Owning and operating construction equipment is a costly venture. Beyond the purchase price, there’s the cost of fuel, insurance, storage, a system operator and maintenance.
Layered on top of these expected costs are unexpected costs — specifically, unplanned construction equipment repair. In some scenarios, connector issues can be the catalyst.
Unplanned Construction Equipment Repair = Significant Costs
When construction equipment repair is needed beyond routine tasks that can be scheduled outside of work hours, it creates a waterfall of costs. Sure, there’s construction equipment repair costs, which can run up a hefty bill depending on the severity of the issue. But lost time on the job site must be made up with rented equipment.
As For Construction Pros highlights, construction teams could have 360 hours of downtime to make up to adhere to production requirements, with a dozer that costs $80 an hour to rent. Even if construction equipment repair happens faster than anticipated and teams only need the rental equipment for half those hours, that’s still a cost of more than $14,000.
What Manufacturers Can Do to Support Fewer Repair Costs
Create a PM Plan
The owner’s manual that comes with construction equipment affords manufacturers an opportunity to help customers establish a preventative maintenance schedule that lets them be more proactive and less reactive. Basing these schedules around operational hours versus the calendar helps construction teams properly plan for maintenance and avoid unnecessary downtime.
Offer Training Resources
Proper training is also essential to minimizing construction repair costs. Before a crew member gets behind the wheel of a bulldozer or excavator, it’s critical that they not only have a comprehensive understanding of how to safely use the equipment but also how to properly store the equipment when it’s not in use. To this end, some manufacturers of construction equipment offer more formal training programs in equipment operation via their local dealers.
Addressing a Larger Question around Equipment Parts
The smallest parts in construction equipment can have the biggest impact on how the system performs. Connectors are one example. Considering the heavy loads these machines carry, connector designs used within the system must be robust and durable enough to handle extreme compression requirements. Otherwise, the connectors will fail prematurely and construction teams will need to wait for a replacement to operate the machine.
When manufacturers can make small fundamental changes to the equipment’s parts and facilitate reliable connections, it’s a win-win. Manufacturers feel more confident in the performance of their equipment, and the construction teams using the machines have to deal with fewer repair costs.
Amerline Offers Stock & Custom Connector Solutions
Sometimes stock connectors are suitable for construction equipment. In other cases, the equipment requires a fully customized connector solution to conform to a unique application or a specialized requirement (such as extreme compression requirements).
As a manufacturer and provider of stock and custom circular connectors, Amerline can support customers in both scenarios. With our connectors, you’ll get the robustness and durability your application demands, with the accelerated lead times and cost-effective pricing that you want.
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