Concrete pumps can be defined as machines that are used for transferring concrete by pumping. Concrete pumps play a focal role in the construction industry; hence, are very crucial components of any construction project. The mechanisms of pumping concrete primarily involves the discharging of concrete from the mixer into the hopper, which in turn delivers the concrete to the pump per se and the pump finally feeds the concrete to the delivery pipeline, where the concrete is delivered. Categorically, concrete pumps can be classified into 3 types. The types include;
Truck Mounted Pump (Boom)
Typical of its names, the truck mounted concrete pump is attached to a truck and used a robotic arm called boom, which places the concrete on the construction site with the preciseness of a sharp blade. The truck mounted pump can be said to be self-contained units as they consist of a truck, frame, and the pump itself. The precise accurateness of the robotic arm is significantly contributed by its remote controlled delivery. Truck mounted pump are predominantly used in large volume industrial and commercial projects. This is due to their unparalleled capability of pumping tremendously high volume concrete in less time.
The multi-purpose robotic arm makes the truck mounted pump quite effective due to its high maneuverability. The potency and maneuverability of the robotic arm make truck mounted pumps an excellent choice when constructing in a confined area. Due to their far reach, the mounted truck pumps usually remain in the same place during the entire concrete pour. It is worth noting that the truck mounted truck can come with various options including outrigger options, chassis and pump size, remote control, and boom configuration. The truck mounted pump considerably saves on labor due to its efficacious multi-purpose robotic arm.
Trailer Pump (Stationary or Line)
This type of pump is discernable due to it being mounted on a trailer. The trailer concrete pump is also known as the line or stationery pump. The line pumps quite versatile and portable units. For optimum effectiveness, the trailer mounted concrete pump requires rubber or steel hoses to be attached to the outlet of the pump. Attaching the hoses to the trailer pump is usually plain sailing hence it is done manually. In the event the site where the concrete is far from the trailer concrete pump, several hoses can be joined to one another so that they reach the concrete reaches the required destination. The trailer pump has a simple design; hence, maintaining and cleaning it is plain sailing. Compared to truck mounted concrete pump, the trailer pump is usually used on smaller construction projects such as building sidewalks, swimming pools, and small concrete slabs.
Specialized Usage Pumps
Unlike above-categorized pumps, the specialized usage pumps are generally designed for specialized job sites. Rail mounted and skid mounted are some of the quintessential examples of specialized usage pumps. Due to their extra-specialized mechanism and high costs (maintenance inclusive), the specialized usage pumps are not commonly used. Some of the job sites that specialized usage pumps can be used include mines and tunnels.