About 75-85% of hydraulic system failures can be traced to fluid contamination.
It feels like yesterday when Equipment Africa first hit your internet browsers in the early stages of the year. Year-end is fast approaching and we are well aware that this is the time for many fleet operators to wind down and reflect on this difficult year, while strategising for the year ahead.
While there are business preparations and projections to ponder about during the downtime festival period, this is also the time to look at the operating conditions of the equipment before demand starts to dictate hectic working hours. When projects commence in the first few months of the new year, it will be unwise to sit with machines that continuously break down as the downtime obviously impacts on potential profitability.
Before the schedules get hectic, I believe there is enough time to look at these maintenance issues during the downtime period. When your equipment is not available to work, it’s not earning you money, but rather costing the little already in the coffers. Equipment downtime is a fact of life for many fleet operators, but the secret to minimising it is affording enough time to investigate the potential failures and taking the appropriate actions to avoid them in order to increase equipment availability, therefore increasing potential profitability.
One of the key issues I believe needs serious attention is contamination control. It is a hidden enemy that kills earthmoving machines on sites. About 75-85% of hydraulic system failures can be traced to fluid contamination.
One of the most interesting misconceptions is that equipment owners seem to have some idea that if you can’t see the dirt, contamination isn’t there. This is completely false. There is need to put necessary controls in place to get rid of this serious enemy, and it is during the downtime period where technicians have ample time to look at all these issues holistically.
In the meantime, continue enjoying browsing Equipment Africa!
Thina Bhebhe
Publishing Director
