Sourcing the concrete floor milling machine is not like sourcing the FMCG, as the product, usage, technology are totally different. Who are you looking for is not only a new supplier, but also the stable sources for your future business.
Focus on supplier itself by incorporating these 5 tips into your sourcing strategy.
1. Brief introduction
1.1 What is the concrete floor milling machine?
Concrete floor milling machine, also called floor removal machine, rotates with cutter or diamond blades, at high speed to chip away the concrete surface. It is practical and efficient equipment for almost every floor preparation job that involves concrete or asphalt. The floor milling machine helps you save time, energy and money in the construction works.
Concrete milling machine has various types on size, drive source, milling depth & width, and cutters &blades. Quick-change cutters allow you replace cutters or blades in minutes.
1.2 Which surfaces the concrete floor milling machines are used?
Concrete milling machines are widely used in municipal concrete conservation, road asphalt & concrete construction, epoxy surface construction, flooring surface treatment (emery surface floor, wear-resistant floor) and other surfaces fields, for erase single traffic lines, eliminate floor heights, generate adhesion and etc.
2. 5 Tips for indentify the good supplier of concrete milling machine
Considering more factors helps you choose the right supplier and build a more effective supply chain collaboration. Cost for choosing a concrete milling machine is an important indicator for choosing a supplier; however, concentrating only on low cost hurts in the long term if the quality of concrete milling machine is below standard.
Focus on quality by these 5 tips into your sourcing work:
2.1：Manufacturing Technology
New technology has come with many benefits. Qualified suppliers of concrete milling machine use the latest technology available to keep their competitiveness in the market.
Check if the supplier invests in modern technology instead of outdated processes. For example, milling drum is heat treated throughout, using the best engineering and heating techniques based on the Rockwell scale. Some suppliers of concrete floor milling machine still offer drums with brushings, only heat treating the brushings but not the drums. Those instruments work on concrete well for a time, but eventually the bushings fail, and the drum also fails from the weariness of bushings. Hence the concrete contractors find that the replacement of bushing no longer fits into the drum correctly.
There is another case about the manufacturing technology of concrete floor grinding machine. It is related with the spare part-tungsten carbide cutter. The traditional material is #45 steel, heat treated, and the hardness reaches 40-45HRA. However, another material-alloy steel, with the update technology, is proved to be better and less crack, as it could reach to the hardness of 45-55HRA, more sharp and wear-resistant.
2.2：Capabilities
Check if the suppliers could meet your demand on the concrete milling.
Which models are available?
The models vary according to cutting width，power source, machinery structure and weight. The below parameters are the main stream models in the market:
Cutting width:
there are 200mm, 250mm, 300mm, 350mm wide series;
Engine or motor: 3hp, 5.5hp, 9hp, 13hp, 20hp, 25 hp, 38hp, etc.
Milling depth:
A: 1-2mm, smallest, walk behind model, width mostly 200mm, usually 3hp or 2.2kw for single phrase; around 70 pcs cutters, weight no more than 70 kg.
B: 2-5mm, middle size, walk behind model, width 200-300mm, around 9-13hp, 100pcs cutters; weight is 100-150kg.
C: 5-30mm, heavy duty, 300-400kg, self propelled, walking driven by hydraulic transmission; with the diamond blades, the cutting depth could reach to 30mm for every pass.
Power source:
Electrical motors on 220v-240v, single phrase, for most areas of the world; on 110v-120v, only for US, Canada, Japan, a few countries in South America, and a few areas in UK, as 110v -120v is regarded to be more safe; 380v-440v, three phrase, industrial voltage, also for most areas of the world; usually 50hz, but a few countries uses 60hz, like Philippine. 60hz motor needs to specially made as it is not a standard motor; The electrical motor are mainly used indoors, and ships;
For outdoor use, usually the gasoline engines or the diesel engines are chosen for concrete floor milling machine.
There is few other power source; very few small floor milling machine uses the air compressor, but it is not the mainstream in the concrete surface market.
Milling Tooling:
1) Tungsten Carbide Tipped (TCT) Cutters: Multi-point hardened steel cutter with tungsten carbide insert.
2) Beam Cutters: Heat treated steel cutter.
3) Milling Cutters: Tipped with tungsten carbide
4) Diamond blades: produce fast and efficient results on different surfaces.
2.3：Manufacturing experience
Different machine requires different manufacturing experience, which requires time and accumulation. The more experience, the less mistake.
If you are involved in the OEM and ODM manufacturing, you might have to participate into their supply chain of some parts. Also you have to check the skills they possess, and the right tool to mill, drill, turn, and lathe the machinery parts.
2.4：Quality control
The supplier needs to prove that he is capable of quality control, focusing on customer support, and having a clear inner communication channel. This shows that they also have a way of ensuring accuracy through quality control.
2.5： Try small orders
If you request the customized concrete floor milling machine, it needs to be cautions and necessary to try the small orders before bulk order and then extend to a long-term cooperation.
The knowledge on product features, technology, and machinery parts will help you search the good supplier of concrete floor milling machine.
