Tag Archives: heavy construction equipment

Push Your Profit Margin Higher- Calculate the Life Cycle Cost Of Heavy Construction Equipment

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The capital comprises of a large part of any business. It is not really possible to go on about a business without investing a certain amount of money. The importance of the capital becomes all the more prominent when it is the construction industry in question. Talking of the construction industry one cannot deny the fact that a huge amount of the capital required goes into the purchase and maintenance of heavy construction equipment.

Life Cycle Cost Of Construction Equipment- What Does It Mean?

When the heavy construction equipment forms such an important part of the entire construction industry, it is quite obvious that a lot of thought must go into the purchase of these equipment. The heads of the construction company undergo a lot of consideration when purchasing these equipment and the life cycle cost evaluation of heavy construction equipment forms a major part of these considerations.

So, what exactly is meant by life cycle cost calculation? Well, life cycle cost of construction equipment refers to the total cost that is incurred on particular heavy construction equipment, right from its inception, maintenance to its disposal. In other words it is nothing but the cost estimate of its entire life cycle. The next question that must strike you is why at all would a construction organization need to evaluate construction equipment life cycle cost? The answer to this question is very simple- this evaluation allows the companies to come up with the most cost effective measures of seeing construction equipment through their entire life cycle.

Evaluating the Life Cycle Cost of Your Heavy Construction Equipment

Evaluation of construction equipment life cycle cost has proved to be quite influential on a number of important aspects of a particular construction company, the budget, for instance. The entire calculation process has been divided into five steps- assessment of the cost of acquisition, establishing the depreciation rate, taking fixed costs into account, taking into account the cost of operating the equipment and finally adding up the whole thing. While calculation of the cost of acquisition includes all the associated factors, such as the variables and incentives, the depreciation rate is calculated by means of the straight-line method.

The evaluation of the life cycle cost of the heavy construction depends largely on the mode by which it is acquired. It is a widely known fact that construction equipment may be acquired by a construction company in two different ways- by leasing it or purchasing it. Though purchasing heavy equipment may mean quite a huge investment for a construction company, there remains the fact that you are at an advantageous position with the machine at your disposal. Opting for leased heavy equipment, on the other hand, effectively eliminates the factor of high investment issues. Companies are also spared the need to go through extensive maintenance procedures, thereby, earning greater profit. All the above factors, therefore, need to be considered whenever a company goes for the life cycle cost calculation of heavy equipment.

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What is the use of heavy construction equipment on a pipeline?

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Heavy construction equipments are widely used all over the world, because of the huge revolution going on in the construction industry. From buildings to bridges, from overpasses to constructions of new roads and highways, the heavy construction equipment are inevitable in most of the industries. This is because, without the help of the construction equipment, the construction works would not be possible. Carrying the huge pillars, columns and filling the structures with the construction material, all would take a lot of time without the use of the construction equipment.

Building the pipeline:

There are many varieties of construction equipment that are very essential for building a new township or to repair the old systems. Many times, the most difficult task becomes the making of the pipelines. A pipeline construction involves many heavy construction equipment.  Not only this, the pipeline building may also involve the use of more complex construction equipment like side booms and pipe layers.

Placing the pipeline:

Building a pipeline is a hectic work indeed, but it has the option of a restricted area. The pipeline is constructed inside a work shop and may not require too many people or too much of time. But placing the pipeline is more important and involves the help and usage of too many heavy construction equipment. The first and foremost task for placing a pipeline in the required area is to dig the land. For this, a plow and a trencher are required. This makes the task of digging the area very easy and fast. The entire task that took so much of time by using the man power will be reduced by using the construction equipment. The digger or the excavator works faster and more efficiently. The backhoe loader does the task of carrying the waste and the debris to another location and thus reduces the task of the human resources once again. Not only this, it will also help the work go smoothly, as the area will be clean and ready to go for further works. Excavator also helps in digging up heavier debris like rocks and other materials. As the principle of work is based on hydraulic technology, it is very easy for these equipments to work better and without any difficulty. The next task is to place the pipeline into the dug cannel and then pouring the mixture of construction materials. This is also done by the hydraulic machines that fill the area without any manual help, all with the help of construction equipment.

So, it is better to use construction equipment, if you want to place the pipelines in any area. It is easy and convenient.

How to develop a lubrication program for your heavy construction equipment?

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Lubrication is the technical process which helps to reduce the wear without the interference of human. Lubrication is done   by mediating a substance known as lubricant (which can be solid, liquid, or sometimes gas) which helps to carry the load between the opposing surfaces.

It is important for every equipment to get it properly and regularly lubricated so that it can go in the long run. Without lubricating heavy construction equipment, your machines will fail to withstand the wear and tear of time. But, don’t be afraid! You just need to follow some guidelines and you are on the way of increasing the life span of construction equipment even without wasting any money on the technicians.

There are three main things which can develop a lubrication program-

  • Procedure which support a broader maintenance tactics.
  • What needs to be set up?
  • From where to start the procedure?

These lubrication programs can be accomplished in many different ways. The procedure listed below is the most easy and effective while bringing uniformity to the task.

  • You should be dedicated enough to give your attention to find out what parts of the equipment should be lubricated. To cover the areas of lubricating the heavy construction equipment, you first have to make a proper schedule and for this time and effort is needed.
  • You can also look into the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) manual to find out what kind of lubricant should be used for the machine. In the OEM number of lubrication points are also mentioned. These OEMs are really very helpful for the beginners in this field. A comparison of OEM selection with the AGMA standards is also very essential.
  • You should plan lubrication properly to avoid any kind of damages. Everyone dealing with lubrication program should be endowed with responsibility.
  • If you really want to become an expert in lubrication then, you should have to learn when to stop the lubrication procedure. If you over lubricate a heavy equipment, then be careful, you are unaware of the damage that you are causing to the construction equipment.
  • For lubricating the condition based machines, ultrasound technology is ideally suitable. This ultrasonic inspection helps you to know which bearing needs to be lubricated and how much lubricant you should apply to it.
  • Apart from normal wear, bearing is also greatly affected by the thickness of a relative film by an adequate lubricant.
  • As the lubricant is susceptible to weather, the container with the lubricant should be kept in a controlled climatic condition (dry, covered and at constant temperature).
  • For lubrication program correct viscosity is also another important factor. This viscosity is determined by operating temperature, environmental conditions, shaft speed, and type of the lubricant, tooth geometry and loading. The tooth form directs the sliding and rolling. Whereas the speed, viscosity and surface area of the gear dictates the operating frictional mode.

Most of the person who carries on with his lubrication work does not exactly know how to schedule their lubrication procedure. By following these simple steps, you can easily be an expert in this field.

 

Heavy construction equipment sales job needs

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With the huge necessity of the heavy construction equipments in making a revolution on this earth, the sales industry for the heavy construction equipment has gone quite far. It has a very bright career with tremendous prospect. If you want to start your career in this industry, then this is the right time to do so as there has been a huge boom going on in the construction industry.

However, if you are a novice in this industry, then you must check with the demands of this job regarding the qualities. A salesman of the heavy construction equipment is quite different from any other field. It needs certain qualities that must be inherent and certain qualities that can be obtained only after a professional training in the heavy construction industry sales management course.

How can a course help you get a job?

There is no specific course that can provide you knowledge and a degree in the sales of the heavy construction equipment. However, in case you wish to have a successful career in this field, you have to have a professional degree in any of the business related fields. These can be any, management course that provides theoretical knowledge about how to improve the sales of a product. But, theoretical degrees are helpful only in the preliminary level, in order to reduce the competition of selection. But, the practical experience is much helpful in getting a sales job in this field. If you have had any sales related work experience in any small showrooms or dealers, then you can get a permanent job as a salesman in the prestigious heavy construction equipment manufacturing company.

What are the duties that a heavy construction equipment sales person has to perform?

It is the duty of the heavy construction equipment sales person to understand the product so that they can guide the buyers through the features and the qualities of the product. Understanding the needs of the buyer, whether they are in search for an agricultural equipment or heavy construction equipment, is the primary duty of the salesman. Not only this, but also making suggestions, providing them with all the varieties of options and that too as per the budget of the client are the duties of the salesman. The sales person may also perform the duty of receiving orders over the phone. Even the reports for any damage and the complaints must also be taken care of by the salesman of the heavy construction equipment.

If you can be a successful salesperson, then you can make a good fortune from this industry. It is a highly paid job when you can meet the needs of the clients and the customers. But, it is a job of high conviction and determination. Without dedicating yourself into the needs of this job, you will not be able to become a successful sales person in this industry.

Have some anti-theft measurements for your heavy construction equipment and be relaxed

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Heavy construction equipments are very much in demand in the recent era. They are the basic requirements for any construction work taking place all over the world. However, the extremely high price of these equipments makes the construction equipment subject to theft. If you are afraid of a theft of any part of your construction equipment, then taking some anti-theft prevention in favor your machine is very helpful and mandatory as well. When you think of the anti-theft measurements, there are either too many confusing devices, techniques that confuse the owner, or the owner becomes very threatened of the situation that he fails to follow the simple way outs. Here are some simple tips that can help any owner from having to lose his heavy construction equipment.

  1. When a part of your equipment gets stolen, most of the time it is brought to the manufacturer or a dealer of heavy construction equipment for repairing or servicing the part. So, if you inform the manufacturer or dealer of the equipment about the theft, it is possible that you will get to find it soon. So, if you face a theft, you must contact the manufacturer immediately after informing the police, so that the manufacturer can go through their stolen equipment servicing database and contact you.
  2. Inscribe your name, company name and phone number on the parts of the equipment, especially on the boom, bucket, engine, frame and the other parts of the equipment. Painting the names would also work, but painted names can be easily removed. So if you inscribe your contact details, it would be easier for the police to find the owner once they get the thieves finding difficulty in selling the equipments due to the inscription. As a result of this, the thieves will avoid stealing such equipments.
  3. To make sure that nobody can drive away your heavy construction equipment, you can weld a rectangular piece of steel plate on to the rim of the wheels. When you use the locking wheel lug nuts, this steel plate will work as a lock and no one can drive away your construction equipment.
  4. Installing the newly developed ignition key system is another excellent way of managing the safety and security of the heavy construction equipment. As the ignition key is a magnetic key system, without the unique code, the equipment cannot be accessed. The codes can be the same for every part of the equipment, or it can be different for different parts.
  5. A very helpful way of preventing the theft of the heavy construction equipments is to install a theft recovery device. This is a very sophisticated device that helps the owner find easily where the equipment is lying. When the device is equipped with a theft recovery device, unless and until the thief is technologically very sound, the equipment can be recovered within a few hours of the theft.

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Benefits of using camera in the heavy construction equipment

Heavy construction equipment are becoming more advanced with every passing day. The construction equipment manufacturing companies are introducing new technological advancements to the equipments so that the users can get benefitted from the accessory. One of the latest additions is the incorporation of camera to the construction equipments. In most of the cases, the wheeled loaders are being equipped with this accessory. One of the companies that have excelled in this service is the Sibelco heavy construction equipment manufacturing company, which is a Belgium based company. They basically produce the construction equipment to refine and extract various kinds of minerals from sands. The camera system that has been introduced to the wheeled loaders is the RadarEye camera and monitoring system. This camera system is a very helpful technology that helps the operator of the vehicle to have a real-time vision. Not only this, but also, to get detailed information about the site where the work is going on, this RadarEye camera system helps a lot. Whereas, in most cases, the detection of the materials and objects on the field becomes difficult, this RadarEye helps the operator to have a detailed view of the field.

The camera on the heavy construction equipment is very beneficial for the heavy construction equipment operators:

  • As in the regular vehicles, it is very important for the driver to have a rear view and the view of the surrounding, even in the heavy construction equipment, the operator needs to have a rear view and also of the surrounding. As the cameras installed in the heavy construction equipment are designed with the property of rotating more than 120 degree on an average, it offers the operator the opportunity to have a wide angle view of the back of the vehicle.
  • The LCD screen that is placed within the cab of the heavy construction equipment is of a minimum of 7 inch width, and therefore, it is very helpful for the operator to have a detailed look outside. The LCD screen is also colorful and therefore, the view becomes clearer and comfortable for the eyes.
  • It is very likely that the accessories in heavy construction equipment become damaged very easily. Whereas, the parts of the equipment gets damaged so easily, something as delicate as a camera would also be damaged due to the extreme load and pressure that the heavy construction equipment faces. However, to tackle this problem, these cameras have been designed with weather proof technology that can perform its task in extreme conditions of heat, water and snow.
  • The camera and the monitoring screen do not need any external control boxes and comes with warranty, so the operators do not need to bother about the after sales services.

The Rosco Incorporated Company introduces such cameras for loaders, excavators, bulldozers and tractors, cranes, rollers and all other kinds of vehicles, with an aluminium casing.

Tips to maintain your heavy construction equipment

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The heavy construction equipments are one of the most essential elements in the construction industry. With the revolution going on in making the earth the best planet, heavy construction equipments play the pivotal role. Whether it is demolishing the old dilapidated buildings, or to remove the debris, or even constructing a bridge over a river or lakes, without the heavy construction equipment, this dream would never have been possible. This is the reason why these equipments always stay on top of the list of priorities for the construction businessmen. However, the only problem with these equipments is the cost – it is huge and sometimes makes quite a big hole in the pocket. Therefore, the owners must take a thorough care of the equipments and repair it properly; so that they do not have to get rid of the equipment at once or that they can use and utilize them for a long time.

There are quite some tips that can help any construction equipment stay fit and provide maximum output to the owners. It is not a very difficult thing to follow, but takes only 15 minutes a day to go through. Proper maintenance of the heavy construction equipment will increase the safety and the life of the equipment. These maintenance tips include:

  • Cleaning:

This is the first thing that needs to be done. The reason behind cleaning the heavy dirt or the debris from the equipment regularly is to make sure that there is no leak or damage on the parts of the equipment.

  • Repair the damage:

Damage repairing is the next most crucial part of maintaining the heavy construction equipment. If the leaks or the worn out parts are nor repaired, then the damage will worsen. This includes the checking of the oil or coolant leakage.

  • Protect the wires:

Protecting the electrical wire is very important. The heavy workload damages, crushes or cuts the electrical wires and cords most of the time. To prevent any further hazards, the purpose-built casings or the ramps must be carefully covered around the cords.

  • Lubrication:

Lubricating the heavy construction equipment regularly and that too, before every use of the machine, makes it work properly and increase the quality of the service. Within the pneumatic tool, corrosion constantly takes place due to the environment created by a condensation in the air line. To prevent this corrosion, the owner of the equipment or the operator must coat the internal tools with the lubricator namely air-tool oil. This oil will help the equipment to prevent the corrosion and also displace the moisture.

  • Fuel:

A full tank equipment works better than a half tank or semi tank. The efficiency and the quality of the output become much better with a full tank than with a half-filled tank. Therefore, after the end of a working day, the tank needs to be filled. It also helps the owner to determine the fuel consumption rate of the equipment.

If all these tips are followed, it is very unlikely that the equipment will face any difficulty.

Tips for Maintenance of heavy construction equipment

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With new construction taking place all over the world, the construction companies are always in need for heavy construction equipment that is in proper working condition. As there is a huge work load at the construction sites and the equipment has to perform for long and break-less hours, it is very likely that the equipment gets damaged and as a result it decreases the quantity and quality of its performance. So following some simple yet useful tips of maintenance is very helpful.

Why do you need to maintain the heavy construction equipment with special care?

As the heavy construction equipment performs heavy duty in the work field or construction site, it faces severe damage. From damage to the parts of the equipment and to the engine mal function, there can be many types of damages caused to the heavy construction equipment. If these damages are not treated from the very beginning, it will gradually lead to severe problems and as a result, it will stop the construction work for long. So it is always better to deal with the damage and keep a proper maintenance of the equipment so that the owner does not have to spend a lot of money in taking the equipment to the service center.

Tips to maintain the heavy construction equipment:

  • There is no better alternative than to go for a daily checking of the heavy construction equipment. While you do this, you must see to all the worn out parts of the equipment, and note carefully if it is damaging the performance of the equipment.
  • The nest most important thing is to notice if there is any oil leakage from any part of the equipment. If there is something in the notice, then it must have an immediate attention.
  • Clearing the air filter and checking if it is working properly or if you not it may cause equipment failure. Damage to the air filter means reduction in the life of the equipment.
  • Every day, at the beginning of the working hours and at the end of the working hours, the equipment should be fuelled properly. This is because, an empty fuel tank will damage the hydraulic engine and the load on the engine will increase. Not only that, a full fuel tank increases the performance of the equipment.
  • Check whether the electrical cords are in proper condition or not. If the casing gets damaged, then it might lead to accidents or the equipment might also not work properly.

Benefits of maintaining the heavy construction equipment:

The heavy construction equipment needs regular maintenance. (Call B&R Equipment Mechanic or Lube Technicians).  This is because it will decrease the cost of servicing and increase the life of the equipment. With higher performance rate and reduced fuel consumption rate as a result of regular change in the engine oil, hydraulic oil filter and engine oil filter the profit of the user will be more than satisfactory.

Forecast of the demand of heavy construction equipment in 2014

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With increasing population all over the world, the need for new place to live in, and a need for a better, more civilized and well-constructed earth is growing rapidly. Smooth roads, overpasses, bridges and other constructions have become such an integral part of our lives that we cannot but think of a life without these. Most of the times the construction companies fail to perform their task in time, due to a lack of the supply of the heavy construction equipment at the construction sites. Due to the extremely high cost of the heavy construction equipment, the demand for the construction equipment faces a lack of demand in the construction sites, rather by the construction companies.

As in most of the major countries in the world including Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea and of course India; Australia and the American countries including the most powerful United States of America, infrastructure is playing the main role, in the recent years, despite the cost of the heavy construction equipment, the construction companies are looking for these machines to reduce the cost of labour and to utilize time. In the Asia-Pacific region and the South American countries, the infrastructural growth has brought a focus on the heavy construction industry. As the major companies and powers are investing on the heavy construction equipment manufacturing companies, this sector is experiencing a rapid emergence.

The construction and infrastructural growth in these countries has led to the estimation that this industry is going to have a demand of almost 8.5% more than the previous years. The factors that would be responsible for this growth are of course new product launch, collaboration with other big forces, agreements, joint ventures, merges, expansion, investments and many more. The major heavy construction equipment manufacturing companies like the Caterpillar, John Deere and Co., Komatsu, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Volvo Construction Equipment, follow this same strategy to have a good response and demand throughout the year.

In the year 2014, the economic recovery in almost all the countries has been the most important reason for the growing demand of these machines. Increase in the rate of dollar cost and the recovery from the recession has made the construction industry grow again. The affordability of the people to have their own habitat and new scope for employment has made new constructions possible, making the construction industry grow rapidly. From loaders to excavators, from bulldozers to cranes, each and every kind of construction equipment will have a constant and continuous demand in the year 2014 and the nearby following years.

All those people who have been thinking of having a business in this industry can now start their business of selling and buying heavy construction equipment. This is the best time in the last few years to have a business in this industry. The prospect of this industry would only increase day by day, but has no possibility of reducing.

Forecast of the rental business in the heavy construction equipment in the year 2014

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In the year 2013, the heavy construction company has faced a very low sales market. The experts forecast that this trend will continue in the recent year as well. The highest authority in the forecast industry of the United States of America, the IHS Global Insight company has analysed the global economic tradition and has come to the conclusion that since the global market has faced an economic downfall, the sales market of the heavy construction company will continue to face a bad fortune; but this will make the rental market of the heavy construction company a big business.

Why does the rental industry for heavy construction equipment grow so rapidly?

There have been two major reasons that have been instrumental in making the rental industry for the heavy construction equipment grow so rapidly. They are:

  1. As there has been a constant demand of the heavy construction equipment, the construction companies look for the equipment through various sources. The heavy construction equipment costs a lot due to the facilities and mechanism that it provides to the users while they use the equipment at the construction sites. The extremely high cost of the equipment has, however, been a very big reason for making sales of the heavy construction equipment reduce to a great extent. The construction companies, therefore, look out for options like renting the equipment.
  2. The downfall in the global market due to the extremely economic loss worldwide has been another major reason for the reduction of the sales of construction equipment. This leads to the increase of the rental business of the heavy construction equipment.

What has been the trend of the increment of the rental industry of the heavy construction equipment?

From the year 2010, the rental industry has been experiencing a very bright fortune in the heavy construction equipment business. If the growth rate of the rental industry of the heavy construction equipment is analysed, then it will be seen that every year there has been a huge increment in the rental business. The IHS Global Insight company of the United States of America forecasts that this heavy construction equipment rental company will experience a huge increment of up to $36.7 billion.

What is the future prospect of the rental for construction equipment during the end of 2014?

Towards the end of this running year, the increment of the rental demand for the heavy construction equipment will be increased much more. During the recession in U.S.A., many people had to stay with their relatives and as the housing industries are growing rapidly, there has been a continuous need for the equipment. Many construction equipment manufacturing companies are, therefore, manufacturing new equipment for rental purposes. With an easy solution to be able to utilize the equipment at a much reduced cost has gained a very positive response from the users. With new constructions developing every day, this need will grow more and the rental business will have a very popular demand.