I. Overview of the Asphalt Mixture Mixing Equipment Industry

Asphalt concrete mixing equipment (National Standard GB/T17808-2010, Specification Name: Asphalt Mixture Mixing Equipment) is a specialized equipment used to prepare asphalt mixtures, mainly applied in highway, urban road, and airport engineering projects. Based on the working process, it can be divided into intermittent and continuous types. Intermittent types include forced mixing, while continuous types are divided into drum mixing types. Based on structure, it can be divided into fixed and mobile types. The former is suitable for centralized projects, while the latter is suitable for road construction and maintenance scenarios.

II. Development Trends in the Asphalt Mixing Equipment Industry

1. Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection

Under my country's strategic goals of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" and the dual control policy on energy consumption, energy conservation and environmental protection have become crucial considerations for customers when selecting asphalt mixing equipment. Outdated equipment that fails to meet energy conservation and environmental protection standards will gradually be eliminated from the market. In recent years, in addition to baghouse dust collectors, more and more asphalt mixing equipment has begun to integrate sealed outer packaging, dust collection hoods, and other dust collection and treatment devices, as well as additional environmental protection configurations such as activated carbon, UV photolysis, and low-temperature plasma asphalt fume treatment devices. This trend is expected to continue to strengthen in the future. Simultaneously, more cutting-edge technologies in energy conservation, emission reduction, and consumption reduction will be applied to asphalt mixing equipment, such as foamed asphalt warm mixing technology, counter-current hot recycling drying drum technology, and continuous production technology. Energy conservation and environmental protection will become an important development direction for asphalt mixing equipment.

2. Large-Scale Operation

Asphalt pavement construction requires a high degree of continuity and cannot be interrupted. Discontinuous material supply significantly impacts pavement quality, causing defects that are difficult to correct manually. Maintaining uniform and continuous operation of asphalt pavers is crucial for achieving high-quality asphalt pavement. Therefore, the demand for asphalt mixtures for pavement construction is concentrated in a short period, with some road construction only permitted at night. This necessitates construction companies having the capacity for large-scale asphalt mixture production and supply within a short timeframe. Under the influence of tight schedules, increasingly stringent energy conservation and environmental protection standards, and lengthy approval cycles for land use for some mixing plants, downstream road construction companies and asphalt mixture production units are increasingly favoring large-scale asphalt mixture mixing equipment with high output and comprehensive environmental protection features to ensure continuous and smooth construction operations within short timeframes.

3. Intelligentization 

Asphalt mixing equipment operates in complex outdoor environments for extended periods, demanding high levels of equipment stability and a large number of skilled operators. With the increasing application of sensor and IoT technologies, asphalt mixing equipment is becoming more intelligent. Currently, asphalt mixing equipment can utilize sensor systems to monitor the real-time operating status of key components, enabling automatic diagnosis and early warning of equipment malfunctions. IoT enables multi-unit联动 management and information sharing, allowing customer managers to monitor and manage the operational status, load capacity, output quality, and material yield ratio of multiple units in various regions in real time. Automated control systems enable automatic and accurate material metering, allowing for flexible adjustments to production rhythm based on the formula. Remote diagnostic services are also provided to address after-sales service issues for overseas customers. Intelligent asphalt mixing equipment reduces the number of operators, saves operating costs, and improves production efficiency and material quality, making it a mainstream model in the future market.

4. Modularization:

Modularization of functional components in asphalt mixing equipment, such as mixing, drying, screening, metering, and dust removal devices, is a key technological development direction. This involves integrating and standardizing these components into relatively independent, standardized modules. Firstly, for end-users, modularization reduces installation difficulty, time, and costs. Individual modules can be disassembled for inspection and maintenance, making the process convenient and quick. Secondly, it improves transportation efficiency, especially when using containerized transport, effectively reducing costs. Thirdly, for equipment suppliers, modularization allows for efficient design of customized equipment, enhancing operational stability across various application scenarios. It also reduces the need for inventory of non-standard parts during production.