For a high-production ready mix concrete plant, speed isn’t determined by aggregate batching alone. Every material entering the mix must move quickly, accurately, and reliably — or the entire production process can slow down.
That’s one reason a ready mix producer serving Floresville, Wilson County, and the greater San Antonio area selected the Fast Cement™ system from CMQ Engineering USA.
An integral part of the Advantage 250™ concrete batch plant, the Fast Cement™ system combines CMQ Engineering’s distinctive chisel-nose silos, air slides, and ½-rotary shutoff gates to deliver cement and fly ash to the weighing system quickly and reliably.
Gravity-Fed Cement. Without the Auger.
Traditional cement and fly ash handling systems frequently rely on screw conveyors or augers to move material from storage silos to the weighing system. While familiar, augers introduce moving mechanical components into a material-handling process where speed, reliability, and maintenance are critical.
Fast Cement™ takes a different approach.
The CMQ chisel-nose silo promotes efficient material flow toward the discharge point, while the air slide provides a fast, smooth path for cement and fly ash to travel. Instead of relying on a long mechanical screw conveyor to move the material, the system uses gravity and controlled aeration to get cement where it needs to go.
The result is faster material delivery with fewer mechanical components to maintain.
½-Rotary Gates: Fast, Precise and Reliable
The other critical component of the Fast Cement™ system is the CMQ-designed ½-rotary shutoff gate.
Unlike conventional gates that may require substantial travel to open and close, the ½-rotary design operates through a simple half-rotation. The result is exceptionally fast, positive shutoff.
Open means open. Closed means closed.
That matters during high-speed batching. Fast, decisive gate operation helps the plant deliver the required quantity of cement or fly ash quickly while providing precise control over material flow.
The system is also designed for long-term reliability with fewer components exposed to the wear and maintenance demands associated with conventional cement-handling equipment.
First In. First Out. Faster Cement Flow.
The chisel-nose silo design is more than a distinctive shape. It is engineered to promote first-in, first-out (FIFO) material flow.
Conventional silo configurations can allow cement or fly ash to remain along the walls or accumulate in areas of the hopper, potentially contributing to buildup and inconsistent material flow. The chisel-nose configuration helps direct material toward the discharge point, reducing material hang-up and promoting more consistent unloading.
Combined with the air slides and ½-rotary gates, the Fast Cement™ system provides a streamlined path from silo to weigh hopper.
That means:
- Faster cement and fly ash loading
- More precise material delivery
- Reliable first-in, first-out material flow
- Less material buildup
- Fewer mechanical components
- Lower maintenance requirements
- Greater production reliability
For a ready mix concrete producer operating at high production rates, those advantages add up quickly.
Designed for High-Production Ready Mix Concrete
The Fast Cement™ system is one component of the larger Advantage 250™ production philosophy: keep materials moving while maintaining precision.
At the Floresville-area installation, Fast Cement™ works alongside the Advantage 250™’s precision inline aggregate blending system and full-batch aggregate holding hopper. The result is a concrete batch plant engineered around rapid, controlled material movement—from aggregate weighing and blending to cement and fly ash delivery and final truck loading.
For ready mix producers in Central Texas, San Antonio, Wilson County, and throughout the state, production speed is a competitive advantage. A plant that spends less time waiting for materials is a plant capable of putting more trucks on the road.
A Concrete Plant Manufacturer Focused on Better Material Handling
CMQ Engineering has been designing and manufacturing concrete batching equipment since 1964. Today, CMQ Engineering USA brings that engineering experience to ready mix concrete producers throughout Texas and across the United States.
The Advantage 250™ and Fast Cement™ system represent a different approach to concrete plant design—one focused not simply on moving material, but on moving it quickly, accurately, consistently, and reliably.
For producers evaluating ready mix concrete plants, concrete batch plants, cement silos, or cement handling systems, Fast Cement™ demonstrates how thoughtful engineering can improve an individual component of the plant while contributing to the performance of the entire operation.