HOW A SKIP LOADER BOOSTS BRICK MAKING OUTPUT
To understand the true benefit of the skip loader, let's first break down the brick-making production cycle into timings. Ignoring the starting up of the day, we get the following averaged time table: Machine Mixing Time Table
This timing example has to assume that the mixture is always ready & filled into the machine. But in the field, oft times there will be a delay from the mixer. This is the critical break for efficiency. Simply, you could just get another panmixer with another team of people that will provide far more mixture than required & probably have workers sitting doing little more than waiting for periods of time. Alternatively, you could look at making your mixing process more streamlined. Let's look at the panmixer timings:
Panmixer Mixing Time Table
If the panmixer mixes a 3-drop batch for the machine, it means the machine is fed for 3 minutes (based on machine time table example). That means that the panmixer must make sure it can provide a 3-drop batch every 3 minutes. A 300 litre does about a 3.5-drop batch, so over time it can afford to be at 3.5minutes a cycle. We will be implementing an adjustment to the makebricks website to include "number of blocks from a panmixer batch" for each brick, but in the mean time you can see the following: Units Produced Per Mixed Batch
Looking at the typical panmixer mixing time table, you can see that not only is the panmixer taking far too long to keep up with the machine, but also you have about 2 workers doing nothing for 4 minutes. The skiploader will be able to address both these issues. First take a look at the skip loading machine itself:
The bin is hoisted & tipped over into the panmixer. That will eliminate the time it takes to fill the panmixer with cement, sand/grit etc. because it is all dumped into the pan immediately. For the duration of the mixing cycle, the workers can set about to fill the skip bin for the next cycle.
The ejection of the mixture sometimes is impeded if there are not enough tip barrows. Getting a third tip barrow will mean that all the barrows can be filled when the mix is ejected & the panmixer does not have to wait for the first to return from the machine. Between these two changes, the mixing cycle moves more in line with the required 3-minute batches. In practice your machine might not be achieving the full 500 drops per day, so there will be some leniency on achieving maximum efficiency on your panmixer as well.