Category Archives: heavy equipment

7 Simple Tips for Young people starting a career in Construction

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When one thinks about beginning a career in the construction sector, he needs to be pretty sure what he is getting into because though this industry rewards people who work hard to achieve success, it also punishes those who are not able to perform. So one has to be sure which side he wants to be in. There is no rule book that one can follow to make a career in the construction business; it is just that they need to be patient enough and follow what is right and ethical. They won’t be able to taste success in a year’s time. They got to work hard and if they feel that things are not working right for them, then they need to work harder. Follow the right path, devote yourself completely and you will see things working out for you.

Give a thought before you finally pull the trigger:-

You should not want to make a career in the construction domain just because you see your friend’s dad making huge sum out there or you see one of your relatives doing good in his business. That should be a motivating factor for you as they all must have worked extremely hard to get to the place where they are now but that does not mean that you should do exactly what they did. You can get success in anything that you do provided you give your 100% to your work. So before you decide about walking in this industry, think if you really want to stay here for your entire life or else you will end up wasting couple of years of your life into this.

Know more about heavy equipment:-

Knowing about heavy equipment is very important if you want to be in this business. You should know which machine is used for what purpose and accordingly you can take decisions on procuring heavy equipment.

Check your finances before you go for any procurements:-

Starting a business in construction sector is no child’s play and it requires huge amount of investments. You therefore need to check your finances before you go ahead with any procurements of construction machines. You also need to keep into deliberation the operating and non-operating expenses that may incur while you are active in your business.

Hiring competent operators is the key:-

Ensure that you hire competent operators who are experienced in working with different kinds of heavy equipment. They are the ones who also know what needs to be done to keep the heavy equipment healthy.

Try to generate contacts by picking up small projects;-

Since you are new to this business, it is pretty evident that you will not be able to bag big projects as the giver won’t have the confidence in you. Simultaneously, it will not be feasible for you to handle big projects if you do not have any experience in handling any projects. It will be complete chaos. Therefore, pick up small works and try to complete them on time. This will help you to gain experience and simultaneously you will also develop contacts.

Be honest and ethical to your work:-

Honesty and ethics are very important in a business where you are dealing with your client’s trust. Be honest with your work and maintain ethics while conducting our business.

Engage with your employees:-

Always maintain a good rapport with your employees as they are the ones who will work hard with you to give a good shape to your business.

 

 

Become heavy equipment technician and earn a rewarding career

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If we look into the spectrum of the construction industry or the heavy equipment sector, we can see immense opportunities for people who can get into it during their early life. They will benefit the most as they will get a lot of time to learn things and understand the zone that they want to marvel. It is true that the heavy equipment domain is quite big and complex and it is simply not possible for anybody to learn everything and therefore what can be done is simply know what you are interested in doing and work on that all your life. This will make you the expert in that domain and will also help you to earn a rewarding career. Simultaneously there are been a never ending demand for professionals who have their expertise in the field of heavy equipment and who are far better technicians.

We will be talking in length about how becoming a technician can earn you a rewarding career and make you the man that you have always wished to become.

Construction companies are on look of good technicians:-

Every construction company wants their machines to work at all times. They however do not spend much time on maintaining it but certainly expects a lot from it. As a result of this, there are high chances of them breaking down. Now if a machine breaks down, it directly impacts the work in that department and also to a certain extent the monetary part of the project. No work for a day can make a huge impact on the finances of a company who are handling big operations. This has resulted too many companies hiring heavy equipment technicians whose basic job will be to keep the equipment maintained and ensure that they all are in working condition all throughout the year. In case, if they see any problem pertaining to the machine, report it to the next guy up in hierarchy and get it resolved.

Knowing the importance of these technicians, the construction companies are always in hunt of good experienced men who can really make a huge difference as far as getting the issue resolved. They are indeed ready to pay them a fat package for their services. Unfortunately, they severely experience a shortfall of such men which has invariable increased their demand.

Can open a workshop of your own:-

Heavy equipment technicians who are pretty knowledgeable to this profession and have worked with almost every kind of machine do not wish to work with any construction companies. On the other hand, they find it better to open their own workshop and run their business from there. In this way, they become their own boss and do not have to share the income with anybody apart from his employees. So the plan is pretty simple. You become a technician, work for some company and gain experience and then if you feel like doing a freelancer job, you are free to do so.

Modern heavy equipment are the need of the hour in the construction business

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The construction business has always been a competitive zone and it has been observed that more and more people are getting into this industry making the competition all the more difficult. With new competitors in the market who are ready to take bigger risk, the one with more experience are having a tough time dealing with the fact that there is an urgent requirement of sophisticated heavy equipment to sustain in the competitive environment. There is only thing that can keep you above from the rest and that is technologically advanced machines. Your machines should be capable of doing work that others take days to complete and if you possess such machines then you have more chances of getting big projects that has huge profit margins. At the end of the day, it is all about the quality of work that you give to your clients that will decide the existence of your company.

Follow the best brands in the market:-

Technologically advanced machines are manufactured by many heavy equipment companies. However, the difference lies in the quality of those machines. Not every machine manufactured by different set of companies will deliver in the same manner. Some will last long enduring the same wear and tear and others will give away sooner. So you have to decide which one will be yours. Often the heavy equipment manufactured by the top brands lasts longer than their counterparts and therefore that should be your first choice. You can then do your own research and nail the one that suits your requirements. However, it is critical that you go for the top brands and not with companies that does not have significant name in the heavy equipment industry. Other than that, you can expect decent resale money if you sell machine of branded companies but can’t expect the same from a non-branded one.

Though expensive but worth the price:-

The technologically advanced machines are quite expensive given the ease and comfort it provides to the user. It is agreed that such machines are not affordable to everyone but at the same time also not beyond the reach of people who seriously want to upgrade their arsenal. The user will undoubtedly find it to be expensive but at the same time they will also feel that it is absolutely worth the price. If it is an absolutely out of budget case, one can opt for the smaller version of such machines. They will not cost much and also will be within the reach of many. It can act as a substitute for the larger version.

Real comfort for the operators:-

It is the operators who go through the pain of operating the machine. They have to take immense care when they are working with equipment that is not much advanced. Any mistake from their end can result in a big casualty. They will always appreciate if they are given machines that are simple to operate and does not need too much of their attention. They call them intelligent machines and they need such machines for work.

Volvo Articulated Trucks

Trucks have always been considered as one of the most integral component in the heavy equipment segment. The importance of trucks is required every time and everywhere no matter what the circumstances are. Be it a rough weather or a smooth one, trucks are always expected to haul materials from one place to another. Most of the time, It is needed to haul heavy equipment as they can’t be driven from one state to another. They need to be carried upon a truck to be transported. However, the trucks that are meant to carry heavy equipment and the one that carries debris are not one and the same. There are varieties of trucks that are available in the market and each of them is designed for a specific purpose. So you can’t just buy a truck and use it for all your work. It just does not function that way.

Heavy equipment manufacturing companies are also into production of trucks but the company that is renowned in producing articulated trucks is Volvo. It is tough to beat the market leaders and in order to put your product in front of the audience you need to bring something exceptional. This is how you can beat the rest who have capitalized the heavy equipment industry for years. Volvo has proven its metal well as far as articulated trucks are concerned and is producing some of the finest trucks that are being used by numerous construction and mining companies all over the world.

Volvo is considered to be the King of Productivity when it comes to producing trucks. They have recently come up with A40G FS articulated truck which has succeeded to become the eye candy of major companies. It is basically a dump truck that is used to dump materials in the dump-yard. However, it is installed with complete hydraulic front and rear suspension. This actually allows the trucks to move at a high speed and still be in control both when it is loaded as well as unloaded. The new suspension system that Volvo has come up with provides enhanced productivity and also ensures that there it offers maximum comfort to the driver even in rough terrain.

Another intrinsic feature of Volvo articulated truck is the spacious cab that it offers to the driver with superb visibility. The inside of the cab is well built and importance has been given to ensure that the driver is able to drive the truck with maximum ease and it does not become an arduous affair for him. All around visibility is something quite imperative for a driver when the weather or the terrain is not such a convenient one. Also it minimizes the risk of an accident since the driver is able to make out things that may close too close to the truck.

It is also installed with a fire suppression system that gets automatically activated the moment it detects fire inside the engine bay. This system can be triggered both inside and outside the cabin and ensures that the truck does not incur lot of damage.

Do not spend all your reserves for buying heavy equipment – Take a loan instead

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When you are in the construction business, it is very important to keep your reserves intact and not spend the entire sum buying heavy equipment. The money that you make from your business helps you to run the business and also allows you to buy some machines that are much needed. However, it is also important to understand that these construction equipment are too expensive and one should not utilize all the reserves in buying machines. They should rather look out for options that can be adopted instead of clearing the reserve amount from your account.

If the need of the heavy equipment is too urgent then you should probably look for taking a machine on rent. You will a lot of people willing to rent their machine. Here you do not have to shell all that you have in your reserves to get the stuff. You can pay the rental amount to the giver on each and every month till the contract expires. The rental amount must be agreed upon by both the parties and if you see a chance to negotiate the amount, do not hesitate to do so.

However, if you feel that you may need the machine for your future projects as well and you consider it to be an integral part of your project then you can opt to buy it. Here you have 2 options, either you can buy a used one or you can go for a brand new machine. The used machine will definitely cost you less than a brand new one and hence if you feel that you want to content yourself by buying an used equipment then you got to start looking for sellers who want to sell their machines. Once you ready for the purchase, the next crucial thing that you should do is always pay a small portion of money from your reserves as down payment. The rest of the money should be borrowed from some organized financial institution.

Though you have to pay some interest on the amount you have borrowed but that will not lead to the complete depletion of your financial resources. You will still have money to run the company which is the most needed aspect when you have a construction business at hand. You always got to ensure that you have parked sufficient money for the smooth functioning of the company. Your employees should get their salaries on time and you should carry on with the same goodwill that you have earned over the years.

Before you go for the loan, do some research on the banks that offer business loans and at what rate of interest are they offering the money. They may have some other terms and conditions that one needs to know before they end up taking a loan from them. There may be certain hidden costs which they will come up once you have taken the loan. So try and read the reviews of their existing customers. If they are happy and content with the services of the bank and if they recommend others to go with it, you can take their advices seriously.

Low oil prices affecting heavy equipment industry

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Oil prices have a huge impact on the construction industry as well as on the heavy equipment industry. In the last few years, we have seen the oil price were at its peak and were expecting it to come down. Not only the big industrialists but also the common man was getting badly bruised by the increase in the oil price. But how far the reductions in the oil price will help the heavy equipment companies has become the topic of concern. To put it in other words, does the reduction in oil price really make the business profitable for the heavy equipment industry or is it otherwise. Well, it can have a 2 way effect on the heavy equipment manufacturing companies.

Since for the last many years, oil prices were not ready to come down, which is why heavy equipment manufacturing companies were unanimously were of the opinion to manufacture equipment that will consume less fuel and will be high on productivity. This means that the machines which consume more fuel will slowly and steadily go extinct. Simultaneously, the new technology machine will also cost more to the buyers. This has put the heavy equipment manufacturing companies in a win-win situation as they can make good profits by selling low fuel consumption machines to big construction houses and can make good money out of it. Their plan was solid and also seemed to be fool proof as no one had anticipated that the oil prices can also take a dip in the near future.

Now when the price has come down, the construction houses are not showing much interest in buying machines that consumes less fuel. They are of the belief that since the oil prices are down, it is profitable to buy machines that eats more fuel as they will not cost them a fortune, use it for some years and then if there is an increase in the oil price which they expect would be in a gradual way, they will start looking for buyers. Small time contractors or small construction companies will not mind in buying those used machines at a lower rate. Therefore, the big companies will get their work done and when they see the oil prices are rising, they will get rid of those machines and then probably buy the ones that consumes less fuel.

If things go according to the construction companies wishes, they will be the one who will make the most out of it. However, things may not be as merrier as there is a possibility that the heavy equipment companies may stop manufacturing equipment that consumes more fuel which means the construction companies may have no option other than to buy those expensive machines. In other words, fall in oil prices will not have any positive impact in their company’s balance sheet. It is pretty obvious that the heavy equipment industry will not take a financial hit to please the construction companies and therefore will stick to producing machines with low fuel consumption.

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How to protect heavy equipment during winter

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Heavy equipment has to go through a lot of hardships and unlike humans it does not complain. Well, it does break down when it is unable to take any further but it has a very high level of endurance which makes it the most important component of the construction industry. However, it also becomes futile in front of extreme weather and rough terrain. Be it the hot summer or the wet monsoon or the harsh winter, it is expected to perform throughout the year but there is always a chance of it breaking down if the weather becomes extreme. More so in the winter, when the weather outside is frozen and the inside of the machine needs to be hot. Most of the times, it cranks up and does not start. It is therefore that the heavy equipment owners have to take extra care when it comes to their heavy equipment operating in chilled winter season.

Check if the engine is well lubricated:-

Most of the parts of the machine need to be well lubricated in order to function without any hick-ups. Hence, the operator needs to keep a very close watch and check time to time if the machine is well lubricated and special care needs to be taken with the engine of the machine. The engine oil should be changed on a regular basis and especially during winters, it should be changed once in a month. Due to the frozen climate outside, the oil becomes thick and it does not act as a good lubricator then. This may also affect the health of other parts of the machine which will eventually lead to complete replacement of that part. It absolutely makes no sense to invest money on buying new parts when you can easily change the engine oil at regular intervals.

Clean the fuel tank:-

Cleaning the fuel tank may sound to be trivial but is very crucial when it comes to the overall health of the heavy equipment. You need to clean the fuel tank cap and ensure that the cap is doing well. The fuel should be clean and should not contain any sediment or water. The presence of these components can become a big problem pertaining to fuel injection system failures.

Ensure that the batteries are in good health:-

It is perhaps the batteries that are the affected the most with the beginning of the winter. In order to ensure that the batteries are doing well, the operator should check the battery electrolyte and make sure that it is up to the full indicator and also above the plates. Another trivial but important part is to clean the top of the battery. There happens to be a lot of dirt on the top of the stuff and that can result in energy drain. You can make use of baking soda and terminal bush to clean any corrosion that exists around the posts. If you see that the heavy equipment will not be used during the winters and will be needed some other time, you can just remove the batteries and keep them in a storeroom so that it avoids any direct contact with the outside freezing weather.

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Small dirt moving equipment

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Being into the construction industry, it is very important that you have a mixture of small, medium and large heavy equipment. You never know when you need to enter a zone that for some reason does not give access to large or medium sized machines and therefore you need the smaller one to do the job for you. Being small does not imply that they are any less efficient as far as the productivity of the machine is concerned. It is just that they can more efficiently do the work in the area where large machines just can’t enter. You can find a smaller version in every type of heavy equipment making things far more comfortable for the guy who has taken up the work.

Excavators can be one of the most efficient dirt moving heavy equipment and almost all the construction equipment manufacturing companies produce small sized excavators. They prove to be really helpful in places that have narrow entry point and you need to send the machine through the small passage and get the dirt out. Prices of such excavators depend upon the name of the brands and he features available in the machine. However, they are pretty within the reach of any small construction company and just in case if they too find it a little expensive then always have the option to rent it from its owner. Unlike other heavy equipment, excavators have tracks and do not work on tires.

Backhoe loaders are another sect of machines that fall in the bracket of dirt moving equipment and the smaller version of such machines can really do wonders in a construction site. Small backhoe loaders are also used by companies that can’t afford to buy the bigger version. They can easily do their work without having to spend a fortune on buying expensive machines. Unlike excavators, backhoe loaders are mounted on tires and not on tracks. They have the capability to work both with the shovel and the bucket at the same time. The shovel is attached to the front of the machine and the bucket is at the rear. Many construction companies find backhoe loaders as more compatible machines for jobs that have small space to operate.

Bulldozers can also be a good option when it comes to small dirt moving equipment. They are not only used to flatten the roads but are also used to pick huge piles of dirt and port it from one place to another. They are quite heavy machines and are considered to be the best machine for this job. They have those blades attached in the front using which they dig the mud and pull the dirt out. The blades are usually controlled with the help of hydraulic pistons.

These are probably few dirt moving equipment that are used extensively in construction sites and are also high in demand. One can buy them directly from the company or can even contact the dealer. Do check if you can get any discount before you go for the purchase.

 

 

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Cold Weather Diesel Fuel Tips

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It becomes very tough to get your heavy equipment started during winters. Imagine you have a big project in hand and the work has already started somewhere during the mid of the year and it is going in full swing. Just then, the chilling winter arrives and the machine just does not want to start. It is no less than a nightmare and the worst part is that it is happening for real. It is just the cold weather that can create all sorts of problem in your machine. But if you think that you can deal with it then let’s put it in this way. The problem is just the tip of the iceberg. When it gets colder and starts snowing, things become worse. Because it is then that you do not get mechanics to fix the problem and if you are a guy who does not know how to fix issues, then you are in deep trouble. We all know that heavy equipment run on diesel and diesel has the characteristic to become thick during winters. It turns into a gel like substance losing its liquid form. This becomes the cause of all the trouble. You need to equip yourself with alternatives that you can use to keep the machine on move.

Let us first talk about what happens to diesel fuel during cold weathers and what can be done to ensure that the machine works when it is expected to.

There are ideally two types of concern that we should prepare ourselves to deal with. The first one is gelling and the second is water contamination. Under “Gelling”, the fuel (diesel) turns into a gel-like substance and is not able to flow through the fuel filter. As a result of this, the engine may run irregularly. Often there are more chances of the engine getting turned off during the mid of work. There are also chances of the engine not starting at all. In order to avoid this problem, it is advised to use Diesel One fuel. This kind of fuel has shown positive results in preventing the fuel from turning into wax. Thus, it has been highly effective in keeping the engine intact and has also increased the efficiency of the machine during the winters.

Water Contamination is another problem that hits diesel run heavy equipment hard. Water when it comes in contact with the fuel has the potency to contaminate it in no time. During winter, it becomes very simply for water to get mixed with the fuel thus contaminate the fuel and breaks down the equipment. Water also has the capacity to freeze in fuel at a temperature of below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the supply line of the fuel is freezes, it evidently does not allow the fuel to pass and leads to issues. Just in case, it fails to freeze, then it will definitely become a place for microbial contamination and will have the potency to destroy the important parts of the machine. What can be done to avoid such a situation is using engine block heaters. They are used to keep the engine hot while it’s working. It keeps the engine hot for the next day. So the driver has to unplug the heater and then start off his work.

 

 

What does LGP (low ground pressure) stand for?

Heavy equipment are very heavy and can cause serious damage to the ground if they do not have proper low ground pressure. This is a subject that many people using heavy equipment may not be aware of. It is only because that this subject doesn’t affect their work in any way. However, people who have studied heavy equipment as their subject may know how important low ground pressure is to keep the ground away from much pressure from the heavy equipment. The equipment if do not possess low ground pressure can significantly damage the soil which can be dangerous especially for farmers because they will then slowly and steadily lose the quality of the soil. It may be also possible that the soil may become infertile. Therefore, it becomes very important to reduce the ground pressure from heavy equipment and the keep the quality of the soil intact.

What can be done to reduce the ground pressure from heavy equipment? Well, one of the most important parts that can be done to reduce the ground pressure is replacing the steel tracks with hard plastic tracks. That will significantly bring down the pressure to a larger extent thereby keeping the quality of the soil undamaged. There are few companies that produce such plastic plates that can be used as ground tracks for heavy equipment. Nylatrack plates are one such plate produced by “Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products” that comparatively brings down the weight of the machine. It is said that they are 80% less weighty that the steel plates thus exerting less pressure on the ground. Similarly, there are many more such plastic plates manufacturing companies that play a mighty role in today’s modern engineering and also keeping the ground pressure low.

Another benefit of using plastic tracks is they can easily work on soft grounds which is difficult for heavy equipment with steel plates to do. They can also work on pavements which again may not be so simple for heavy equipment with steel tracks. Exerting low ground pressure will have almost no side effects on the ground. Other than replacing the steel plates with plastic plates, there is one more way to lower the ground pressure. Just by reducing the noise, one can also reduce the ground pressure. The equipment vibrations are soaked up by the plastic plates which only happen if the tracks are flexible in nature. By installing plastic tracks, the tracks of the machine become quite flexible which in turn absorb the vibration coming out of the tracks and thus the noise of the undercarriage goes silent. This means that there is less stress on the drive chain that happens predominantly because the plastic track plates absorb the bending force.

The plastic track plates manufactured by companies are immune to oils and seawater which makes it a machine that can work in extreme conditions. Since it has plastic plates, it is very unlikely that the soil will stick with the plates. This will prevent any sort of damage to the ground.