Excavators

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5 Tips for creating a preventive maintenance routine for excavators

Excavators

Excavators are multi-purpose pieces of heavy machinery and an indispensable part of construction and mining projects. Excavators operate on a hydraulic system and are controlled by an operator out of a cabin, popularly known as the ‘house’.  They are primarily designed to carry out earth-moving and foundational tasks necessary on-site. Several special attachments available for excavators enable them to carry out other tasks besides excavation. Excavators are also used for demolition and cutting activities on-site. There is no doubt that excavators complete intensive tasks in harsh environments and on rough terrain. 

Keeping an excavator at the highest operational level requires regular servicing and a preventive maintenance routine and a top-quality kubota fuel injectors is what you need? A preventive maintenance routine for excavators helps you get the most out of your investment. The lack of a proper maintenance schedule may lead to breakdowns, increased machine downtime, and expensive repairs and spare part replacements. Creating and maintaining an effective maintenance routine is essential to increase operational efficiency and ROI on your machinery investment. 

Here are 5 guidelines to keep in mind when creating an excavator maintenance schedule: 

1. Maintenance frequency 

Your excavator’s operation and maintenance manual contains all necessary information on service intervals, safety features, controls, and maintenance points. The manual also contains official manufacturer recommendations that keep your excavator operating at its highest capacity when implemented. The manufacturer’s recommended maintenance and service plans are formulated through rigorous research and trials and designed thoughtfully for cost-effectivity. The service and maintenance manuals cover oil changes, part changes, fluid levels, and grease based on hours of operation. 

2. Undercarriage maintenance 

The undercarriage is the most expensive component of the excavator and is subject to constant wear and tear. The life expectancy of an excavator’s undercarriage depends on 2 factors: 

  • On-site terrain 
  • Operator habits 

Excavator tracks should be inspected daily for cuts and tears that expose the steel embeds. 

The most important thing to monitor during maintenance intervals is tracking tension. A loose track can lead to de-tracks, resulting in expensive repairs and unexpected downtime, and can lower the operational efficiency. The operation and maintenance manual lists the ideal track tension for your excavator model and the correct posture for track-tension adjustments. The undercarriage also contains several other components like rollers, sprockets, and idlers that should be periodically checked.

3. Daily inspections 

In addition to establishing a regular maintenance schedule, the excavator operators should be trained to perform daily inspections and keep the excavator’s operational capacity at maximum. Daily inspections can make you aware of a problem before it gets out of hand and saves time and money. An excavator’s daily inspection checklist should ideally cover: 

  • Attachment inspection for damage
  • Stick and boom inspection, including hydraulic lines 
  • Track inspection for wear and tear 
  • Checking under the excavator for any leaks 
  • Checking the fuel-water separator 
  • Checking controls and gauges inside the cabin 

4. Fluids and lubricants 

Modern excavators are equipped with emission-compliant engines and have complex lubrication requirements. An effective maintenance schedule includes a daily check of coolant, hydraulic fluid, and engine fluid levels. If any of these fluid levels are low or close to depletion, it is necessary to refill them as per manufacturer recommendations to ensure the highest uptime. It is necessary to consider the working environment to establish the most optimal lubrication intervals, as temperature plays a part in the depletion of lubricant levels. Manufacturers typically recommend using a high-quality multipurpose grease to lubricate cylinders, booms, blades, buckets, arms, and slew bearing components.

5. Recordkeeping 

Maintaining machine history is essential when evaluating the service life of an excavator. It is proof that the excavator has been well-maintained. Recording helps you to keep track of the wear and tear of parts and enables you to be warned about any part replacements in advance. Manufacturers also recommend keeping oil samples and sending out oil for analysis. Oil analysis can also detect worn-out components and allow for planning downtime or appropriate rebuild times on excavators with high hours.

Conclusion 

Excavators are versatile construction equipment. High-quality excavators improve the turnaround time of a construction site drastically. The excavator price in India is a lot, and regular, preventive maintenance of your excavator can minimise the risk of equipment failure and save you money on replacement parts. 

Hyundai Construction Equipment is one of India’s most reputable manufacturers of all kinds of excavators. They have a vast distribution network, making access to spare parts, special attachments and maintenance convenient regardless of the project location. Their excavators are fuel-efficient and deliver high output by consuming less fuel, helping keep operational costs in check.