5 Tips For Extending The Life of Your Heavy Equipment

In many industrial businesses, heavy machinery is at the core of operations. Any unexpected breakdown or performance deterioration in the equipment means unplanned downtime. These interruptions can lead to work delays, increased costs, customer dissatisfaction and elevated safety hazards.

Fortunately, many equipment problems are preventable. You can considerably improve the efficiency and lifespan of your heavy machinery by taking the following actions.

1. Inspect for Wear and Tear

A number of factors can speed up the wear and tear of heavy equipment. These include accidents, operator habits and inadequate work environment. There is also the impact of aging on equipment performance. Irrespective of how elaborate your maintenance procedures are, it’s inevitable that parts will eventually bend, stretch, crack or warp over time.

This is why it is important you regularly inspect equipment parts for wear and tear. Besides the mechanical components, you should also take the time to examine the electrical and electronic parts as well. High temperatures, vibrations, dust and water can damage circuits and wires.

Where, for instance, tractor parts have reached their usage limit or are showing early signs of strain, they should be replaced with the appropriate Costex tractor parts.

2. Lubricant Replacement

Heavy equipment consists of numerous moving parts. To ensure consistently high performance, these parts require regular lubrication. The lubricant minimizes friction which, in turn, reduces wear and tear. It also keeps engines and other internal parts of the machine clean by preventing the buildup of soot.

It is important that you have a schedule for lubricant replacement, but you should also check lubricant levels regularly outside of this regimen. Keep an eye out for oil seal leaks and grease buildup. Use the lubricant recommended by the equipment manufacturer or the one prescribed in the owner’s manual.

Make sure you are using the right quantity of lubricant. Too little lubricant will not do enough to slow down wear and tear. Excessive lubrication will accelerate grease buildup and hamper performance.

3. Thorough Cleaning

A lot of equipment problems are simply due to inadequate or inconsistent cleaning. Unfortunately, many organizations do not prioritize cleaning their heavy machinery. There is an assumption that such equipment is designed for dirty, rugged environments. Yet, dirt, dust and soot left unattended can quickly clog seals, filters, vents and fans which gradually decreases performance and lifespan.

The quickest way to give equipment a thorough clean is by simply using a hose. The moderate force of the water should dislodge most dirt. There will be parts, such as chains and bearings, however, where a hose alone will be insufficient. You may also have to deal with contaminants such as grime or grease. In this case, you may have to deploy other cleaning methods such as pressure washing, acid washing or steam cleaning.

4. Stay Within Use Specifications

They may be referred to as heavy equipment but that does not mean they are up to any task you throw at it. All machinery comes with performance specifications, such as maximum load, operating temperature, acceptable pressure and more. All these will be indicated in the operator’s manual.

A failure to stay within these limitations will reduce the equipment’s longevity as well as increase wear. There is also the heightened risk of accidents and the danger to worker safety to consider. Workplace accidents caused by disregarding equipment specifications can cost your organization dearly in worker’s compensation costs alone.

5. Employee Training

Poor or absent operator training can speed up equipment failure and wear while increasing the risk of worker injury. Once an operator sits in the driver’s seat, they are in full control of the equipment. Their minute-by-minute decisions will determine the machine’s longevity.

Training employees is central to ensuring they understand the equipment in detail and work within its operating limits. Also, federal, state and local laws may require that specific types of heavy equipment are only handled by trained and certified employees.

Operator training should not be a one-time occurrence, or only required when the machine is acquired or the employee is hired. Over time, skills grow rusty, equipment gets hardware or software updates, and employees leave. Training should be scheduled regularly to ensure employee knowledge is always current.

Act Now

The cost of acquiring heavy equipment is high. Organizations must maximize this large investment by ensuring machinery lasts as long as practically possible. Apply these tips to get your equipment working better, safer and longer.