The Importance of Regular Equipment Maintenance Within the Construction and Mining Industries
It’s interesting to note that the United States is a major player within the construction industry. In fact, this country has the second largest global construction market. In 2014 alone, private construction companies spent $687 billion. Within this same year, the North American construction equipment market accounted for 21% of global revenue. Current United States’ expenditures, however, are over $900 billion.
Mining is also a major industry within the United States. In 2009, for example, the total mining gross output was $380 billion. By 2014, however, this amount rose to $667 billion.
When it comes to the longevity of heavy equipment within the construction industry, a 2008 survey found that crawler dozer owners tend to spend a considerable amount of money on repairs. The survey showed that over the course of these machines’ lifespans, 28% of the owners actually spent more than the original purchase price on repairs.
While there may be several reasons why these repairs were necessary, it is obviously essential to keep all types of construction equipment in excellent working condition. It’s possible that the aforementioned crawler dozer owners may not have been following regular maintenance guidelines or weren’t operating their equipment properly.
When dozer tracks are too tight, for example, they are subjected to more wear-and-tear. As a result, they can wear down up to three times faster than when they’re properly adjusted. In order to be sure whether or not they are sagging just the right amount, a straight edge ruler should be placed across the grousers up to the tip. The track chains should sag an average of two inches; otherwise, they are too tight.
Dozers typically use single grousers. This means that they only have one tooth. Double grousers, which are used on loaders, have two teeth, and excavators, which use triple grousers, have three teeth. When any of these pieces of equipment break down or aren’t functioning properly, a grouser track rebuild ,or another type of repair, will likely be needed.
In order to prolong the life of the different types of heavy machinery that are used within the construction and mining industries, tipping bars, tipping grids, and grizzly bars are used. When parts such as tipping grids are well-maintained, they will tend to work at peak capacity and have a longer lifespan.
Given that the construction and mining industries will continue to conduct business, it’s vital to keep all machinery in excellent condition. When equipment such as tipping grids and grouser tracks are in good working order, it ensures that jobs will be completed within the contracted time frame. In addition to ensuring that equipment is well-maintained, workplace safety cannot be stressed enough. Given this, it’s essential to review and follow safety guidelines and procedures on a regular basis.