Category Archives: Maintenance

Heavy equipment maintenance: tips, tricks and best practices

Heavy equipment maintenance is an important aspect of ensuring the longevity and efficiency of heavy machinery. By performing regular maintenance checks, businesses can reduce the risk of breakdowns, minimize downtime, and improve overall productivity. Here are some tips, tricks, and best practices for heavy equipment maintenance:

  1. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines: Every piece of heavy equipment comes with a manual that outlines the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. Adhering to these guidelines is essential for maintaining the equipment’s warranty and avoiding potential problems.
  2. Keep a maintenance log: Keeping a detailed log of all maintenance activities can help track the history of the equipment, identify potential problems early on, and provide a reference for future maintenance.
  3. Perform regular inspections: Regular inspections should be conducted to identify potential issues and address them before they become bigger problems. This can include checks of hydraulic fluids, lubricants, and electrical systems, among others.
  4. Clean and lubricate: Cleaning and lubricating moving parts regularly can help reduce wear and tear and extend the lifespan of the equipment. Be sure to use the proper type of lubricant as specified by the manufacturer.
  5. Replace worn parts: Regular inspections should also include a check for worn or damaged parts. Replacing these parts promptly can help prevent bigger problems and improve the overall performance of the equipment.
  6. Conduct preventive maintenance: Preventive maintenance involves scheduled checks and services to keep the equipment in top working condition. This can include tasks such as oil changes, filter replacements, and tightening of bolts and fasteners.
  7. Train operators: Heavy equipment operators play a critical role in maintaining their equipment. Providing training on proper operation and maintenance can help ensure that operators are using the equipment correctly and making necessary maintenance checks.
  8. Plan for downtime: Unexpected downtime can have a significant impact on operations, so it’s important to plan for maintenance activities to minimize the impact. Scheduling maintenance during periods of lower demand can help reduce downtime and improve productivity.

In conclusion, heavy equipment maintenance is an important aspect of ensuring the longevity and efficiency of heavy machinery. By following these tips, tricks, and best practices, businesses can minimize the risk of breakdowns, reduce downtime, and improve overall productivity.

Regular greasing of heavy equipment can increase its longevity

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For a heavy equipment operator or for a construction company owner, heavy equipment has been an integral part of their daily life. An operator just can’t think his life without heavy equipment and probably spends more time with the machine than with his family. In a way, the machine becomes his family for the larger duration of the day and at times he finds the lifeless thing as his best pal. Heavy equipment play a very crucial role in determining the future of a construction company. If the owner keeps the machines in order, then he simply increases the longevity of the machines. However, if he does not keep them in order, he is only messing up his own business.

One of the most important parts in keeping the machine healthy is timely applying grease to it. Heavy equipment work in tough terrain and are often prone to dust particles entering inside the interiors of the machine causing friction. If the friction is too frequent, then it can cause irreparable damage to the machine. According to Stede Granger, OEM technical manager of Shell Lubricants, we cannot just limit grease as a lubricant but it works much more than that. It works as a hurdle to contamination. However, he is also of the view to check what kind of greasing your machine requires.

All the heavy equipment has own set of requirements and may not match with the other equipment. Same goes with the greasing of the equipment. One type of grease may not be suitable for all the equipment and therefore there are different types of greases available in the market. At the same time, there are also different qualities of greases available. It depends upon how much you can afford for your machine. Ideally, it is not necessary to apply the most expensive grease as it may not suit your machine. You need to know what kind of grease goes well with your equipment.

Just in case, you do not know what kind of grease you need to apply on your machine, it is better that you consult this with some expert in your place and get to know about it. You can also join a forum and get people’s opinion. You will never find yourself short of opinions as people will always come with information to help you out.  You can also find some help in the user manual that you get from the heavy equipment manufacturing company. Those manuals can be helpful to you as well. Nevertheless, it has been found that people find the descriptions given in the user manual to be kind of vague and it ultimately does not go well with the machine. It is not that they did not follow the instructions properly, but it simply does not work on their machine. The equipment’s working environment plays a pivotal role in determining what kind of grease will the machine need. You just can’t depend on one type of grease. Your machine may need different types of greases to keep working.

Do not let winter eat away your heavy equipment

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Winter is a major cause of concern for both heavy equipment manufacturing companies as well as construction companies. Once it starts snowing, things become very difficult for them to carry on. The ongoing projects come to a standstill and there are high chances that the construction companies may not be able to deliver the work in time and due to this they may incur heavy losses. No business would ever like to make losses just because the weather condition is hostile and it did not allow the men to work. Other than that, the construction companies are also at risk as far as their equipment are concerned. Most of the equipment during winters just do not want to start. So the operators also face a tough time in getting the equipment started. A lot needs to be done to take care of the machine during the winters. Heavy equipment are at their worst during this chill season and if proper care is not taken then there may be lot of complications which will ultimately result in a bigger mess.

Check if the engine oil is in order:-

We tend to remain so busy with our work that we fail to give the required attention to the machines. Changing the engine oil at least once in 2 months should be done without fail. However especially winters, they should be checked more frequently and made sure that the engine oil is in good shape. In case, if the oil becomes thick then it is time to change the oil. Any delay in that situation will only cause problem to the machine reducing its longevity.

Get the equipment serviced by an expert mechanic:-

Just when the winter is knocking the door, it is advisable to get the equipment serviced by an expert mechanic. It would be prudent if you do not get the machine serviced by anybody other than an expert. Just when the winter is at the corner, a lot of things need to be checked in the machine which may often get skipped by a routine mechanic but may hardly skip the eye of an expert.

Painting the machine will be a good alternative:-

If you have an old machine and it needs urgent attention of the mechanic, get it checked first and then get it paint for once. Painting the machine will give a new look to the machine. You can also put some stickers or logos especially in areas where it is slightly dented and has scratch marks on it. Painting the equipment may also protect it from getting rusted during the chilled season. It acts as a good alternative when you are short of money.

Get the faulty parts replaced:-

Just in case if any part of the machine (attachable or not) goes faulty, it should be replaced as soon as possible. Just in case, if it is not replaced in time then severe cold may cause further problem which may become irreparable.

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Heavy Equipment summer maintenance

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After having a chilled winter season, summer is probably the best season one can get to cherish. It is ideally during this season that people plan out their vacations, go out to meet their dear ones living in some other state and enjoy their lives in the warm sunny weather. However, this very same summer season which is so pleasant to many of the folks can be real bad for guys belonging to the construction industry. They may have a hard time keeping their heavy equipment cool. Just because the machines are getting hotter, they can’t pull off from work. They have to continue with their businesses and still ensure that the machine does not get blown off due to excessive heat and do everything possible to keep it cool. Heavy equipment go through number of complications during this season and they suffer chronic breakdowns. We have seen numerous instances where the machines give up when the weather is pleasant, it can become worse when the weather is actually hot.

The workers working in the construction site also finds it difficult to work in a hot climatic condition. However, they still have the leverage to cool themselves by moving in an air-conditioned room but the same logic can’t be applied in case of heavy equipment. If the operator feels the machine has got too hot, he can only stop working so that he can give some time to the engine to cool down. Due to hot weather, it will take more time than usual to cool and the operator will be losing productive time. This will lead to unwanted delay in the completion of the project resulting in many unnecessary repercussions.

Taking the heat into consideration, heavy equipment manufacturing companies are producing machines that can bear the excessive heat and can work without having to wait to let the machine cool down. However, this kind of technology has not been completely successful. Machines possessing this technology also break down causing more trouble to the construction company.

Check your equipment at the end of the day:-

Once you are done for the day, make sure that you spend some time giving a good look to your equipment. If required do some cleaning. Cleaning the machine with water can really help in cooling down its system and also remove the dirt that sticks to the inner portions of the machine. You do not have to spend a lot of time for this activity. You can devote at least half an hour of your time or may be less than that in checking if everything is in order and in case if it needs any action to be taken, you can take a call yourself or contact the immediate supervisor and get the issue fixed.

Monthly maintenance is a must:-

Other than doing a daily check-up, a monthly maintenance is equally important. Get hold of an expert mechanic who can do a monthly check-up of your machines. Changing the engine oil, applying lubricants and other necessary stuffs needs to be done during this time. Give your machine a new life and it will work for many years to come.

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Effective greasing of heavy equipment can elongate its life

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We take a good deal of effort to ensure that our heavy equipment are in order and it does not break down when we need them the most. For instance, when we have an important project in hand and need the machine to work all throughout the day, we will just not want it to stop working for any stupid reason. But in case if it breaks down due to its parts being not sufficiently lubricated, it only shows how much we care for our equipment. It is therefore of utter importance that we apply appropriate greasing on the equipment at regular intervals. This will not only ensure that our machines are in order but also will save you from incurring any financial losses.

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In order for the heavy equipment to work in proper condition, appropriate greasing is very essential. Over greasing can also become a big problem which can prove very costly to you. It can lead to several complications in the machines like collapsed seals, high operating temperatures etc. So, people who are of the thought that applying lot of grease can strengthen the life of the machine can fall completely flat on their faces when they will begin to experience these issues in their machines.

Before you apply grease on your machine, it is also important to understand that if the grease is the right one for your machine. Not all kind of grease on earth will suit your equipment and in order to know what will go better with your equipment, you need to check the user manual of the product. In case, you are unable to understand that, you can also go through few internet articles that speaks about the kind of greasing you need to do for your machine. Lastly, you may also get in touch with an expert mechanic who will guide you with the lubricant you can apply on the machine.

Grease is ideally a combination of 3 components; i.e. oil, thickener and additives. By mixing these 3 components, lubricants of different types are produced. The oil that is used in lubricants is ideally mineral oil and it has been seen that such greases have shown significant performances in keeping the machine well lubricated. However, in case of extreme temperatures, synthetic based oil is most effective. The oil is then mixed with a thickener which can be a metallic soap. This will turn the soap into a semi fluid structure. Concurrently, companies are also using complex thickener type greases as it can provide outstanding capability to pull huge loads.

The complex greases are made by merging the metallic soap with an organic acid that has a very low molecular weight. Just in case if the machine is working in high temperatures, then usage of grease without any soap thickeners can bring optimum results.

For users who do not know what kind of grease they need to apply on their machines, it is recommended that they take some help of experts who knows about the different types and quality of greases and then work it on their machine.

Apply the three maintenance processes on your equipment to improve your business

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Well, running a business successfully is not an easy job. It needs attention, dedication and many more things. If you can give your 100% effort then you can make your dreams come true. In case of construction or oil and gas industry, people need to take help of heavy equipment. It is highly essential that the people should be very careful and maintain the equipment properly. Sometimes, client uses equipment tracking system to track down every single detail related to the equipment. In fact, to maintain it properly, the owners should apply proper maintenance solution on this equipment. It helps to track down the location of the machine and keep its records. You can also monitor its engine runtime and manage its schedule properly. It not only helps to save your time but also increases your business and takes it to the next level.

So, like the other big companies if you are interested in construction industry you should careful of you equipment and always apply proper maintenance to keep it fit and damage free.

Apply proper maintenance to avoid expensive breakdown:

Well, if you do not give proper attention to your equipment then it can have several damages that can harm your equipment. If you need to replace a part of your equipment it can cost you huge amount of money. If you can invest such huge amount of money in your business then you can actually improve your business. Hence, to avoid certain drastic condition, it is highly essential to apply regular maintenance on the equipment. However, it is very difficult to repair the equipment and make it perfect. If you are not an expert on this field then you cannot manage to maintain it properly. By using the proper tools for maintain the workers can actually keep it perfect.

Make a list of useful equipment of your site:

You need to make a list of important and essential equipment that you use in your site. If you are running a construction business then you must have bulldozer, excavator, crane and many more things. If you cannot make a list of them you will not be able to maintain them properly. It will help you to apply a proper checking, replacing or repairing of each item.

Make time for investigation:

Well, it is highly important to arrange proper investigation on your machines. You can perform a research on internet to get an idea on different equipment and know its purposes. If you can manage to know certain details of the machine then it will be easier for you to maintain them properly.

There are the three best processes that can help you to maintain your equipment. Whether you are just a new comer in this business or have huge experience you should always try these things on your equipment, by using such processes you can improve your business and take it to the next level.

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Simple 3 Tips To Maintain A Dozer

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Prevention is always better than cure. Steady and éclat maintenance are key factors to keep the dozers in optimum condition irrespective of the age of the equipment, geographical and weather conditions. Age is the most important thing which acts upon the performance of a dozer. . If you have purchased a used dozer, you have to take extra care. As a used dozer has undergone wear and tear for many years, its level of performance automatically stoops down.

You may have faced problems with the performance of your used dozer many times and at the same time, you cannot stop using this equipment as it plays a major role in a construction site. So, why not maintain spend some time in maintaining your dozer properly? After you read this short article, you will realise how easy it is to keep up your dozer’s proficiency.

Tips to maintain a dozer properly

  • Checkups for steady repair: – Regular checkups of the dozer are essential to ensure a fine working condition. You should change the oil and other fluids in a systematic interval. If you keep your dozer in extremely wet climatic condition, it will damage more quickly. It is because rust will form rapidly on the important parts of the machine. In case of used dozers, the chains, bolts and the undercarriage should be checked to detect the damaged parts.

 

Checking helps to increase the life span of the constructional equipment. If you find any defaced part, immediately repair it with the assistance of a skilled technician. To avoid any kind of damage, don’t forget to use appropriate tools while checking. You should also put on Hard Hat and gloves while going through the machine.

  • Cleaning of the track frame: – To work in muddy conditions especially in winter freezes the mud on the track frame of the dozer. Therefore, you cannot ignore cleaning off the mud while the equipment is still warm. Use a track spade which perfectly fits into the gap between the track and the frame making the work of cleaning smoother for you. After cleaning, park the dozer either in the snow or on aged tires.

 

If you do not shovel the mud, it will freeze on the track creating a big problem for the dozer to start up and move. The finest way to unfreeze a frozen dozer is to control the heat and fire and to make use of propane light.

  • Maintenance of Electrical system: – Proper maintenance ofelectrical system which consists of batteries and wires should not be overlooked. Their periodical checkup is necessary to avoid short circuit. Replace the damage or old battery instantly once you detect them. Your wire should be good enough with an efficient fuse system.

 

Use 12 V batteries connected in series to ensure the working of your 12V radio for two-way business. You can also make use of an inline fuse system close to your battery. It will help the radio to work more effectively without causing any harm to the other parts of the machine.

To put it practically, routine maintenance of equipment will help you to save your money. So, it’s better to do minor fixing to upturn the average life of the dozer.

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Heavy Equipment Maintenance- Corrective Vs Preventative

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There can absolutely be no doubt about the fact that the heavy construction equipment forms an important part of the construction industry. It is on them that the successful and smooth completion of the construction deadline depends. It is, therefore, quite obvious that maintenance of these heavy equipment holds an important position in the entire business.

The Corrective and the Preventative Modes of Maintenance

The hectic schedule of the construction arena often leads the construction workers to overlook the maintenance factor. However, that is one important aspect of the arena that people simply cannot afford to overlook. The mode of maintenance of construction equipment can be basically grouped under two heads- the corrective maintenance mode and the preventative maintenance mode.

Deemed as being one of the most popular and common approaches towards the maintenance of heavy equipment, the corrective maintenance works towards the restoration of the equipment in its original operative condition by resolving the equipment failure. The preventative maintenance approach, on the other hand, focuses on preventing the heavy equipment from further breakdowns. This approach has been deemed to be the best way of going about heavy equipment maintenance by experts. By opting for regular investigations and thorough check up, you can ensure the long-term well being of your heavy equipment.

The Benefits of Preventative Maintenance Measures for Heavy Equipment

The preventative mode of maintenance has been deemed to be the best approach when it comes to the maintenance of heavy equipment. Not only does it detect the flaws in heavy equipment but also saves construction companies a lot of money that would have otherwise gone in the damage control operations of the heavy equipment. The entire preventative maintenance scheme has a number of advantages to speak of.

  • Not only does the preventative maintenance approach prove to be friendly economically, but it also adds to the value of the heavy construction equipment quite drastically.
  • Preventative mode of maintenance also serves to increase the heavy equipment uptime along with acting as an inhibitor in their breakdown.
  • The preventative measures along with adding life to the heavy construction equipment also enhances utilization on the part of the workers.
  • By opting for the preventative maintenance measures, you can ensure the safety and security of those workers who are directly involved with the operation of heavy equipment. And then there is the fact that this measure also contributes a great deal to the quality of the work.
  • And last but not the least; breakdown of heavy equipment and repairing it involves a lot of paperwork. By opting for the preventative measures of maintenance for your heavy equipment, you will be able to witness a significant reduction in the paperwork.

The smooth operation of a construction site is directly proportional to the smooth working of the heavy construction equipment. And going for preventive maintenance measures is definitely one of the best ways to ensure that you have an equipment that is in perfect working condition.

Increase the Life of Your Heavy Equipment- Go for Oil Analysis

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That the use of heavy equipment is mandatory for the success of a construction project is a fact that cannot be denied in any way. Being in charge of the construction industry almost always equals to dealing with heavy construction equipment. And dealing with heavy construction equipment comes hand in hand with maintenance and safety issues which cannot be overlooked. Oil analysis has been found to be one of the many ways in which could proceed towards this goal.

What Is Oil Analysis All About?

So, the very first thing that must come to your mind is what is oil analysis all about? Broadly speaking, oil analysis refers to the test conducted on the properties of a lubricant in a laboratory. A part of preventive maintenance measures, oil analysis has been proved to be helpful in a number of ways. The entire process is carried out in three different stages, viz, analysis of the various properties of the oil, analysis of the contaminants and analysis of the debris from the equipment accumulating out of wear and tear.

Oil Analysis and the Heavy Equipment

The entire oil analysis procedure has been found to be quite useful for maintenance of heavy equipment. One cannot deny the fact that maintenance plays a key role in determining how long particular heavy equipment will survive. And oil analysis helps construction site owners do exactly that. It helps them in determining what is best for their heavy equipment thus, increasing its longevity.

Machine Conditioning Monitoring has emerged as one of the latest trends in the entire heavy equipment maintenance affair. Based on oil analysis, this system, though not compulsory, has been found to hold a significant position nonetheless. Heavy equipment go through a lot in the entire construction business. It is the heavy equipment that are exposed to extreme working conditions, going through all the rough patches in order to complete a construction project on time. In such a situation, oil analysis can emerge as a significant contributor to the entire maintenance procedure of the equipment and increase its longevity.

An effective oil analysis can prove to be of great help in not only determining the assets of the construction equipment, but also prove to be significant in putting a leash on abrupt failures, increasing both productivity and longevity. Oil analysis takes aspects, such as, viscosity, water, fuel dilution, soot, wear metals and the like into account for its purpose. This is important, as it is this procedure that will help determine the next step that is to be taken in the entire maintenance procedure.

It therefore, would not be wrong to conclude that the oil analysis does prove to be an important factor in the entire maintenance procedure of heavy equipment. Not only does it ensure the optimal utilisation of the equipment but also adds to the entire longevity factor of the equipment.

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Making the most from your oil analysis data

Oil analysis also known as OA is used to get accurate information of the lubricant and the condition of the machine. With the help of oil analysis one can eliminate heavy costs involved in the maintenance of the machine. Tribologists are there to interpret the data of oil analysis.

Oil analysis helps to identify two primary oil conditions that can cause hazards to the equipment:

  • Measuring the acid number and oil viscosity help to detect the chemical changes that has occurred due to thermal degradation of the oil.
  • Metallic contaminants in the oil are detected by Atomic Emission Spectroscopy which also indicates lube mixing.

Tribologists use the Oil analysis data and distinguish the new oil from the used one to replace the oil at the correct time. A careful Oil analysis data sometimes make the oil sweetened either by putting some quantity of fresh oil or by adding replenishing additives that were drained.

What is the use of oil analysis?

  • Amount of dirt contaminants present in the oil.
  • Fuel liquefaction of lubrication oil.
  • Limitless bearing wear.
  • Quantity of antifreeze in the oil.
  • Lubricant is correctly applied or not.

Through oil analysis one can peer inside the engine, transmission and hydraulic system without dismantling the machine.

How to take an oil sample for oil analysis?

An oil sample represents the condition of all of the oil in the machine. It is useful to get the oil hot and thoroughly mixed before taking it as a sample.

Taking the oil sample at the time of draining is more preferable because during draining some of the used oil will be drained and one could store the remaining oil in an appropriate container.

One can have oil sample by sucking out the oil by connecting a plastic tube with the oil reservoir.

How to choose the best oil analysis laboratory?

There are many oil analysis laboratory and choosing the right one is definitely a herculean task. Some points are given below that may help one to choose the right laboratory.

  • Turnaround time is one of the most important factors. It means the time which the laboratory has taken to test the sample. It should be 24 to 48 hours after the sample has been received by the lab.
  • Alert notification through email, telephone call, fax or by sending message should be given to the person if some kind of abnormality is detected during testing.
  • One has to find out whether the industry is specialised in that kind of testing equipment’s oil or not.
  • The analyst should interpret the environmental information, condition of the fluid, contaminants parameters and machine wear parameters and directs the person for the next step that should be taken to save the machine.
  • One should find out a laboratory that performs wide range of tests and not only one that fits the person.
  • Oil analysis test is mainly based on “you get what you pay for.” So one should not prefer price over quality service.

Oil analysis data serve as a tool to measure the condition of lubrication management procedure. So it is important to make the most from oil analysis data and prevent the machine from its early breakdown.