Your heavy construction machines work hard so you can complete your projects. To ensure that they can continue to do this you must take care of them. If you don’t, you risk premature failure which will either require expensive repairs or a pricey new machine. Learn about the best ways to prolong the life of all your machines so you can maximize your productivity and minimize expenses.
Train Your Employees
Since your technicians and operators spend the most time with your heavy construction machines they must know how to properly use and care for them. Provide in-house or dealership training on each piece of equipment so your workers are always up to date on the latest technologies and procedures. This will make operators more aware of how they use their machines and discourage cutting corners which could cause serious damage and endanger everyone.
Training both your operators and technicians also teaches them the warning signs of equipment issues. This way your team will be able to spot the often-overlooked symptoms of a larger problem and fix it immediately. Training your team does take time, but a broken piece of equipment will waste even more time down the road.
Do Regular Maintenance
Trained workers are much more likely to spot signs of wear, leaks, and damage which is a crucial part of a heavy construction machine’s regular maintenance. According to Nucleus Research, preventative care can reduce equipment downtime by 35-50% and extend its life by 20-40%. But this is only if the maintenance is performed regularly and correctly.
Start by creating and implementing a daily maintenance checklist to check your machine’s brakes and brake fluid, horn, lights, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, gauges, and tire pressure. The manufacturer should provide specifications on each machine and what each healthy part should look like. Fluids, filters, and lubrication should also be regularly replaced to optimize your machine’s performance. Pay particular attention to the condition and wear of your fenders, tires, buckets, and teeth as well since they come into constant contact with the ground. Regular exposure to dirt and grime can lead to severe damage to any part, so it’s important to routinely clean these components.
Protect Your Equipment from the Elements
Your heavy construction machines were built to work in all types of terrains and environments, but this doesn’t mean they’re naturally protected from the effects of the elements. Along with your regular inspections and replacements you must regularly clean your equipment. Dirt and other debris can cake onto your machine’s exterior and work its way past filters to damage the inside mechanisms.
Weather also threatens your heavy construction machines in multiple ways. Moisture and humidity can cause serious corrosion while heat and dust can break down lubricants, making your machine stiff. Protective coatings and regular inspections will help prevent these issues from getting worse.
You can’t remove your heavy construction machines from the outdoors when they’re in use but putting them inside during off seasons is a great way to keep them safe. Make sure your storage area is temperature controlled and dry, so your equipment doesn’t freeze in the winter or overheat in the summer. This will also protect your machines from storm damage, which is a year-round threat. Protecting your machines from outdoor exposure when possible will keep your equipment running smoothly and working longer.
Create a Condition Based Maintenance Program
While a regular maintenance plan is important, a condition-based maintenance (CBM) plan is equally effective. This program can help you identify less obvious signs of wear before they get worse. This is done through fluid analysis, or the routine checking of oil, hydraulic fluids, and coolants. Compare each fluid’s contaminant levels, metal particles, and fluid properties to the manufacturer’s specifications. This will give you many insights into the internal health of your heavy construction machines.
Fluid analysis can be performed by trained staff, a third-party laboratory, or your dealer if they offer that service. You should also check your machine’s manual for the official timeline of maintenance checks, but a good rule of thumb is to conduct fluid analysis every 500 hours of use. Don’t just check your heavy construction machine’s exterior. Ensuring its interior systems are functioning properly is another great way to ensure its health.
Keep a Record of All Your Maintenance
Knowing your equipment’s history is a vital part of prolonging its lifespan. This way you can track which problems are recurring, how much work has been done on the machine, which parts are new, which are not, and much more. Have operators submit their daily maintenance checklists so you have a log of information to give mechanics when it’s time for routine checkups. Save yourself time and money that would otherwise be wasted on broken machines and costly repairs.
Prolong Your Machine’s Life with the Right Replacement Parts
Extending the life of your heavy construction machines means you don’t have to worry about finding a new model for a long time or dealing with sudden failures. Performing regular maintenance and protecting your equipment is cost-effective, and it enhances the productivity of your site. ACTParts can help make this a reality by providing a wide selection of replacement parts for all your machines. Contact us today and get started on a preventative maintenance plan that will keep your machines running.
