concrete, including water, together and transports them to the job site.

Ready-Mix Concrete Batch Plants

When a ready-mix concrete batch plant is used to mix the ingredients of the concrete mixture (without adding water), the dry mixture is processed into a concrete delivery truck where water is added. This makes the concrete ready for production. This mixing occurs while the truck is en route to the job site.

If you are going to use ready-mixed concrete, there are basically three different options.

The concrete mixer can be rotated slowly in the drum during transport, at which point the speed of the mixing drum can be increased by five minutes to prepare the mixture.

The concrete mixture can be mixed at the mixing yard and only slowly during transport to the job site.

During transport, the concrete mixture can be rotated in the drum at medium speed in order to be completely mixed by the time it reaches its destination.

Central-Mix Concrete Batch Plants

A Central-Mix Concrete Batch Plant, also known as a "wet batch" plant, is the other major method of concrete batching. The central mixing plant mixes and blends all the components of the concrete before discharging the mixture into a mixer truck for transport to the job site. A stationary, plant-mounted mixer (similar to a silo) is used to mix all components.

Mixing concrete with a central mixing plant has many advantages, such as:

• Concrete can be mixed much faster in a central mixing plant than in a truck mixer.
• Using a central mixing plant does not cause much stress or wear on the concrete mixer truck.
  
• An overall consistent mix can be obtained with a central mixing plant compared to a truck mixer.