Mixer remote quality manager
A mixer vehicle system includes a mixer vehicle and a remote management system. The mixer vehicle includes a chassis and a vehicle body. The vehicle body comprises a plurality of subcomponents. The plurality of subcomponents includes a cabin, a mixing drum, a charge hopper, and a chute. The mixing drum is movable relative to the chassis to agitate a mixture. The charge hopper is movable relative to an aperture of the mixing drum. The chute is pivotally coupled to the mixer vehicle. The remote management system is configured to monitor and adjust a property of the mixture. The remote management system includes a sensor and a device. The sensor is configured to detect information corresponding to the property of the mixture and generate an input signal. The device is configured to recover a signal from the remote quality management system and cause at least one mixture property to change.
1 . A mixer vehicle system, comprising:
a mixer vehicle, comprising:
a chassis supporting a plurality of wheels; and
a vehicle body supported by the chassis, wherein the vehicle body comprises a plurality of subcomponents, the plurality of subcomponents comprising:
a cabin configured to house one or more operators of the mixer vehicle;
a mixing drum defining an aperture and an internal volume, wherein the mixing drum is movable relative to the chassis to agitate a mixture stored in the mixing drum;
a charge hopper positioned proximate the aperture, wherein the charge hopper is movable relative to the aperture; and
a chute positioned proximate the aperture, beneath the charge hopper, wherein the chute is pivotally coupled to the mixer vehicle; and
a remote management system configured to monitor and adjust at least one property of the mixture, wherein the remote management system comprises:
a sensor coupled with the mixer vehicle, the sensor configured to detect information corresponding to the at least one property of the mixture and generate an input signal indicating the information; and
a device communicably coupled with the sensor, the device comprising a user interface and a memory storing one or more specification requirements associated with the at least one property of the mixture thereon that, when retrieved by the device, cause the device to:
receive, from the sensor, information corresponding to the at least one property of the mixture;
generate a recommendation indicating how to change the at least one property of the mixture based on the at least one property failing to satisfy an associated specification requirement;
operate the user interface to display the recommendation to a user;
receive a first user input indicating an acceptance or a rejection of the recommendation; and
operate at least one component of the plurality of subcomponents to cause the at least one property of the mixture to change based on the first user input indicating the acceptance of the recommendation.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein operating the at least one component causes the at least one property of the mixture to satisfy the associated specification requirement.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more specification requirements associated with the at least one property of the mixture that, when retrieved by the device, further cause the device to display the information corresponding to the at least one property of the mixture on the user interface of the device.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more specification requirements associated with the at least one property of the mixture that, when retrieved by the device, further cause the device to receive a second user input comprising instructions for adjusting the at least one property of the mixture.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions for adjusting the at least one property of the mixture comprise at least one of adding water to the mixture, adding a chemical to the mixture, changing a speed of the mixing drum, and preventing the mixture from being dispensed.
6 . The system of claim 5 ,
further comprising a receiver configured to receive the instructions and to control at least one of the plurality of subcomponents of the mixer vehicle according to the instructions.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one property of the mixture is a water-cement ratio, wherein the water-cement ratio is below the associated specification requirement.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the recommendation comprises instructions for water from a water tank of the mixer vehicle to be added to the mixture in the mixing drum of the mixer vehicle to increase the water-cement ratio of the mixture such that it satisfies the associated specification requirement.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more specification requirements associated with the at least one property of the mixture that, when retrieved by the device, further cause the device to:
operate the user interface to request an instruction based on the first user input indicating the rejection of the recommendation;
receive a second user input comprising the instruction, the instruction including an amount of water to be added to the mixture in the mixing drum of the mixer vehicle; and
operating a water tank of the mixer vehicle to add the amount of water from the second user input to the mixture in the mixing drum.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one property of the mixture is a temperature, wherein the temperature is above the associated specification requirement, and wherein the recommendation comprises instructions for water to be added to the mixing drum to decrease the temperature of the mixture such that it satisfies the associated specification requirement.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one property of the mixture is a temperature, wherein the temperature is below the associated specification requirement, and wherein the recommendation comprises instructions for a drum driver to increase a speed of the mixing drum to cause the temperature of the mixture to increase such that it satisfies the associated specification requirement.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein operating the at least one component of the plurality of subcomponents to cause the at least one property of the mixture to change comprises transmitting an output to a receiver, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the output and to control the at least one of the plurality of subcomponents of the mixer vehicle according to instructions included in the output, wherein the instructions comprise at least one of adding water to the mixture, adding a chemical to the mixture, changing a speed of the mixing drum, and preventing the mixture from being dispensed.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor;
further comprising a second sensor configured to detect information corresponding to a location of the mixer vehicle and to generate an input signal indicating the location.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the information corresponding to the location of the mixer vehicle includes a distance between the mixer vehicle and a destination and an estimated duration of time until the mixer vehicle arrives at the destination.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the distance between the mixer vehicle and the destination is zero miles and the estimated duration of time until the mixer vehicle arrives at the destination is zero minutes; and
wherein the recommendation comprises instructions to inhibit a drum driver from rotating the mixing drum in a dispensing direction to at least temporarily inhibit the mixer vehicle from dispensing the mixture, giving the mixture more time to mix.