Asphalt plant is equipment that is designed to produce hot mix asphalt. It uses aggregates, sand, bitumen and filler material in specific proportions to produce HMA also known as asphalt concrete or black top. The main feature of an asphalt mixing plant is that it will heat aggregates and then mix them with bitumen and other adhesive substances to prepare hot mix asphalt which is a paving material. Aggregate here can be a single sized material or it can be combination of various materials of different sizes with a combination of fine and coarse particles with or without addition of a filler unit.
Choosing and selecting best asphalt plant is not easy especially if you are new to the industry. There are so many things and parameters that have to be considered. The very motive behind purchase of the asphalt plant is to have a machine that is right for your needs and that it helps to complete your projects (target) without troubles. The best way to do this is to select equipment as per the market demand.
Purchase of this equipment is very critical for your business and it cannot be compared to any other road building equipment that you may have. This purchase will be a capital investment which will last long for many years as an asphalt plant cannot be dumped off easily. A haste purchase related decision can prove fatal in the same. When you go and meet many different companies you will have different views from different people and sometimes these statements can be different and vary from people to people. This can create a lot of confusion and if the decision goes wrong, there is no way back.
The reason is because of the below advantages it can offer over its stationary counterpart:
Same production levels
Same hot mix quality
Is of same size
Requires less or no foundation
Can be setup in quick time
Can be assemble and disassembled in fast time
Comes prewired.
Quick and easy to transport.
Which is best? New or used asphalt plants?
Deciding between a new or used machine should be easy if you consider below advantage points for each type.
A new plant always comes with warranty, service support, help with installation, operator training and compliance with environmental norms -all as per your requirement. A new asphalt batch mix plant or drum mixing plant can be customized as per your requirement and you can choose or alter the layout of the equipment so that you can make maximum use of the available space at your end.
Most of the companies should offer you installation support at reasonable rates as you will buy from them. You will also get trouble shooting, operating and maintenance support for few years as free from the manufacturers. If you are new to the business it is advisable to go for a new machine.
If you are a bit tight on budget and want to have a machine without spending more money try and get equipment which has not been used much. Make sure that it is sourced from a reliable source preferably from a manufacturer or from a place recommended by the manufacturer. Once you have decided on a machine, get it checked from a genuine service man or your operator to get an idea of the things that you will need to arrange to make the equipment a success.
Ask as many as questions that you may have regarding the equipment. Also make sure to ask if certain components that are worn out can be procured or repaired in future if required or not? It is also important to have a decent and formidable service backup for the machine that you are going to buy. Also make sure that the availability of the spare parts for the next few years is available for the equipment that you will buy.
One of the most important points to be discussed with the manufacturer is related to the pollution control norms prevalent in your area.
Conclusion:-
Make sure that you have your mix material design ready and discuss the same with the manufacturers to avoid purchase of any additional components that you may not use in future. If you are looking to buy an old machine – make sure that you visit the equipment site to inspect it along with your operator. The same rule applies to the purchase of a new asphalt mixing plant.