1st Year Maintenance For The Mobile Mixer
Many factors affect the wear and life of wear parts during the first year of maintenance on a mobile mixer. These factors include:
- Materials;
- Concrete slump; and
- The total amount of material put through the unit.
When the wear parts reach a particular point in the life cycle, it’s crucial to replace them for optimum performance. That’s why following a schedule of daily and monthly inspections during the first year is important. The more time spent looking over the unit, the more likely you’ll develop a well-rounded schedule, including the ability to plan for down time.
Daily Inspection
Every operator should inspect and note any items showing wear or need to be replaced during clean up on the unit. This includes inspecting:
- The wear blades;
- The belt wiper;
- The mixer motor for leaks;
- The lower and upper mixer bearings; and
- For concrete build-up inside the unit.
Monthly Inspection
The monthly inspection needs to be more detailed. Besides the mixer daily inspection the operator needs to have the unit empty and inspect the rest of the unit. A standard monthly inspection includes:
- Inspecting the conveyor belt and tension;
- Checking the side and center guide material, along with the gap between the guide and the belt;
- Adjusting the conveyor belt wiper;
- Flushing the admix system with water;
- Cleaning out the tanks; and
- Examining the water tank for any algae growth, along with flushing any sand or stone from the tank.
Make any necessary adjustments during the inspection.
How Do I Know When My Mobile Mixer Needs Maintenance?
When completed on a regular basis, you’ll begin to see a wear pattern and determine an appropriate maintenance schedule for the unit. Depending on the materials and series of unit, generally the mixer itself is the first component to require repairs. On average, you should produce 3,000 yards to 5,000 yards through a unit before you need to replace wear blades. The lower boot and bearings may also need replacement at this time. Again, with the daily and monthly inspections, you’ll be able to check the components and order parts as needed.
When Do I Need To Replace The Conveyor Belt?
With proper maintenance and care of the assembly, you can expect to get 20,000 yards to 25,000 yards of functional lifespan. The conveyor belt is usually a more difficult item to repair and takes a significant amount of time as a result.
Remember that all maintenance and life of the parts all depends on the work done up front through the year. Inspect regularly and you can plan maintenance to your schedule, not the mixer!
For more information on what to expect during the first year of maintenance, contact a Cemen Tech concrete solutions specialist or call (800) 247-2464 today.
