Whichever way you look at it, there’s never a good time for machine downtime. Not only that, but there are also a lot of risks involved.
A regular maintenance schedule for construction equipment such as small earth-movers, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and telehandlers is essential to ensure that replacement parts are ordered in time.
This not only prevents some of the financial risks of downtime but also helps save money in other ways. In addition, the role of a reliable parts supplier for effective parts management should not be underestimated.
TVH global market manager Joris Tijtgat tells Earthmoving Equipment Magazine about the importance of effective parts management.
“Equipment such as small earth-movers, mobile elevating work platforms and telehandlers are often used in construction and agriculture, where they are exposed to harsh working conditions,” he said.
“In these demanding environments, it’s more common for machines to break down, but the subsequent downtime is not without risk.
“As well as financial losses — due to the standstill of the project and the extra labour costs caused by the overtime needed to catch up with the project — downtime can have severe consequences, ranging from inconveniences like unsatisfied customers to high-impact issues such as fines and penalties, reduced worker safety or legal implications.
“Therefore, every precaution must be taken to minimise the downtime of small earth- movers, mobile elevating work platforms and telehandlers. Getting replacement parts in time plays an essential role in this.”
The importance of maintenance
Adhering to a clear and fixed schedule of routine and preventive maintenance is one of the most decisive ways to ensure parts are available on time.
“Routine maintenance involves a visual inspection of the machine, paying particular attention to vital components and typical replacement parts,” Joris said.
“This inspection will also show the extent to which parts experience wear, allowing a rough estimate of when replacements will be required.
“Preventive maintenance, on the other hand, takes a big-picture approach.
“This type of maintenance involves inspecting equipment for problems in the making and minor defects before they can become massive problems that lead to machine breakdown. This allows replacement parts to be ordered just before they are needed.”
Significantly, Joris said relying on maintenance to get parts in time can save money in several ways.
- No idle equipment. By avoiding unexpected breakdowns, maintenance ensures that construction equipment doesn’t sit idle while waiting for replacement parts to arrive. Instead, machines can be serviced when it is most convenient for the company, and there will be no lost revenue.
- No (expensive) major defects. Maintenance is also key to detecting defects early, before they become major and expensive problems. For example, it is much cheaper to make a minor repair and replace one hydraulic component than to overhaul the entire hydraulic system if the problem had gone undetected.
- Improved efficiency. Well-maintained construction equipment works better and
more efficiently, resulting in higher productivity. And when no machine has to remain on the sidelines because of a breakdown, the business itself can run more (cost) efficiently.
Effective parts management
Another way to prevent machine downtime and save money is through effective parts management, which means anticipating when certain replacement parts will be needed and ordering them proactively.
“To this end, the machine manual contains an estimate of the service life of various components, but regular maintenance naturally also plays a vital role,” Joris said.
“Following a maintenance schedule will, over time, give an idea of when the components of a particular piece of construction equipment need replacing.”
TVH has your back
But parts management doesn’t have to be a one- person job.
“It also helps to have a reliable parts supplier, like TVH,” Joris said.
“With more than eight million known references for construction equipment — and more parts and accessories being added every day — we’re sure to have all the parts you’re looking for.
“In addition, our in-house parts experts ensure the quality of each product and can assist you in finding the correct replacements.
“Even with a meticulous maintenance schedule and effective parts management, the chance of an unexpected breakdown can never be reduced to zero.
“For example, a machine component may experience acute failure or an incident may occur at the worksite that results in machine downtime.
“In this case, TVH can also intervene to minimise the downtime, with 94 per cent of our worldwide orders being shipped the same day.”
The TVH online catalogue can be found here: https://bit.ly/3SKHCeZ