concrete plant automation from command alkon

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Command Alkon

C n c r e t e P l a n t A u t m a t i n

Why COMMANDbatch?Quality You Can Count OnSuperior Productivity & PerformanceAdvanced Administration & IntegrationRemote Plant Monitoring & Tune UpRemote Diagnostics & TroubleshootingRemote Batching & Mix Design ChangesMigration Paths from Legacy Systems

Benefits of COMMANDbatchw Available with Precision Water System to reduce Truck

In-Yard Timew Remote Batching allows low volume plants to

operate cost effectivelyw Early identification of plant batching issues, bottle

necks, or trends with Plant Performance Graphsw Prevent delivery to a job site of expensive out-of-

specification or batch “out-of-tolerance” loads with Plant Watcher

w Get the first round in the morning out in less time withCOMMANDbatch Freewheeling

w Automatically specify changes to the mix design (i.e. adding hot water, super plasticizer, etc.)

w Save time and reduce data entry errors by using the Mix Manager to adjust a large number of mixes at thesame time

w Automated Remote Assistance, including online technician chat, keeps plant downtime to a minimum

w Automatic data archiving and backup reduces plant shutdown tasks and time while safeguarding data

Command Alkon IncorporatedHeadquarters

1800 International Park Dr., Suite 400Birmingham, AL 35243 USA

+1 (205) 879-3282Fax: +1 (205) 870-1405

www.commandalkon.com

1 Corporate Overview2 Ready-Mixed Concrete | COMMANDconcrete3 Bulk Materials & Automation4 Concrete Plant Automation5 Quality Control6 Business Integration Services7 Dispatch Optimization8 Ready-Mixed Concrete | Integra9 Concrete Products Automation

BOOKLETS

Command Alkon offers an economical path to convertexisting Command Alkon Batch Systems toCOMMANDbatch. Electrical and scale systems do notchange. This allows the conversion to be performed injust one evening, with personnel being trained and theplant fine-tuned in just a few days.

“We have converted four Spectrums to COMMANDbatch.With Command Alkon’s attention to preserving existinginvestments, the process was straightforward and cost -effective. With these plants now converted toCOMMANDbatch, we are using the advanced capabilities ofthis system, such as Remote Batching, to be more efficientand lower costs more than ever before.”

Rob HawnAll Ohio Ready Mix Concrete

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Command Alkon is proud to providequality batch control systems and plantautomation products that lead theindustry in innovation and reliability.

COMMANDbatchPlant WatcherPrecision Water SystemCommand Alkon Moisture ProbePrecision Temperature SystemCOMMANDcallboardConcrete Production ManagerAutomatic Bin Fill System

Concrete Plant Automation Automatic Bin Fill System

w Automates bin replenishment, allowing staff to concentrateon more important and time critical operations in the plant

w “Keep Full” ensures the batch plant bins remain full, preventing production delays

These products are part of an integrated suite ofproducts that Command Alkon offers to theConstruction Materials Industry. Our goal is toenable the enterprise wide integration of systems toreduce or eliminate information and reporting gaps,eliminate “double entry” of information, achievecompletely paperless transactions, capture billingand production data automatically, and ensurethat key personnel are always up-to-date on thecompany’s operation.


Benefits of Automatic Bin Fill System

provides a fast, automated, andcost-effective way to get materialsfrom underground storage bunkersinto overhead bins.

The system’s standard controls permit automaticmonitoring and replenishment for up to six bins.The system allows priority-first replenishment ifmaterials from one underground storage bunkerare required more often than others.

The system is designed to:

w determine the need for a material w rotate the turnhead or shuttle

conveyor to the correct position w turn on the feed belts as needed w open the correct feed gate on the

underground storage silo w monitor the process until filling is

complete

As the system sequences from one material tothe next the Automatic Bin Fill system will:

w close the gate in use on the underground storage

w determine the turnhead positioning delay

w open the feed gate for the nextmaterial while ensuring the proper beltdelay to prevent cross contamination of material bins

Any or all materials can be manually overriddenat any time. An alarm indicator alerts the userto plant malfunctions. The emergency stopbutton halts all related plant motion in theevent of a belt break or other hazard.

“Command Alkon’s Automatic Bin Fill System fulfills a critical rolewithin Florida Rock’s Ready Mix production operations. TheAutomatic Bin Fill System consistently and reliably ensures theright materials are always available in the plant to meet our production needs. We own seven of them; more are sure to followin the future.”

Terry SmithFlorida Rock Industries

Command Alkon offers an economical path toconvert existing Command Alkon BatchSystems to COMMANDbatch. Electrical andscale systems do not change. This allows theconversion to be performed in just one evening,with personnel being trained and the plant fine-tuned in just a few days.

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S O L U T I O N ST O B U I L D O N

Command Alkon batch control systems and plant automation products are recognizedworldwide for helping producers improve their operational efficiency, quality, and profitability.

w 7,000+ COMMANDbatch systems in operation around the world.w 10,000+ Command Alkon Moisture Probes in use at ready-mixed plants worldwide.w 200+ Precision Water System installed at ready-mixed operations around the globe.


Concrete Production Managerlinks COMMANDseries to COMMANDbatchusing our open integration platform,COMMANDedx.

Concrete Production Manager provides an enhancedcommunications interface between COMMANDseriesand COMMANDbatch delivering tighter integration,fewer setup errors, increased flexibility, and central control over mix-design specific data. The interfaceconforms to industry standards and increases the reliability, extensibility, and serviceability of these twointegral pieces of your daily operations.

Concrete Production Manager Features:w Direct system-to-system communication for data

synchronization (drivers, trucks, materials, mix designs).w Centralized mix management ensuring that all mix design

changes made in COMMANDseries are automatically synchronized with COMMANDbatch.

w Delivery ticket information is automatically updated between dispatch and batch systems to ensure material usages, production quantities, and quantities/products shipped are synchronized in both systems for accurate andflexible ticket printing and centralized reporting purposes.

w Batch system notifications and alarms are transmitted fromCOMMANDbatch and stored in COMMANDconcrete.

w Unique Concrete Production Manager Report that breaks down batch weights on a batch-by-batch basis.

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COMMANDbatch

“COMMANDbatch is accurate, reliable, and easy-to-use. There's lots of information that can bedetermined at a glance. Our batch personnel can adjust mixes and materials on-the-fly and theyknow immediately when something is out of tolerance. With COMMANDbatch there's no moreguesswork.”

Billy Carrollimi-Tennessee www.commandalkon.com

Open Solution

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is the industry leading plant automationsolution. COMMANDbatch deliverssuperb plant performance while beingvery simple to use.

Select tickets and fine-tune batches before theyare started. Prepare the next load and changesettings on-the-fly, all from the same screen.Animated graphics show plant equipment weighingup and delivering material to the truck or mixer inreal-time. Standard reports allow you to monitorinventory, material usage, and general lists oforders, tickets, and mix designs.

COMMANDbatch makes concrete productioneasier and saves your company money.

Command Alkon is proud to offer a new range of flexibility toproducers when choosing an automation solution for youroperations. COMMANDbatch Open Solution* (OS) providesa foundation for meeting the process control needs of thefuture while maintaining a solid footing in the present.

COMMANDbatch OS provides the link that supports plantautomation through commercially available hardware* andscale indicators* resulting in a complete “fly-by-wire” approachto plant control. Common in other manufacturing industries,the COMMANDbatch real time plant display and manualstation controls are presented solely through the console,maintaining the operator’s attention on the current runningloads with fewer distractions and other indicators to check.

* Open Solution options differ by region. Contact CAI for details foryour region and a list of supported hardware platforms and devices.

Benefits of COMMANDbatch OSw Overall system footprint is smaller with fewer componentsw Spare parts are available through local reseller channelsw Leverage existing business partners (scale companies, electrical contractors, etc.)

for support of the control hardware at the batch plantw Investments in operator training and business system integration is preservedw Relies on standard TCP/IP network protocol making COMMANDbatch available

to communicate with new sensors or smart controls (power management, environmental monitors, etc.) added to the facility

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General Features

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Automatic Plant Control:w 4-6 Aggregates, 3 Cements, 2 Waters (metered),

8 Admixes (metered) - (model RM200)w Additional Material and Scale Controls**w Fast Multi-batch and Freewheel Batching Controlw Truck Charge Rate Adjustable On-The-Flyw High Speed Weigh-Up Algorithm for Fast Plant

Performancew Automatic Scale Tolerance Checkingw Automatic Bin Switching on empty binw Automatic Bin/Silo Vibrator Controlw Scale Rate of Discharge Flow Control speeds truck

loadingw Scale Flow Control Dampeningw Continuous Batching/Continuous Dischargew Connect with PLC Devices and remote sensors to

extend reach of the systemw Central Mixer(s) Control**w Temperature Gun/Probe Interface**w Density Meter Interface**w State Certification Package (NY, CA, NJ, MN)**w Other Optional Automatic Plant Controls Including:

Blower, Plant Dust Collector, Silo Shaker, Spray Bar, Conveyor Controls, Mixer Controls, Telescopic Boot, Recirculating Screw, Live Bottom Batcher, Dual Aggregate Discharge Gates, Bin Lamps, and Switches**

Remote Batch:w Soft Manual Station (SMS) for plant controlw Perform Batching and Mix Design Changes**w Second Client for Order Management**Operator Controls:w Visual and Audible Notification Alertsw On-Hand Inventory Available At-a-Glancew Low Inventory Notification to Prevent Load Startw Discharge, Weigh-Up, and Sequence Diagnosticsw Training Mode, Online Help, Operator Manualsw 20” Flat Screen Monitorw Dust Proof Enclosure**Plant Interlocks:w Over/Under Material Tolerance Interlocksw Scale Zero and Bottle Empty Interlocksw Admix Pulse (Dual) Meter Crosscheckw Scale In-Motion Detection

Mix Design Control:w Mix Design Modification Utilityw Slump Tables by concrete type of Mix Designw Total Allowable Water in Mix Controlw Slurry or recycled water compensation**Recordation:w Batch Weights Printing with archivingw Manual Material Activity Reportw Bar & QR Code Printing**w Dot Matrix Printer, Laser Report Printer**Quality Control:w Material Blending Sequence by Mix Type improves

homogeneityw Access from anywhere for Plant Monitoring and Tune-Upw Plant Performance Graphs track batch accuracyw Plant Watcher Automatic Notification System**w Precision Water System for “Load and Go”**w Precision Temperature System for assuring “on job”

concrete temperature**w Auto Consistence Slump Control for mixers**w Verifi integration for “on job” Slump Control**Order Management:w Job/Project Entry with daily orders**w Daily orders can automatically adjust mix**w Third-Party Dispatch one-way Interface**w COMMANDconcrete two-way Interface**Plant Management:w Truck Callboard Interface**Administration & Integration:w User Permissions for Configuration/Editingw Recordation/Logs of Changesw Auto Archive, Auto Purge, and Auto Backup for all dataw Ticket and Material Records Export Utilities to other

systemsw Enterprise Content Management Option for

Electronic Access to Tickets/Batchweight Files**w Custom Format Ticket File Export**w Multi-Plant Support**w Multi-Company Support**w QuickBooks Interface**Maintenance:w Remote Diagnostics and Troubleshootingw COMMANDassist Automated Remote Assistant w Maintenance Scheduling Featurew Expendable Parts Kit and Plant Wiring Diagramsw One Year Priority One Support

**Denotes Optional Feature


COMMANDcallboardCommand Alkon

Hardware Specificationsw Reduces lost in-yard timew Helps to eliminate unnecessary truck traffic around

the plantw Truck drivers do not need to leave their trucksw Truck drivers can now keep themselves in proper

orderw Cuts down on radio trafficw Automatically send messages to driver including:

- Delivery Instructions- Lane Selection- Extra Product Information- Special Loading Instructions

w Scrolling information messages serve as remindersw Wireless connection for ease of installation

is designed to expedite traffic flowaround the batch plant.

Using information sent from either COMMANDseriesor entered directly into COMMANDbatch by the operator, the COMMANDcallboard automatically displays individual truck numbers, lane selection,delivery instructions, and/or other information toassist the driver in loading. When trucks are notbeing loaded, scrolling messages such as “Numberof days since last accident: 161”, or “Be sure toempty your drum before loading” can be displayed.

The callboard includes 7-inch, red, alphanumericcharacters utilizing ultra-bright LED technology toprovide ease of readability in all lighting conditionsincluding direct sunlight. The board is encased in aweather-resistant enclosure and is designed for wide-angle viewing. The standard COMMANDcallboard is3 characters by 3 lines. Different configurations(characters/lines) are available upon request.

Data is transmitted to the board via Wireless RF fromthe system. The robust protocol utilizes frequencyhopping, data encryption, and verified delivery. Thetypical range is 1,000 feet line of sight.

Installation is simple. The only requirements aremounting the enclosure in line of sight with the wirelessportal and supplying AC voltage.

Power: 85-264 VAC, 50 or 60 Hz, 200 wattsmaximum (1.7 amps at 120 VAC)Enclosure: 32” H x 26” W x 10” DWeight: 55 lbsDisplay: 27” H x 21” W, three rows display3-4 characters eachWireless RF Unit: 2-1/4” H x 6 1/2” W x 7” DRS-232 Cable: 15’Power Cord: 4-1/2’RF Link: 915 Mhz, ISM band,

license free

"The truck callboards have improved our fleet efficiency at the plants. They have also significantlyreduced radio traffic related to truck staging. The callboards have been a worthwhile investment."

Barb BaileyCentral Pre-Mix Concrete Co.

Benefits of COMMANDcallboard

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Remote Client allows up to three additional remote users to access one COMMANDbatch system at the same time.This means that plant monitoring, tune up, mix design management, diagnostics, and troubleshooting are possibleanywhere, anytime! Remote Client users can perform tasks without interfering with normal operation. Master recordscan be created, updated, or deleted for customers, mixes, other products, pricing, orders, etc. Plant automation can bemodified including bin tuning, discharge tuning, and device sequencing/material blending. Use built-in tools such asWeigh-Up or Discharge Diagnostics,Sequence Tracer, Custom EquationMonitor, or Ticket Format Helper fortroubleshooting. Most reports canbe previewed or printed remotely tothe user’s location. With the additionof remote batching hardware, theseadditional clients can performRemote Batching.

Remote Batching & Remote ClientCOMMANDbatch

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Do you have a remote plant thatdoesn't do the business of your highvolume plants? With RemoteBatching lower volume plants canbe operated safely, reliably, andcost-effectively from a different location anytime. Once a truck is inposition the remote batcher can loadthe truck then shut the plant backdown. Soft Manual Station (SMS)controls allow for the operation ofbins and hoppers, as well as formanual controls such as the air com-pressor, boot up/down, washoutwater, etc., from a remote locationwith the click of a mouse.

The Driver Authorization Box is standard withthe Remote Batching configuration to tell theCOMMANDbatch software when a remotelybatched load is authorized by the driver fordischarge.

The Mix Manager screen allows a group of mixes to be selected by a filtersuch as “Find all mixes starting with 250”. With a few clicks these mixes canhave a material quantity adjustment (add or remove) or material substituted.


COMMANDbatch comes equipped with standardized reporting procedures commonto all ready-mixed concrete plants. StandardReports include: Yards Per Driver Hour,Consolidated Order, Ticket Summary,Materials Inventory, Tickets by CustomerSummary, and many others. Many reportscan be exported into Microsoft Excel forfurther analysis.

Plant Performance Graphs help determine why a load took too long to complete or why it was out of tolerance. The Load Times Graph shows Weigh-Up and Discharge times for each load. A Deviations Graphshows tolerance information for each material batched. Right-click on a load code and select “Productivity” todisplay Drop (elapsed) Times for each material.

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istCOMMANDassist

COMMANDbatch

connects you directly with thefriendly and knowledgeableservice professionals atCommand Alkon with just a clickof the mouse.

COMMANDassist provides securetransmission of information to and froma Command Alkon service technicianvia a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection made through the Internet.COMMANDassist also facilitatesaccess to COMMANDbatch softwareupdates available for download on ourUpdateCenter website.

COMMANDassist allows you to receivetechnical support via your existinghigh-speed Internet connection usingour secure VPN support network.Once connected, Plant Operators havethe ability to create new supportrequests, modify existing supportrequests, and preview pending supportrequests. The included chat functionality allows communicationwith our Command Alkon support personnel while continuing productionand without tying up the productionfacility phone lines.

Using COMMANDassist, a servicetechnician can troubleshoot batchingissues, answer any questions on specific topics, manually downloadand assist with the installation ofsoftware updates, and modify plantautomation.

Benefits of COMMANDassistw 128-bit encrypted data transmission using Public Key Infrastructure

protects your informationw Point-to-Point connectivity only when you requestw Command Alkon has access only when you initiate a support requestw Command Alkon can only access the machine requesting supportw No need to provide Command Alkon with full access to your company networkw Only one firewall modification requiredw All data travels outbound on port 1194 (Open VPN)w No need for dial-up modem or dedicated analog phone linew Uses your existing high-speed Internet connectionw Facilitates access to COMMANDbatch software updates available for

download on our UpdateCenter websitewww.commandalkon.com

Productivity & PerformanceCOMMANDbatch

COMMANDbatch Freewheelingmaximizes plant productivity byweighing-up the next load as soon asa device, such as a scale or bottle,has completed its task for the previousload. Up to three loads can berunning at the same time, maximizingthe use of plant equipment. This cansignificantly improve plant throughputwith slow feeding materials such asmetered water or augered cement.

The Weigh-Up Diagnostics utility displaysa material’s open/close gate cycle so youcan troubleshoot feeding problems andthereby improve plant production.Navigating among the diagnostics formsyou can determine which feed cycle(Fast, Timed, Jog, or Metered) was used,why it was used, if it fed the expectedamount of material, and how drop timesand material-in-flight values were calculated.The Discharge Diagnostics screen monitorsscale flow rates, moisture settings, andmixer relative power setpoints (for Auto-Consistence). Any displayed information canbe saved for later retrieval.

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“The Admix Design feature on COMMANDbatch allows us to downsize the number of mix designs andensures that any changes made on-the-fly are billed accordingly. Admix Design allows us to limit thehandling of changes made, resulting in fewer mistakes. Accounting is simplified and accuracy of inventorycontrol is much better.”

John MillerTarmac/Titan America

Quality You Can Count OnCOMMANDbatch

Reduce the number of mix designs and the potential forerror using Admix Design (modifier mix) capabilities.A small number of “base” mixes can be customizedhundreds of ways on a per order basis using thesemodifier mixes. When the batcher selects the order tobatch, the mix will automatically be customized basedupon the order. This provides for a wide variety of mixcombinations without having to create a special mix for a

The Material Sequencing capability ofCOMMANDbatch ensures consistentand predictable concrete homogeneityload after load. Each class of mix(grout, low slump, SCC, etc.) can havea unique, specialized blendingsequence to ensure the ingredients areblended at the precise time and at theprecise rate. Different chargingsequences can be specified for eachindividual truck or mixer.

customer. Adding hot water, calcium, or making the mixa bit easier to finish for that certain customer is nolonger something that the operator has to remember.Since these requests are attached to the order you aresure to be paid for these value added items. Finally,since the mix modification is captured by the order, thedelivered concrete will be the same no matter howmany plants are used to fulfill the order.

As a producer, you know the only place to achieve predictable, consistent concrete is at the plant. The requirements forhigh-performance concrete at a minimum cost depends on the combination of the best raw materials and how thesematerials are introduced during the loading process. COMMANDbatch provides tools unmatched by competitive systemsto ensure that the mix constituents are combined in a manner that deliver the maximum results.


Precision Temperature System

w Improve concrete quality by controlling the delivered temperature of a load of concrete

w Reduce energy costs by minimizing the amount of heated/chilled water and/or ice used during the batching process

measures the ingredient temperaturesin a concrete batch and adjusts watertemperature of the batch process toachieve a target concrete temperaturefor the load being produced.

Temperature control is one of the two main qualityissues for ready-mixed concrete producers; watermanagement being the other. The PrecisionTemperature System (PTS) provides a means tocontrol the temperature of your concrete batches toimprove the quality of the concrete and reduceenergy costs associated with heated/chilled waterand/or ice used in the batching process.

The PTS consists of a COMMANDbatch softwaremodule and a series of temperature probes in thematerial bins/silos or tanks. Based on temperaturereadings from the ingredients, the PTS adjusts theproportions of heated or chilled water and/or ice toachieve the target temperature for the concretebatch. Multiple waters and ice are supported, but thePTS will only adjust two waters per load.

The PTS can be enabled or disabled on a plant level,by mix design, or as the load is being prepared onthe Batch Setup form. Command Alkon offerstemperature sensors for all types of materials, oryou have the option to supply your own sensorsas long as they meet system specifications.

Benefits of Precision Temperature System

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nPlant Watcher Notification SystemCOMMANDbatch

is the “safety net” for all of your operations. Protect against bad orout-of-specification concrete frombeing delivered with real-timeevent notifications for out-of-tolerance situations or unauthorizedmix design and material changes.

Schedule Production, Efficiency, andMaterial Variance Reports to be auto-matically collected and e-mailed at thesame time every day, freeing the operatorfrom having to manually print and fax thisinformation. Plant Performance Reportsprovide actionable analysis of plant per-formance, highlighting bottlenecks andallowing side-by-side comparisons.

Plant Watcher creates Profiles for eachbatch plant that you wish to monitor. Itstores information about these plantsincluding Events and Plant Performancedata. When an event occurs at a moni-tored plant that matches the criteriadefined in a Profile, an alert describingthe event is instantly dispatched to alldesignated recipients. Alerts are deliveredonly once to each recipient and delivery isguaranteed in the event of network or otheroutages once the network is restored.

A Plant Watcher Server houses the PlantWatcher database, monitors events atdesignated plants, and sends alerts tothe designated recipients. A DiagnosticsConsole is used for configuration andtroubleshooting. A Plant WatcherConfiguration Utility allows the system tobe configured for SMTP server identificationand authentication as well as Site, Profile,Recipient, and e-mail Setups from a remotelocation.

“Our organization depends on Plant Watcher to help usmanage and protect our business. We thought for surewe knew how our plants were running, but the information provided by Plant Watcher highlighted newopportunities for efficiency and cost savings. The real-time notification by Plant Watcher of an out-of-specifi-cation load for a critical pour alerts our QC departmentday or night to step in and prevent that load from beingplaced! For companies who wish to be proactive aboutQuality Control, Plant Watcher is a meaningful andcost-effective addition.”

Steve WagenerKuhlman Corporation

w Plant ‘Dashboard’ provides a near real-time view of plant activitiesw Automatic notification of “out-of-tolerance” allows interception of a bad or incorrect

load before it leaves the plantw Instant notification of mix design changes or material substitutionsw Automatic delivery of key production, variance, efficiency, and other reports keeps

you informed about your business and allows the plant operator to focus on production and quality

w Plant profiles assure that only the right individual(s) for each event are notifiedw Guaranteed delivery ensures notification after a network or other outage is restored


Moisture ProbeThe Command Alkon

allows you to measure the moisture contentof your aggregates as they flow into abatch.

The Command Alkon Moisture Probe has been proven tomeasurably increase product quality and finish and reduceoverall batching times and material waste, resulting inincreased customer satisfaction and profitability.

COMMANDbatch is unique in that it can continuouslyadjust the load water as the material flows over theprobe; a method that ensures consistent slump predictabilityin high specification concrete and concrete product manufac-turing. You will always know your moisture value becausethis probe is consistently accurate to within ±0.3%. Theprobe achieves this consistency through innovative self-adjusting circuitry that detects and corrects changes causedby time.

The probe is housed in a one-piece stainless steel casingwith increased steel thickness in the heaviest wear areas.Mounted directly above the feed gate, the speciallydesigned probe collar makes it unnecessary to drain thebin when installing, and the simple design eliminates anyneed to fabricate complicated mounting brackets or pipeassemblies. The probe can be installed and calibrated to thematerial in a matter of hours. The smaller ceramic faceplatefurther reduces vulnerability from accidental impact damage.

Hundreds of thousands of truckloads attest to the fact thatthe Command Alkon Moisture Probe can virtually eliminate“load doctoring” by delivering accurate and consistentslumps every time.

w Size: 75 mm (3") dia. x 60 cm (23.25") longw Weight: 7.25 kg (16 lbs.)w Body Material: Stainless steelw Face Material: High strength ceramicw Measurement Range: Depends on material

compositionw Operating Temperature: 2°-49° C (35°-120° F)w Typical Accuracy: +/- 0.3% w Connection: 6-pin type PT06 waterproof connectorw Cable: 6 conductor, 24 gauge, shielded

Specifications

“Command Alkon’s Moisture Probe is a proven performer. The probe is easy to install,easy to calibrate, and most importantly, provides reliable moisture measurements withoutfurther calibration load after load.”

Cliff MorganPotomac Construction Industries

Benefits of Plant Watcher Notification System

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Precision Water Systemis a fully integrated water management system for COMMANDbatch that providesthe tools to simplify and automate the management of moisture compensation.

With Precision Water System, water managementis so precise you can allow your trucks to “Loadand Go”. Reduce or eliminate wasted truck in-yard times for loads that were previously too wetor too dry.

The Precision Water System can calibrate andsimultaneously measure up to 12 probes. Onlyby accurately measuring the moisture in allaggregate materials can the desired specificationsbe achieved load after load. The system allowsyou to capture sample moisture readings with theclick of a button, has an easy and accuratecalibration process, and supports multiplebin-material-probe combinations. Throughseamless integration with COMMANDbatch,the Precision Water System will reduce oreliminate time-consuming, costly, and manualprocesses involved in sampling and calibratingprobes or adjusting water content truck by truck.

While there are a number of competitivemoisture solutions offered, many of thesehave to be managed by a separate, stand-alone program or require manual calculationsand/or a spreadsheet to calibrate.

Why continue to struggle with loads that are notproduced at the desired slump, increasing yourcosts and potentially damaging your reputation and customer satisfaction? With the Precision Water System you are onyour way to more consistent loads, better yieldmanagement, lower costs, and more satisfiedcustomers.

The Precision Water System (PWS) includes:w PWS Software Modulew PWS Moisture Interface Controller Junction Box (MIC) with

support for up to 12 Moisture Probes

Additional equipment purchased separately:w Moisture Probe sw Cables to connect Moisture Probes to MICw Ethernet cable to connect PC to MIC

What are the basic components?

w Provides calibrated readings of up to 12 moisture probes on a variety of materials up to 1-1/2” coarse aggregates. (Contact usregarding larger aggregates)

w Stores a distinct calibration for each probe-bin-material combination.

w Stores unlimited moisture samples and bake-out pairs for each probe-bin-material combination.

w PWS Dashboard allows an operator to review the value of each moisture probe in a variety of views: Active Calibration View, Current Moisture View, Calibration History View.

w Operator can choose whether or not to recalibrate based on visual analysis of probe readings.

w “Lock and Load” sample mode for automatic capture of probe readings for thenext bake-out eliminates mistakes and saves time.

w Automatic and manual modes.w Default calibrations for a range of materials

allow for immediate use of the system until bake-outs and final calibration occurs.

w Replacement probes can be calibrated withone bake-out.

Features

w Expanding the number of measured materials with PWS reduces unknown sources of slump variability in a load. This diminishes or eliminates the need to overdesign mixes to compensate for unmanaged water.

w You can use a single bin for a variety of materials. When the operator informs COMMANDbatch that a different material is now in a bin, the system instantly and automatically reconfigures itself to the correct material moisture calibration profile.

w Easy and accurate probe calibration.w Moisture sample capture at the click of a button.w Save time and money by reducing the frequency of bake-outs.w Reduce or eliminate time spent adding water to batches.

How does the Precision WaterSystem work?

Multiple samples from different materials can becaptured and the information automatically storedin the PWS application. The wet and dry weightsof the sample are entered into the PWS. ThePWS automatically calculates the moisture(compensating for absorption), performs an out-of-bounds check, and then stores the results permanently in the PWS database for eachsample. As more and more bake-outs areaccumulated the program adjusts the probecalibration to reflect the new data resulting ina very accurate calibration. Once calibrated,the system operates independently with nooperator intervention required. The systemcomes with default calibrations for a varietyof material types for immediate use.

Benefits of Precision Water System

“We have always struggled with load-to-load spread variation. After researchingdifferent methods to help control moisture, we decided that the Precision WaterSystem was the best fit. What used to be a spread variation of +/- 5 inches hasnow become +/- 1 inch. What used to be a bake-out variation of +1% has nowbecome less than 0.3%. There is no longer the load-to-load variability. Withthat, we have saved money in scrapped loads as well as savings in labor hours.”

Chris Papich, QA ManagerCXT Concrete Buildings