Tag Archives: heavy equipment

Upgrading heavy equipment can boost the construction business

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Human race has been benefited a lot with the advent of new technologies. We can’t imagine our lives without the presence of these technologies that we are using on a daily basis. It has not only affected our lives but has also played a significant role in giving our businesses a new dimension. A successful business largely depends upon the kind of technologies being used by the employees.

The introduction of technology has also changed the way the construction industry looked decades ago.  Earlier most of the heavy equipment were run on diesel and there were hardly hydraulics used. But now that is not the case. Construction companies are demanding machines that are environment friendly and also consume less fuel giving more productivity. The heavy equipment industry has also seen tremendous changes in the last few years. Every year we get to see an upgraded design of machine in the cover pages of construction equipment magazines. This clearly shows how much they are in demand in the construction business.

Old technology will not get the desired results in a short span:-

We live in a fast paced jet world where we want everything to happen just instantly. It is quite evident that we can’t expect things to happen instantly when it comes to construction but still people will expect the construction companies to finish up the work as soon as possible. With heavy equipment equipped with old technology, it will be almost impossible to get the desired results in a short span. Either you have to give time for the completion of work or you got to compromise on the quality of the building. However, if you are not ready with either of them, then you have to switch to equipment that have the latest technology gadgets fitted in it. It simple means that you have to upgrade your machines by installing the new gadgets.

Upgrading heavy equipment can get you more businesses:-

Guys who give you businesses also try to know the kind of equipment you would be using. They ideally do not pay much heed on the machines that you possess but they walk on strict deadlines and they want you to complete the work within the desired timeline. A delay of few days is acceptable but nothing more than that. So if you work on machines that take ages to complete a task, it will only tarnish the reputation that you have built. It will also affect your relationship with project giver and things may end up in a mess. However, if you have the upgraded machineries at your disposal, then you can always create a positive impression by completing the project in time or at times before time.

Chances of accidents go down:-

Upgrading the construction equipment can bring down the chances of accidents happening in the construction zone to a larger extent. As the old parts of the machine will be replaced by technologically advanced ones, the operator will find it very simple to maneuver the machine diminishing the chances of accidents. This will establish goodwill of yours in the construction industry and more and more people will recognize you for your work. This in turn increases the chances of getting more businesses.

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Caterpillar truck has been designed to cater to the new market

Wants and requirements of the customers keep on changing with increase in demand of new technologies. Construction companies are always in the hunt for something new that can make a difference to the way they do business. This definitely does not mean a change in the way of doing business but a sort of change in the technology that helps us to conduct business easily and with precision without compromising the quality of work and the end product. The heavy equipment manufacturing companies pay a lot of attention to the needs of the customer and hence produce machines that make work far simpler than could have ever imagined. One such company that has made a reputation in producing quality products after knowing what the customer wants next and has given the word innovation a new dimension is none other than Caterpillar. Caterpillar specializes in producing machines that no other company has even given a thought to. From bulldozer to excavator or backhoe loader to crawlers, they are simply the market leaders. Likewise, there is one such thing that most companies have not paid much attention and Caterpillar has made a mark in that as well. After keeping the needs of the customers (local as well as global) in mind, they have designed trucks that are worthy of carrying tons of material with low maintenance costs attached with it.

Caterpillar is proud to have manufactured CT681 heavy trucks. It looks very similar to the ordinary trucks but the moment you view the rear of the truck; you see the steer axle shod with very large tires. The axle’s center is said to be the shortest with just 28 inches at the back of the bumper. It is said to be the shortest in the business. By manufacturing this truck, Cat is targeting customers who are operators of dumpers and mixers. Cat is seeing them to be the primary customer as they are the ones who will be benefitted with this machine. If you are of the mind that it could be used only to set off dirt and dump, then you should read how well the truck can be used to remove the snow from the roads. You only have to attach a big plow blade to the truck and that should be all to clear off the snow from the road. Caterpillar for this reason is also targeting highway departments as they can be a major customer who will require such trucks. Caterpillar has not worked much on the looks of the truck and hence if you check, you may find it like any other ordinary truck. However, the feature that’s added onto it is just amazing. The engine is 12.4 liters and has a horsepower of 430 at 1700 rpm. This is an axle forward version unlike the ones made earlier which had it backwards. Cat executives say that they are taking time to learn things better and give the world class products.

 

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Are the oil prices affecting the construction industry

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The cost of heavy equipment depends a lot on the oil price which also has its impact in the construction industry. It is not necessary that if the oil prices are low, it will be a sunny day for the construction industry but ideally it always has a positive impact. The construction industry seems to make good profits when the oil prices are at its low primarily because the heavy equipment consume the same amount of fuel with limited costing to the company. We have seen that when the oil prices were high, it had a negative impact on the construction sector or in other words the construction industry were not able to afford to give any discounts to the end users.

When we relate construction industry with oil prices, we also have to consider few other dimensions and they are the ones that have a greater impact than the others. For instance, after excavating the land, the soil is supposed to be dumped at a distant location for which you need trucks. Now if the oil price is high, it will undoubtedly become expensive for the company to move the soil from one place to another. This will certainly have its impact on the industry as the construction companies will not want to incur losses by selling their products at a lower price. This was just an example. There are many other factors that are co-related with the oil prices that determines the fate of the construction domain.

There is also a flip side of fall in oil prices that can have a negative impact on the construction domain. Heavy equipment companies are in the process to manufacture equipment that consume less fuel. Now taking this new technology into consideration, we can construe that the equipment will be expensive and if the oil prices starts falling they are in no mood to product equipment that are less expensive but consumes more fuel. So the construction companies are left with no option other than to buy those expensive equipment. Other than that, we have seen that after a small correction in the oil price, it again starts rising. This means that the fall will be for a very limited time and the heavy equipment companies will not want to change their technology for a limited duration.

Fall in oil prices affect the construction industry in one more unique way. For instance, a construction company started a project when the oil prices were high but by the time it completed oil prices started falling. This actually is benefitting the companies who have started the project during the fall as they will be able to sell the product at a lower rate than the one who completed their project during the time when the oil prices were at its peak.

Other than that when the oil prices are high, it has the capability to make the entire industry sluggish. It is particularly during this time that the construction companies are not able to show huge profits. Nevertheless, fall in the oil price is mostly considered to have a positive impact on the construction industry.

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John Deere has given more muscles to its excavator 300G LC

What the toughest of heavy equipment can’t do, can be easily done with the help of an excavator. This means that the excavator should be of good quality and should be in a position to resist all strain that it has to undergo during its lifespan. Companies like Caterpillar, John Deere, and Hitachi etc. are working to bring excavators with different features and add to the muscle power of the machine. They normally come up with features that are an improvement to the earlier feature. We can also call it an enhancement to the earlier feature. However, at times they also come up with something that is absolutely new and the same feature is either copied by other companies adding some additional value to it or they try to bring in something far more innovative to make their product look lucrative and more sellable in the market. Undoubtedly, advertisement also plays a pivotal role. Nevertheless, it’s the quality and features of the product that the buyers are more interested in.

What an excavator needs the most is the power to perform and this is exactly what John Deere has done to its latest model of excavators 300G LC. They have increased the horse power by 19 percent which is a phenomenal increase. It means a lot to the customer to have an excavator which has its strength increased by 19 percent. It really sets the machine apart from its competitors and now other companies are eying to increase the power in their machines. However, they have to also ensure that they do not compromise on the quality of the machine. The 300G LC is replacing its predecessor 290G LC. The new machine has the swing torque that can manage to jump 17 percent which was quite limited in the earlier version. It has also been gifted with larger hydraulic pumps that complement the machine with more power in excavating and lifting the dirt from the ground.

The machine has a larger hood that has been added to improve the access to the engine, maintain ground level fluid and finally with filter service. The filter service is used to simplify the pre checks. Just to avoid the technicians to do their laptop tests in the rain a nine pin diagnostic connector has been set up inside the cabin. All these features are being added to make the product more unique and of course a product that marketing guys may not find hard to put across to the clients. For people who want their machine wired with a grade control system, for them John Deere has installed factory sensor mounting brackets on the dogbone, boom, arm mainframe and counterweight of the machine. In order to check the oil flow, they have installed a programmable thumb attachment mode that will enable the gadget to check the oil flow in the monitor attached in the cab. The company has also followed all government forms and has designed a diesel particulate filter that has the potential to clean itself without putting any impact on the machine.

Effective greasing of heavy equipment can elongate its life

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We take a good deal of effort to ensure that our heavy equipment are in order and it does not break down when we need them the most. For instance, when we have an important project in hand and need the machine to work all throughout the day, we will just not want it to stop working for any stupid reason. But in case if it breaks down due to its parts being not sufficiently lubricated, it only shows how much we care for our equipment. It is therefore of utter importance that we apply appropriate greasing on the equipment at regular intervals. This will not only ensure that our machines are in order but also will save you from incurring any financial losses.

http://heavyequipmentlube.com/

In order for the heavy equipment to work in proper condition, appropriate greasing is very essential. Over greasing can also become a big problem which can prove very costly to you. It can lead to several complications in the machines like collapsed seals, high operating temperatures etc. So, people who are of the thought that applying lot of grease can strengthen the life of the machine can fall completely flat on their faces when they will begin to experience these issues in their machines.

Before you apply grease on your machine, it is also important to understand that if the grease is the right one for your machine. Not all kind of grease on earth will suit your equipment and in order to know what will go better with your equipment, you need to check the user manual of the product. In case, you are unable to understand that, you can also go through few internet articles that speaks about the kind of greasing you need to do for your machine. Lastly, you may also get in touch with an expert mechanic who will guide you with the lubricant you can apply on the machine.

Grease is ideally a combination of 3 components; i.e. oil, thickener and additives. By mixing these 3 components, lubricants of different types are produced. The oil that is used in lubricants is ideally mineral oil and it has been seen that such greases have shown significant performances in keeping the machine well lubricated. However, in case of extreme temperatures, synthetic based oil is most effective. The oil is then mixed with a thickener which can be a metallic soap. This will turn the soap into a semi fluid structure. Concurrently, companies are also using complex thickener type greases as it can provide outstanding capability to pull huge loads.

The complex greases are made by merging the metallic soap with an organic acid that has a very low molecular weight. Just in case if the machine is working in high temperatures, then usage of grease without any soap thickeners can bring optimum results.

For users who do not know what kind of grease they need to apply on their machines, it is recommended that they take some help of experts who knows about the different types and quality of greases and then work it on their machine.

How to Get a Job in the Construction Industry

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The construction industry is expanding all over the world. Therefore, it is quite natural that the demand for skilled professional is very high in this industry. However, it would be wrong to assume that any layman could land a job in the construction industry. It is important that you through a considerable amount of training and education so that you are eligible and skilled enough to handle the heavy equipment. Academic as well as practical expertise is required tyo get a good job in this industry. Therefore, you must acquire your certification from a proper school of some repute.

 

It is very important that you have your basic education competed if you want a job in this industry. Therefore, one of the first things that you would need is diploma certification from your high school. A course in math, English and shop could be quite useful in this regards. If you do your course on the subject of auto mechanics you may enjoy special preferences because most construction workers have the job of maintaining the equipment. You can also go for a vocation course in the private schools. Getting a job can be a lot easier with a degree from one of these schools. However, it is very important to do a background check on the reputation of the school. It is also very important to know if the school can give you training with real machines.

 

You can also learn the job with operating equipment training with the guidance of an operator. With the graduation in training, these learners may start handling heavier machines like bulldozers. It is important that you have excellent operational skills if you want to handle equipment with improved hydraulics and computerized controls. It is important that you get specialized training in order to be able to handle such equipment. Workers may have a clear understanding of the job with an apprenticeship of about four years. For every year, the apprentices would have to follow instructions of 144 hours. They would also have to go through paid training for 2000 hours. At the job, these apprentices would learn about operating machinery, procedures of operating, safe practices, first aid, using special technology and many more. With an apprenticeship, you would be able to work with a wide range of industry equipment. Therefore, the choices of jobs in this industry would also increase for you.

 

Training

Many workers learn their jobs by operating light equipment under the guidance of an experienced operator. Later, they may operate heavier equipment, such as bulldozers. Technologically advanced construction equipment with computerized controls and improved hydraulics and electronics requires greater skill to operate. Operators of such equipment may need more training and some understanding of electronics.

There are a few requirements that are to be considered after the competition of the apprenticeship:

  • A minimum age of eighteen years
  • An education of high school
  • Physical ability of working
  • A driver’s license that is valid

These are the requirements that you would need for making applications.

 

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Construction Industry Can Fetch High Returns with Minimum Risk

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There are hardly any industries that can fetch people real good returns with minimum risk. If we give it a thought, we will find film industry as a lucrative career for actors where all they have to do is sell their talent without putting any money into it. Though they have to spend a fortune taking good care of their skin and health but they can expect huge returns if they got the knack to act and also the knack to select good projects. Keeping aside the actors and few other technicians, rest everyone has to invest a lot in this industry as well. Similarly, we have construction sector where one can give a kick start to his business with minimum investment and can still expect huge returns from it. This means you do not have much at stake monetarily. In other words, you take minimum risk to earn more.

Well, if this is how it goes, then why not everyone leave their work and become a part of the construction business. That is a trick one. It is true that one does not have to invest a lot during his initial days to start his business, but he has to keep a lot in stake in order to grow his business. First and foremost, he has to devote his 100% to his work and may find himself to be living somewhere outside this planet. You communicate less with your family, you meet less with your friends and partying becomes a distant dream. Well, that is the harsh truth which this industry carries on its back. Many people who give it a shot could not manage to carry it for long and have to wind up things in the mid; which is undoubtedly a sorry part in their career.

There are certain pre-requisites that one needs to have before stepping in this industry. The person needs to understand them well and then take a calculative decision, a decision not driven by emotions but should be very practical.  The person should be determined to take it all the way and not leave it in the mid. He may start up with a small business and if needed keep it small for few years but should not just stop everything because he can’t take it anymore. Here the strong determination thing comes into play.

Being focused is another attribute one must possess. A lot many times, we may tend to get out of focus which can be dangerous for our business. Your business demands you to be in focus throughout and also commands highest priority in your life. Well, here things get tough for lot of people. They should learn to balance their work and their family. Ability to establish good public relationships is another important characteristic one must have. This one helps you to get more projects. You be good to people and deliver work in time. This will only help you to get more work.

These are simple traits one must possess to make their business a success and a successful business can fetch good dividends.

Top 10 hauling questions for heavy equipment

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Transporting heavy equipment from one to another is a big headache for the construction company. At the same time, they also can’t keep the machine idle in one place when they already need the machine in some other site. The reason why many find hauling heavy equipment as a difficult job is because that kind of work requires 100% accuracy. You just can’t afford to do a single error and if there is an error, the consequence of that could be immense. There have been numerous instances of accidents that have taken place due to improper loading of machines and while it is hauled, either the chain breaks loose or it tilts to the front of the trailer leading to some or the other complications.

Loading of heavy equipment should always be done under the supervision of an expert. You being a layman may not know the correct way to load the machine and haul to the new destination. An expert on the other hand will provide his expertise on this issue and will ensure that the loading is done properly and it can be hauled without endangering anyone’s lives. Alternatively, the expert also understands the capacity that can be hauled and will never advise you to tow anything that exceeds the designated limit. Alternatively, please ensure that you have the right guy to drive the vehicle for you. If you hand over the work of hauling heavy equipment to a driver who has been driving only SUVs then he may not be the right choice for you.

We would be jotting down few important questions that often arise in the mind of a newbie.

The most generic question that people have is to know the towing capacity of the vehicle and where can they know about the limit.

The best way to know about this is to check the user manual. You’ll get the information there.

People want to know about the functions of trailer signal wiring?

It is nothing but a device which will work exactly the way as it works when you stop your car. It just emits light signaling the car behind you that the trailer is to stop now.

What do we exactly mean when we say payload rating and what is vehicle weight rating?

It is simply the weight of the trailer without any substance or thing on it.

Trailer has anti-sway control, what is that?

It is an electronic sensor system that signals the driver if the trailer is moving exactly behind the driver. If not, brake pressure can be applied to bring it in line.

How can an oil cooler system assist in towing heavier weight?

It becomes cumbersome for the engine of the trailer to pull extra weight and it tends to become hot in short span. Therefore, the automakers provide a package of oil cooler system that enables to cool the heat in the engine and allows the trailer to pull more weight.

Where can a person weigh his trailer?

You can weight it in any repair shop or go to a truck dealer/truck stop to do so.

Integrated Trailer Brake Control, what is it?

It is an advanced system that not only put brakes on the vehicle that you’re driving but also brake the trailer.

Switching the transmission to “tow” or “haul” mode. How does it help?

This quality of the vehicle will pay off for road steepness and eventually lets the vehicle consume less fuel.

Heavy duty rear differential helps us a long way while towing, How is that possible?

The larger or heavier rear differential helps the truck to tow heavy loads. The heavier rear differential can take the pressure coming from the axle and from the load thus helps the truck to pull more loads.

Why vehicles with diesel engines are used to tow heavy vehicles?

Diesel engines don’t have high hp but have torque figures that tell the weight a vehicle can tow.

How expensive will be the maintenance of vehicle that indulges in hauling heavy things?

Ideally, it should not be expensive if the vehicle is maintained at regular intervals. However, if it’s not done then the costs could be higher.

 

Volvo is likely to stick to its old plan for the year 2015

It seems the construction and the mining industry is the worst hit industries in 2014, which is why they are finding it tougher to recuperate in the forthcoming year. It has been seen that many companies saw a huge decline in their sales due to which they are forced to take some real tough decisions. Undoubtedly, these decisions also had an impact on the industry as a whole. Not only the sales figure dipped but also there were jobs cut throughout the industry which became a matter of concern for many. Hiring were the lowest across sectors and many people who completed their studies in civil engineering or learnt about machines were finding hard to get to a job.

Many heavy equipment manufacturing companies were of the view that they should be calling off their overseas markets, shrink their business to a certain extent and focus more on home turf. Others were of the view to pay more attention in countries that was giving them profits. It means that they were ready to take risks to produce more equipment for countries that showed them opportunities and by doing that, they were able to keep afloat in turbulent tides.

Volvo also gained success internationally but in some countries, it did not do well and that resulted in forcing them to cut jobs of its employees. Volvo is world’s 2nd biggest truck manufacturer and has a reputation of producing world-class trucks and delivering them all over the world. Many countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe and in the America uses their products to cater the needs of the customer. However, the year 2014 was not at all good for them. They experienced a severe fall of demand for trucks and were finding it difficult to sustain. It became important for them to take some stringent decisions and they decided to lay off few people from the company. They are of the view to eliminate around 2000 jobs by 2015 which will happen in a phased manner. By that time, if the business picks up, they might reconsider their decision. Or else, they might have to stick to the old plan. It is assumed that the reorganization costs will be around $766 million and the annual savings is estimated to be lower than that.

Company biggies are worried about the reaction that their decision will have on the stock exchange. They were optimistic and feel that the market will react positively to their decisions as they understand the need of the situation. Volvo’s mission is to attain highest operating margins in the entire industry. They have planned to liquidate a North American unit. It is estimated to be over by the end of January. Volvo is also focusing on paying the same amount of dividends that will help a little to keep the prices of their shares intact.

Volvo feels that the year 2015 will be the year of efficient machines and cost reduction. If the company is able to attain these things, they will be able to sustain for now.

Terex has big plans for China in 2015

The year 2014 may have not been so pleasant for many but some companies just know how to make fortune out of nothing. The overall construction segment has seen a decline in the year 2014. Right from heavy equipment manufacturing companies to the big construction houses, most of them have suffered losses. In general, it has not been the year that passed away pleasantly. It indeed gave lot of losses to big as well as small companies. Many companies saw a sharp decline in the sale of heavy equipment, something that was not experienced by many for the last many years. However, this was the year when almost all the companies have experienced the same issue and are struggling hard to get over it.

Some companies found 2014 to be more difficult because they did not foresee the issue in advance. They relied more on domestic markets giving less importance to other global emerging markets. They were of the opinion that it may be difficult for them to conduct business in other countries and they may lose their share of hold in the domestic markets. Therefore, they paid less attention on international markets where there were more opportunities and took a hit on their sales. Simultaneously, there were few companies like Terex that made a smart call and took the plunge to overseas markets. They made some real big plans for countries like China. They have planned to increase their annual revenue to $1 billion from $300 million in the next 3 to 5 years. This means that they have taken far better calculated risk which is likely to pay huge dividends to them in the future. Ron DeFeo, the chairman and the chief executive officer of Terex feels that China plays a significant role in making Terex a $10 billion revenue company by the end of 2015. The CEO sees China as an important player that has plenty of demand. Terex in return has a lot to offer to China. They see immense business opportunity in that country and also in other South East and Middle East countries.

According to the CEO, in the year 2014, China has single handedly contributed around 8 percent of the $4.4 billion revenue generation in the year 2014 and they forecast that it is expected to enhance its contribution to 20 percent. They see immense investment opportunities in China. Terex will be working on their aerial work platform and agrees that the government in China gives a lot of importance to safety and efficiency. The company will therefore pay a lot of attention to the safety and efficiency part and ensure that it abides by the rules and regulations of the country. Slowly and steadily, they may work to create a safety aerial work which will not be restricted only to the business but will be relevant to the whole society. They are in talks with the government to make something of this kind possible.

Terex sees the overseas market as the market with potential and feels confident in doing business away from home.