Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.
Issue link: http://concrete.epubxp.com/i/551927
52 • August 2015 www.concreteproducts.com Boulet Brothers Concrete Ltd. operates ready mixed plants in Somer- set and Ste. Agathe, Manitoba. With over 50 years of delivering qual- ity product, the company is a recognized leader, but always on the lookout for ways to improve the operation, maintain superior client satisfaction, and increase profitability. To constantly batch the perfect mix requires the precise adjust- ment of all parameters such as local material properties, density, absorption, granularity, moisture and temperature at the mix design level. "With the implementation of the Marcotte Batching System, we've improved our hourly production rate by 30 percent compared to our previous system," affirms Hubert I. Boulet, P.E., company president. "The possibility to analyze and review previous batches with the Batch Playback Software Tool greatly enhances our ability to optimize plant parameters and the entire batching process as a whole. The overall design of the software has resulted in material management throughout pro- duction. Materials are constantly batched within 0.3 percent of tar- get, resulting in a very consistent concrete on site and allowing for maximum production of the crew during concrete paving projects." Consistently hitting the quality bull's-eye makes for good business and leads to long standing client relationships. "With the Marcotte Systems software solution, our production accuracy has shown a level of product quality and consistency that raised the bar with respect to concrete paving within the Province of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Department. Never before has it measured and documented on site water/cement ratios with a standard deviation of 0.003. This new capability clearly improved our competitiveness within the market," Boulet contends. The Marcotte Systems software affords real-time, interactive ani- mated graphics for an instant overview of production. Batch opera- tors can execute locally or remotely with the same level of confidence thanks to the speed and unique architecture of the software. Process sequences can accommodate multi-batch, freewheeling and sub-sec- ond instrumentation and controls. "The software's ease of use contributes to maintaining a high level of production and performance," notes Boulet. "For example, sometimes during our paving projects, the regular batching teams were replaced with substitute staff to maintain the tight schedule. The substitute teams were able to maintain the same level of hour- ly production with no previous background experience of operating a Marcotte System." Features such as smart jog, freewheeling, and real-time moisture compensation allow precise control of all materials without sacrificing overall plant performance, he adds, building profit and ensuring efficient use of company resources. — Marcotte Systems, 855/652-6520; marcottesystems.com INNOVATIONS REPORT READY MIXED Marcotte technology enables Boulet Brothers' output boost