How to ensure perfect admixture dosing at your concrete plant
Admixtures adjust concrete properties such as setting time, workability and strength, but they work in very low concentrations. That is why dosing demands extreme precision: small deviations can compromise an entire batch.
Why dosing is so sensitive
- Too much admixture: the concrete may take too long to harden, delaying the schedule.
- Too little admixture: the concrete sets too fast, making placement difficult.
The ideal dosing system
A load-cell scale dosing system is the most reliable for automated plants, because it measures the admixture weight precisely before release, ensuring repeatability and traceability. Water-meter dosing is simpler, but tends to vary more since it depends on the line's flow and pressure.
Best practices for an efficient system
- A suspended tank, with no support point above or below.
- A free-moving pipe, with no locks or ties.
- A smooth outlet hose without bends that create a siphon effect.
- An inlet hose that does not touch the liquid, avoiding backflow after the pump shuts off.
Automation and traceability
With automated systems like Kartrak's Kmix, admixture dosing is controlled digitally, recording every weighing, batch and operator. This brings standardization, quality control and full traceability, reducing waste and errors, an important step toward Construction 4.0.
