Command Alkon has announced the availability of real-time air content measurement through its Load Assurance software and in-drum sensor technology. The feature offers complete visibility into concrete properties, improving overall project outcomes while enhancing safety, reducing material waste, and saving valuable time.
Load Assurance utilizes direct contact, in-drum technology to measure concrete properties throughout the delivery process. Sensor data, including slump, temperature, volume, water additions, water/cement ratio, drum rotation, direction for each load—and now air content—are seamlessly transmitted to Command Cloud in real-time. This alleviates the challenge of ready mixed producers relying on the driver’s perception of load attributes during transit, and delivers real-time, scientific-based visibility into fresh concrete properties.
Unique to Load Assurance is its end-to-end connectivity with related technologies for ready mixed production, dispatch, quality control, and fIeet management—making the technology the most robust, streamlined, and easily scalable solution on the market. The ability to trace concrete properties through real-time monitoring allows for tighter water control, leading to reduced cement usage per yard and a decrease in the standard deviation of compressive strength. This, in turn, lowers energy costs by accurately regulating fresh concrete temperatures to achieve the desired placement temperature.
Moreover, the Load Assurance sensor enhances visibility into drum load properties, enabling the reuse of returned materials. Dispatchers can make informed decisions about material reuse based on accurate returning volume, extra water, and temperature data. One leading producer reported a remarkable achievement with Load Assurance, reusing 3 percent of returned concrete from its total production volume, equivalent to over 3,000 cubic yards. This resulted in a reduction of 1,215,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions and a total cost savings of $250,000 within just 10 months.
QUALITY CONTROL MOBILITY
By transforming trucks into rolling labs, Load Assurance provides valuable insights that help reduce out-of-specification issues and limit the occurrence of rejected loads. Real-time data transmission to the driver’s tablet via a durable and reliable sensor system installed in the drum reduces fuel usage by minimizing truck mixing time and idle time on the jobsite during quality control testing.
Furthermore, Load Assurance contributes to significant fuel savings by allowing producers to mix materials at lower speeds, further reducing CO2 emissions. The platform notifies the driver when materials have reached a fully mixed status, enabling a lowering of drum speed and reducing fuel consumption. The benefits of Load Assurance extend beyond material quality, fuel, and emissions, Command Alkon officials note, as users can expect to:
- Reduce time spent in the plant by an average of 2-3 minutes;
- Reduce time spent manually testing for air content at the jobsite;
- Reduce onboarding and training costs by an average of $1,250 per driver;
- Reduce turnover with drivers’ improved job satisfaction;
- Decrease injuries and workers comp claims by keeping drivers inside the cab;
- Generate revenue and improve margins by selling returned concrete and reducing
- the cost of waste processing and disposal;
- Reduce claims based on concrete quality and provide proof of product quality at
- time of pour; and,
- Increase overall product quality and consistency.
Load Assurance has earned the Supply and Demand Chain Executive Green Award, Supply and Demand Chain Executive Top 100 Award, Constructech Top Products Award, and contributed to Command Alkon’s recognition as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. — Command Alkon, Birmingham, Ala., www.commandalkon.com/products/load-assurance