ABSTRACT
There are several reasons why, a different approach to the discussion of production control has been adopted. Although each member of staff has terms of reference for their tasks, each is a member of a team whose target is to manufacture and deliver precast products that are of an agreed quality and price and delivered at the agreed time and place. Anything from a hand trowel up to a multi-million pound machine as well as control consoles, switches and the like are all plant and require control in one form or another. Aggregates, cement, additives, water and admixtures are the main ingredients in concrete and these may either be routine repetitive deliveries or ‘specials’. Depending upon the process, the product may be anything from seconds to hours old at the time of demoulding. Freshly demoulded products such as hydraulically pressed paving/kerb, packerhead pipes, blocks, floor tiles and earth-moist cast stone need special attention as they can be easily damaged.
