In various European countries filling speeds have been experimented with to try and lower labour costs.
Filling speeds usually vary between 6 and 13 metres per minute. There are always growers who reach extremes but speed must never be at the cost of the quality of filling.
It’s vital that the machine is never stopped unnecessarily! The constant flow of raw materials must be harmonised to the speed of the filling machine. The vehicles with the filling material must be able to unload at a similar rate. Filling depth also has a big influence on the raw materials supplied. Don’t overlook the casing soil which can sometimes be heavier due to natural circumstances. If you have to fill faster, more casing soil must also be processed in the same space of time. This can have a negative effect on the microstructure if the casing soil is compacted! Using a caccing-axle cant really solve this problem. Often too much casing soil piles up in front of the reducing axles, causing the upper surface of the casing soil to be over compacted.
Jos Buth, C point
