In Your area how many of the Redi-mix companies if any ,use or have their trucks outfitted with the Ready slump feature?

happy new year,

OE-3

Have seen it on one companies here, which i thought it would be on more now, but the residential contractors hate it because their 5 inch slump isint a seven any longer. Should do well in the commercial market for them. But its funny watching some of those "not so intelligent truck drivers" having to acually use brain power to  work. 

What is "Ready Slump"

Really havent seen them sinse 8 track tapes were the rage.One redi-mix company tried them and it just never caught on here in the Denver area.M R common,we all know 100 gal makes a 7" slump.I always thought a driver climbed the ladder to check load at plant,but then I still believe in the easter bunny.

Cemex is usng this system in my area and everyone they are buying out, like the most recent Rinker Purchase. From what I know and have been told its a satellite based system. This system is supposed to maintain slump until the truck is ready to discharge. Meaning it automatically adds water in transit or while waiting on the job. The trucks all have a fairly large digital slump meter on the rear. It shows adding water , slump ,and has a drum mix countdown. I have not been to impressed with this system.  Most of the companies now have a load and go policy too,which is has been very frustrating to our customers. Especially the companies that do not use ready slump the drivers loads are never close to the slump requested. On State jobs I have noticed the ready slump feature has been turned off, as no water may be added after the truck is batched. Lots of changes since I started, it is like it is not even concrete anymore , just chemicals and additives. Not to mention the use of the terrible reclaimed water, that causes the mud just to blow up ! even on the coldest of days.

OE-3

 Yeah I have noticed the blow up on reclaimed water too. I think it is because the reclaimed water has a high nitrogen content and, it reacts with the lime in the cement itself. I cant confirm this but, I bet it is the most likely cause. Yeah we have them here but, they still use the old fashion slump meters.

OE3,I was unaware of the satalite technolegy but "go figure".Load and go,now that's one for the stuipity scale.No water added after batch,mmm,even the corps checks the ticket and adds one time ( even FAA and they are brutal ).I can see where the basic concept of the system would be highly productive,however one problem.It's america and we are stuipid,my reason you ask.I would bet my mmm??? that system was designed when loaded at slump ordered.Now factor in american tech we can do it faster and better with a production manager.The same thing applies to a plant operator that overides the computer batch to manual for more loads.Everyone seems to forget about the 3 yards stuck to the front of the barrel taking explossives to get it out.If they loaded at the perscibed slump then it would be simple to maintain a load.Also we never get hot powder right?,how is the plant going to know a problem exists unless someone climbs the ladder at the plant.Ahhhh,reclamed water,why not just add 4% cal to the load at 90 degrees.My suggestion,if it was me send the loads back till they got it right and backcharge.I now sign the checks for that mud and I have.

haven't seen nothing in dallas-ft.worth area

I too am not so fond of Cemex's computerized way of adding water. If the contractor wants say 3 gallons of water added, the driver has to clime up in the cab and mess with his ( or her) computer. It usually takes up way too much time.

   I still pour from a plant where the drivers each load their own truck,mechanically.I guess all this computerized batching and water addition is to cover these corporate giants backside.I miss the days of manual outriggers............

here in calgary i have only seen the  liquid hydrolic meters, they work if the driver uses them properly. oe-3 hit it right on the head, its not concrete anymore. i have argued to the point of refusing to pump. and like many of you. i've been doing this for almost 20 years. i know slumps. needless to say the mixes are so deseptive that the slumps look less than what they test at. i always shut down and watch the testers to make sure the test are done right. and if they do not test properly inotify the q/c ussually already on site. this is not a common occurance, but because we have our own pl/f crews the cosistancy of the slumps affects our finishing. on the bridges ect, the r-m q/cs are always on site.

Hey OE: Here's one for you! Out here on the right coast,the ready-mix company provides their own QC on MOST jobs over 200 yards!! And there's a testing lab! State jobs have 3 or 4 STATE inspectors,testing air entrainment,slump, ect! Sometimes EVERY LOAD! No batchplant inspections! Just computer readouts and certificates of compliance! And yes,we have CeMex out here! and they USE the Redi-Slump! And need to!

hey Slinger how ya been ? Yeah Central does that now Too. oops I mean U.S. Concrete ! well have a great 08'. Im off to bed, just got home from a pour in S.F. and had dinner. Night pour in Byron tonight.12:00 mud 1500 yards. gotta love it , I didnt have eight off in between shifts ,You remember what that means! o/t all night!

Take care,

Brian 

OE-3