Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/581365
27 AGGREGATES MANAGER October 2015 EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT also means the owner can complete maintenance during off hours, rather than having to shut down the machine on the jobsite." Additionally, a planned maintenance contract can pro- vide your company future hourly costs to better understand the current operating costs of the machine. By working with your equipment dealer on a PM contract, you can help better predict expenses, reduce downtime, and extend the life of your machine. "Dealers know what parts should be stocked, not only by themselves, but by equipment owners," Bereika says. "They ensure that scheduled maintenance is performed on time and at a convenient time to the equipment owner. All this helps control costs." Making a PM schedule easy to follow and documenting service intervals allows you and your operators to easily make sure each item is completed weekly, monthly, quarterly, or as scheduled. You should also assess parts, labor, travel, supplies, lubricants, and GPS fl eet tracking systems, such as telematics, to better budget for ongoing maintenance, Bereika adds. "Wear items should be in stock and common supplies should be on hand to help reduce downtime," he says. "As far as lubricants go, owners should know the manufacturer's requirements. Using the wrong lubricants can lead to expensive and unnecessary repairs." If you are experiencing mechanical issues, Bereika rec- ommends completing a visual and on-board diagnostic check and then following up with your in-house mechanic to better understand what repairs are needed prior to calling a service technician, if necessary. Collecting as much information about the problem as possible before talking to the service depart- ment will greatly simplify the repair process and reduce down- time. However, Bereika adds that working on major components on your ADT requires specialized training, so many times a dealer service technician is needed. A standard maintenance schedule is affi xed to the ADT cab for easy reference and can be found in your Operation and Maintenance Manual. Knowing the fi xed costs of planned main- tenance upfront can help you minimize unexpected business expenses. Fixed costs can give you confi dence in knowing how much the operating costs will be, and by incorporating planned maintenance, you can make sure your machine gets serviced on time. Minimizing downtime ADTs are designed to haul the most amount of dirt, rock, stone, and gravel with the lowest cost per ton transported in mind. These machines also excel in soft and slippery loading and dumping applications, and particularly in overburden removal, transport to crusher, crusher to stockpile, and site reclamation applications compared to other heavy equipment. So if your machine is experiencing issues, the last thing you want to do is to waste valuable time servicing your machine. With a PM contract, servicing time is typically based on the manufacturers' and equipment owners' schedules. According to Bereika, a PM contract also ensures that maintenance will be performed as required to help minimize any machine issues that can be caused because of lack of scheduled maintenance. In addition to a PM contract, Bereika encourages ADT own- ers and operators to perform three other preventive mainte- nance procedures: • Inspecting the auto-lubrication system, if installed, to ensure that there is no premature component failure due to lack of grease; • Assessing tire air pressure, wear, and damage on a regular basis; and • Using diagnostic tools to monitor engine temperature and rpm history, for example, to prevent future engine damage and major premature repairs. The auto-lubrication system greases the major components approximately every 30 to 45 minutes when the machine is in operation, Bereika says. Although the system saves valuable labor, the system must be monitored to ensure that the grease Ease of access to filters and other preventive maintenance points helps contain the labor costs associated with regular upkeep.