Comparison Vitals CM 140HA 140 L

230 V

vs Kentavr BM-160E 160 L

Method for transferring torque from a cement mixer engine to a drum.

— Crowned. The crown is called a kind of "belt" with teeth, located around the circumference of the mixing drum; the drive gear on the motor shaft engages with these teeth, thus ensuring the rotation of the cement mixer. The design of such a drive is extremely simple, which ensures both low cost and ease of maintenance and repair. The main disadvantage is the openness of the moving parts and, accordingly, the high probability of solid objects (sand, and even small gravel) getting into them, due to which the crown and gear wear out quickly. At the same time, even under adverse conditions, crown drives are able to work for quite a long time. All this has led to their high popularity in modern cement mixers.

— Gearbox. As the name implies, the key element in the design of this drive is the gearbox — a device that reduces the rotation speed transmitted to the drum and increases the torque. Usually it is a closed unit located between the electric motor and the drum. Actually, the closeness is the main advantage of the gear drive — the body protects it from sand and other debris that can damage the mechanisms. On the other hand, most gearboxes are almost impossible to repair if they fail — the only option is to replace the entire unit, which is quite expensive. And in general, the price of such agitators is significantly higher t...han that of models with a crown drive.

The material from which the crown is made. It matters not so much in terms of the quality of concrete mixing, but in terms of the durability of the equipment.

— Cast iron. The most common metal in the manufacture of the crown. Easily processed, quickly cast, characterized by minimal investment at all stages of production. Another notable feature of cast iron is its long service life. At the same time, under mechanical stress, the cast-iron crown can crack, and all kinds of abrasive particles crumble rubbing places. In operation, the crown of cast iron often rattles and vibrates.

— Steel. High-strength crown material. Steel is more expensive than cast iron, which is more than offset by silent operation. Steel rim cement mixers are great for many hours of daily use.

— Polyamide. The manufacturing technology of polyamide crowns is based on a synthetic composition endowed with elasticity and resistance to temperatures in a wide range. Rims made from this composite material are notable for their durability, lightweight design, smooth running and quiet operation. The polyamide crown can be partially changed — usually it consists of four parts and one worthless one can be easily replaced.

The total volume of the working drum of the cement mixer. The amount of solution that can be prepared in the device at a time directly depends on this parameter. Accordingly, it is worth choosing a model according to the volume of the drum depending on the scale of the proposed work — the more concrete is needed and the more people are involved in the process, the larger the cement mixer should be. At the same time, it does not always make sense to chase the maximum capacity — after all, such models are not only rather bulky and high consumption, but also expensive.

Also note that you should not confuse the total volume with the amount of mixture prepared at a time: since the drum is never completely filled, its working volume, by definition, will be lower than the total (for more details, see "Volume of the finished mixture"). However, when choosing a model, depending on the scale of work, it is customary to focus on the total volume of the drum. So, the best option for a team of 4 – 5 workers is most often called 150 – 180 liters, and for small construction by one person — about 50 – 70 liters. More detailed recommendations can be found in specialized manuals.

The largest volume of mortar that can be prepared in a cement mixer at a time. Since the mixing process according to the most common gravity technology (see "Mixing type") involves an inclined position of the drum, it cannot be filled to the brim — the contents will simply pour out. Accordingly, the volume of the finished mixture anyway will be less than the total volume. The latter is also true for forced-type aggregates.

When evaluating a model with gravity mixing by the volume of the finished mixture, it must be taken into account that due to the shape of the drum, this volume cannot exceed 2/3 of the total capacity — for example, for a cement mixer with a drum of 120 liters, it will be about 80 liters. If the manufacturer indicates higher figures, then it is likely that we are talking about the theoretical amount of concrete that the engine and drive can twist in the drum without problems. This is a good indicator of reliability, but it is far from a fact that just such an amount of solution at a time can be prepared in fact.

Anyway, this parameter also plays the role of a limiter: you cannot load the cement mixer in excess of the volume of the finished mixture claimed by the manufacturer. Yes, it is likely that such a quantity of ingredients will fit in the drum, the device will not break immediately and even be able to work stably for some time. However, the mechanisms of the cement mixer in this mode will experience increased loads, which can lead t...o their premature failure; and such cases are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

The power of the motor used to rotate the working mechanism of the cement mixer. This parameter can be called secondary, because. it is selected depending on the volume of the drum (see above) — in such a way as to ensure rotation without problems at the maximum working load (see "Volume of the finished mixture"). And the main criterion when choosing a cement mixer is still the volume of the drum. However, models of equal volume may vary in power, and to determine the optimal option, it is necessary to take into account the planned operating conditions.

So, the "ceiling" in terms of power for small cement mixers with a volume of up to 130 liters, designed for use in individual construction, is 700-800 W — this is quite enough for normal operation without excessive electricity costs. If you need continuous operation for 10 hours or more, you should pay attention to more powerful models. It is also recommended to have a power reserve if the cement mixer has to be used with unstable networks where voltage drops are possible.

The device fixing the drum affects the principle and convenience of unloading the finished mixture from the cement mixer.

— Manual. Manual swivel wheel in the design of a cement mixer. To unload the mixture, it is necessary to pull it towards you, after loosening, turn the drum to the required angle of inclination of the cement mixer, and release the wheel. The load in this case falls on the hands.

— Foot. The rotary wheel for adjusting the angle of the drum in the design of the foot lock is supplemented with an L-shaped pin or pedal, the protruding part of which is pressed by the foot. The advantage of this solution is that in order to loosen the mechanism for fixing the drum, force must be applied to pressing the "poker", and there is a minimum load on the hands.