Teka high-performance turbine mixer for the concrete specialist Lithonplus

For Lithonplus, concrete stands for unlimited freedom of design. The company is specialized in the development, production and sale of quality concrete products. Its product range is oriented to the requirements of planning holistic open-space and traffic-areas. A team of more than 600 involved in process development is employed in 17 locations throughout Germany. One of these locations – newly built in 1992 – is located in Saxony-Anhalt and employs a workforce of 500. In order to be able to extend its range of special parts, a renewal of the mixing plant was necessary. “With our old technology we could not have advanced any further,” says Frank Leonhardt, Regional Manager of the company Eastern Engineering Region. “Our first task was to find a partner that would meet our demanding requirements,” he says.

Selection process based on strict requirements

Four staff members of Lithonplus were involved in the selection process. “At the end of 2017 we began to research for information on market offerings,” told Leonhardt. “We approached potential project partners by stating our requirements and by presenting drawings and images of our production hall and other facilities.”

This is how the engineering company Teka Maschinenbau GmbH came into play. Starting with its headquarters in Edenkoben in the Palatinate region of Germany, Teka has become established as the leading manufacturer of high-performance mixers and mixing plants for the construction materials industry. From consultation with the necessary project engineering offices and extending to commissioning by their own fitters, Teka offers its customers the entire process of plant modernization from a single source. In 2018, Teka submitted Lithonplus an offer for the THT 1500 high-performance turbine mixer.

Teka was successful. In the spring of 2019, a turbine mixer for production of angle supports and masonry blocks made of self-compacting concrete and easy-compacting concrete was delivered to the Stassfurt plant.

Intensive and rapid mixing

The delivered THT 1500 high-performance turbine mixer (type G-2-V) with frequency-controlled 45 kW drive motor and maximum concrete discharge of 1.0 m³ per mix is ideally suited as mixer for the production of SCC.

The high-performance turbine mixer is fitted with a patented mix turbine as well as a counter-rotating mixing star that ensures intensive blending of the mix – without destroying the particles – i.e., without changing the grading curve. The mixing star as well as the also rotating scraper and wiping paddles continuously feed material into the mixing turbine. This leads to highly intensive mixing of the material within a very short time, to a high degree of homogenization, to good intermixing of the mixing water and to a nearly straight run of the measuring curve during moisture measurement.

Especially suited for frequent product change

The turbine mixer is primarily used where many different and high-quality products are manufactured and where, therefore, frequent product changes are made. “One of the most significant advantages is the option to produce absolute small quantities and smallest quantities for special products,” explains Teka Sales Manager Patrick Russ, who advises the customer Lithonplus.

The trough bottom and the external wall of the turbine mixer are prepared in the plant in such a way that the subsequent installation of chill-cast iron tiles is possible without extra work. In addition, the mixer is fitted with a camera, an automatic deduster filter and a manual sampling device. Teka likewise delivered the complete mixer and weighing platform with access stairs as well as the matching aggregate bin and the binder and water scales.

Satisfied customer

“We are absolutely satisfied with our decision for the Teka high-performance turbine mixer,” says Frank Leonhardt. For the Regional Manager, the modern safety equipment was an important criterion, in addition to the operating and maintenance costs. “Sampling is possible without any problem.”

At Lithonplus, a team of six is working on the new machine. After delivery, a Teka specialist familiarized them with the operation of the mixer.