When utilisation restricts preventative equipment maintenance, it is important to have a team player on board to help.

by | Feb 9, 2016 | Pavements, Upgrading

Winter Maintenance Time.

Winter Maintenance Time.

Inheriting equipment as a result of M&A presents new challenges to plant and equipment departments.  Hear how Aran focuses on developing strong relationships with machine owners to help them achieve successful outcomes in terms of maintenance and operation of inherited equipment.

Windsor ON Canada pavement construction company, Coco Paving, has an ever growing business and equipment fleet.  As a result of acquiring other construction companies in the region, Coco inherited an Aran ASR280E series mobile mixing plant a few years ago.

The ASR280 mobile mixing plant is a key component of Coco Paving’s asphalt production. Quarried materials sourced for many of Coco’s projects require the addition of lime (1%) prior to use in its asphalt plants.  Without the accurate addition and homogeneous distribution of lime, the production of a successful pavement would not be possible.   Producing 150,000 tonnes conditioned material each construction season requires the mixing plant to be operated up to 5 days each week, often for double shifts to meet project demands.   This level of equipment utilisation limits opportunity to service and maintenance.

During a recent visit to Coco Paving’s maintenance facility Aran performed an informal equipment audit ahead of the next construction season.   When major maintenance is restricted to one period per year (winter), the extent of the work required can be significant.  It is not uncommon for some plant operators to focus on pushing material through the mixer towards the end of the project or season and sacrifice the condition of the mixer.  Thus, mixer effectiveness, efficiency and the resulting mix quality and energy consumption are compromised.

To their credit, the maintenance team at Coco have been thorough and resourceful.  Whilst their familiarity of the machine was initially limited, with Aran’s help, they have are coming up to speed with the function of the plant and areas of the plant requiring attention.

This winter (2015/16) this machine is receiving a full engine and mixer rebuild.

Aran has assisted Coco with the replacement all major components for mixer, including new shafts and wearing components, special housings and delivered recommendations for other system service.

We always want to learn from Aran machine owners, operators and maintenance teams.  Learn about their experiences on the job, in the workshop or at the boardroom table.  We have a lot to learn and a lot of experience to contribute.

As an owner of an Aran machine, you not only have the support of a committed and experienced team, but a network of passionate and skillful operators.

If you have an operational or maintenance challenge with your mixing plant, get in touch.  We’d like to connect with you and help you achieve the very best from your equipment and projects.

Tell us about your story!

Fully Mixer Refurbishment

Full Mixer Refurbishment and Silo Feeder Service

Often it is more efficient and cost effective to replace mixing shafts during heavy maintenance.

Often it is more efficient and cost effective to replace mixing shafts during heavy maintenance.

 

 

Construction materials get a new life in western Sydney

Construction materials get a new life in western Sydney

by | Apr 27, 2015 | Environment, Pavements, Upgrading

See how equipping for growth early will cement your position as an industry leader.

Boral Recycling use an Aran Modumix mixing plant to deliver pavement construction materials to Sydney projects with a solid respect for the environment.

Western Sydney is the recycling center for Australia’s largest city.  Receiving many thousands of tonnes each day of old construction materials from building and pavement demolition sites, Boral will crush, screen and stockpile materials for reuse.    These processed materials are later delivered to new projects either as fill or stabilised road construction material.  The Aran mixing plant is a key to the success of this business.

Road construction specifications require very accurate dosing of binders and water to produce a constructed pavement with consistent density and strength.  This can be challenging to achieve with recycled materials containing residual cement.  Boral elected to install an accurate, high production mixing plant in 2008 to service the rapidly growing need for recycled material in Sydney and beyond.  Considerably larger that what was needed in 2008, Boral identified the growth in Sydney would demand a high production plant for the future and purchased a second hand Aran Modumix II modular mixing plant.   With a proven history of mixing large volumes of material very accurately, this was the perfect choice for Boral.  In  years prior, this mixing plant, along with an identical twin plant, produced over one million cubic yards of Roller Compacted Concrete for a dam in South Carolina, USA.   Prior to installing the plant in Sydney, Aran refurbished the machine, including the installation of a new control system and a third silo and metering system.

I recently visited this machine just after its 13th year, with 7 years operating at Boral’s facility in Sydney.   This machine is operating every day, producing material at rates of 420 cubic meters per hour or greater, with binder contents of 0-11 percent.   The accuracy of the cement metering is an impressive 0.033% variance across milestone targets.  This is easily within the specified guidelines and a good example of the Aran SiloFeed system to perform on a 13 year old machine.  This accuracy gives clients confidence they are receiving a quality product and Boral the confidence that they are not only producing a product on specification, but doing so efficiently.

High production rates is not only geared for processing orders for material quickly, it also allows Boral to charge trucks very rapidly and maintain a clear traffic flow around the plant.  Speed and efficiency helps this site run smoothly and successfully.

Learn more about how Aran can help you attract more customers along with improving: your production rates and efficient use of material.  Get in touch and tell us your story.


 

Three potential binder blends give Boral the flexibility to meet demanding project specifications.

Three potential binder blends give Boral the flexibility to meet demanding project specifications.

High rates of production + fast truck charging and efficient operations.

High rates of production + fast truck charging and efficient operations.