Augers should operate for what percentage of the time to maintain nearly continuous operation?

• A. 85-100%
• B. 60-80%
• C. 40-50%
• D. 100-120%

Answer: (A)

Maintaining a high duty cycle for the auger is essential to keep production nearly continuous. The auger feeds material into the mixer, so when it runs most of the time, the feed rate stays steady, heat is maintained, and the mix remains uniform. The best practical range is to operate the auger for the vast majority of production time—roughly 85 to 100 percent—so there are only brief interruptions for jams, refilling, or minor adjustments. If the auger runs significantly less (60–80% or 40–50%), frequent stops and starts disrupt feed consistency, cause temperature and asphalt content fluctuations, and lead to uneven quality. A range above 100% isn’t possible in real operation, so aiming for the upper end of the duty cycle ensures nearly continuous operation.