The end of a production shift is the most critical time for the longevity of a concrete batching plant. Negligence during these final 60 minutes often leads to the "morning-after nightmare": solidified concrete in the mixer, blocked discharge doors, and damaged bearings. At Xingye Machinery, we’ve seen how a disciplined shutdown protocol can reduce maintenance costs by up to 40%.

Follow this professional 13-step checklist to ensure your HZS-series plant or JS-series mixer remains in peak condition.

1. Electrical Safety and Lockout

Safety is the first priority. Once production ceases, turn off the main power switch and lock the power distribution cabinet. Ensure a designated safety officer or authorized operator holds the key to prevent accidental startups while personnel are cleaning the internal components.

2. Internal Mixer Cleaning

Residual material is the primary enemy of the mixing system. You must:

• Thoroughly remove concrete from the inner walls of the mixer.
• Clean the mixing arms, blades (impellers), and the discharge door.
• Inspect the fixing bolts on the liners and mixing blades to ensure no loosening occurred during the shift.

3. Metering System Maintenance

Inaccurate weighing is often caused by residue buildup. Clean the admixture metering hopper, the collection hopper, and the powder (cement) metering hopper discharge doors daily to ensure zero-point calibration remains accurate for the next shift.

4. Ancillary Equipment Care

The "out of sight, out of mind" components are often the first to fail. Ensure the following are addressed:

• Air Compressor: Drain the water from the storage tank. In cold climates, this is vital to prevent ice-induced valve failure.
• Dust Collector: Activate the vibration system on the silo dust collector to shake off accumulated powder from the filter bags.
• Lubrication: Apply fresh grease to all designated lubrication points while the components are still warm to ensure optimal penetration.

The Cost of Improper Cleaning

Action	The Risk of Neglect	Engineering Impact
Manual Scraping	Using pneumatic picks on liners	Cracked liners and misaligned mixing arms
Belt Cleaning	Overloading belt with waste (>200kg)	Motor burnout and belt misalignment
Winter Draining	Leaving fluids in pipelines	Burst pipes and solenoid valve failure

5. Special Instructions for Maintenance Staff

Cleaning should begin approximately 1 hour after the main engine stops and must be completed within 2 hours. Waiting longer allows the mortar to reach initial set, making removal significantly more difficult and damaging.

Pro-Tip: Never use a pneumatic pick or heavy hammer to hit the mixing arms or liners. This can cause micro-fractures in the high-chromium alloy casting. Use high-pressure water jets and plastic/wooden scrapers where possible.

6. Winterization Protocol

For our clients in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and high-altitude regions, winter shutdown is more rigorous. You must completely drain all liquid from the water pipes and admixture pipelines. Even a small amount of frozen additive can crack expensive flow meters and pumps.

Are you experiencing issues with concrete buildup or weighing inaccuracies? Contact Xingye Machinery’s technical team for a customized maintenance manual for your specific plant model.