In the construction industry, your heavy equipment is the most expensive asset you have. The expense is from both the purchase of the equipment to the cost of maintaining its effectiveness. Studies by the experts show significant breakdown expenses can run as high as three percent of replacement costs every year. If you are a heavy equipment owner, you have a never-ending task of establishing cost-focused strategies to prolong the life of your machines, and at the same time reducing or limiting the expenses you accrue in maintenance costs. Our heavy equipment maintenance training experts in Kansas City have assembled these machinery repair and maintenance tips for heavy equipment owners to reduce those costs.
Heavy Equipment Maintenance Tips
1. Ensure Operators are Fully Trained
The operators of your heavy machinery need to know how the equipment they are operating functions, and what its capabilities are. If they understand how these machines work, and what their full functions are, the less likely they are to misuse or damage the equipment.
Extensive heavy equipment maintenance and machinery repair training from our Kansas City firm will help keep your operators safe, make them more productive, and give them the ability to detect malfunctions and take appropriate action before it becomes a significant repair.
Heavy equipment maintenance training from our Kansas City machinery repair experts will also give the operators more than operational knowledge. By training them well, they will also know the maintenance schedules, safety equipment storage and daily routines.
2. Fluid Systems Need Monitoring
On almost all heavy equipment there is a fluid system to keep the movements of different parts operating smoothly. If these fluids become low, the pressure on the system can cause leaks or breakage while performing their operations. Contaminated oil can also increase friction between the different moving parts and reduce the density of the oil, thus affecting the machine’s overall performance. For these reasons, it is important to keep an eye on fluid levels as well as the quality of the fluids being used.
3. Frequent Maintenance Checks
Just as humans schedule regular visits for medical checkups, your heavy equipment should have a schedule for frequent maintenance checks.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) states about twenty percent of industrial accidents are a result of maintenance operations. Having a routine check-up on your heavy equipment functionality will keep its performance on track, extend its lifespan and reduce your risk of accidents on the job site.
4. Do Not Push Machinery Beyond Its Limits
Heavy construction equipment was not developed to make high-speed turns or other movements. Trying to get your machines to perform in this manner can cause massive damage to the machinery as well as fatalities on the job site. Proper heavy equipment maintenance training in Kansas City means less machinery repair at crucial times.
These large machines will operate slowly which for some can be draining and cause the operators to overload their equipment. Overloading is often done to clear work as quickly as possible, but it also violates load limits and increases the wear and tear on the equipment’s parts.
Make sure all operators are staying within their machinery’s speed limits and load limits.
5. Ensure all Equipment is Properly Lubricated
Heavy construction equipment comes with its manufacturer’s recommendations on how much grease and the type of grease needed on its different parts. These lubricants reduce the amount of friction placed on the moving parts, and you should ensure your equipment is thoroughly oiled or lubricated before it starts each job.
6. Keep Maintenance Log on Each Piece of Equipment
Whether your company is small or large, you should have an in-depth heavy equipment maintenance log on all your equipment. This log can detail repairs, oil changes, when maintenance check ups were performed, and any other detail regarding each machine. These logs can come in handy if there is ever an incident with the machine or if you decide to sell it.
Where to get Heavy Construction Equipment Maintenance Training in Kansas City
Construction Technology Partners are specialists in understanding emerging construction technology so your productivity can increase and your business can grow. Our Kansas City heavy equipment maintenance and earthmoving machinery repair training experts are here to help. Our approach is to solve any problems with your construction business through technology from aerial mapping to training. If you have questions on how to improve the strategy you use for heavy construction equipment maintenance, talk to one of our specialists today.