The Concrete Producer articles from May 2003

The Concrete Producer archives from May 2003

A trip to a foreign village. (Editorial).
May 1, 2003... When I was employed as an area manager for a material producer in central Indiana, I meticulously planned for my monthly overnight trip--driving from Bloomington to Vincennes. I was even more of a basket case when I had go to the main office in...

Teaming to make Navajo Housing greener. (News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... ISG Resources Inc., Salt City, and the Navajo Housing Authority (NHA), Window Rock, Ariz., have announced the initiation of a project to construct affordable, environmentally sustainable housing that uses a versatile building material called...

Cuts in C[O.sub.2] in industry by 2010. (News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Swiss cement industry (Cemsuisse) has agreed to reduce energy-related C[O.sub.2] emission by nearly 45% by 2010. The commitment underlines the action the sector already has taken in replacing fossil fuels with alternatives. In addition...

ANSI serves up online features. (News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The American National Standards institute, Washington, D.C., recently re-launched its Web site, ANSI Online. The new design and navigational structure provides users with a better online experience, and allows ASNI to better serve its members....

Upcoming conferences & events.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Advancing Concrete Aesthetics The Tilt-Up Construction Association's Design Charette will be held Sept. 10-12 in Santa Rosa, Calif. The venue will include a exposition of vendors demonstrating products and systems specific to the...

Corrections.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... In the March issue (page 14), we incorrectly reported the number of years that several plants were cited for service by the Precast/ Prestressed Concrete Institute. Of these plants, seven were cited for 35 years in the program, two for 30...

Using GPS to find a perfect mix: search for solutions to potential corrosion problems without ever leaving your desk. (E-Concrete).
May 1, 2003... When I first learned of Durability GPS, I thought about my husband. An avid fisherman, he was on the prowl this winter for his first handheld global positioning system. He read articles, spent hours online, and visited several fishing...

Factory-built `sandwich' walls: a prefabricated panel can be used for free-standing partitions, highway sound and visual barriers, or privacy walls. (What's New).
May 1, 2003... Over the course of time we have slowly seen precast panels incorporate more technology. In fact the precast concrete panel has become a composite material panel that incorporates concrete and other materials for a set of combined panel...

Is fly ash an important ingredient? (Troubleshooting).
May 1, 2003... Q. In the past month we reviewed at least three project specifications in which the design engineers stated that no fly ash was allowed in the concrete. In the same time period we processed at least four other specifications that mandated that...

How much should we tighten our belts? (As the Drum Turns).
May 1, 2003... Just last week we conducted a pre-pour conference with a flatwork contractor who's new to our area. His project is located in a high-traffic area near a large shopping mall. When our dispatchers heard we won the bid, they panicked. They know...

Streamlining plant production: producers can control costs and boost profits with automation and precision. (Cover Story).
May 1, 2003... Tight labor markets, spiraling costs, and the mix precision required for self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and other special mixes are just some of the reasons many producers are turning to integrated and highly automated batching plants. These...

Measuring made easy: guided-wave radar transmitters meet the challenge of level detection in difficult conditions.
May 1, 2003... When it comes to measuring the level of powders, aggregates, and liquids, improvements to guided-wave radar technology now offer producers more level-detection capabilities than before. For an ever-widening range of previously hard-to-measure...

The database dilemma: using access for success: should you be using a spreadsheet or database for your reports? How to tell whether you need Access or Excel.
May 1, 2003... Every morning in the ready-mix business starts with the ritual of compiling operations reports that indicate the success or failure of the previous day's business. How did each ready-mix plant perform compared to the others? Are volume and...

Taking style and science to the extreme: this precast product is an alternative architectural material for architects and contractors. (casting trends).
May 1, 2003... While we work hard to increase production rates and design new mix designs, we often forget about just how flexible concrete can be. Those of us who know anything about concrete tend to take its many uses for granted. It can be the simple...

Freestanding units meet architect's designs: segmental retaining wall systems are gaining popularity among landscape architects. (casting trends).
May 1, 2003... Landscape architects often select construction materials based on their ability to satisfy aesthetic constraints. Structural facades, geometry, and plantings often work together to provide an inviting setting that is both pleasing to the owner...

Customized molds for precast products. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For many years this manufacturer has produced a variety of custom molds that precasters and contractors have used to produce balusters, columns, arches, lintels. and panel molds, Made of quality multi-layer fiberglass durable enough for many...

Create lightweight panels with real stone look. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Molds, forms, and polyurethane liners from this company are used with its Panel Stacker system to create light; weight precast concrete panels that have the look of real stone. With the Panel Stacker, a precaster can produce 100 linear feet per...

Coatings are environmentally friendly. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Working in conjunction with manufacturers of concrete statuary, this company has developed Ornamental Art coatings as an environmentally friendly alternative to hazardous solvent-based paint systems. The product is manufactured as a quick...

Speakers, lighting enhance landscapes. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Two types of speakers and various kinds of lighting can be used to enhance the appearance and environment of retaining walls. Just introduced is its 6x8 inch wall speaker, designed to provide excellent audio capabilities while being nearly...

Can be laid with either side showing. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Easy to install, these blocks require no concrete footing and can be laid with either the smooth or split-face side of the block showing. They lock together vertically and horizontally and can even be laid using alternative linking methods. The...

Landscape units have `hand-hold' design. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Mesa Adobe segmental retaining wall units have unique, recessed hand-holds that make them easy to carry. The lightweight units offer a natural textured stone appearance and are constructed with high-compression concrete that resists cracking...

Liquid compounds for rubber molds. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... PMC 860 and 870 compounds can be used for mold applications requiring either a fairly hard or very hard rubber. Both products are well suited for casting concrete repeatedly because of their strength, durability, and wear-resistance. PMC 860 is...

Large retaining wall block has look of stone. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Each standard ReCon block measures 48x16 inches and encompasses 5.33 square feet of retaining wall when installed. Its large mass (1400-2500 pounds), combined with a unique locking system, allows contractors to build walls as high as 10 feet 8...

Strong pallet for concrete products. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Made to exacting standards, the UPplus production pallet is designed to support heavy loads of concrete products such as pavers and blocks. The pallet features dovetail-jointed boards machined precisely and fitted together under hydraulic...

Markers for block and brick. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Solid Marker is solidified paint that permanently marks and won't smear on all dry, wet, and greasy surfaces--including concrete, masonry, steel, iron, aluminum, plastic, rubber, and many other hard-to-mark surfaces. It comes in eight standard...

Reinforced precast walls. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Superior-Wood, Superior-Brick, and Superior-Stone are glass-fiber and steel-reinforced precast concrete wall systems used for projects in parks, recreational facilities, noise barriers, and buffers between residential and commercial properties....

Machines for block/pavers. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Models 860 AZ and 820 AZ are high-speed single-pallet machines with different production capacities of concrete block and pavers. Model 860 AZ is designed for mass-production of top-quality concrete products that meet all international...

Stone splitters and product-treatment systems. (Unique Options To Offer Your Customers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tumble Master equipment includes two stone-splitting systems and two paving-stone treatment systems. The TR1 stone manipulator splits and tumbles the stone surface and assembles the treated products to any desired layer configuration...

Looking beyond compressive strength: for the ideal slab on ground mix, producers should look beyond compressive strength and w/cm.
May 1, 2003... Although concrete shrinkage is not easily measured or verified, it can be linked to the majority of floor slab failures. Up to 90% of maintenance problems with slabs on ground are found at separations, created when the slab shrinks. Higher...

The cash crush: before starting a crushing profit center, the producer should ask a few basic questions. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... Producers are not only becoming more environmentally conscious but also are considering ways to profit from this attitude change. These producers are increasingly viewing crushing hardened returned concrete as a way to handle their own returned...

Heavy-duty jaw crusher. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... A heavy-duty oversized heat-treated shaft forged of special alloy on the 3650 Jaw Crusher handles overloads and hard, abrasive material. The high crushing capacity results from a unique chamber design, a larger eccentric throw, and a toggle...

Separates concrete, steel. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... Using a hammer and anvil combination, these machines can separate concrete from steel, reduce the concrete into conveyable-size particles, and shear steel into short pieces in one continuous process. Energy from the hammer blows is reflected...

Impact crusher with magnetic separator. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... Unlike a jaw crusher, this company's crushing plants use a primary impactor that shatters concrete so embedded metals are left virtually free of concrete. These metals then can be pulled from the flow of crushed concrete by an electromagnetic...

Mobile crusher with quick-change controls. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... The BR480RG-1 Mobile Impact Crusher is the largest crusher in this company's mobile crusher family and suits recycling, demolition, and rock-crushing applications. The 441 ton per hour machine is powered by the manufacturer's 306-hp SAA6D125E-2...

Versatile portable impactors. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... Four models of this company's portable impactors suit various material-processing applications, including hardened concrete recycling. Three models--the HS5066 Panther, the HS5066 Hawk, and the HS5066 Falcon have production capacities of...

Low-profile magnetic separator. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... This low-profile magnetic separator has a powerful permanent suspended magnet that is designed to provide optimal magnetic separation in the smallest possible space. The product commonly is used to remove metal from aggregate and crusher feed...

Powerful crusher. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... The Eagle Crusher UltraMax 04 is designed for durability, ease of maintenance, and high production. This powerful machine has a 27x32 inch feed opening that produces up to 100 TPH with reduction ratios of more than 24:1. Its adjustable cast...

New track-mounted plant. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... The RT 2649 Rocky Trax Series is the only U.S.-made track-mounted crushing plant and features a 250 hp diesel with full hydraulic controls for the feeder, conveyors, tracks, magnet and jaw crusher. Standard features include a tubular design,...

Compact, mobile plant. (Product Pulse).
May 1, 2003... The 653 high-mobility screen plant is ultra-compact and has a direct-feed screen, providing contractors with a crushing unit that sets up quickly and can function as a primary unit or it can be fed from a portable crushing plant. Standard...

Software helps manage inventory. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... SiloTrack Inventory Management Software Version 2.0 has many features, including server/client capability and expanded graphical interface with the company's SiloPatrol Model SMU inventory-monitoring sensors. Separate Server and Client versions...

Internal vibrators. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... Available with interchangeable flex and hard shafts, Handy-Vib internal vibrators have an output of 11,000-15,000 vpm and feature an anti-vibration handle and durable aluminum die-cast motor case. Hard shafts are the D23DL, D32DL, and D38DL,...

Motors for high-torque conveyor duty. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... Made of cast iron, W21 totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) motors feature 1-500 hp and are built for demanding plant applications. High-efficiency and NEMA Premium efficiency three-phase models meet IEEE 841 Severe Duty specifications. All W21...

Mixes quickly, homogenously. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... Synchronized shafts in the Twin Shaft Gemini mixer force a low shear so that every sand and aggregate particle is coated with cement. This "compulsory collision" of materials produces a homogenous mix in as little as 20 seconds for wet batches...

Tracks important workforce data. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... The Data-Maxx/Palm interface lets producers use their Palm handheld device to collect and process a variety of workforce information, such as jobs/tasks performed, time spent working, labor costs, and materials and equipment used. The system...

Panel displays weights. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... Designed for batching, filling, level monitoring, in-motion weighing, and multi-axle truck scale applications, the 920i programmable indicator/controller displays up to four scales (with required Legal-for-Trade information) or up to 32 weight...

Solvent-based release agent for precast. (Products for the Producer).
May 1, 2003... Precast Release 80 is specifically designed to provide a crisp, positive release for most precast applications, including steam-cured concrete with early strip schedules. The non-staining release agent also is said to improve concrete...

Making concrete float--Mongolian style: Mongolian Floating Concrete kits are a unique way to teach children concrete basics. (Bookshelf).
May 1, 2003... When the authors were asked to travel to Mongolia to work with the engineers and contractors to help advance the concrete industry, the first thing was to find out what exactly would be of help to them. In a discussion with M.R. Hansen, a good...

Grabbing on to safety: handrails can help keep drivers safe. (Fleet Factors).
May 1, 2003... Despite all the efforts to train drivers to be safe as they climb up their ladders, serious accidents can happen as they wash down the charge hopper or drum. Earlier this spring, there was a report of a worker who fell to his death while...