Tag Archives: heavy equipment

Back up cameras on heavy equipment

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Operators experience a real tough time while moving the heavy equipment backwards. There are certain blind spots for which they need signals but the problem comes when there is nobody to give signals and the operator has to move the machine back. If they go wrong with their calculation then there is a big chance of them bumping an object or a person. Therefore they should install a camera through which they can check where the machine is going and if there is any object that is in mid of its path. He can then maneuver the machine by getting inputs from the screen that is installed inside the cabin. Heavy equipment companies these days have stopped manufacturing heavy equipment without a rear camera. Some also have cameras in the front. It actually helps the operator to figure out things that fall in the blind spot so that he can see them on the screen and avoid bumping off anything that comes on his way.

Saves life as well as money:-

A camera at the rear of the machine sounds to be quite effective especially when it comes to avoiding any sort of accidents. A construction zone will always have uneven roads and rough terrain which means that the operator has to be extra careful when it is driving the machine to a spot where he can’t see stuffs that comes on its way. There are always higher chances of him dashing an object or a person and can cause irreparable damage that can’t be compensated monetarily. The construction company on the other hand does not want to get into accidents because that leaves a dent to the reputation of the company. They may get the tag that it’s not an employee friendly company and employees are risking their lives by working with them. Simultaneously, if an accident happen because the operator wasn’t able to locate the object or the individual, it becomes the onus of the company to compensate the loss. So just by installing a camera in the rear can save priceless human lives as well as the heard earned money of the company.

Invest in cameras that last long and are truly effective:-

Cameras that can be installed on heavy equipment come in different quality, shapes and sizes. The cost of the cameras differs based on its features and its quality. It is recommended that you invest in cameras that has the most sophisticated feature and is considered to be one of the best in terms of quality. So before you go ahead to buy cameras for your heavy equipment, do some research on what kind of camera you need? Some cameras have good picture quality in dusty terrain. This means that if you are working in a zone that has lot of dust around, this camera will still be able to give the operator a clear view of the rear of the machine. Also check if they come up with any warranties and the conditions the companies have on such warranties. Only when you are convinced, you should go for the purchase.

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How are tower cranes put together

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Construction sector is all about heavy equipment and working with technology. You always need to make use of technology to put things straight and get your work done. In case of building high rise, it is quite a challenge for the companies and the challenges come in many ways and many forms. Setting up a tower crane is one such challenge that construction companies experience when they are dealing with tall rises. It also becomes a challenge when they do not have efficient men doing the job or people who do not know how to do it the right way. Let us first understand the utility of a tower crane and why it is so important to have them in a construction site. When you are dealing with tall buildings, it is not possible to carry stuffs like steel, concrete, tool and other building materials to that height by any human. You therefore need the work to be done using a tower crane which has the ability to pick those heavy items right up where it is needed.

Now let us understand what a tower crane is made of. The bottom of the crane is attached to a large concrete pad which is used to give adequate support to the crane. The bottom is then connected to the mast. The mast is the stuff that gives the appropriate height to the crane. Now on the top of the mast, you will find the slewing unit attached to it which helps the crane to rotate. There are many other things attached to the slewing unit such as a boom, the machinery arm and the counterweights. You have a long horizontal jib (projecting arm of a crane) on the top of the slewing unit. This part of the crane carries the load and maneuvers with the help of a trolley that runs along the jib.

We also have a shorter horizontal arm which is used to contain heavy items like large concrete counterweights. The winch motor that plays an instrumental role in lifting the weight lies in the machinery arm. Now we move to something important. In order to erect a tower crane, the crew needs to first assemble a 40-foot mast that contains a slewing gear and 2 vertical mast sections. Once that is done the next thing that needs to be assembled is the jib and the machinery section. The horizontal members and then placed on the assembled mast sections with the help of a mobile crane. Once that is done the counterweights are added. For the crane to grow, it must be done one mast section at a time. A top climber is used by the crew that fits easily between the top of the mast and the slewing unit.

In order to balance the counterweight, the crew has to hang a weight on the jib. Once that is done, the slewing unit is detached from the top of the mast. This results in the hydraulic ramming the top climber and pushes the slewing unit by 20 feet. This gap of 20 foot is then occupied by a 20-foot mast. This is how the height of the crane increases.

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Heavy equipment used to a rapid transit system

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For different kinds of construction projects, we require different types of heavy equipment. So if one has just started a construction company and is checking out for the machine he should possess to start working, quite frankly he will not find one. However, once he has been able to bag a project he can start looking for the heavy equipment using which he can start the work. One type of heavy equipment can’t be used for all kinds of work. For instance, you can’t use a loader to roll the roads. You need a roller for that purpose and if you try using other machines then you may not be able to do the work as precisely as you would have been able to by using the right sort of machine. A construction company owner should pick the machines on the basis of the kind of projects he generally wants to work.

There are some construction companies who specialize in constructing roads. So you will find all the necessary heavy equipment required for road construction at their disposal. In case if they do not have it with them they will manage to buy one or get it on rent. For companies who take the project of constructing a subway, they got to be really choosy with the kind of machines they are using. Ideally, most construction companies all around the world use Tunnel Boring Machine also known as (TBM) and other equipment that are primarily used to complement TBM’s during construction of Subways.

Tunnel Boring Machine is made of a rotating cutter-head that is located at the front of cylindrical steel shell this is pushed forward to excavate the ground. The steel shield is used to support the excavated earth until the lining of the final tunnel is constructed at the back of the shield. Hydraulic jacks are being used for propulsion that pushes against the vertical tunnel lining system. The material that the tunnel boring machine generates during this process is removed by a conveyor system and ferried away in trucks.

As the tunnel boring system gets ready to move to the next level, liners are placed behind the machine to form the tunnel. These liners are nothing but pre-case concrete tunnel segments and are carried in huge trucks to the construction site. Now while the tunnel boring machine is working all throughout the day, it causes little or no disruption to the surface above. So people walking on the surface of the road may not even know what is happening just right down under him. Once the job is done, the tunnel boring machine is broken down into parts so that it can be hauled to the next jobsite and can be restructured as per the design of the subway. So before the tunnel boring machine and the liners go to the next jobsite, the preliminary works are already done and the charge is given to the machine once it arrives at the site.

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Top 5 motor graders on rent

Construction industry requires different types of heavy equipment. A motor grader is commonly used in construction industry and is referred to as road grader or a maintainer. It is a machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface during the grading process. It moves earth from one location to another and levels the soil by spreading it evenly. It is easy to operate in almost any terrain or weather condition. It can produce inclined surfaces for roads. Graders are the workhorses of construction industry, hence they are always needed on the worksite. Today they are highly in demand due to increase in construction activities. It is often observed that regular users buy them on rent or on lease, which is a cost-effective approach. Similarly, the first time users of this equipment try the rental option instead of purchasing new equipment.

Caterpillar, Komatsu, John Deere, Case, and Volvo, are the world’s topmost brands which manufacture different types of heavy equipment including motor graders. These brands are very popular and are trusted in construction industry. Thus, they are highly preferred for heavy construction activities due to the quality, durability and reliability. They sell or rent or lease their equipments. They provide new and used equipment on rental basis either directly or through their authorized dealerships.

The following are the reasons why topmost brands offer their equipment on rent.

  • Due to the increase in construction activities, there is huge demand for motor graders. Heavy equipment including graders are very expensive and it’s difficult for construction companies to purchase a new grader for multiple jobs on their work site. Further, there is an economic downfall, where a customer may not afford to buy brand new grader.
  • In case of short term projects, buying a new grader leads to waste of money since the grader is used for a particular duration after which it is not used.
  • When the current grader at a construction site is damaged and it needs to be repaired.
  • Due to the increased quantity of work on site, more number of graders are required.
  • The user wants to try a new model which is advanced technologically. However before purchasing a brand new one to be used for a long time and the option of buying on rent is helpful. The user also gets an idea of how the equipment performs and if it is suitable for his work.
  • Most buyers prefer for used graders which are rugged, reliable, easy to operate and maintain by local, low skilled crew, ready availability of spare parts and have high resale value. They do not want to work with grader equipped with highly sophisticated technologies and electronics in particular, since they lack operators with the required skill sets to operate and maintain the machine. Used equipment of Caterpillar and Komatsu are in demand.

 

Buying on rental basis becomes a feasible option, where one has to pay monthly rents the cost of which is affordable. In addition it has been observed that these both used and brand new equipment are maintained very well by the Rental service provider.

Care for the safety of heavy equipment

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We often consider safety as one of the most important factor irrespective of the nature of job that we are into. We do differentiate between jobs that are more risky and less risky but then at the same time we also take the riskiness seriously so that we do not harm ourselves. Similarly, we should also understand that the equipment that we use in our daily work also get exposed to certain risks and it is our duty to ensure that the equipment are safe and sound. Safety of equipment become more crucial when they are related to an important work assignment without which you will not be able to proceed with your work or when the equipment are too expensive that you can’t afford to go lousy on them. You have to take the extra care to ensure the safety of your expensive equipment.

When we talk about expensive equipment we certainly can’t miss talking about heavy equipment that plays such a crucial role in the construction sector. Heavy equipment are highly expensive machineries which cost thousands of dollars and at times it even goes in millions. Not many in the construction sector are ready to pay thousands and not take proper care of it. Therefore it becomes so important for the user to ensure that the machines are safe at all times and in order to maintain the required level of safety, the person in charge has to follow few safety parameters. These safety parameters need to be followed at all times.

Cleaning the heavy equipment:-

A construction jobsite is full of dirt and filth and heavy equipment are expected to work in this dirt. Other than that, at times the machines also have to work in treacherous conditions which make it more vulnerable to dirt. The dirt gets accumulated in the interiors of the machine and it gradually weakens the machine from the inside. The best way out is to clean the heavy equipment on timely basis. One can’t clean it every day but they should fix a couple of days in a week where they will spend good amount of time to clean the equipment. Now you can do this job yourself or take it to a workshop where the guy will spray water and get it cleaned. Doing it yourself will be appropriate than giving it to someone else.

Keep the equipment properly greased:-

Once you are done washing the machine, you also need to check if the machine is properly lubricated or has the grease being washed away with water. Grease does not ideally get washed away so easily but you got to maintain your checks and apply lubricants wherever you find it to be necessary.

Clean your engine by regularly changing the engine oil:-

The engine is considered to be the most vital organ of construction equipment. It is the engine that keeps your machine moving and therefore should be given due importance. Changing the engine oil at regular intervals is quite crucial as it keeps the overall health of the machine in order.

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A scraper can generate decent rental income

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If you have heavy equipment that are not in use and you do not know what you should do since you do not wish to sell it off, the best option you have is to rent it to people who need them for their construction business. There are many construction companies who are having a hard time to carry on with their business as they encounter unavailability of heavy equipment. They can’t afford to buy every kind of heavy equipment under the sun but still needs to continue with the project. This is where they need machines on rent. They understand that by taking the equipment on rent, they have to pay the rental money every month which is something that they can easily afford. Other than that, brand new heavy equipment are way too expensive and do not make sense to buy them for just one project. You never know if you will need them again for the next project as there is a possibility that you may have to use some other equipment.

A scraper has the potential to generate decent rental income. As a matter of fact, any heavy equipment has a lot of value attached and can be a good source of rental income to its owner. Therefore if you have a Scraper which is not in use and you expect to not use it for the next couple of months or years, you can let it out to someone who may have some use of it. Scraper is quite useful heavy equipment when it comes to moving dirt. Scraper is widely used in big construction as well as mining sites. You will get to see different types of scrapers in any mining site. Therefore it is never a liability when it is not in use. There are different types of scrapers and each type has its own specific purpose. There are these Coal Bowl Scrapers which are predominantly used in mining sites or the open Bowl scraper which is self-loading hauling system and it is used in almost every site.

A machine with so much use attached to it can fetch you good rental value. All you need to do is keep the machine in good working condition so that people are ready to pay the money just by having a look at the equipment. Keep the machine well maintained by servicing it at regular intervals. Replace any part that has gone faulty. Change the engine oil regularly and do everything possible to ensure that the equipment stays healthy and performs better at the jobsite.

You can list the scraper on any online portal that primarily deals with sale/rent of heavy equipment. They might charge you a bit for listing the item but that is worth the deal. You should mention about your machine in details in the description section and also add the intricacies like the rental amount and the period for which you wish to rent the stuff. Post some pictures of the item and put it on the listing. This will attract viewers who are more likely there to take scrapers on rent.

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Snow tire chains for heavy equipment

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Winter has already arrived and so is the time when heavy equipment owners need to be more careful with their construction equipment. It is perhaps this time that most of the accidents occur. Heavy machineries are not able to have proper grip of the road and they slip. The tires in no way will be able to move smoothly on the icy slippery surface and the moment you increase the speed of the machine the chances of it slipping and turning rise manifolds. This is the reason why an operator has to be ultra-careful when he is driving a construction equipment on an icy surface. He got to be patient with the speed and can’t rush things up. Apart from that, others should also not ask him to hurry. Allow him to do the job or he might get stuck in the ice.

One thing that can be done to avoid this problem is to install the snow tire chains on your heavy equipment so that the tires can get some grip on the icy surface and the operator does not have to put in the extra effort to keep the machine on the road. These tires are highly beneficial especially on steep roads when the machine is climbing up the road or moving downwards. The operator can have real tough time to control the heavy equipment in both the situations. There are higher chances of him to lose the control as the tires will just skid off the road and get stuck in some bush or on a pile of ice. But the probability is more on bumping someone and causing some casualty. The snow tire chains for heavy equipment just ensure that you do not lose control due to icy surface.

There are snow tire chains for all kind, shape and sizes of tires. Since the make of all heavy equipment is not the same, in the same fashion the tires are also different. The snow tire chains are designed by taking into consideration the different sizes of tires in different heavy equipment. The owner of the machine needs to first come in contact with one such company who is engaged in producing tailor made snow tire chains. The guys will first inspect the tires of the machine, take some measurements and will then ship the final product to you.

People who are into the business of manufacturing snow tire chains have their websites. One who seeks their service should first visit their website and check for people’s reviews. If he has received more of positive reviews then it makes sense to approach the team and get the work done. If you are content with the reviews you shall get their contact details on the website and ask them to send a quotation. If it fits your budget you can give them the order.

In no way you should make use of your heavy equipment on icy weather without taking necessary precautions. A snow tire chain is the most needed component during the winters and spending few dollars to ensure that your machine and people around it are safe is really worth the deal.

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What does low oil pressure mean on your heavy equipment?

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A lot of care needs to be taken when it comes to construction equipments as it is often considered to be the backbone of the industry in any jobsite. If your heavy equipments cease to work your entire project comes to a standstill and a construction company will never want that to happen. This is the reason why they must ensure that the overall health of the heavy equipment is in order. Now something that plays a crucial role in determining the good health of heavy equipment is the lubricant that is used on it. The machine will perform smoothly as long as the lubricants are doing their job but one also needs to ensure to change the oil which if not done can cause immense problem to the machine to perform. This can simply not be ignored and if done then the owner should be ready to bear exponential cost to get the machine fixed.

In most of the modern day heavy equipment that all construction companies and contractors possess have something known as “oil pressure warning light” installed in the machine which will flicker the moment the machine comprehends a problem that is causing due to low oil pressure. They can also get a low oil pressure reading on the dash gauge which also acts as a warning indicating a problem is expected to arrive at your doorstep. The owner/operator should not take this warning lightly. Action needs to be taken immediately. However, it has been observed that people tend to neglect and ignore such warnings which later become the reason of the non-functioning of the machine. Since normal wear increases the engine bearing clearances, engines are bound to lose a certain degree of oil pressure. But when you indentify low oil pressure in an engine you should take it as an indication that there is something really wrong which if not worked on can throw up severe consequences.

One also needs to understand what causes low oil pressure. It is often caused due to worn main and rod bearings. The oil pump produced flow and any sort of resistance to this flow causes low pressure. So who causes resistance? It is the orifices in the engine block that causes the resistance. The oil flows through the engine block and between the bearings and crankshaft journals. So when the bearings wear it just increases the flow of oil which ultimately results in low pressure. Other parts of the machine such as the overhead cam engines can also suffer due to low oil pressure. Increase in the bearing clearance can also lead to noisy engine and pounding which should be enough indication for the owner to act immediately on the machine or be ready to shell out good chunk of money to fix the problem.

Other than rod bearing if there is an excessive flow of oil through any other means is also a cause of worry. This can obviously not be checked every now and then and which is why the best option is to get the problem resolved at the first stance when you see the oil pressure warning light flickering.

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Dispose the heavy equipment that is not in use

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Heavy equipment being such an expensive item are out of the reach of small time contractors or newbie businessman who has just entered the profession. They are always in search of big construction houses who are willing to sell their equipment at a dirt cheap rate and if the machine is in good order, these small companies also become ready to pay a premium. Therefore if you are among the lot who has heavy equipment that is not in use and want to dispose it off, the best option would be to sell it off to these small companies.

We all like to make some money if we are at all selling a used item and it is not different when it comes to disposing heavy equipment. But the point to ponder is how you can transform your old machine into a new one so that people will have the confidence to buy it paying a good price. We would be discussing few pointers that are essential when it comes to selling your heavy equipment.

Get the machine repaired before you talk about reselling it:-

It is pretty obvious that the equipment will not be in order if it has not been put to work for the last many days and you have to shell some amount of money to get it repaired and running. You have to be cautious about advertising your product and should only start talking about reselling it when you are sure that the equipment is in order. If you start talking about it before it is repaired, then you might have people willing to see it and then you have to tell them the truth. It causes a negative impact on their minds and they may find this to be a complete waste of time. You also lose a good prospect.

Take the service of an expert to repair the machine:-

If the machine you want to sell was idle for good number of days due to severe complications then you should seek help of an expert mechanic who can check the machine and let you know how long it is going to take for him to fix it. Other than this, he may also tell you about the amount you need to shell out for getting it fixed. An expert hand on your machine will always be fruitful because that is going to increase the life of the machine which in other words allows you to increase the price of it. You can also paint the machine if it has an old look or put some jazzy stickers that will make it look attractive. You can make use of your imagination and can adopt innovative ideas to make the equipment look good and can fetch you a good price.

Spread the word in all circles:-

Once the equipment is ready to sell, all you have to do is pervade it across in newspapers or on internet. These days internet is the best option as people like to buy things online. They will check your heavy machinery online and if at all they are interested will contact you. By doing this, you are ready to sell off your equipment at a descent price.

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Cat PM620 Cold Planer Milling Machine

Caterpillar PM620 Cold Planer Milling Machine

Road construction is considered to be one of the most challenging jobs in the construction sector. One may find it hard to believe that in order to construct a road right from its start to its end it takes several months and at times years. Different types of heavy equipment are used for road construction but the one that is termed to be the most crucial is the Cold Planer Milling Machine. So when we are talking about milling, it ideally involves removing the upper surface of the road so that it can be refilled with stuff that helps to make the road smooth. Not just removing the upper surface, if required it can be used for a full depth removal. There are many companies who produces milling machines but if we check the performance of companies that has fared exceptionally in the last many years we will have just one name. i.e. CAT PM620.

The Cat PM620 is installed with automatic plunge-cut which makes sure that the starting cuts are precise and repeatable and also diminishes the wear and tear on the machine. It also has an automatic load control system which make it all the more perfect. The engine it has is a powerful CAT C18 ACERT which has a gross power of 630 hp. The total operating speed of the machine is 100 m/minute and the maximum travel speed is 6 km per hour (3.7 mph). The operating weight of the machine is approximately 33,330 kg (73480 lbs.) and it includes other features like coolant, lubricants, full fuel and water tank and 75 kg operator (165 lbs).

Talking about the most intrinsic feature of the machine – the cutting system; the milling width of the machine is 2010 mm and the number of bits is 178. The maximum cutting depth that it can go is 13 inch which is remarkable as per the industry standards. The rotor speed is around 118 rpm and the minimum left and right cutting radius is approximately 2 meters. Moving to the tank capacity, the capacity of the fuel tank is 1108 liters (292 gal.) and the diesel exhaust fluid tank of 47 liters (12 gal.). The cooling system of the machine is around 85 liters (22 gal.). The engine oil, hydraulic oil and water tank is around 65 liter (17 gal.), 113 liter (29 gal.) and 3400 liter (894 gal.) respectively. It makes it better than any other machine in the same genre and this is why it is the ultimate choice of many road developers.

To operate this machine is no rocket science as an operator with relatively less years of experience can also quickly master it. The electrical system in the machine is color coded and numbered so that the user does not have a hard time in understanding which button means what to him and can quickly get adjusted to the system. It is installed with a very small device known as “Electronic Control Module” which monitors the engine and the various other systems of the machine and alerts the operator in case there is any kind of performance related issue. It also helps the operator with troubleshooting messages so that issues that are miniscule can be taken care at the very first instance.