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Working Principle of Self-Loading Concrete Mixer Truck
Release time:
2026-01-12
The self-loading concrete mixer truck is an integrated construction machine that combines automatic material loading, mixing, transporting and discharging in one unit, and its working principle is a seamless coordination of mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems, with the mixing drum as the core component. Below is a step-by-step breakdown of its operational process and the working logic of key systems:
1. Automatic Material Loading Stage
Driven by the diesel engine and hydraulic system, the truck’s self-loading shovel (front loading hopper) tilts and scoops up concrete raw materials (sand, gravel, cement, water) directly at the construction site. The hydraulic cylinder pushes the loading hopper to lift and invert, and the raw materials slide into the feed hopper of the mixing drum through the guide chute. The whole loading process is fully mechanical—no additional loading equipment (such as loaders) is needed, and the feeding volume can be controlled by the electrical control panel to ensure accurate proportioning of raw materials.
2. Mixing Drum Rotation & Raw Material Mixing Stage
The mixing drum is the core working part, with a double logarithmic spiral blade structure inside and driven by a hydraulic motor and reduction gearbox. It rotates in two different directions for mixing and discharging, which is the key to its dual-function operation:
- Mixing rotation (low speed, 8-12 r/min): The drum rotates clockwise (from the rear of the truck), and the spiral blades lift the raw materials to a certain height and then let them fall freely. This repeated lifting and falling motion achieves uniform mixing of cement, aggregates and water, forming high-quality concrete. The sealed drum design prevents material splashing and water loss during mixing and transportation.
- Auxiliary agitating during transportation: Even when the truck is driving to the pouring site, the drum keeps rotating at a low mixing speed (3-5 r/min) to avoid concrete segregation and solidification, ensuring the workability of concrete upon arrival.
3. On-site Transportation & Positioning
The whole machine is built on a sturdy chassis (equipped with 2WD/4WD for optional terrain adaptation), with a compact and mobile design. It can drive directly on construction roads—even rough/off-road sites—and position flexibly at the concrete pouring point, eliminating the need for secondary transportation of mixed concrete and improving on-site construction efficiency.
4. Controlled Discharging Stage
When reaching the construction area, the operator adjusts the drum to discharging rotation (reverse, 15-20 r/min) via the control panel (cab/side manual control dual mode for safety). The spiral blades inside the drum change from a "lifting" to a "pushing" state, pushing the uniformly mixed concrete toward the discharge chute. The 180° rotatable discharge chute and adjustable discharge hopper allow the operator to control the direction and speed of concrete discharge, matching different pouring positions (e.g., foundation, wall, small structural components) on-site.
5. Post-Work Cleaning Stage
After discharging, the built-in high-pressure water pump and water tank system sprays clean water into the mixing drum. The drum rotates at a low speed to rinse the inner wall and blades, washing away concrete residue. The wastewater and residue are discharged through the discharge chute, which prevents concrete solidification in the drum, prolongs the service life of the equipment, and ensures the next use effect.
Core System Coordination Logic
The diesel engine provides the total power for the entire machine, which is transmitted to the hydraulic pump to convert mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. This hydraulic energy drives all key actuators: the loading hopper’s lifting, the mixing drum’s rotation, the discharge chute’s rotation and the high-pressure water pump’s operation. The electrical control system acts as the "brain"—it integrates all operation buttons and sensors, realizes stepless speed regulation of the drum, accurate control of loading/discharging speed, and real-time monitoring of key components (e.g., hydraulic oil temperature, engine speed), ensuring the whole machine runs stably, safely and efficiently.
Key Highlight of the Working Principle
The biggest advantage of its design is the integration of loading and mixing functions—it abandons the dependence of traditional concrete mixers on external loading equipment, and completes the entire concrete production process from raw material feeding to finished product discharging independently. This not only saves construction space and equipment investment, but also shortens the on-site construction cycle, making it especially suitable for small and medium-sized construction projects, rural infrastructure, road maintenance and other construction scenarios with scattered raw materials and limited construction conditions.
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