How to select the correct Mobile Batching Plant type

Are you interested in investing in a Mobile batch plant? If so, where do you begin?

In this article, we will provide some useful information on how to select the best solution for your site requirements.

Before you start the process of how to select the correct batching plant, it’s worth asking yourself a few, key questions: 

1. Establish what hourly m³ is required. 

2. Do you plan on using cement bags or a cement silo with your plant?

3. Do you typically use an electrical plant or a diesel engine driven plant?

Which mobile batching plant do I select that suits my requirements?

Here at JA Plant, we have various solutions available, depending on your unique site requirements. If you are not sure what the best solution is for your site’s needs, feel free to contact us for a consultation. 

A few examples of the solutions offered by JA Plant include (but are not limited to) the following: 

• The Karoo 30 Mobile Batching Plant.

• Karoo 30 mobile batch plant with cement piggy back system.

• Karoo mobile batch plant with weighing cement and water hopper system. Each hopper will weigh with independent load cells; thus, all can be loaded at the same time, saving time.

• The Karoo Mobile Batching Plant with free standing weighing cement hopper fitted with a screw conveyor feeding directly into the Head Chute. (Manual loading of cement bags.)

• Semi-Automated systems with silo’s that can be operated from the plant or control room.

• Static plants using cement silos with a batch control room.

• Multiple loading bin systems.

JA Plant can assist with a manually-operated plant or an automated plant. All our plants are built as standard but they can be customised or upgraded at any given time to form a larger output plant.

For instance, JA Plant’s Karoo 30 Mobile batch plant can produce between 24 – 30 m³ per hour. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the plant, the higher your hourly production output.

Here are a few simple tips to compare the different types of batch plants on the market before you purchase a mobile batching plant.

Below we illustrate the differences that should be considered between Mobile batch plants on the market: 

• Material used to manufacture the structure of the mobile batch plant: Thickness of steel and grade of material used in manufacturing – this indicates the durability of the plant.  

• Weighing systems: Weighing systems consist of load cells, control operator’s indicator and a large LED scoreboard for the TLB Operator. It’s good to check if the electronics’ used are durable, accurate, water proof, and visible during day time. Is it easy to operate?  Are there replacements easily available, and can sufficient parts be supplied after hours to minimise downtime during a breakdown? 

• Gearbox and motor: Is the gearbox a direct drive type or fenner type gearbox which uses V-Belts? Are you required to keep any spares on site? Are you required to adjust and tension the gearbox on the drive pulley? Is an anti-run-back bearing fitted on your gearbox to prevent your material running back should you need to stop your conveyor belt? Does your motor use a centrifugal clutch, which can slip or be damaged?

• Water system: Which water system is fitted? Is it an electronic system or a manual system? What reading does the metre supply: 0-1000L or 0 to 9999L per load? Is the metre reset manually or by a reset button after each load? 

• Water Rings: Is a water ring fitted at the Head Shute? This helps mix your product and helps to clean the Chute of your mixer truck.

• Is the batching plant towable: Can the plant be towed or will you be required to transport the plant by low-bed truck, which will require cranes to on or off-load the batch plant and therefore increase transport cost.

In our next article, we will discuss each mobile batch plant type and the parts used in each plant, in more detail.