We make the pieces fit | The Shilstone CompaniesMaterials Technology for Design and Construction |
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We make the pieces fit | The Shilstone CompaniesMaterials Technology for Design and Construction |
As part of its technical development efforts, The Shilstone Companies have created IBM PC compatible computer programs for quality control. Since 1984, these programs have been used internationally to monitor and improve the quality of concrete, aggregates and asphalt. The programs will operate in both Imperial and metric units, and can form the basis for complying with Contractor QA/QC, TQM and ISO 9000 quality control requirements.
The programs that have been created are:
You may download a demo disk for these programs from this page.
seeMIX is not just a "mix design" program. It is meant for anyone who must
This includes engineers, governmental agencies, contractors and pumpers as well as concrete producers, laboratories and precast companies. Also, many universities use seeMIX as a teaching tool.
Mixture analysis - When analyzing an existing concrete mixture or mix submittal, the user can enter the weights of the raw materials, material specific gravities or densities and aggregate gradations. seeMIX will then calculate:
seeMIX provides the resulting mixture analysis in a series of graphs, charts and tables that the user can compare to previous mixtures to determine the suitability of the mixture. While seeMIX provides guidelines in the areas of workability, mortar and combined grading requirements, the user can compare the actual results to local historical information about mixture requirements and obtain a much better estimate of mixture suitability. seeMIX does not attempt to dictate material requirements based on preconceived notions of what makes good concrete in our offices in Dallas, Texas. It allows the user to determine what works best for him, then reproduce that as materials change.
Mixture Proportioning - When proportioning concrete mixtures, the user selects from any of a number of procedures for determining proportions. Then seeMIX calculates the mixture proportions based on the raw material characteristics and the procedure selected by the user. These procedures include (but are not limited to):
seeMIX will then calculate the mixture analysis as described above and allow the user to make adjustments to the mixture as required.
Mixture adjustments - As early as the 1920's, Duff Abrams - one of the founders of the "water-cement ratio" theory, determined that "fixed proportions of coarse and fine aggregate... is far from acceptable." As materials and conditions change, adjustments have to be made to concrete mixture proportions to maintain uniform concrete characteristics.
seeMIX can automatically adjust mixture proportions for changes in material specific gravities, aggregate gradings and concrete test standard deviations. As the technology develops, we anticipate that it will be able to adjust for changes in ambient conditions, other raw materials characteristics as well as for such factors as changes in haul times to a project.
Submittals - Preparing mixture submittals manually can be a time-consuming task. Typically, the QC manager must either hand-calculate mixture proportions or go through old files to find an existing mixture. After the mixture proportions are determined, a secretary (if one is available) must type up the submittal and return it for a signature before it is mailed out.
seeMIX can substantially speed up the mixture submittal process. Because previously determined mixtures are stored in one place on the computer, it is easy to locate them. The user can then just punch a button and have seeMIX print the entire submittal - complete with mixture proportions, mixture analysis and combined aggregate gradings. The report even has a signature line for the QC manager to sign. Users report this save hours on a monthly basis.
seeMIX concrete-producer users report savings of $.25 to $1.00 per cubic yard using the mix technology in seeMIX. Additionally, the program saves time and frequently results in more rapid submittal approvals. The program costs US$995.00 and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. For more information, contact The Shilstone Companies at the number below.
seeSTAT helps a concrete producer make use of his experience to improve concrete quality, reduce costs and minimize problems. It does not require a technical mathematical background. It is meant the average person in the construction industry. With it, a producer can:
Reduce costs - A concrete mixture that produces strengths in excess of 20% over its target design is possibly wasteful. The American Concrete Institute provides statistical guidelines to determine a strength overdesign based on the standard deviation of 30 tests. seeSTAT can calculate this overdesign and, when used in conjunction with seeMIX, determine an appropriate cement content to reduce excessive overdesign.
Produce submittals - Engineers and government agencies are requiring more and more backup documentation for concrete mixture submittals. seeSTAT allows the concrete producer or laboratory to record concrete test results, then produce any of over 500,000 reports. seeSTAT can produce:
Identify the causes of problems - Regression analysis creates a graph that shows how one test relates to another. For example, a graph plotting air content vs. compressive strength can show how much a given change in the air content will affect the strength. Also, from this data, seeSTAT can determine how closely the data correlate. This greatly simplifies the process of determining what factors are important to the concrete strength.
Spot trends - Both the time-line and cusum charts make it easy to spot trends affecting the concrete. Typically, in the summer concrete strengths decrease. If an adjustment is not made to the mixture, strengths may go below specified limits. In fall the strengths may rise, resulting in excessively high strengths. In either case, seeSTAT graphs make it easy to spot these trends so the appropriate action can be taken.
seeSTAT greatly simplifies the concrete quality control process and makes writing submittals and reports a snap. It costs US$995.00 and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. For more information, contact The Shilstone Companies at the number below.
seeMAT-A is very similar to seeSTAT, except instead of recording data for concrete tests, it records test results for aggregate. seeMAT-A can also:
It can also produce the same timeline charts, tabular reports, regression analysis and cusum charts that seeSTAT can produce. It costs US$995.00 and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. For more information, contact The Shilstone Companies at the number below.
seeMAT-C and seeMAT-P do for cement and pozzolans, such as fly ash, what seeSTAT and seeMAT-A do for concrete and aggregate.
For more information, contact The Shilstone Companies at the number below.
Demo DiskYou may download a "slide-show" demo disk of Shilstone Software. First, you must download the demo disk. Some browsers will require that you turn on your "Capture to Disk" option first.
Once you have downloaded the SHILSOFT.EXE program, use File Manager to go to the directory where you have stored the file. SHILSOFT.EXE is a "self-extracting archive". It will not run the demo by itself. Double click on the SHILSOFT.EXE file to expand the files into their working setup. Then double click on DEMO.BAT to start the demo.
For more information, contact:
Jay Shilstone jay.shilstone@shilstone.com Shilstone Companies (214) 361-9681 9400 N. Central Expy., #105 FAX: (214) 361-7925 Dallas, TX, 75231 BBS: (214) 361-8873 U.S.A. (Concrete Consultant) http://www.shilstone.com