Concrete Mixers

Concrete mixers mainly refer to the equipment that mixes cement, sand aggregate, and water and mixes it into concrete or a combined device that concentrates on concrete mixing.

Concrete mixing machine includes stationary concrete batching plant, concrete mixers, self-loading mixers, etc.

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Daswell planetary concrete mixer machine

Concrete mixing machines are essential equipment in modern construction, ensuring efficient, consistent, and high-quality concrete production. Their role impacts the cost, speed, safety, and structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure. 

Choosing a high-quality concrete mixer is key for your concrete production. High-quality concrete mixing equipment helps you produce good concrete, improves construction efficiency, enhances structural durability, enables specialized concrete production, and increases cost-effectiveness.

Knowing different types of Daswell concrete mixing equipment, you can select a suitable solution for your concrete production.

Different types of Daswell concrete mixers

Daswell has some stationary concrete mixers. Generally, the concrete batching plants are equipped with stationary mixers. Their primary function is mixing raw materials for concrete production. We have planetary concrete mixers and twin-shaft horizontal concrete mixers for concrete batching plants.

Generally speaking, the twin-shaft horizontal mixer has a higher mixing speed than the planetary type. But the planetary mixers have better mixing effects. For your information, the vertical planetary concrete automatic mixer machines are more suitable for viscous, adhesive, or decorative mixes. And the horizontal type mixer is often used for handling stiff, fiber-reinforced, and heavy-duty mixes.

These two types mixers are electrical concrete mixers. Daswell also provides diesel drum concrete mixer for you. This kind of mixers has no limit on electric power. If your construction sites has unstable electric power, you can choose our diesel drum mixers.

twin shaft mixer and planetary concrete mixers
twin shaft mixer and planetary concrete mixers

For your transportation-type concrete mixing equipment requirements, there are self-loading concrete mixers and truck-mounted concrete mixing machines for you to choose from. Both of them combine transporting and mixing functions.

It should be mentioned that the main purpose of a concrete mixing truck is preventing concrete from setting. Thus, its primary function is transporting mixed concrete.

The self-loading type can load raw materials automatically and mix the materials when driving. It is ideal for on-site mixing.

Except for these two kinds of concrete mixers with transportation functions. There are also concrete mixer pumps. It combines concrete mixing and pumping functions into one unit, meeting your needs on mixing and pumping simultaneously.

choose self loading mixer truck
self loading mixer truck

A concrete batching plant is a facility that combines raw materials (cement, water, aggregates, and admixtures) to produce ready-mix concrete efficiently. We have stationary and mobile concrete batching plants for your reference. Both of them are equipped with our stationary concrete mixers for mixing concrete.

The main difference between stationary and mobile-type plants is mobility. A stationary concrete batching plant is more suitable for large-scale projects, and high-volume production (e.g., dams, highways, precast factories) with larger capacity. This concrete batching plant needs fixed installation.

The mobile concrete batching plants are often used for short-term projects, remote sites, and frequent relocation requirements. The mobile plant is compact and trailer-mounted with a shorter installation time.

configuration of concrete plant
configuration of concrete plant

Conrete Mixers FAQ

Choosing the most suitable concrete mixing machine for your project mainly depends on the project size, site conditions and the concrete quality you require. Here you can learn some details of Daswell concrete mixing equipment for reference.

Mixer Type

Images

Best For

Capacity

Pros

Cons

Diesel Drum Mixer

diesel drum mixer machine

Small batches, precast(Simple and Cheap)

350L-500L

✔ Simple & affordable
✔ Easy to clean

✖ Manual loading/unloading
✖ Low output

Concrete Drum Mixer Truck

Concrete Mixer Truck

Ready-mix delivery(Keep Concrete Fresh with Transportation Function)

8m³–14 m³

✔ Continuous mixing during transit
✔ Large volume

✖ Requires truck & trained driver
✖ High fuel cost

Twin-shaft Mixer

Twin Shaft Concrete Mixer

High-output batching plants(Good Consistency)

500L-4000L

Fast & homogeneous mixing
✔ Best for high-strength concrete

✖ Expensive
✖ High power needed

Vertical Axis Planetary Mixer

Daswell planetary concrete mixer machine

Precast concrete(Superior Blending)

500L-4500L

Ultra-homogeneous mix
✔ Good for special mixes

✖ High energy use
✖ Complex maintenance

Self-loading Drum Mixer

Self Loading Concrete Mixer

Fast, independent concrete production(Small Concrete Batching Plant)

1.2m³~6.5m³

✔ Non-stop production
✔ Automatic loading/unloading, weighting, mixing, transiting

✖ Less precise batching
✖ Hard to adjust mix

Whether buying a concrete mixer is worth it, depends on your project needs, budget, and long-term usage. Here are some suggestions for you to help you decide:

When buying a concrete mixer is worth it?

  1. Frequent or Large-Scale Projects. For frequent or large scale projects, a concrete mixing facility will save more time and labor cost.
  2. Cost Savings Over Time. If you rent mixers frequently, it will be cheaper for you to buy a mixer machine.
  3. Control Over Concrete Quality. Using a concrete automatic mixing equipment, it can control the concrete quality better for getting good consistency.
  4. Remote or Off-Grid Work. For small small backyard, rural area or some other places, where ready-mix trucks can’t reach. A concrete mixer will be more suitable for mixing concrete on-site.
  5. Business & Professional Use. If you are a contractors, masons or construction manufacturer, getting concrete mixers can bring you more benefits.

When renting or buying ready-mix is better?

  1. One-Time or Small Projects. For a single patio, sidewalk or some small repair, renting a mixer machine or using bagged concrete may be cheaper than buying a mixing machine.
  2.  Limited Storage & Maintenance. Buying a concrete mixing machine require storage space, cleaning and occasional repairs.
  3.  High Labor Costs. If you do not have enough workers for operating the mixer machine, buying a mixer may be not suitable for you.

Some people say cement mixer when referring to concrete mixers. Because cement is key ingredient of concrete. Actually, cement is binding powder, while concrete is the final product with added aggregates.

The cement mixer is often called mortar mixer. It is mainly used for thin mixes. For example, tile adhesive or some re-pointing bricks. A cement mixing machine often has a paddle or pan design for smooth mixing.

Cement Mixer vs. Concrete Mixer: Key Differences

FeatureCement MixerConcrete Mixer
Primary UseMixes cement + water (for mortar, plaster, or grout).Mixes cement + water + aggregates (sand, gravel) to make concrete.
Materials MixedOnly binding materials (cement, lime, water).Full concrete mix (cement, water, sand, gravel, additives).
Common Types– Pan mixers
– Paddle mixers
– Drum mixers (tilting/non-tilting)
– Ready-mix trucks
– Twin-shaft mixers
OutputProduces mortar or paste (no aggregates).Produces structural concrete (with aggregates).
Typical Projects– Brickwork
– Tile adhesive
– Stucco/plaster
– Foundations
– Slabs
– Roads
– Structural elements
Size & CapacitySmaller (for precise mortar work).Larger (handles bulkier aggregate mixes).

Generally the time concrete can stay in a mixer mainly depends on the factors like weather, materials and admixtures. Here are some common guideline for your reference.

ConditionTime LimitKey Notes
Standard Ready-Mix Truck90 minutesASTM C94 limit; extendable with retarders.
Portable Drum Mixer60–90 minutesContinuous mixing required; risk of hardening if exceeded.
Hot Weather (>85°F/30°C)30–60 minutesAccelerated setting; use retarders or chilled water.
Cold Weather (<50°F/10°C)Up to 2 hoursSlower setting, but avoid freezing.
With Retarding Admixtures2–4+ hoursExtends workability for long hauls/delays.
Stagnant (No Rotation)≤30 minutesDiscard concrete if mixer stops >30 mins to prevent hardening.

The ideal mixing time for concrete production depends on the mixer machine type, the materials batch size and the final concrete consistency.

Diesel drum mixer machine: Generally, when you put all the raw materials into the drum, the materials will be well-mixed in 3-5 minutes. For some stiff materials, which have low slumps, the mixing time should be 5 to 7 minutes. If the mixing time is too long, it may cause segregation.

Ready-mix concrete truck: This mixer truck is mainly used for avoiding concrete solidification when long-distance transportation. Before the unloading, it keeps mixing for about 2-3 minutes.

Horizontal twin-shaft mixing facility: This machine is often used for concrete batching plants. It can mix materials with high efficiency due to the intense agitation. It will finish the mixing process in 30 to 90 seconds.

Except for the general data of concrete mixer machines, the larger the batch, the longer the mixing time. The slump also affects the mixing time. Wet type mixes blend faster than stiff mixes. For your reference, you can also add some superplasticizers for reducing the mixing time.

A concrete batching plant is a set of concrete facilities, which combines various ingredients to produce concrete. These ingredients include cement, water, aggregates( sand, gravel, or crushed stone), and admixtures.

Using concrete batching plants can ensure precise proportions, uniform mixing, and efficient production for different construction projects. Generally, there are stationary concrete batching plants and mobile type plants.

Stationary concrete batching plant adopts a fixed installation method. It has high production capacity between 60m³/h to 240m³/h.

It is ideal for large-scale, long-term projects. For example, for your highways, dams, and urban constructions, this stationary type batching plant is applicable.

Mobile concrete batching plant is smaller and easier for installation than the stationary type. It is portable and compact. It can be mounted on trailers or skids.

For your remote or temporary projects, it is suitable. The capacity is about 25m³/h-75m³/h. Its biggest advantage is that you can set it up quickly and conveniently. This makes it relocation easier.

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