—JOURNAL OF—
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
AEMP’S NEW CHAIRMAN LEADS BY EXAMPLE
DAVE BOLDEROFF, CEM
FINANCE
INFORMATION
HOW TO SELL HOW TO TELEMATICS TO ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP INNOVATION R&D 2020 | www.aemp.org
POLICIES
PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE FLEET MANAGEMENT
CONTROLS
COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR ENGINES
THE EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (EMS) CERTIFICATE
WHY WHY WHY AEMP AEMP AEMP CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? AEMP’s education is focused on building excellence in equipment management and is designed for professionals in the equipment management and equipment supply industries. Our Equipment Management Specialist (EMS) online educational program leads to earning the AEMP Equipment Management Specialist (EMS) Certificate.
The Equipment Management Specialist Certificate is an assessmentbased certificate recognizing the competency of an individual involved with equipment in a private, municipal, or government fleet within the first five years of career development. This certificate serves individuals who want to obtain the skills, knowledge, and competencies necessary in equipment and asset management, to better understand the depth and breadth of the equipment industry, and to gain the ability to interact on a higher level with fleet-related professionals.Top Top Top 5 Reasons 5 Reasons 5 Reasons Equipment Equipment Equipment Management Management Management
Professionals Professionals Professionals seek seek seek CEM CEM CEM certification: certification: certification: Pursue the Equipment Management #1#1#1 Maximize Maximize Maximize your your your company’s company’s company’s bottom bottom bottom line! line! line! Specialist (EMS) if you:
• Are interested in taking the first step #2#2#2 Find Find Find new new new efficiencies efficiencies efficiencies forfor your for your your fleet! fleet! fleet! toward certification.
• Have fewer than five years’ experience in equipment The The Certified The Certified Certified Equipment Equipment Equipment Manager Manager Manager management.
#3#3#3 Expand Expand Expand your your your knowledge knowledge knowledge and and and gain gain gain new new new skills! skills! skills!
#4#4#4 Advance Advance Advance your your your career! career! career!
(CEM) (CEM) designation designation designation is the is the is the • (CEM) Are an end user or supplier #5#5#5 Earn Earn Earn thethe industry’s the industry’s industry’s most most most recognized recognized recognized premiere premiere premiere professional professional professional credential credential credential in the industry forfor managers for managers managers of off-road of of off-road off-road heavy heavy heavy credential! credential! credential! equipment equipment fleets fleets or or managers or managers managers of of of • equipment Desire tofleets know, define, identify municipal municipal municipal government government government fleets. fleets. fleets. If If If and recall information presented in youyou are you are ready are ready ready to to showcase to showcase showcase your your your the Career Equipment Fleet knowledge knowledge knowledge and and prove and prove prove your your position your position position Manager Manual. Visit www.AEMP.org/EMS in the in the inequipment the equipment equipment management management management sector sector sector as as a subject as a subject a subject matter matter matter expert, expert, expert, Course Details: This course is online self-study and is self-paced. This means that candidates will take take action take action action today today today and and find and find out find out what out what what Visit Visit www.AEMP.org/CEM guide themselves through the material and activities Visit under nowww.AEMP.org/CEM setwww.AEMP.org/CEM schedule. However, all course CEM CEM CEM certification certification certification can can do can do for do for you! for you! you! materials are available for the duration of one year from the candidate’s enrollment date. It is estimated that the time required to complete the course is between 35-40 hours.
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2/4/19 2/4/19 2/4/19 5:31 PM 5:31 PM PM AEMP 2/4/19 5:385:31 PM
WHY WHY WHY AEMP AEMP AEMP CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? Top Top Top 5 Reasons 5 Reasons 5 Reasons Equipment Equipment Equipment Management Management Management Professionals Professionals Professionals seek seek seek CEM CEM CEM certification: certification: certification:
#1#1#1 Maximize Maximize Maximize your your your company’s company’s company’s bottom bottom bottom line! line! line! #2#2#2 Find Find Find new new new efficiencies efficiencies efficiencies forfor your for your your fleet! fleet! fleet! #3#3#3 Expand Expand Expand your your your knowledge knowledge knowledge and and and gain gain gain new new new skills! skills! skills! The The Certified The Certified Certified Equipment Equipment Equipment Manager Manager Manager #4#4 #4 Advance Advance Advance your your your career! career! career! (CEM) (CEM) (CEM) designation designation designation is the is the is the #5#5#5 Earn Earn Earn thethe industry’s the industry’s industry’s most most most recognized recognized recognized premiere premiere premiere professional professional professional credential credential credential forfor managers for managers managers of off-road of of off-road off-road heavy heavy heavy credential! credential! credential! equipment equipment equipment fleets fleets fleets or or managers or managers managers of of of municipal municipal municipal government government government fleets. fleets. fleets. If If If youyou are you are ready are ready ready to to showcase to showcase showcase your your your knowledge knowledge knowledge and and prove and prove prove your your position your position position in the in the inequipment the equipment equipment management management management sector sector sector as as a subject as a subject a subject matter matter matter expert, expert, expert, take take action take action action today today today and and find and find out find out what out what what Visit Visit Visit www.AEMP.org/CEM www.AEMP.org/CEM www.AEMP.org/CEM CEM CEM CEM certification certification certification cancan do can do fordo for you! for you! you!
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2/4/19 2/4/19 2/4/19 5:315:31 PM 5:31 PM PM
—JOURNAL OF—
82
CO NT EN TS
AEMP Chairman’s Corner
06 A Year of Milestones and Progress AEMP Board Members
08 2019-2020 and 2020-2021
AEMP 2020 Chairman: Dave Bolderoff
12 Building a Sustainable Future 16 Building the Future of AEMP
FINANCE
How to Sell the ‘Sizzle’ of Telematics to Company Leadership
20 Focus on a few key benefits that can lead to a tangible ROI. Fix Air Leaks to Reduce Aftertreatment Downtime
30 Leak testing should become part of a regular maintenance routine. INFORMATION
How GPS Rovers Improve Construction Project Management
36 Technology provides the ability to accurately measure projects. How Social Media is Attracting Younger Workers
46 A steady drumbeat of engaging posts on the right platforms gets attention of job seekers. How to Establish Innovation R&D in a Construction Company
56 Establish a well thought out technology research, testing and implementation effort. POLICIES Comparing Private and Public Construction Fleet Management
66 There can be some stark contrasts between managing in the public and private sectors.
CONTROLS Air Conditioning Essentials That Keep Machine Operators Working Cool
76 Master essential housekeeping chores to ensure operators stay productive. Tips for Monitoring and Maintaining Diesel Fuel Injection Systems
82 Learn more about signs of malfunctioning diesel fuel injection systems and how to address them. Cooling System Maintenance Tips for Heavy-duty Engines
90 Cooling system maintenance must change as engines become more sophisticated.
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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Journal of Equipment Management
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66
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
AEMP’S NEW CHAIRMAN LEADS BY EXAMPLE Dave Bolderoff, CEM 2020-2021 AEMP Chairman
CONNECT
WITH US
page 12
Journal of Equipment Management
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
AEMP
Chairman’s
Mason Ford, CEM — 2019-2020 Chairman of the Board
CORNER
A Year of
MILESTONES AND PROGRESS MY YEAR AS CHAIRMAN OF AEMP, seems to have passed very quickly. I feel satisfied with the year’s work and optimistic about the future of AEMP and the value proposition for equipment managers. Like the other AEMP chairmen who came before me, I am humbled as a result of filling this leadership role for a year. Our association is filled with talented, experienced, intelligent and diligent people. Every AEMP accomplishment is the result of hard work done by a large group of volunteers and staff. Along with this past year’s accomplishments, the association has created great opportunities for members to get involved with AEMP to improve their careers, their organizations and our industry. Is AEMP better now than it was at the beginning of 2019? Yes! I believe 2019 was an extremely successful year for AEMP due to the work of volunteers and staff. My measure of success for AEMP in 2019 lies in the availability and preparation of resources for our association to accomplish its mission of “Building Excellence in Equipment Management” in the future. Together we have reached major milestones in 2019 such as the successful transition of AEMP management, creation of a strategic plan for the next several years, and development of an extremely talented ‘bench’ of volunteer board members, committee members and a diversely talented group of staff members. AEMP is well positioned for success!
2020 | A E M P .O R G
2019 MILESTONES ❯ AEMP association operations and staff successfully transitioned to Lynda Patterson, FASAE, CAE, FASCE’s AMPED Association Management Company (AMPED) ❯ Donte P. Shannon, CAE, is now Chief Executive Officer of AEMP. Shannon is energetically driving AEMP towards world class standards and dynamic targets. His widely attended strategic planning session in June 2019 yielded a new strategic plan for the 2020 - 2023 years, which provides AEMP with a solid path for the next several years. ❯ Immediate Past Chairman Greg Peet, CEM, formed a nominating process and practice that gives AEMP a deeply talented and committed Board of Directors, creating an enormous pool of future leaders for our association. ❯ In March 2020, David Bolderoff, CEM, will be sworn in as new AEMP Board Chairman. Bolderoff is a talented leader and will draw from his broad base of industry experience in his new position. I have every confidence our association will thrive with him leading the 2020 2021 AEMP Board of Directors.
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Journal of Equipment Management
AEMP is poised for great success in the near future. “What does AEMP’s bright future mean for me,” you may ask. “How does AEMP’s success lead to me and my company’s success?”
and a willingness to help each other, new members, the industry and their AEMP is poised for great communities. success in the near future. Becoming a CEM was a AEMP’S VALUE PROPOSITION transformative FOR MEMBERS journey for me. Many of the CEMs I know share The significance of AEMP is multimy feeling of gratitude to the AEMP for the dimensional and provides a different value training it has provided. for members at each and every level of the I now enter my third and current organization. During my year as the chairman membership phase — Volunteer. Interestingly, of AEMP, I have seen the organization’s impact volunteering allows me to both work in the on members and our industry from nearly every association and work on the association. angle. I compare my experience over time with Because of AEMP’s position at the center what a new member may experience today. of the Equipment Triangle, working on AEMP’s Allow me to share my experience. committees allows me a larger voice in our Over the 15 years I have been a member industry and provides me another avenue of AEMP my view of our association’s value with which to communicate within my proposition has grown and evolved, taking own organization. Working with AEMP me through three distinct committees has also enhanced my phases of membership. collaboration skills. The journey in AEMP As a new member I encourage all new AEMP members offers both tangible and in 2005, AEMP provided to join the association’s committees — intangible benefits for me with something no need to wait to become a CEM to all members and their completely new work with our groups! Working with the organizations. — access to other AEMP committees provides a direct link professionals who were to the industry and provides exceptional dealing with the same problems I faced. experience that will be used and valued by the In fact, some of these members even had member and the member’s organization. reasonable solutions! The challenges equipment managers faced Later, while I pursued my CEM, I developed in 2005 were different than today’s issues, but a real sense that the equipment manager’s the AEMP value proposition is still the same. position is truly a unique profession. I learned A new AEMP member can expect making that mastering the CEMs 17 disciplines requires connections with like-minded people who have an understanding of a vast variety of business equipment management solutions to share. disciplines and processes. I found that when AEMP membership has been beneficial coupled with years of management experience, for me and my organization over the last most CEMs are uniquely capable of managing 15 years. I strongly encourage anyone with a complete business operations. AEMP’s CEMs are strong interest in equipment management superbly capable people and are highly valued or with responsibilities in the equipment by their organizations. spectrum to join us! The journey in AEMP offers Today, when I look at the many CEMs I both tangible and intangible benefits for all deal with on a regular basis, I recognize in members and their organizations. AEMP is, them a unique commitment to our industry, indeed, succeeding at “Building Excellence in a deep understanding of their businesses, Equipment Management.”
Journal of Equipment Management
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
The Journal of Equipment Management (JEM) is the principal publication of the Association of Equipment Management Professionals. The JEM provides a serious source of thought-leadership that advances the equipment management profession. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or members of AEMP.
2019-2020 AEMP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Journal of Equipment Management is published annually as a service to all AEMP members. Nonmembers can purchase the publication by going to www.aemp.org. Submitted articles are reviewed by members of the Editorial Committee. Submit article proposals and completed manuscripts to chris@aemp.org. For further information on equipment management topics, or to provide opinion of contributors, contact: Publisher, AEMP, 1818 Parmenter St, Ste 300, Middleton, WI 53562, or call 970-384-0510.
Chairman of the Board Mason Ford, CEM, Skanska USA Civil Chairman Elect Dave Bolderoff, CEM, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts Secretary Treasurer Dan Hubbard, CEM, CRH Americas Materials Immediate Past Chairman Greg Peet, CEM, Helm Group
Š2020 AEMP. Published by the Association of Equipment Management Professionals. Produced by AC Business Media.
Chief Executive Officer DontĂŠ Shannon, CAE, AEMP, Ex-Officio
All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated without written permission from the publisher. Contact AEMP for reprint permission.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Editorial Offices: Chris Turek, 970-384-0510, chris@aemp.org
Directors at Large
AEMP AEMP and the AEMP Foundation work together to bring the most comprehensive collection of services and resources to equipment management professionals. AEMP is an individual membership organization. Its members manage private and public fleets in 18 countries.
Randy Bosman, CEM, Granite Construction
Our Cause (why we exist) AEMP helps fleet professionals build fleet efficiencies through world-class education and collaboration. Our Value (what we do) AEMP connects great ideas and great people to inspire innovation within the heavy equipment industry. Our Promise (how we serve our stakeholders) AEMP delivers a collaborative community within the Equipment Triangle, with exceptional tools to make equipment managers successful. Our Guarantee If any AEMP program, product or service does not fulfill our promise, we will make the situation right or refund your money.
Dan Pitt, CEM, Mulzer Crushed Stone Tim Morgan, CEM, Branch Civil Inc. Adam Ralph, CEM, Traylor Bros. Inc.
Director of Strategic Partners Ryan Blades, John Deere Construction & Forestry Director of Associates Jon Fazenbaker, CESP, WearCheck USA
Keith Barrett, CEM, PC Construction Company Ben Caldwell, CEM, Nabholz Construction Services Casey Dowling, CEM, Bechtel Equipment Operations, Inc. Tim Giggee, CEM, Covia Corporation
Our Mission Building Excellence in Equipment Management
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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Journal of Equipment Management
2020-2021 AEMP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chairman Elect Dan Hubbard, CEM, CRH Americas Materials
Immediate Past Chairman Mason Ford, CEM, Skanska USA Civil
Kim Siebecker Membership and Administration
Chief Executive Officer Donté Shannon, CAE, AEMP, Ex-Officio
Kim Striebel Finance
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ben Caldwell, CEM, Nabholz Construction Services Casey Dowling, CEM, Bechtel Equipment Operations, Inc.
Jackie Fowler Certification and Awards Jenny Frey Meetings
Secretary Treasurer Tim Morgan, CEM, Branch Civil Inc.
Keith Barrett, CEM, PC Construction Company
Donté Shannon, CAE Chief Executive Officer Rachel Connor Education
Chairman of the Board Dave Bolderoff, CEM, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Directors at Large
AEMP STAFF...
Director of Strategic Partners Mike Granruth, Trimble Director of Associates Dan Dean, Murphy Tractor
Chris Turek Marketing and Communications Tony Veroeven Membership and Business Development
info@aemp.org
Tim Giggee, CEM, Covia Corporation Adam Ralph, CEM, Traylor Equipment Matthew Case, CEM, Manatee County Government Ernie Stephens, CEM, Superior Construction
Journal of Equipment Management
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
ALWAYS CONNECTED. ALWAYS RUNNING. WITH JOHN DEERE CONNECTED SUPPORT,â„¢ your machines are constantly under the watchful eye of both John Deere and your local dealership. Together they can reduce, or even prevent, costly downtime. All of which keeps you up and running, so that you can Run Your World.
JohnDeere.com/Connected
AEMP 2020 CHAIRMAN
DAVE BOLDEROFF, CEM
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
BY G.C. SKIPPER
AEMP’s new chairman leads by example
T
he assets we control as equipment managers play a pivotal role in constructing and maintaining infrastructure across the globe. This equipment, both on- and off-road, is typically powered by internal combustion engines that burn vast amounts of petroleum fuels. Because these fuels are unsustainable, are experiencing depleting supplies and release greenhouse gases (GHGs) these vehicles directly impact the environment we live in. While presenting a seminar on Green Diesel at a recent AEMP conference in Kansas City, MO, I polled attendees on the annual amount of fuel each of their companies
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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consumed. The enormous volumes they reported were eye opening, to say the least! In our roles as equipment managers, we need to be fiscally responsible in managing our company’s capital-intensive assets and resources. Question: Have you ever taken a moment to wonder how we can change our everyday choices to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact, or what we can do in our roles to positively affect the world of tomorrow? Over the next decade, the most successful companies will be those who integrate sustainability into their core business practices. Equipment managers must play a pivotal role in the strategic development of
their company’s sustainability programs and be their organization’s internal champion to ensure the execution of a high-quality plan. Are you ready for the challenge? Although there is a common misperception that “going green” must be more expensive than what a company has experienced in the past, I have found many of the green initiates I have implemented over the years, such as renewable diesel, have resulted in immediate cost savings. Admittedly, some green initiatives require a significant upfront investment, but in today’s world, our mindset must be geared towards evaluating various options based on our fleet’s total lifecycle costs and not lowest initial cost. Companies continue to struggle with the technician shortage and the difficulty finding qualified support staff to fill new jobs in our business. One challenge
Journal of Equipment Management
OVER THE NEXT DECADE, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES WILL BE THOSE WHO INTEGRATE SUSTAINABILITY INTO THEIR CORE BUSINESS PRACTICES.
companies are facing is the next generation of workers demand to work for organizations that focus on sustainability and carbon footprint reduction. Question: What are you and your company doing to stay relevant and attract the best talent out there? Our mission at the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County is to protect both public health and the environment through innovative and cost-effective wastewater PAGE
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
AEMP 2020 CHAIRMAN and solid waste management. We do this by converting waste, such as recycled water, energy and recycled materials into resources. The districts also continue to identify new applications for alternative fuels for both on-road and offWHAT road applications. IS YOUR For example, my organization COMPANY operates some of our vehicles DOING TO STAY and equipment on the resources RELEVANT we produce such as renewable AND electricity and Compressed ATTRACT Natural Gas (CNG). My company THE BEST assigned vehicle, a Ford F150 TALENT? truck, operates on renewable CNG. Over the past three years I have driven more than 50,000 miles on renewable CNG, thus reducing my truck’s gasoline consumption by 2,300 gallons and GHG emissions by over 80%, all while reducing my organization’s dependency on petroleum fuels. The amount of fuel consumed by a pickup is a drop in the ocean compared to the fuel consumed by heavy equipment. OEMs like CASE with Project Tetra, which is a concept CNG powered mid-size wheel loader, and Volvo’s Electric Site,
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featuring battery-powered electric haul trucks, an electric excavator and a hybrid wheel loader, are giving us a glimpse of what could be available to our industry in the very near future. OEMs are also investing heavily in the research and development of electrified powertrains. At last year’s Bauma Trade Expo in Munich, Germany, electrification was among the key technology trends with several OEMs showcasing electric-powered compact excavators and wheel loaders. There is strong demand for electrified machines, particularly for inner city projects where emission reductions are critical. This summer a new source of renewable CNG will come online at my company, fuel produced from the anaerobic digestion of food waste. If someone told me five years ago that I would be driving a truck powered by food waste scraps I would have laughed at such a ridiculous idea! Yet, here we are now - this is how fast technology is
Journal of Equipment Management
advancing in alternative fuels. In order to build a sustainable future, the equipment triangle (end users, dealers and OEMs) need to work together. Do you know which OEMs are committed to sustainable manufacturing processes? We are seeing a trend of OEMs paying more attention to the materials they are sourcing; so as end users, should we only buy equipment from preferred OEMs that utilize a higher percentage of recycled or sustainable sourced materials? If we show demand for sustainable manufacturing, will OEMs respond favorably? Which OEMs have remanufactured solutions for spare parts or equipment second life? Fleet managers often rely on equipment dealers for service and support. If this includes you, I suggest before partnering with a specific dealer ask if they share the same sustainability goals as your company. I encourage you all, no matter the size of your company, to develop a sustainability action plan. Once developed, it is important that you, as the internal champion for sustainable practices, make everyone in your company aware of the plan and ensure it becomes engrained in your company’s culture. I recommend using social media to promote your plan, highlight your achievements or occasional failures, and encourage others to follow your lead. As you identify ways to reduce your environmental impact and carbon footprint, try categorizing your efforts into three actions often called the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. REDUCE means minimizing our carbon usage and the amount of waste and emissions we produce. This is the most important of the 3R actions. Start by ensuring your fleet is right sized and utilized efficiently. When it’s time to replace equipment, seek out new equipment with
Journal of Equipment Management
LET’S EMBARK ON A JOURNEY OF SUSTAINABILITY TO HELP PRESERVE OUR RESOURCES.
greater power efficiency that reduces fuel consumption using newer technologies such as hybrid powertrains (diesel-electric), lock-up torque converters and advanced hydraulic systems. Perhaps alternative fuels such as natural gas, propane or electric are options for your fleet replacements. What about using bio-fuels, such as biodiesel, renewable diesel or renewable natural gas? Are you extending your oil changeout intervals? Have you thought about building or retrofitting workshops to LEED or comparable green building standards? REUSE is finding a new way to use the waste you generate so you don’t have to dispose of it, especially using disposal methods that can negatively affect the environment. Some examples include retreading tires, rebuilding or using remanufactured components, using re-refined lubricants, and having a closed loop recovery and recycling system on your wash racks to reuse water. RECYCLE means allowing others to use your waste to remake new goods that can be reused again. Examples of waste products generated from equipment maintenance that can be recycled include oils, greases, paper, packaging and scrap metals. Over the next year, as the premier resource for standards and best practices in equipment management, AEMP will focus on sustainability. This focus should be a shared mission across the equipment management profession. Let’s do it together and embark on a journey of sustainability to help preserve our resources for future generations. Stay tuned! I look forward to serving you all as Chairman of the Association over the coming year. PAGE
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
AEMP 2020 C H I E F E X EC U T I V E O F F I C E R
BUILDING THE FUTURE
OF AEMP By Donté Shannon, CAE
BLUE PLANET STUDIO / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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Journal of Equipment Management
I
t has been an honor to serve as AEMP’s CEO for the past year, standing on the strong foundation of leaders who came before me. With new leadership often comes the opportunity to plan for the future and set an aspirational path for continued success in the years to come. In June 2019, AEMP Board of Directors, members, partners and staff developed a new strategic plan. The new AEMP strategic plan establishes a roadmap for the association to be the epicenter of equipment management training, education and certification. Our plan prepares professional equipment managers and aspiring equipment managers to become invaluable assets to their companies and continue to drive this profession and industry forward. So far, our strategic plan has produced five outcomes and 19 corresponding strategies that outline where our association is headed. AEMP’s strategic outcomes include: 1. Recognized Brand - AEMP is recognized as the premier global association for equipment and asset management professionals and their teams, including those who are members of the C-Suite. 2. NextGen Professionals & Leaders - AEMP is innovative and is growing significantly in scope, services and membership. Our association is seen as relevant and diverse, making it a magnet for next generation members. 3. Community Building - AEMP’s members and partners are connected globally 24/7 so as to consistently identify issues, facilitate problem-solving, provide solutions and accelerate knowledge transfer.
4. Education & Certification - Career paths for equipment and asset management professionals are well defined and positively impact workforce development. AEMP’s essential role in knowledge transfer and certification is indisputable. 5. Premiere Resource - AEMP is the resource for data, professional programs, standards, and best practices in the equipment and fleet management profession. AEMP facilitates excellence that impacts member companies’ bottom lines. Next steps include the AEMP Board of Directors approving three principle strategies, of the 19 strategies created, that will focus AEMP’s resources and shape staff’s day-today work. As always, we continue to keep our emphasis on education and an allegiance to our mission to build excellence in equipment management. I am inspired and excited by your thoughts, vision and wisdom during this strategic journey. As we continue building a roadmap for the future of the association, we remain committed to incorporating the feedback we hear from you and creating an organization that reflects your voice and professional needs. I am enthusiastic about what’s on the horizon for AEMP, and I can’t wait to share with you the new strategic pathways we create in pursuit of professional excellence.
Donté Shannon, CAE — Chief Executive Officer
Journal of Equipment Management
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NEXT
GENERATION Get ready for key changes to Skyjack’s industryleading DC scissor lifts. These updates are A92.20 compliant and aimed at reducing total cost of ownership and increasing rental companies’ ROI. The new SKYCODED™ control system provides even more data points for ELEVATE telematics than ever before. Items like a new control box, updated pothole protection, and single-switch electronic emergency lowering are just a few of the updates currently in production.
www.skyjack.com
Telematics eliminates the need to manually collect meter readings, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error. Pictured are Kilgore Companies trucks, a subsidiary of Summit Materials, being loaded.
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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Summit Materials
FINANCE
Journal of Equipment Management
HOW TO SELL THE
TELEMATICS ‘SIZZLE’ TO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LEADERSHIP BY GREGG WARTGOW
Journal of Equipment Management
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
FINANCE
T
here is no disputing the benefits telematics can have for a construction company. There is also no disputing the fact that telematics requires a serious commitment. “Telematics is a significant financial investment with a recurring cost,” says Mark Monroe, associate director of operational improvement for Summit Materials. “Leadership wants to know that telematics will be a good use of capital. They want to know how the technology will be implemented to help ensure the return on investment is aligned with company goals.” When asking company leadership to invest in telematics, equipment managers should make a compelling presentation based on data, while also sparking some excitement around the cultural transformation telematics can help bring about.
“We learned that many of their ROI models were a little ambitious,” Monroe says. “We looked at our fleet and made some more conservative estimates, often half of what the suppliers suggested.” Those conservative estimates put Monroe’s team in a better position to achieve its goals, while still allowing for a speedy ROI. Kevin Schlangen, CEM, is fleet manager for Dakota County Fleet Management in Minnesota. He also had to rely on industry data to help illustrate the opportunities telematics could afford. “When we started with telematics in 2005, there wasn’t much industry data available,” Schlangen relates. “By 2011 there was a lot of it. Now there is even more.” Data or no data, Schlangen says he was still met with some initial resistance. “The biggest thing we heard was that big brother would be watching everybody,” Schlangen says. “That required a lot of discussion on what our intent was with telematics and what we wanted to get out of it.” Schlangen came forward with “employee safety” as a primary goal. He explained how the monitoring of vehicles and driver behavior would help reduce accidents and injuries. He also tied that to a cost component.
SHOW THE PAYBACK When first pitching the need for telematics, equipment managers can have a hard time because no historical data is available. Monroe asked potential telematics suppliers for case study data so he could begin building a case of his own.
Mark Monroe of Summit Materials says leadership wants to know how telematics technology will be implemented to help ensure a decent payback. Don’t be overly ambitious with your forecast, though.
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Journal of Equipment Management
V IS IT U S
AT
CONE XP
O
BOOTH
S85000
CASTROL IS PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS. BUT THAT’S JUST HALF OF IT.
Castrol® VECTON® is also the world’s first certified carbon neutral commercial engine oil,* which helps reduce your carbon footprint. And our System Pro Technology™ delivers an extra performance reserve of up to 45%** for longer useful oil life to help reduce operating costs. LEARN MORE AT CASTROL.COM/AEMP *Defined by the BSI’s PAS 2060 carbon-neutral certification standard. ** Average of percentages by which VECTON exceeds the industry standard requirement limits in API CK-4 and ACEA E9-16 engine tests for viscosity maintenance, heat protection, deposit control, minimum oil limits and acid neutralization. In API CK-4 tests only, the VECTON performance reserve is 37%.
IT’S MORE THAN JUST OIL. IT’S LIQUID ENGINEERING.®
FINANCE
“There is always a big difference in maintenance and repair costs when comparing a vehicle that is well taken care of and one that isn’t,” Schlangen points out. “If telematics could help us curtail the more aggressive driving behaviors employees sometimes exhibit, that would not only help improve safety but also reduce costs.” A huge cost focus for Schlangen was fuel. He determined that if a vehicle’s fuel usage could be reduced by roughly 6%, the cost of the telematics device would be offset. “From everything I had heard about telematics, I actually thought we could reduce our fuel usage by 10%, so 6% was a safe estimate,” Schlangen says. For Jeff Bremer, CEM, it was also important to establish an expectation that captured leadership’s attention — without setting himself up for failure. “The biggest challenge with any technology is that it’s hard to quantify the benefits because you haven’t had any experience yet,” says Bremer, equipment director for Summit Materials’ Kansas Companies. “We decided to base our entire telematics effort on fuel savings alone. We knew telematics would
2020 | A E M P .O R G
help us accurately monitor idle time. Then we could work with operations to reduce it. We decided to focus on machines that were idling in excess of 20%.” Bremer then Kevin Schlangen, CEM, manages a determined that public sector fleet in a modest 3% fuel Minnesota. He says savings would pay the accountability and transparency the monthly service telematics affords is a fee for a telematics big benefit in the eyes device. of leadership. Randy Bosman, CEM, is equipment manager of the Washington state region for Granite Construction. He says the company has always seen the value of telematics. For him, it helped to stick to the basics at first, keeping things simple and measurable. He focused on basic asset location and utilization. From there he started leveraging telematics to gather meter data, as well as manage idle time, driver/operator behavior and equipment alerts/malfunctions. “There is a considerable savings from not having to go out and manually collect meter readings,” Bosman says. “Figure out how much money can be saved if it takes an employee 15 minutes per asset on a monthly basis. There is also a safety aspect
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SPELLING OUT THE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES
to this since employees don’t have to be climbing on and off equipment.” Tax reporting is another area where telematics can have a tangible payback. “When vehicles cross state lines, telematics can significantly simplify IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) reporting preparation,” Monroe says. “Also, if retail fuel is purchased and used for off-highway activities such as paving and construction projects, telematics data can be leveraged to get credits back for taxes paid.” With the right telematics solution, inspecting vehicles is another area where tangible payback can be achieved. Similar to manual meter readings, the human time spent conducting vehicle inspections is significant. Telematics-based inspections help save time and streamline processes.
Telematics can help a company save money in many ways. Some aren’t as easy to articulate as reduced fuel use and labor time. Nonetheless, company leadership should be made aware of the opportunities. An example is the improved preventive maintenance scheduling telematics helps achieve. Telematics provides real-time machine performance data and diagnostic alerts. “Avoiding a major breakdown and repair bill is another one that is hard to prove, though,” Monroe points out. That’s because it is an
Kevin Schlangen started the Dakota County Fleet’s telematics pilot project with just snowplow trucks in 2005. After a few years of testing and gathering experience data, his entire 300-plus vehicle fleet was equipped with telematics. Dakota County Fleet Management
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avoided cost, not necessarily a saved cost. “It’s easier to get this benefit across to leadership if you’ve had a major breakdown in the past that cost the company a lot of money,” Monroe adds. Reduced liability exposure has been a benefit Schlangen likes to call attention to. Telematics helps track where a given vehicle is at all times, along with what it is doing. “If there ever is an accident, an insurance company will typically say you’re at least partially at fault,” Schlangen says. “When telematics is installed on your vehicle, you have insights into the accident. Maybe somebody ran a stop sign and pulled out in front of your driver. Your driver took evasive action but couldn’t avoid a collision. That actually happened to us once, and it’s the only time I can remember where the other driver’s insurance company paid 100% of the claim. Leadership will appreciate that.” The location tracking telematics provides is another benefit both public and private sector leadership can appreciate. Private companies can better establish employee accountability because you can track where vehicles are at all times. Public entities will appreciate that too, along with an additional side benefit. “We had a curious taxpayer give us a call once,” Schlangen relates. “He wondered why we were paying an employee to hang out at a convenience store. I pulled the telematics report and got my facts straight before responding. I was able to see that this employee had spent all day at a nearby jobsite. I shared that with the caller, adding that it only seemed reasonable that the employee would stop for a bottle of water before driving back to the shop. The taxpayer was somewhat stunned that we could track that sort of thing.
The taxpayer was also really appreciative. The county officials were, too, because that is the kind of accountability and transparency they are looking for.” Another benefit of telematics-based location tracking is asset utilization. Telematics data tells you how often vehicles and equipment are really being used. “We pitched the idea of actually being able to reduce the size of our fleet,” Schlangen says. “Manually collecting meter data won’t help you do that. First of all, it can be inaccurate. Secondly, meter data doesn’t differentiate between operating time and idling time. Telematics does. Over the course of a few years, we were able to reduce the size of our fleet by understanding which vehicles were actually needed.” Bremer says theft prevention can be another big selling point with company leadership. But again, “You don’t know what you don’t know,” Bremer points out, referring to the fact that it’s hard to put a value on the benefits of a system unless you have experienced or been introduced to them. This is why he decided to base his ROI discussion solely on idle time reduction. Theft prevention is just one of the many side benefits company leadership might like to hear about.
Keep information simple and measurable when talking to leadership.
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IMPLEMENTATION AND GOAL ACHIEVEMENT Leadership also wants to know how goals are going to be met. For Schlangen, that required employee education and supervisor empowerment. “Once telematics was put in place, I needed to make it clear to leadership that reporting would also be in place,” Schlangen says. “We set it up so that every month we could send reports to key people in different county departments. A report showed things PAGE
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like idle time and speeding — things that contributed to excess fuel consumption. All of this data was on a single piece of paper so it was easy to read.” Schlangen has also found that starting slowly can help build a stronger case for telematics. He has gone the route of pilot projects, which allows management to see if real life data is in alignment with expectations. When the data is in alignment it becomes easier to make the argument that telematics should be expanded further. “When we started with telematics in 2005, we only had it on our snowplow trucks,” Schlangen says. “That went very well. In 2011 we expanded into other on-road vehicles. That also went well. After a year or so, everyone was convinced that telematics was a great investment, and we rolled it out to our entire 300-plus vehicle fleet.”
straightforward and succinct. Have your data in place and provide some examples and likely scenarios. “We said we expected to reduce idle time by 10%, and that would result in X fewer gallons of fuel that would result in X fewer dollars spent per month. That’s the type of thing leadership is looking for,” Bremer says. Bosman says it’s important to talk about the telematics partner you’re leaning toward. Doing so helps instill confidence in leadership that you’ve done your homework and are thinking ahead to the implementation phase. “It was important for us that the telematics provider recognized the AEMP data standard,” Bosman says. “We also wanted to know about data storage, how long data would be available and privacy issues.” “The most beneficial thing you can do when evaluating suppliers is to establish must-haves and nice-to-haves during the comparison,” Bremer adds. “This will assist in getting the expected outcome after the implementation.” Monroe’s biggest piece of advice is to prepare carefully, but don’t overwhelm the audience. “Two or three slides with basic information based on data and potential benefits is enough,” Monroe says. “Keep it simple. If there is interest, then you can start to dig deeper.” Equipment managers also need to be patient. “You might have to present your idea four or five times. Leadership has a lot of other things it is thinking about,” Bremer says. By having your data-supported pitch in place, you’ll be prepared to sell the telematics sizzle at the most opportune time. “It’s never about throwing telematics in their face,” Bremer adds. “It’s about making leadership aware of the opportunities a telematics solution can provide.”
KEYS TO MAKING A COMPELLING PRESENTATION Data is going to be a big part of any telematics-themed presentation. Easy-tounderstand charts and graphs are essential. Schlangen showed simple line graphs that forecasted month-to-month progress over the course of a year. Schlangen is also a big believer in photos — photos of equipment and vehicles in their actual working environments. “As an equipment manager, you need to use every tool available,” Schlangen says. “I do everything in PowerPoint. It’s not always fun to stand up in front of a crowd and speak. I love my job, though, and it’s important to get that across through the passion you display when presenting.” Bremer also likes putting slideshow presentations together. His advice is to be
Starting slow with pilot projects can help build a strong case for telematics.
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A E M P .O R G | 20 20
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North America for quality and satisfaction, Volvo Group Truck Technology. “Typically, boost air leaks or improperly serviced air intake systems result in excessive engine-out soot for the DOC and DPF to manage.” An audible noise change from the engine can be one clue that indicates a possible air leak. “Perform troubleshooting on the air leak causes. Also, MIL faults can indicate when the system is not performing
BY
2020 | A E M P .O R G
M CE AT DU RE E R E RT T I M E TO T N AF W DO
O
ne of the more common issues that can create problems with modern engine aftertreatment systems are air leaks in the intake and aftertreatment plumbing. “Air leaks typically impact the engine and aftertreatment system by affecting engine combustion and changing characteristics of the exhaust,” says Jeff Granger, director of technical services
as designed. Troubleshooting of those faults could indicate air leaks as a cause.” The engine’s sensors and OBD monitor air flow through the engine and can detect air leaks. “If an air
Journal of Equipment Management
leak is detected, it should be addressed. Items such as CAC hoses should be inspected for cracks or abrasion and addressed proactively,” says Jim Nachtman, Navistar’s director of product marketing, heavy duty. Excessive soot creation is a leading cause of downtime. “The most common cause of aftertreatment-related downtime is over-clogging of the DPF and associated toofrequent maintenance and
EXHUST FLANGE CRACKS AND GASKETS (3%)
cleaning,” says Alex Parker, executive vice president, Redline Detection. “The root cause of this over-clogging is unmetered air leaks that cause the vehicle to throw on more fuel, costing fuel economy and making a richer mix that quickly clogs up DPF filters, increasing costs of DPF maintenance and cutting into uptime. Finding and fixing unmetered air leaks is essential to solving aftertreatment problems.”
ROOT CAUSES OF BOOST LEAKS
INTAKE GASKETS (1%)
WATER / EXHUST INTRUSION (3%)
REDLINE DETECTION
V-CLAMPS ON TURBO OR CRACKS (6%)
CLAMP / TUBING TO AND FROM THE CAC
26%
BLOCKED PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL SWITCH TUBES (8%) DPF GASKETS AND HOUSING FAILURE (9%)
V-CLAMP/ GASKETS / EXHAUST TUBING CRACKS ON DOC/SCR
CHARGE AIR COOLER (11%) EGR COOLER COOLANT LEAKAGE (2%)
Journal of Equipment Management
14% PAGE
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17%
TURBO HOUSING LEAKS
A E M P .O R G | 20 20
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CAUSES OF DPF FAILURE
11% FAILED ECM 20 IDENTIFY LEAKS Leak testing should become part of your regular routine. “The best practice being used by large fleets is to perform a 10-minute leak test as part of routine maintenance,” says Parker. “For trucks in severe service conditions, leak detection as part of regular scheduled maintenance for intake and exhaust systems is absolutely essential, just like changing the oil. Because air leaks in the intake and exhaust system are the most common cause of aftertreatment failure and excessive maintenance, maintaining the seal and integrity of your intake and exhaust systems will give you the biggest payoff. The ROI is clear: Adding a high-
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pressure leak test into routine maintenance will give you substantial savings of time and cost in the diagnosis and
Leak testing should be part of regular maintenance. Always check for leaks after servicing the aftertreatment system.
repair of problem vehicles and increase your uptime.” Air leaks will occur over time. “As vocational vehicles cover millions of miles, often in grueling conditions and inclement weather, the bestmade vehicles, tight when they rolled off the assembly
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line, rumble loose,” notes Parker. “Those jarred, cracked and worn components are often the root cause of hardto-diagnose aftertreatment problems.” Any time an aftertreatment system has been serviced, check for leaks. “It’s essential to leak test a vocational vehicle after routine DPF cleaning to ensure that a leak has not been unintentionally created during the reinstall of the filter,” says Parker. “An efficiently functioning intake and exhaust needs to be completely sealed to run at peak efficiency. Air leaks are often overlooked, causing sensors to communicate bad data, then sensors are unnecessarily replaced as bad. Fleet operators can cut parts and labor
Journal of Equipment Management
89% UPSTREAM COMPONENT FAULTS 80
There are only two causes of costly DPF failure: a failed ECM, which is extremely rare, or upstream. component faults such as air leaks.
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REDLINE DETECTION
costs, avoiding ‘parts darts’ replacement of expensive components by leak testing to pinpoint the problem. Faulty components creating air leaks are most frequently inexpensive gaskets, valves and clamps.” It is easy for the technician to inadvertently introduce air leaks into the system. “In the event of any engine repair, it’s essential to ensure that the intake and exhaust are completely sealed for efficient operation of the aftertreatment system,” says Parker. “A 10-minute leak test will confirm the system’s integrity with 100% certainty.” “Even small air leaks can cause early plugging of the DPF, increasing maintenance costs, hurting MPG and cutting into uptime,” says Parker. “Ultimately, a simple
Journal of Equipment Management
air leak can cause a lean condition that will cause an excess of temperature in the exhaust system, which can cause a thermal event, rendering the DPF inoperable and triggering a costly replacement. This thermal event can cause an excessive NOx condition, causing the engine to burn through DEF fluid fast.”
TOOL SAVES REPAIR TIME Checking for air leaks in modern diesel engines can be a challenge. You need to safely replicate the boost pressure in the system typically produced by the turbocharger. Developed in collaboration with International Trucks, the Redline Detection HD PowerSmoke replicates
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high-pressure boost load so the intake and exhaust systems can be tested for faults with the engine safely off. It can reliably detect highpressure and low-pressure upstream faults, pinpoint exact locations and precisely identify failing components. The results of successful leak detection and repair have been impressive. Technicians have reported that 96% of excessive forced regens are being eliminated. Fleets are also reporting an increase in fuel mileage by eliminating performancekilling upstream air leaks. By ending unresolved upstream faults and the associated aftertreatment issues, the technology is dramatically cutting warranty costs and comebacks.
A E M P .O R G | 20 20
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pile.
INFORMATION
HOW
GPS ROVERS IMPROVE
BY GREGG WARTGOW
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT Technology provides the ability to accurately measure projects, monitor progress and maintain quality control.
2020 | A E M P .O R G
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Journal of Equipment Management
Rovers, such as this Topcon HiPer HR GNSS Receiver, can measure most features on a jobsite, including stockpile volumes, for gauging production and predicting resource needs.
G
PS-based technologies help construction companies in a range of ways. One end of the GPS spectrum is something as simple as equipment location tracking. At the other end is automated machine control. Somewhere in between, technologically, is the use of GPS rovers to measure features on a project site with near-survey accuracy in just minutes. A rover is a small GPS receiver with data collecting, and usually transmitting, capability. Its ability to quickly and inexpensively measure and report work in progress offers contractors enhanced insights into their production. Generally, a rover works in combination with a satellite base station located somewhere on or near the jobsite. That stationary base station improves the accuracy of a rover’s position data. “GPS on the typical cellphone provides accuracy in the 3- to 30-meter range,” says Casey Cyrus, business area manager for site positioning systems, Trimble. When grading and excavating,
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INFORMATION
Trimble’s SPS986 GNSS Smart Antenna can function as either a rover or base station. Rovers are common where machines are using GPS-assisted grade control, but their speed and accuracy in measuring site features makes them valuable even without grade automation on site.
3 to 30 meters is not accurate enough. “You need that base station and correction stream to really dial in the accuracy of the site positioning. With today’s rovers, we’re talking about less than an inch horizontal and slightly more than an inch vertical — about the size of a golf ball.” In some instances, a base station may no longer be necessary. “With strong cellphone signals available in more areas today, you can sometimes walk anywhere with a rover and connect to the Internet without needing a base station,” says Javier Ramirez, professional services lead, Topcon Positioning Group. “One option is using a network like our TopNET. And sometimes a municipality might offer CORS stations (continuously operating reference stations). This can be a good thing for a construction crew that doesn’t want to have to set up that base station in the morning.” Base station or not, the accuracy relates to latitude and longitude position as well as elevation. Civil construction tends to focus on creating elevations that ensure controlled water drainage. “If we can do that to within an inch, in most cases that is accurate enough for preparing driveways, road surfaces and really all types of construction projects,” Cyrus points out.
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The ability to measure a site to golf ball-size accuracy in a very short time can also be used to monitor project progress. Using rovers to measure work in progress gives project managers a better understanding of material use and, as importantly, material, labor and equipment needs.
MORE SATELLITES, MORE RELIABILITY When choosing a rover system, constellation support is a crucial feature. The common term “GPS” (Global Positioning System) only tells part of the story. Today’s rovers also pull positioning data from other satellite constellations. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) includes not only GPS satellites but also GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and others. “The more satellites [your rover] can see, the stronger your positioning data will be,” says Cyrus. “Also, if you ever lose connection with one satellite, you can keep on going. And if you’re ever working in a heavily wooded area, you might not have as great a line of sight to the sky. Working off of multiple satellite systems helps.” PAGE
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Journal of Equipment Management
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INFORMATION
“The good thing about GNSS rover technology is that it is proven,” Ramirez adds. “Productivity has been a huge factor in the adoption of this technology and hardware.”
profitability has been obvious. “Once we have the project model set up on the computer, we can check grade at any point,” he relates. “We are not surveyors, but we can get a Rovers can be lot of work done deployed in various before they show ways, including mounted on vehicles to up; then they cover more area faster. just need to Trimble’s T10 tablet collects confirm that we and views site data using the Windows 10 did it correctly. Enterprise operating We’re confident system, with fast that we’ll always processing and a 10-in. be within spec screen for on final grade. viewing Sometimes maps and designs, it’s a tiny bit of preparing touch-up work and sharing here or there, progress reports. but the process
HOW THEY’RE USED IN CONSTRUCTION A common rover application is to measure grade. A single grade checker with a rover can walk a site, capturing elevation measurements at any point. “Everything on the display screen tells them exactly what needs to be done,” Ramirez says. “The jobsite becomes a digital representation in their field controller device. They can see where they are at any given moment. They can also see important information like cuts or fills to finish grade or subgrade. A rover does all of this in one simple step.” Tony Dalla is an estimator with T&R Concrete Excavation in Parker, CO. Dalla helped spearhead the company’s adoption of Trimble rover technology and satelliteguided machine control over the past year. Working for an 11-year-old company in growth mode, Dalla says the T&R team has yet to put actual pen to paper to calculate the ROI. That said, the positive impact on both productivity and
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is really sped up thanks to the rovers.” Dalla shares a story of how rovers helped complete a rework project the company was recently awarded. “A client was having some issues with drainage and wanted us to get it right for them. We went to the site with our rover. We saw that the perimeter was correct, but the interior wasn’t,” he explains. “We used the rover to capture data on the perimeter. From there, we created a design for what the final surface should be, which allowed us to determine how much fill we would have to dispose of to get the final grade right. In a relatively short time, we had a fairly detailed number on how much work it would take to do this project.” Measuring stockpiles is another common application. An individual can take a rover and walk around the perimeter of the stockpile to capture its size, then walk up the slope to take shots of both sides to determine its height. Software accompanying the rover calculates the volume of material in that stockpile. “A report can be created based on that data,” Ramirez says. “There are also cloud solutions that allow the data to go from the field to a Web service to be shared from there.” T&R Concrete Excavation uses its rovers to measure stockpiles. “This is very helpful if we’re the second contractor on a project,” Dalla notes. “When someone has already done the overlot and needs someone to haul off whatever the spoils are going to be, we can predict that to a pretty solid degree of certainty.” Construction firms can also use rovers to measure the amount of material being moved around a jobsite. “You could put rovers on trucks to count the haul trips,” Ramirez explains. “You can even have sensors on equipment to count the cuts and fills over the course of a day.” Locating jobsite features is another practical application. A digital model of the project identifies things like sewer lines, edges
Journal of Equipment Management
Rovers can be mounted on backpacks, poles or vehicles. Each method has its own benefits and challenges.
of buildings, curbs and medians. The rover helps pinpoint those locations so they can be staked out in much quicker fashion. A user simply views the digital project plan on a mobile device and then follows their satellite position until they reach the desired feature.
HOW THEY’RE DEPLOYED One method to deploy a rover is to carry it in a backpack. The challenge is that the height of the rover above ground is not constant; it varies every time the person carrying it takes a step. “This method is OK if all that is needed is a rough grade,” Cyrus says. “This method can also be used for bulk earthmoving and measuring stockpiles.” Rovers can also be mounted on a pole, which provides a more constant height of instrument (HI). “In Trimble’s case, we have a 2-meter pole below the rover,” says Cyrus. “That pole sets on the ground to provide the most accuracy... We can take a measurement, take a few steps and take another measurement, and continue that to cover the entire surface in a grid. From there, we can create a surface model so we can do volume calculations day by day. Then we can see how far we still need to go to the design surface. We can say we need X amount of material brought in, or perhaps X amount taken out. You can also decide which equipment is best suited to whatever needs to be done.” GPS rovers can be mounted on vehicles, as well. Like the pole-mounted rovers, there PAGE
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INFORMATION
is a constant HI, plus the vehicle-mounted method is faster, making it ideal for measuring larger sections of a construction site or locating jobsite Topcon’s features. The FC-5000 Field challenge is a Controller runs Windows proneness to 10 on fast proceserror on sloped sors for calculating surfaces. volumes and making comparisons on a That’s where sunlight-readable a newer rover 7-in. display. method comes into play: vehicular-mounted with IMU (inertial measurement unit), which helps to identify a vehicle’s angular rate. “We recently launched this type of technology with dynamic tilt functionality,” says Cyrus. “We’ve taken the rover that was mounted to a truck but can now measure down at the angle of the vehicle’s tilt to project straight down to the wheels and surface below the vehicle to build the surface from that. In this scenario, we get better accuracy on sloped surfaces.” Cyrus offers the following example to explain the benefits of IMU technology. On a 20° slope at 2 meters high, there would be an error of roughly 13 cm using a vehiclemounted rover without IMU. With IMU, that error is reduced to 13 mm. “This allows you to drive a large section of property and accurately create the original ground,” Cyrus says. “From that, you can compare the original ground surface to the proposed design and get volume calculations.”
Topcon also offers rovers with integrated IMU sensors. Ramirez says integration with IMU is an important step forward for rover applicability. So is integration with total stations, which is also starting to happen. “When rover data integrates with total station data, that typical half-inch error of a rover is basically eliminated,” he points out.
GETTING DATA TO DECISION MAKERS The data that a rover collects is only useful if it is readily available to the project managers who need it. There are multiple ways of disseminating rover data. “A rover isn’t just a GPS head,” Cyrus notes. “Trimble is using Windows 10 Professional data collectors. We’re using 7- and 10-in. tablets with high processing power, 7-in. survey controllers with a full keyboard, as well as hand devices similar to a cell phone. In other words, the user has choices.” In each case, data points are collected and the software performs volume calculations and comparisons on the spot. “If you want to send that information to the office, cloud-based software allows you to,” says Cyrus. “People in the office can stitch reports together based on data sets from several surveyors, or even conduct further analytics such as mass haul. For example,
Rover data is only useful if it is readily available to project managers, and there are multiple ways to share rover data.
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the crew has a lot of cut in this area and a lot of fill down road. How much cut from this section will they need to haul to that other zone, and what’s the surplus or deficit? Do I need to source more material? You could even determine how many haul trucks you are going to need.” Topcon’s field controller is also a Windows 10 device. Various apps and software allow
field workers and office staff to share files, such as jobsite design files, back and forth. Field workers can capture site measurement data throughout the project and share that data with office staff, general contractors and other stakeholders. The larger point is that the data is real-time, and it’s accurate — helping you to improve productivity, quality and cost control.
OTHER SITE MEASURING TECHNOLOGIES There are other types of technology available to help you to measure and manage projects, each with its pluses and minuses. In the case of a total station, Topcon’s Casey Cyrus says you can get to an accuracy level of 1/8th inch. “A robotic total station follows a pole with a prism on it, or the machine with the cutting edge on it, which helps get down to that really smooth surface for concrete paving and checking concrete surfaces,” he says. “So when looking for the smoothest ride possible, go with a total station. The big drawback is that you need to maintain line of sight to the total station. With a rover, all you need is line of sight to the sky, which most construction sites have.”
Journal of Equipment Management
Drones have also been increasingly popular in construction, though their accuracy varies. “When using proper techniques, you can achieve golf ballsize accuracy with respect to elevation,” says Cyrus. “You can also get more data faster than walking or driving a surface. You can get data for about every inch as opposed to the typical 10-ft. grid. That helps capture all of those surface undulations that might get missed. The big drawback with drones is that you need good weather in order to fly them and capture your data points.” Rovers can actually go to the extreme of gridding a property at an inch. However, there is rarely an instance where somebody would want that level of detail. “There’s a balance
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there,” Cyrus states. “What is the data you’re really after? Is a drone-based surface model too much? Many times it is. The data has to be thinned down to that 1- to 10-meter grid, depending on the total size of the surface, so today’s computers can process the data.” One other site measuring method is photogrammetry, which is using photos to create points and measure distances. This method is not as accurate, but as Cyrus points out, it all depends on what you’re after. “If you’re simply looking to replace stockpile measurements and don’t want to walk the stockpiles, photogrammetry could be an option,” he says.
A E M P .O R G | 20 20
THE ALL-NEW & INTUITIVE
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INFORMATION BY GREGG WARTGOW
HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS ATTRACTING YOUNGER WORKERS TO CONSTRUCTION
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n today’s labor market, many companies are doing everything they can to attract employees. Social media is proving to be an effective part of an overall employee recruitment campaign. In fact, there is living proof that an entire workforce comprised of dozens of employees can be assembled as a result of social media outreach. With social media, though, there are never any guarantees. A company shouldn’t assume that one creative post will initiate an avalanche of job applications. Recruiting through social media takes time and commitment — just as any marketing effort does. “A lot depends on company size, brand name recognition and how much the company has invested in growing its social media influence,” says Brett Good, senior district president with Robert Half, a specialized staffing and consulting services company. “Companies that aren’t active on various social media platforms could risk getting left behind.”
career center and high school STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. For instance, Kokosing uses social media to help get the word out about job fairs it attends at different schools. Students aren’t the only job candidates that can be found through social media. People of all ages are using platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Some are out of work and seeking their next opportunity. Some are currently employed but looking for a better opportunity. “A construction company may be able to attract a highly skilled yet currently employed professional, also known as a passive candidate, who may decide to explore employment opportunities at the company as a result of the firm’s social media activity or finding the company from a search,” Good says. That is why a consistent social media presence is vital to a company’s ongoing recruitment effort. Well-designed posts help An example of a Kokosing create excitement around a Construction company, positioning it as a Company great place to build a career. LinkedIn post aimed “Candidates today want at recruiting to work at places with an additional organizational culture that project engineers. aligns with their own,” Good says. A social media post could highlight a company’s commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism. Posts could also highlight the achievements of individual teams or employees, helping to showcase how a company appreciates, recognizes and rewards hard work.
BUILD YOUR BRAND TO ATTRACT EMPLOYEES Social media can be effective at reaching younger workers such as students. It can help when posts are designed to support other recruiting tactics. Kokosing Construction Company (Kokosing), based in Columbus, OH, uses social media to prime the waters through college co-op,
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Given how difficult it has been to find good employees, some companies are reluctant to share their secrets. Not Keaton Turner, president of Turner Mining Group based in Bloomington, IN. “Our company is actually an open book,” Turner says. “Everything we put on social media is a look behind the curtain at what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.” It is that open-book mentality that creates some of the allure around Turner Mining. The company has only been in business for a couple of years. Its rapid growth has been impressive, expanding from roughly 20 employees last year to roughly 250 today. Turner says he could not have built up his company as quickly as he has without the help of social media. “Almost every single one of our hires has come through social media,” Turner relates. That Turner Mining includes a handful of inGroup uses Facebook, house technicians and a LinkedIn and fleet manager. Instagram to Turner Mining Group offer a behindthe-curtain does publish posts look at the specific to job openings. young, growing But it is those general, company that everyday posts that have attracts today’s workers. helped create that allure and build up a following. “People appreciate others who are real, honest and transparent,” Turner says. “That’s how we’re trying to win. We have good days and bad days like everyone else. When people see that real side of things, it’s something
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different and interesting.” Prior to starting his own company in 2017, Turner worked for a mass excavation company for roughly 10 years. He saw an opportunity to create a highly professional, service-focused company in the mining industry. “I’d heard that the average age in the mining industry was 52,” Turner says. “Then I thought about how many young people are looking for good jobs and that college enrollment has been going down. Many of these young people like to be outdoors and work with their hands. I started thinking about how we could get more young people into the mining industry.” That thinking quickly turned into action — action that took place almost exclusively on social media. The result is an employee base with an average age of 27, nearly half the industry average. Turner himself is 30. In assembling his workforce, Turner didn’t want to require industry experience. He wanted to find raw talent and passion. “Experience is great, but we want someone we can mold into the way we think and how we do things,” Turner says. “We also employ many industry veterans who help pour knowledge into our younger employees.” Turner says the refreshing thing about social media is that he has been able to reach people with a variety of backgrounds. He enjoys seeing people like and comment on his posts who have no background in mining or heavy equipment. “That means we’re bringing more people to mining that otherwise PAGE
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wouldn’t have,” Turner says. “It’s not like we can pay them more or offer some kind of great job security. What we are offering is an ability to drive change and make a big impact in an exciting company.”
The post itself needs to be fairly brief yet attention-getting. As Fantine points out, you only have a few words to grab someone’s attention while they are scrolling through their social media feed. Having a clear headline and eye-catching graphic is essential. When a post does capture attention, the nice thing with social media is the practice of sharing. “Our Facebook and LinkedIn followers are excellent at sharing positions that may be relevant to their friends and connections,” Fantine says. “This sub-network is invaluable. A follower of our Facebook or LinkedIn page might not be personally interested in a job opening we posted but might share it with their own friends and followers.”
KEYS TO CAPTURING ATTENTION Turner Mining uses Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Kokosing has been focusing its efforts on Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook has been useful for more of the field-type positions and entry-level managers. LinkedIn is effective at reaching potential midmanagement and executive-level staff. “Our posts feature the available position and the region the position is in,” says Kim Fantine, marketing manager at Kokosing. “If we have a new project in Cincinnati, for example, our post will include a picture of a construction site with copy that includes the number and types of open positions. The post will also include a link so followers can apply directly. The same type of content is posted for office-based positions.”
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Neither Turner Mining Group or Kokosing have spent a dime on social media advertising. Everything happens through organic sharing and word of mouth. Turner is a firm believer that in order to gain traction organically, you have to capture people’s attention. From the very first day his young company began operations, Turner was pouring into Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. “We’d stick a camera in an employee’s face out on a jobsite,” Turner says. “Our posts weren’t salesy at all. They were real. It’s almost like reading and watching an autobiography of Turner Mining as our company evolves. People like that.” Two years and 250 employees later, Turner has recently hired a marketing content director who oversees the company’s social media pages. Turner continues to post regularly on his personal accounts. His goal is to spark conversations around topics not commonly seen in business circles today. He strives to be honest, real and a bit edgy. “One of my recent LinkedIn posts was about how being the first one to work and the last to leave doesn’t really impress your boss,” Turner says. “My point is that a person needs to do more than just show up. If you want people to really feel your impact, you can do things like eliminate drama from your team, hold people accountable to the true vision of the company, spread positivity and make work fun for everyone. Making an impact is about more than just logging payroll hours. When you say something like that, it gets people’s attention.”
If it’s a more general post designed to support other outreach activities, such as a job fair, Kokosing tends to rely on organic sharing. If the post is for a vacant position, the post will be more specific about job location. “Hashtags are a great tool, particularly when trying to fill positions in certain locations,” Fantine says. Using #Cincinnati, for example, can help capture the attention of local people and foster additional targeted sharing and search results. “Hashtags help followers find the posts that they are looking for and maximize their time, especially on Facebook,” Fantine adds. One challenge with promoting SOCIAL job openings on MEDIA IS AN social media is EFFECTIVE the potential influx PART OF AN of unqualified OVERALL applicants. EMPLOYEE Sometimes it’s RECRUITMENT someone who CAMPAIGN; wants any job, not HOWEVER, necessarily the job IT TAKES you posted. That said, it’s still TIME AND somebody COMMITMENT. interested in working. “Encouraging potential team members to visit our website exposes interested parties to all of our open positions and additional company information,” Fantine says. A couple years ago when his company was first getting started, Turner had to respond to all job inquiries. Now his $100 million company has a human resources department. A dedicated HR employee responds to social media inquiries and spearheads the employee onboarding process. Turner continues to respond to all comments directed toward his personal social media accounts.
GENERATING AND SCREENING APPLICATIONS So your social media posts have captured some attention. Now what? At Kokosing, the “call to action” is for interested job candidates to click through to the company website to view the complete job description and ultimately start the application process.
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INFORMATION
DON’T FORGET ABOUT EMPLOYEE RETENTION
information across the company and foster that family type of culture.” As pointed out earlier, there are no guarantees with social media. A lot of great things can happen organically, but it’s not always easy to gain the necessary traction. Paid campaigns, i.e. boosted posts, can prove to be a good investment if done correctly. “It makes sense to look at your topperforming content, which is an indication of what your audience appreciates, and boost that content with some paid promotion,” Good says. “A surprisingly small budget, even $25, can get your content in front of a large number of people. Also, targeting the perfect demographic is often easier with paid advertising.” Social media companies such as Facebook and LinkedIn possess a treasure trove of user data. A boosted post can be targeted to certain people based on demographics such as location and age, as well as interests. But with the right approach, companies can leverage social media to help recruit new employees as well as retain the ones they already have — all without spending a dime.
It’s important to note that social media can be used for not only recruiting new employees but also retaining existing staff. For Kokosing, common posts include employees who’ve successfully completed certain trainings, attained accreditations or won awards. Kokosing will also post information on projects that were recently landed, as well as community outreach efforts. Turner Mining Group posts similar types of things. “Our company operates coast to coast,” Turner points out. “Regular postings help share
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BY GREGG WARTGOW
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he pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate, leaving the average construction professional in a bit of a daze. By establishing an innovation research and development (R&D) process, construction companies can confidently embrace those technologies that hold the greatest potential for their companies — and implement them in a way that minimizes the risk of failure. An effective innovation R&D approach includes researching emerging technologies, often by talking with suppliers and existing users of the technologies. The testing and implementation effort is key. Many companies have found success in performing smaller “beta tests” of the technology over a sustained period of time, often a few
months, to monitor results and make any necessary adjustments. When all the bugs are worked out and the data suggests a strong ROI potential, the company can look to scale the innovation further across the company.
CONTRACTORS’ TECHNOLOGY R&D LAGS BEHIND According to the 2018 Construction Technology Report from JBKnowledge, roughly 57% of construction companies have no dedicated innovation R&D budget, 42% have no defined R&D process and 42% don’t see technology giving them a strategic advantage in the marketplace. According to the JBKnowledge report, the main obstacles standing in the way of more construction companies embracing technological innovation include: ❯ Staff and budget limitations ❯ Hesitance of both employees and management to embrace technology ❯ Overall lack of knowledge about the technologies available In light of those common deterrents, construction companies can see a path forward. An innovation R&D process should involve — and perhaps be led by — those employees with the most vested interest
Telematics is one innovation more construction companies are pursuing, often under the leadership of the equipment manager. Pictured is Komatsu’s new WA900-8 Wheel Loader equipped with the company’s Komtrax Plus telematics system that provides immediate remote diagnostics of machine health and performance.
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Machine sensors represent one of the biggest areas of technological innovation that a construction company can benefit from. Hamm’s HCQ system utilizes sensors and GPS receivers (see left side of canopy) to measure soil rigidity and create compaction maps, helping roller operators compact surfaces in a more precise and productive fashion.
in the benefits a technology can bring. Those employees should be encouraged and supported by the company to broaden their knowledge base and transfer that knowledge to other employees. While senior leadership will likely have the final sign-off on any investment, other key employees — including equipment managers — should play an integral role in the researching and implementation of new innovations.
one or two key leaders. Whatever the case, an equipment manager should identify technologies that can help improve fleet performance. “When presenting the idea to leadership, an equipment manager needs to have a strong case based on benefits and ROI,” Monroe adds.
WASTE MANAGEMENT’S TECHNOLOGY R&D PROCESS
WHICH INNOVATIONS SHOULD WE EXPLORE?
Over the past few years, one of the biggest opportunities in innovation for equipment managers has been telematics. For the heavy equipment department at Waste Management, the potential in telematics became evident around 2008. “As of today, close to 40% of our yellow iron fleet is telematics-enabled — and we’re monitoring it,” says Thomas Coleman, CEM, heavy equipment manager for Waste Management. In addition to a massive fleet of on-road refuse vehicles, Waste Management also has more than 5,000 pieces of yellow iron used across different segments of its business including recycling centers, transfer stations and landfills. This is the fleet Coleman is tasked with managing. Together with his boss, John Meese, senior director of heavy equipment, Coleman set out to research, implement, test and scale the telematics initiative company-wide.
When it comes to technological innovation, construction companies have a lot to choose from. “Our company has an internal advisory committee that includes key stakeholders from the business,” says Mark Monroe, associate director of operational improvement for Summit Materials. New ideas are formally presented to the committee. The committee then recommends which projects to move forward with. “Any new leading-edge technology we are considering goes through this process,” Monroe points out. In this type of innovation R&D structure, Monroe says an equipment manager’s role is to present opportunities to the committee. Even in a company much smaller than Summit Materials, this approach can be effective. In a smaller company, the advisory committee may simply be the owner and
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2018
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Coleman says he looks to equipment dealers for insights and advice related to new equipment technologies, including telematics. “When you buy new equipment, the dealer is usually going to try and sell you the technology that can go along with it,” Coleman relates. “The dealer is obviously going to paint a pretty rosy picture. As an end-user, you can listen to that sales pitch. But at the end of the day, the end-user needs to decide if the technology is right for them based on what they are trying to accomplish.” Coleman was also in search of data to help support his argument that telematics would be a smart investment. “It was really a no-brainer for me to ‘sell’ the benefits of telematics to leadership,” Coleman says. “Telematics represented a technology that would help empower our site managers to better utilize their equipment, become more efficient and save money. Telematics would also help us right-size our fleet.” Initially, not all yellow iron had its telematics enabled. After some initial testing, however, the positive results of having this data became obvious. “We made the decision to turn on telematics on every machine we could,” Coleman says. “We also decided that any new piece of equipment we’d purchase going forward would be telematics-enabled.” Coleman says the heavy equipment department defined which pieces of the telematics data stream could truly be of value to the company. That’s what they focused on and based their monthly and eventually weekly reporting on. “We looked to the field for evaluation and input,” Coleman says. “We relied on feedback from our site managers who were receiving the telematics reports. So we didn’t necessarily have a proof-of-concept timeframe we were working off of. We just turned it (telematics) on, rolled it out, and monitored the results and feedback.” Those results surpassed all expectation.
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Waste Management is now looking to expand its use of telematics beyond basic equipment performance measures such as utilization, idle time and fuel burn. “We are now working on an implementation plan for taking fault codes and integrating that data with our back office fleet management system to create work orders,” Coleman says.
HOW SUMMIT MATERIALS TESTS AND IMPLEMENTS NEW TECHNOLOGIES Monroe says Summit Materials has had success with small pilot tests. “We never start with anything too large-scale,” Monroe relates. In the case of technologies such as telematics, Summit Materials started with just a handful of machines. This made it easier for the company to focus training and education as it became comfortable with the innovation. Pilot tests also made it easier to work with the technology provider. In exchange for providing test data, the technology provider often provided the technology free of charge. The pilot test is considered phase one and typically runs for around 90 days. “We’d set up regular check-in points to monitor progress,” Monroe says. “We’d also defined some important criteria to help measure the progress. We developed that upfront and shared it with the technology supplier.” After receiving feedback, Monroe says they sometimes adjusted the evaluation criteria to be more conservative, yet realistic. One way to encourage poor results is to expect too much too soon from a new innovation. That is precisely what innovation R&D teams should take care to avoid.
FLATIRON CONSTRUCTION USES R&D TO EXPAND TELEMATICS APPLICATION Flatiron Construction is also broadening its use of telematics. The company made a
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WASTE MANAGEMENT UTILIZED R&D EFFORT FOR DRONE IMPLEMENTATION Waste Management’s R&D effort when it came to drones did not fall under the purview of the heavy equipment department. When it came to drones, engineering took the lead. Waste Management owns roughly 250 active landfills in the U.S. and Canada. The company was already using fixedwing aircraft to survey sites and assist in making airspace calculations. Drone providers saw an opportunity to convince Waste Management to begin using their technology. “The reason our drone project came to me was because ‘data accuracy’ was our primary objective,” says Walter Hunt, senior director of landfill engineering for Waste Management. “The drone providers were telling us how accurate the data would be and that drones would help us save a lot of money in surveying our sites. But we needed to be able to count on the data for our airspace calculations. I’m responsible for making sure all of our sites do their calculations and file the necessary paperwork. So it made sense that I would oversee this effort.” Hunt says Waste Management’s initial
commitment to telematics about 10 years ago. Over the past few years, that commitment has evolved to include enhanced data integration with back office software systems. “We’re in the process of rolling out a new
Journal of Equipment Management
drone implementation and testing phase was relatively straightforward. Rather than invest in a fleet of drones himself, he opted to outsource Waste Management’s site flyovers to a professional drone services provider. “We are a very lean organization,” Hunt relates. “Flying drones is just not what our landfill teams do well every day. Also, we only need to survey a given site on a quarterly basis. We wouldn’t see a good ROI after buying all of the necessary hardware and software to do all of this ourselves. It made more sense to go with a third party, and it has worked out very well. That said, if I ran a construction company and had several survey teams in place, I’d likely invest in some drones myself.” Hunt says he was immediately impressed by the accuracy of the drone data. During the initial testing phase, he did some side-by-side studies comparing drone data with the data produced by a fixedwing aircraft on the same site. The drone data was spot on. “We spent about a year evaluating all of this,” Hunt says. “We’d already contracted to have fixed-wing aircraft survey some sites. So we went ahead and had our drone partner fly the same sites a day or so later. We found over and over again that the drone data was just as accurate.” Since data accuracy was identified as the primary objective of the drone initiative, it was an easy decision to go full speed ahead.
module that will tie into our company’s ERP (enterprise resource planning) system, which we’re planning to go live with by the end of the year,” says Ted Dexheimer, CEM, area equipment manager for Flatiron Construction.
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“We’ll be able to tie machine hours from streamline various aspects of the company, it telematics into our ERP system so it can wanted to find additional ways the organization generate work orders and purchase orders, as could benefit. As Dexheimer points out, it’s well as help with inventory tracking.” almost like the equipment management world When first experimenting with telematics is edging closer toward becoming completely years ago, Dexheimer says the company autonomous. started with the basics such as machine hours, “You think about all of this technology flying GPS tracking and utilization. “Sometimes around, and once you get everything in place you can try to gather too much information and one system talking to another, it’s cutting but then lose sight of the most valuable down on the amount of human interaction you information,” Dexheimer says. need to have,” Dexheimer says. “Granted, it’s a Focusing on the right lot of work to get it set up and data helped Flatiron see a tested in the first place, but nice ROI on its telematics the results can be well worth An effective commitment. Now it’s about the effort.” taking it to the next level to In addition to expanded innovation reap even more benefits. use of telematics, Waste R&D approach “The company recognized Management’s heavy-duty includes research, equipment department that if you can drive machine hours into your accounting is also rolling out an oiltesting and software, and put a rental program using implementation. sampling rate or known rate to your technology to upload equipment, you can tie that sample data into the fleet in to drive your budget,” management system. “If a Dexheimer says. “You’ll see your revenue sample is dirty, the system will automatically coming in based on machine utilization on create a work order for the technician to projects. To a certain extent, it will do your change the oil,” Coleman says. accounting for you.” Finally, Waste Management is also First things first, Dexheimer says some looking to implement some form of digitized training and education is taking place to make equipment inspection process. Coleman says sure all field technicians and other employees there is an opportunity to utilize technological who use the system are up to speed. The innovation — in the form of sensors, software actual data integration should be relatively and mobile devices — to simplify the straightforward for experienced IT professionals. inspection process by eliminating paperwork. “Our equipment department has lots of EQUIPMENT MANAGERS irons in the fire where technology is concerned,” LEAD INNOVATION R&D Coleman relates. “But the first question At Flatiron Construction, Dexheimer says we always ask before embarking on a new there have been multiple driving forces behind innovation is: What is it we want this technology the desire to take telematics to the next level. to do for us?” If the innovation ties to equipment Primarily, the company grew increasingly performance, lifecycle or cost it makes a lot comfortable with telematics year after year. of sense for the equipment management When leadership saw how the data was helping department to lead the R&D effort.
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POLICIES BY GREGG WARTGOW
COMPARING PRIVATE AND PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION FLEET MANAGEMENT
E
quipment managers are tasked with optimizing fleets of equipment — optimizing in terms of utilization, productivity, safety and cost efficiency. Whether working in the public or private sectors, this is the calling of an equipment manager. “There is sometimes a presumption that because there is a profit motive in a commercial or corporate enterprise, there must be better fleet management practices in the private sector,” says Paul Lauria, president of Mercury Associates, a fleet consulting company.
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RYAN INCORPORATED CENTRAL
“We have not found that to be the case at all. The biggest reason why is that private companies are typically subjected to much less scrutiny than public agencies because of sunshine laws, inspector generals, internal auditors and elected officials.” That heightened element of scrutiny in the public sector can impact fleets in another way: change implementation. Kevin Schlangen, CEM and 2018 Fleet Masters award recipient, has worked in both the public and private sectors. He has spent the last 29 years as fleet manager for Dakota County Fleet
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CEM Aaron Mayer says ownership cost is as little as a quarter of the overall life cost of a machine. It’s important for fleet managers to have a firm grasp on what it costs to operate and maintain each piece of equipment in the fleet.
POLICIES
Fleet management teams in the public sector must show that the value they provide is better than going across the street to another fleet services provider in the private sector.
Management in Minnesota. Prior to that, Schlangen spent eight years establishing his career in the private sector, first working for construction contractors followed by an equipment distributor. Schlangen thinks back to when he made the switch to the public sector. “The major difference I felt right away, which is still true today, is the speed at which change can take place,” Schlangen says. “In the private sector, you can come up with a new process or product you want to implement and run with it. In the public sector, there are more levels to go through for approval before starting that change.” To successfully navigate those approval levels, public sector fleet managers need two tools in their toolbox: data and salesmanship. Private sector fleet managers need those same tools but perhaps to a lesser degree. It all depends on the company’s level of sophistication.
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GET YOUR DATA IN ORDER In today’s environment, data-based decision-making is a hallmark of any great equipment manager. In many instances, it is expected by senior management — especially in the public sector. “Today’s fleet management professionals are expected to employ data-driven fleet management practices,” Lauria says. “More company owners are coming to understand this. It’s also fair to say that such an expectation is even more germane to a public sector fleet.” Lauria says the private sector can cover a broad spectrum of construction companies, from small family-run businesses to major international firms. Some companies have the data component really dialed in. Others rely more on traditional “gut instinct.” It largely depends on the level of accountability and PAGE
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transparency the company assigns its fleet management department. “When working with private sector clients, we are sometimes taken aback by the weaknesses we observe with respect to their fleet management practices,” Lauria says. “For instance, one fairly large company had around 1,000 fleet assets, but was unable to provide us with a complete inventory of all of those assets. That is unheard of in a government fleet. If we were to encounter some small county in a remote part of the country, it would still be highly unusual.” Beyond basic inventory and accounting practices, equipment data is the critical component in a public entity. Schlangen’s team calculates its cost per hour and mile for every piece of equipment it has, factoring in all operating costs right down to insurance. “We need to have numbers to be able to prove that it makes more sense to own than rent, for example, or to reimburse government employees for mileage versus providing them with a work vehicle.” To help gather some of that data, Schlangen is running telematics on all on-road vehicles. He is now in the process of
evaluating where telematics can fit on the off-road side. Top-level private sector fleet managers are also leveraging telematics. Case in point: Aaron Mayer, another 2018 Fleet Masters award winner. Mayer is equipment manager for Ryan Incorporated Central, a site-work contractor based in Janesville, WI. They key to telematics data, he says, is to make it readily available and actionable. If an equipment manager is spending 80% of his or her time gathering data but only 20% analyzing it, that probably isn’t time well-spent. It has taken a few years, but Mayer and his team now have processes and technologies in place to make good use of their telematics data. When it comes to optimizing his fleet, however, Mayer says there is no substitute for good cost accounting. Take a 25ton excavator, for instance. A fleet could be shopping between several different manufacturers. The easiest thing to do is simply look at the sticker price. But an equipment manager has to consider the overall life of the asset, which in this case might be three to seven years. “Ownership cost is only a quarter to a third of the overall operating cost,” Mayer says. “The next biggest cost is typically fuel, followed by other operating costs such as preventive maintenance
The key to telematics data is to make it actionable.
Public fleets can be very diverse. Pictured is a police patrol vehicle in for service at Dakota County Fleet Management in Minnesota.
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PUT ON YOUR SALESPERSON HAT
and repairs. If an equipment manager doesn’t have a good handle on this total cost of owning and operating, it is difficult to make good asset acquisition decisions. Some of my peers on the public-sector side have talked to me about their bidding and acquisition process. To a large degree, it is a very structured, black-and-white process of requesting bids, which makes it harder to differentiate machines and understand the total cost of owning and operating.” Not all private-sector fleet managers do as good a job as Mayer at avoiding the over-fixation on purchase price. Again, it has a lot to do with the company and its level of sophistication. Lauria says some private sector construction companies are especially concerned about preserving cash. Thus, they buy a lot of used vehicles and equipment without giving much thought to total cost of ownership. “That is not the type of behavior you’ll typically encounter in a public agency,” Lauria adds. For instance, Schlangen and his team have developed a process for prioritizing capital expenditures across the numerous departments for which they provide fleet services. They’ve developed formulas for evaluating when to right-size fleets and when to replace, rent or eliminate given machines. This helps the county space out capital expenditures from year to year, which helps to manage within the confines of a tight budget. To further adapt to public sector budget restraints, Schlangen says his team has eliminated a fair amount of underutilized equipment. “Sometimes you’re better off to go out and rent, which helps free up resources,” he explains. “An equipment manager has to explain the ramifications of certain decisions, such as putting off a machine replacement. You need numbers to do that. When you can explain the ramifications in numbers, people can understand.”
Sound numbers certainly help an equipment manager make his or her case. So does a little bit of salesmanship. “A fleet manager working for even a small county is part of a multi-milliondollar enterprise,” Lauria says. “Most smaller companies do not have a budget committee; they might have a CFO who is giving the final say on capital expenditures. In the public sector, there are more layers and more players in the development of budgets and approving of capital expenditures.” Mayer says that in his private sector role, he plays an integral role in the decisionmaking layer. “I am on the management committee, which somewhat serves as a board of Successful directors,” Mayer relates. “Part fleet of our ongoing managers committee need data and meetings is looking at the type salesmanship. of work we are doing and what we want to pursue. So I spend a lot of time studying our history to understand what kinds of equipment we’re going to need. At any given time, I have a long-term replacement projection I’m always trying to reconcile with our strategic plan. When we need a new machine, I look at my replacement plan and ask myself a couple of questions: Is this to replace something, or is it an addition? If it is an addition, is it a shortterm need where renting makes more sense? Regardless, those types of decisions are left up to me and my team.” It helps that Mayer and his team are constantly gathering and analyzing data. “We’re studying everything, including things like fuel burn,” Mayer points out. “I can go to the rest of the management committee and make
3
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the case for why we need a new excavator, and then present data on which excavator we think will be the best.” To garner that kind of confidence from decision-makers, data remains an equipment manager’s best friend. In the public sector, Schlangen says data also helps prove an equipment manager’s worth. “I have to present an operating budget and capital expenditure budget,” Schlangen says. “Part of that is selling the value of the services we’re providing. When that time comes to stand in front of the different department leaders and elected officials, we need to be capable of talking about KPIs (key performance indicators) and how we’re providing value. Every law enforcement deputy and truck driver is a customer of ours. Our value must be better than going across the street to another fleet services provider in the private sector.” To help enhance its value, Schlangen’s fleet services department maintains ASE certification. This helps ensure a certain level of expertise at the technician level. Then, Schlangen says he must prove his value as a trustworthy partner. “If I’m going to ask for $2 million in next year’s budget to add or replace equipment, I need to be able to explain why,” Schlangen says. “In the private sector, it’s easier to say, ‘We have a big job coming up and need a new excavator.’ In the public sector, you need to show the value of an up-to-date and wellmaintained fleet — along with how your team helps provide it.”
Fleet managers have to be able to explain value.
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WIDEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE One major different between public and private sector fleets can be asset diversity. Lauria says that even a larger city could operate everything from police patrol cars, fire trucks and ambulances to excavators, cranes and dump trucks. “A large government jurisdiction often has around 150 types of assets,” Lauria points out. “There is much more homogeneity in a private fleet, which also makes it more possible to explore the outsourcing of some maintenance services. Some government employees are also unionized in different parts of the country, which also puts some constraints on outsourcing in the public sector.” Schlangen is in charge of a diverse fleet of vehicles and equipment for Dakota PAGE
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When it comes to optimizing his fleet at Ryan Incorporated Central, CEM Aaron Mayer says there is no substitute for good cost accounting.
his staff to attend things like conferences. “You can make so many great connections with peers who have some expertise in different areas,” Schlangen says. “You can also connect with vendors to keep up with what’s new in the industry.” Along those same lines, Schlangen says an equipment manager must constantly read about the different industries he or she is helping to support. “I can’t even tell you the number of trade magazines I get every month,” he relates. Feedback from users is essential — especially in the public sector where fleets are so diverse. That is why Schlangen has worked to establish a user advisory group where vehicle and equipment operators from different departments offer insights and feedback. Whether working in the public or private sector, an equipment manager has one job to do: assemble and maintain the most productive, safe and cost-effective fleet possible. While some differences exist in how an equipment manager gets to that ultimate end game, there are just as many similarities. Data, salesmanship, technical expertise and passion are tools any equipment manager needs.
County. There are more than 700 assets ranging from chainsaws and grass trimmers to law enforcement vehicles. The various departments do not own any of the assets. Everything is under Schlangen’s jurisdiction and his Fleet Management department. “In the public sector, you can feel like you own one of everything ever made,” Schlangen relates. “You might be in the street sweeping business, snow removal, grounds maintenance and law enforcement. You’re transporting prisoners and doing things with public health. It’s a huge amount of different pieces of equipment.” How does a fleet manager keep up? Schlangen says he’s fortunate that his employer, Dakota County, believes in education and networking, allowing him and
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TRENDS DRIVING YOUR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT IMPROVING EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY
76
%
87
%
of lubricant decision-makers in construction say extending the lifespan of their equipment is a priority of construction firms experienced equipment breakdown in the last three years
INDUSTRY TREND
THE SHELL SOLUTION
RENTING MACHINERY Equipment is rented when required to free up capital and hit tight deadlines
High-quality lubricants to maximise equipment protection and productivity
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE Maintenance focuses on data, preventing failure and downtime
High-quality lubricants and expert services to keep equipment running
TECHNICAL INNOVATION Manufacturers are producing new and improved equipment
Innovative products, e.g. Shell’s gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology
SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT Businesses are diversifying and need more specialist equipment
Multi-tasking lubricants for different types of machinery to simplify selection
Find out more by visiting www.shell.us/construction
© SOPUS Products 2020. All rights reserved. CS16144-01
SHELL LUBRICANTS WORKS CLOSELY WITH CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WORLDWIDE TO DELIVER SAVINGS. Venezuelan company Dragasur operates heavy-duty equipment such as trucks and cutter-suction dredgers. Dragasur wanted to reduce its operating costs and worked with Shell to obtain a lubrication solution. The Shell technical team recommended Shell Rimula R6 M heavy-duty diesel engine oil. The company has extended its oil-drain intervals by 180%, increased the availability and reliability of its units, and reported annual savings of US$1,247,758.1
Sureway Construction Management in Canada was using separate products to lubricate its wheel tractor scrapers’ final drives and transmissions but faced the challenges of managing oil changes and mixing the products. Since switching to Shell Spirax S6 CXME, Sureway has reduced its oil consumption and maintenance costs, and increased productivity through less downtime, which give it reported annual cost savings of US$140,298.1
Saving reported by one customer. Actual savings may vary, depending on the application, the current oil used, the maintenance procedures and the condition of the equipment.
1
CONTROLS BY LARRY STEWART
AIR CONDITIONING ESSENTIALS THAT KEEP MACHINE OPERATORS WORKING COOL
K
DOUGBERRY / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
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eeping equipment operators productive in the high heat months requires an air conditioning system maintained to harness some cool physics. Most of the maintenance is pretty simple, and knowing how and where refrigerant phase-shifts between gaseous and liquid states can make diagnosing problems pretty straightforward. As with most equipment system maintenance, the most profitable AC system maintenance usually masquerades as mundane housekeeping. Ask Robert Brocx how to prevent the most common failure modes for air conditioning, and he doesn’t hesitate. “Just keeping the condenser clean and not plugged with debris, and the fins not folded over from high-pressure washing,” says the technical steward (his actual title) at mobile air conditioning system maker Red Dot Corp. “It’s pretty typical to get some hydraulic fluid or oil on the condenser,” he adds. A hose rupture or simple leak that makes its way into the air flow can coat the coolers. “It doesn’t look so bad, but it does impact the heat rejection of that condenser quite a bit.” Oil is a bit of a problem on its own, but it’s not alone for long in off-road conditions. “It catches dust, and then you’ve got an insulating dust-and-oil mix on the fins, so you’re not getting good heat transfer. And it also blocks
Poor filter maintenance can cut an operator’s productivity.
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some air flow,” says Brocx. Reversing fans in today’s equipment help clear dry debris from condensers and coolers, but they have limitations, particularly if there’s oil residue pasting dirt to the fins. Staying on top of this perennial problem isn’t rocket science. Someone has to inspect condensers and other coolers regularly, and make sure they’re clean. “The main thing is to look at the condenser coil regularly,” Brocx advises. “If it does have oil on it, check to see if it’s refrigerant oil. That indicates a refrigerant leak — and it’s a very bad thing [for the air conditioning system].”
filter maintenance can cut an operator’s productivity even if the day is not terribly hot. “Typically, there are two: a fresh air filter and a recirculated air filter,” Brocx explains. “Cab pressurization testing is done with clean filters. Once those filters start to plug up, you reduce total air flow; and you change your fresh- and recirc-air balance. Vehicle cabs are usually designed to have roughly 25 cfm of filtered fresh air coming into the cab. According to Brocx, this helps to keep the operator alert since the oxygen in the fresh air displaces the CO2 content in the cab; keep the cab slightly pressurized; and, when it’s cold outside, the fresh air keeps cab air from getting so humid that it fogs the inside of the windows.
CHECK CAB FILTERS TO ENSURE OPERATOR COMFORT
The most important regular maintenance in an air-conditioning system applies where the refrigerant changes state. Air flow is essential in the condenser and evaporator, and it takes deliberate maintenance to keep these systems working on construction sites.
Brocx cites maintaining the cab air filters as a second priority. They’re seldom as easy to check as the condenser, but poor
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ntial e air e.
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Air conditioning refrigerant surfs the big heat-transfer potential at the borderline between its gaseous and liquid states. The compressor pressurizes gaseous refrigerant so that air blowing over the condenser will condense it into liquid state.
Again, frequency of filter maintenance depends on operating conditions. Discovering the right frequency for your machines is worth studying to determine an effective maintenance interval. It’s important to have replacement filters on hand when they’re needed. “Sometimes people just remove the filters when they’re dirty without replacing them, but then dust is going to go right to the evaporator,” Brocx warns. “Because the evaporator is wet [you’ve seen condensate draining out of the systems], the dust is attracted to it and the inside of the evaporator just becomes a big mud ball. It will reduce air flow and really impact the cooling capacity of the system.”
moist spot and then it will attract dust,” Brocx says. “So you will get a fitting just covered in dust. Sometimes, you can see that it’s oily. If you have oily dust at a fitting, you can be pretty sure that’s leaking.” Most OEMs put a UV-fluorescent dye into the refrigerant oil they use in their AC systems. A technician wearing protective eyewear designed to enhance ultraviolet light can trace the system with an ultraviolet light, and where it hits refrigerant oil it will glow. Inexpensive aftermarket UV lights are also available. “When you fix a leak, you really need to clean up that area... so the next person doesn’t think there’s a leak there again,” Brocx adds.
FINDING REFRIGERANT LEAKS
DIAGNOSTICS BY TOUCH
The third air conditioning maintenance priority is identifying refrigerant leaks. Most equipment uses O-ring fittings. Vibration and the impact of working off-road is far more stressful for those joints than for those in an on-road vehicle. Over time, they tend to leak. “You’ll be able to see that because where the refrigerant is leaking, usually you will get a
Air conditioning works by manipulating the state of the refrigerant, applying and releasing pressure, cooling it in the condenser and warming it in the evaporator. Air conditioning delivers its value by making sure liquid refrigerant changes to a gaseous state in the evaporator. It starts that process by releasing high-pressure liquid refrigerant through a tiny
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orifice into the line to the evaporator. It is possible to learn about how well the AC system is working by cranking up the climate controls to max cool and air flow and carefully touching some points in the system. In the lines just downstream from the evaporator’s pressure drop, the refrigerant approaches the transition to its gaseous state and becomes as cold as it will get in a typical AC system. “Generally, the inlet to the expansion valve is going to be about 10 degrees or more warmer than the ambient air. And directly across the expansion valve, the inlet to the evaporator (usually it goes through a small manifold) should be very cold,” Brocx says. “If it’s not cold right there, there’s a big problem. It might be that the expansion valve is not opening up.” Low-pressure gas coming out of the evaporator should be about the same to 3° F warmer than the inlet. The pressure drop through the evaporator and expansion valvecontrolled superheat pretty much cancel each other out, making the evaporator inlet and
outlet close to the same temperature in a properly functioning system. “If the outlet is seven degrees or more warmer than the inlet, then the system’s probably low on refrigerant,” says Brocx. “If it’s 10 degrees warmer, either your expansion valve is bad or you’re low on refrigerant.”
LEAKS DEMAND MORE THAN A RECHARGE When you suspect an AC system charge is low, confirming and correcting the problem is simple but not always intuitive. To confirm that a system is low, a certified tech should recover the refrigerant, weigh it and compare the amount to the OEM’s specification for the amount required for a full charge. “If the amount you recovered is significantly less, you know there’s a leak and can be pretty sure that it’s the low refrigerant charge causing the problem,” says Brocx. “You should always replace the receiver drier when you have a leak because when refrigerant leaves through a leak, moisture
When the expansion valve allows line pressure on the way to the evaporator to drop, the refrigerant heads back toward gaseous state and absorbs a lot of heat from warm cab air in the evaporator to complete the change.
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is always going in,” he points out. “System pressure doesn’t prevent moisture from traveling into the system. That’s like the number one enemy inside the AC system.” In fact, ingress of moisture through hoses is one reason AC systems have receiver driers. The rate of ingress is usually so slow that you don’t have to worry about it, but a leak will overwhelm the drier’s capacity. Because the AC system manipulates very specific internal pressures to get the desired change of state where it is required, charging the system should be done carefully. System manufacturers prescribe a specific weight of refrigerant for each system they design, and recharging with just that weight is how a technician knows a system is charged accurately. “The sight glass, most commonly located on the receiver drier, used to be a better indicator of system charge with R12 refrigerant and mineral oil because they were very miscible,” Brocx says. “But [today’s] R134a and PAG oil, under very high pressure, can look a little milky, like when R12 was low on charge. But it just indicates that the oil and refrigerant are not mixing as well as the mineral oil and the R12 did. “Actually, ‘milky’ isn’t quite the right word for the appearance of R134a. At high pressures, the oil and refrigerant don’t mix as well, so you see streakiness or stuff going past the sight glass,” he explains. “Sometimes, it’s just clear like water; that’s usually at a moderate pressure like 150 psig. If the system goes to 250 psig, then it starts to look streaky. You see things going through there, and it looks like it’s low on charge. If you keep adding charge, that’s just going to make the streakiness worse.
Pressure’s going to keep increasing and the system’s going to be overcharged.” Any time the condenser fan or compressor cycles — sometimes even when engine speed changes — refrigerant vapor bubbles can be seen going by the sight glass. Brocx still uses the sight glass as part of his charging process, but he weighs the refrigerant going in as the primary indicator of charge. “I think a sight glass is a great thing, as long as you know what’s happening,” he comments. “If you’re checking on some other factors too — like the temperature at the vents in the cab or pressures in the system — the sight glass becomes just one more factor showing you what’s going on in the system.”
Warm air coming from the cab vents could indicate a valve is leaking.
IS THE HEAT REALLY OFF? Finally, Brocx says warm air mysteriously coming from the vents in the cab may require you to double check that the coolant or water valve isn’t leaking. During cooling season, the water valve should be shut off completely. “On most construction equipment, all the cab air flows through the evaporator and then through the heater core,” Brocx notes. Coolant circulating through the heater core will be about 180° F. The AC system’s refrigerant can only be cooled down to about 32° F, so the air leaving the evaporator might be 45° F. Run that through a 180° F heater core, and air might be coming out of your vents at 60° F or 70° F. “Watch out if the AC system works really well when the engine is cold, but seems to stop cooling when the engine warms up,” Brocx cautions. “If the pipe coming out of the TXV [expansion valve] is still cold, most likely the water valve is leaking. That’s one that comes up quite a bit.”
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CONTROLS BY SHEENA INGLE
TIPS FOR MONITORING AND MAINTAINING
DIESEL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS
I
f you’re in fleet management or the construction industry, you undoubtedly have machines that run on diesel fuel. In addition to large trucks, more than 75% of all heavy construction equipment uses diesel. It offers fuel efficiency, reliability, power, performance and lower carbon emissions than gasoline. When it comes to keeping these machines up and running, you can save time and money by learning how to properly maintain your diesel fuel injection systems. Knowing the problems to watch for and how to address them could help you avoid machine downtime and expensive equipment failures.
HOW DO DIESEL FUEL INJECTORS WORK? Diesel fuel injectors pressurize diesel fuel and pump it through a fixed or electronically controlled aperture (opening). This delivers fuel to the engine as a fine mist or spray — making it easier to ignite than a heavy, solid stream. The mist also burns more efficiently and evenly. When fuel injection systems are not properly maintained, the process is
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[POMTO,AGES / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
less-than-effective and can even lead to a full engine breakdown. The most common issues that negatively affect diesel fuel injection systems include clogged/dirty fuel injectors and water or air in the fuel injection system. Before checking for or addressing these issues, safety precautions should be taken to avoid injury.
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DEPRESSURIZE DIESEL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM BEFORE MAINTENANCE Caution when working on a diesel system is of the utmost importance. Because diesel fuel is under high amounts of pressure when operating, it is crucial to let your engine cool completely and depressurize the fuel injection system before performing any type of maintenance. This will protect you from dangerous sprays of fuel when removing the fuel filter. To depressurize your fuel injection system: ❯ Shut off engine. Before starting work, always shut off your engine and allow it to cool completely. ❯ Loosen fuel filter cap. Slightly loosen the fuel filter cap without fully removing it — you will hear a hiss when cap is loosened. ❯ Locate and loosen fittings on fuel lines. Consult your owner’s manual to determine where your fuel lines are. In some vehicles, they are mounted on the undercarriage’s frame rail — while on others, they are in the engine compartment. Once you locate your fuel lines and fittings, turn a flare wrench counterclockwise to loosen (but not remove) the fittings. ❯ Wait for pressure to release. Wait several minutes for pressure to release. Clean up any spills while waiting. ❯ Remove fuel lines if replacing filters. If you are replacing your fuel filters, remove the THE MOST COMMON fuel lines completely. If you are doing other work, simply leave them loosened until maintenance is ISSUES IN A DIESEL completed.
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM ARE CLOGGED, DIRTY FUEL INJECTORS AND WATER OR AIR IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
SIGNS OF CLOGGED OR DIRTY FUEL INJECTORS
Because diesel fuel is more viscous than gas, it will hold dirt and debris in suspension more easily. This is why every possible measure should be taken to keep your injector systems and the fuel itself clean. If an engine’s fuel injectors are clogged or dirty, the diesel fuel may simply dribble out instead of spraying a strong, fine mist. This can cause engines to skip or stop entirely. Signs that you may have a clogged or dirty fuel injector include: ❯ Rough idling ❯ Hard starting ❯ Throttle hesitation ❯ Decreased fuel mileage ❯ Poor engine/machine performance ❯ Black smoke from the exhaust manifold ❯ Pinging sounds (officially referred to as pre-ignition)
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It is also important to note that cracked or broken fuel injectors or injection system parts can cause the same problems as clogged or dirty ones. Regular servicing and maintenance are paramount to keeping your diesel engine running safely and effectively. Tips for keeping fuel injection systems clean include: ❯ Change oil regularly ❯ Replace filters ❯ Consider using high-quality additives aimed at protecting parts and keeping them clean (consult the manual or manufacturer for recommended additives for your machine). Vehicle and machine models differ. You should consult your owner’s manual or manufacturer before performing work, but a few basic steps for changing diesel fuel filters include: ❯ Depressurize system as outlined earlier. ❯ Use your owner’s manual to locate the fuel filter (generally on the rear side of the engine) ❯ Find the sensors attached to the bottom of the fuel filter and remove the sensors’ wire plugs. ❯ Drain excess diesel by placing a pan under the fuel filter and opening the drain valve. ❯ Open the lid of the fuel filter can and use a fuel filter tool to unscrew the fuel filter — making sure to check for O-ring, and bring can straight up without tilting (more fuel will drain into the pan as you perform this step). ❯ Lubricate new filter with diesel fuel and then place into fuel filter can — grease O-ring before placing it onto new filter. ❯ Put filter can back into position and close the drain valves — using fuel filter tool to tighten screws. ❯ Place wire plugs back onto sensors and follow bleeding procedures as outlined in your owner’s manual. ❯ When work is complete, turn engine on and check for any leakage.
SIGNS OF WATER IN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM Water in a fuel system can cause the engine to miss or stop completely. Many of today’s fuel filters will automatically clog when exposed to water and immediately stop fuel flow. Any water that enters the tank upon fueling or forms via condensation will likely settle to the bottom of the tank and should be drained off each day in accordance with your machine’s manual Signs that you may have water in your fuel injection system may include: ❯ Pressure indicators showing varying degrees of pressure ❯ Engine missing or stopping entirely ❯ Fuel that appears dark and gummy — this is due to water mixing in with diesel fuel and causing microbe formation ❯ Sluggish performance ❯ Erratic idling
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Tips for keeping water out of the diesel fuel injection system include: ❯ Drain it daily (if it’s an above-ground tank) ❯ Check for water — extract a small amount of diesel fuel using a handoperated bilge pump into a transparent glass container. Check for discoloration. Water is heavier than diesel fuel and will settle to the bottom if it is present. You can also look for a thin, dark line between the water and fuel. This indicates that micro-organisms have developed, and a biocide should be added. ❯ Allow fuel to settle — before performing any maintenance, allow your fuel to settle in the tank — preferably for at least a full day. ❯ Bleed or pump water from tank ❯ Fill the tank at the end of each shift if possible High pressure direct injection systems will return hot fuel to the tank. While most systems have fuel coolers to reduce the heat, the tanks are still above ambient temperatures and will hold more moisture than ambient air, creating a hot and humid environment in the fuel tank. When the tanks are left to cool overnight, the moisture condenses out, putting water into the fuel. By refilling your tank at the end of each shift, that will push out as much humid air as possible and limit the potential of water in the system. If your fuel is in a storage container designed for diesel, the container should have fuel-water separators with petcocks at the bottom. Many are see-through so you can see when water has been fully drained. To remove water from the actual fuel tank, you can pump the water out from the bottom using an extension hose attached to the bilge pump. In accordance with your owner’s manual, add a biocide to your fuel in order to get rid of any micro-organisms.
SIGNS OF AIR IN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM If you’ve ever accidentally allowed your diesel machine to run out of fuel you know it can cause hard starting. This is because too much air in your system will keep fuel from flowing adequately and will disallow fuel pumps to pick up and push diesel through the piping system. You should check your maintenance manual to learn how to properly “bleed” air from your fuel system. The most common way to avoid this issue is to not let your machine run out of fuel in the first place. Steps for bleeding air from your fuel injection system include: ❯ Follow all instructions above and in your owner’s manual for allowing engine to cool and depressurize. ❯ Put enough diesel fuel in your tank to fill higher than the fuel filter. ❯ Loosen bolt on top of fuel filter can to enable fuel to push air up and out. ❯ Once all air is pushed out, tighten the bolt back up. ❯ Bleed air from high-pressure fuel pump by cranking engine without starting to build pressure and use wrench on injector nut to turn and allow air to hiss out and close. This should be performed on all injectors.
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DIESEL FUEL INJECTION MAINTENANCE TIPS Diesel fuel injection systems should be cleaned and maintained at least every 36 months or 45,000 miles — or more often for heavy-use machines (such as long-haul trucks). Consult your engine manufacturer regarding proper timing and frequency of maintenance for your machine, vehicle or fleet. In addition to the tips listed above, a few basic guidelines for regular fuel injection system maintenance include: ❯ Follow safety procedures before work. ❯ Change oil at recommended intervals. ❯ Change fuel filters every 10,000 to 25,000 miles. ❯ Use a wet sponge or something similar to wipe down engine bay. ❯ Use an old toothbrush to clean the nooks and crannies of diesel fuel injector systems. ❯ Use specialty degreasers to safely dissolve any gunk on engine or system components (consult your owner’s manual before using any products). CONSULT There are several fuel injection cleaning products on YOUR ENGINE the market that are designed to be ran through your system, MANUFACTURER but you should speak to your manufacturer before putting anything into your engine. REGARDING WHEN Diesel-powered machines are expensive and crucial to AND HOW OFTEN one’s business — so it is important to ensure your engine TO CLEAN YOUR receives cautious, expert-level servicing. Your best bet is to DIESEL FUEL take it to a trusted, expert technician for regular servicing.
INJECTION SYSTEM.
DIESEL FUEL QUALITY
Finally, the quality of diesel fuel that you use in your machine is paramount to its performance. Low-quality diesel fuels can result in higher emissions, wear on fuel systems and sluggish engine performance. High quality diesel is lower in sulfur and offers optimal lubricity. Consult your manufacturer to determine the most highly recommended diesel fuel for your equipment. Many new engine technologies call for lower viscosity oils. These advanced, low-viscosity oils result in greater fuel efficiency, especially in newer vehicles. For instance, Phillips 66 and Exxon Mobile recently introduced full-synthetic CK-4 and FA-4 oils to their lineups. CK-4 can be used for current and older engines and is backwards compatible with many older oil types. It offers superior wear and oxidation protection when compared to CJ-4, is rated for highway and off-road use and is available in viscosity grades of SAE 15W-40, 10W-40 and 10W-30. Even lighter viscosity grades are being rolled out. FA-4 is made to accommodate higher temperatures and oil pressures in engines released after 2016. While it is not backwards compatible because of lower HTHS viscosity, it must pass the same tests as CK-4 fluids.
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COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR HEAVY-DUTY ENGINES
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PURPOS One of th E O F CO e primary O L A N T? cylinder function head an s of coola d engine nt is to re the radia block. Co gulate h tor. Coola olant pic eat within nt is also and corr ks u p h e the used to osion an at and tr p ro d te ansfers p c it t ti against ng of cyli One of th it to freezing nder line e most im and boil rs and th coolant p o rt in a g n e or antifre , t parts o engine b f mainta eze itself lock. glycol is ining a c . Ensurin essentia o g o li you have ng syste l. Do not u m is the the right se water balance corrode. instead of water of coolan If coolan and t isn’t av t, it can with a co cause th ailable a rrosion re e cooling nd water sistor. An must be system to Tap wate d never a u s r contain e d, it shou d d tap wa for the c s minera ld ter to a c be used ooling sy ls and o ooling sy stem. On ther con in an em stem. taminan ly use de ergency, ts that a ionized w m a ke s u re not go ater. If yo re to flus od u must u h the sys se tap w tem and a te r replace the coola nt
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ew adva nced en gines an cooling s d coolin ystem m g system aintenan s are ch technicia ce requir anging ns and fl ements. e et m a n a preventa Service gers sho tive main uld revie tenance chang es w their (PM) stra needed te gy and in to m a in A ta corporate cooling s in these medium advance ystem is which ab d d s e s ystems. s orbs hea igned to a heat e t from th circulate xchang e e r a e (r n c a gine and ooling diator or hinders this rem dissipate cooler). If oval of h s it throu a proble eventuall e gh m a t from th in the co y engine e engine oling sys failure w engine p , e te q il uipment m l occur. In roblems issues a fact, it’s originate nd Unfortun estimate in the co ately, da d that 40 oling sys mage to until it’s % of all tem. too late. the cooli S n o g m s ystem is e proble ❯ C orros ms inclu often dif ion de: ficult to ❯ Liner see cav itatio n ❯ Prema ture failu re of the critical c head g a omp one sket, wa nts ❯ Engin ter pum e failure p, radiato r and oth er
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as soon as practical. FLEET MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW WHICH According to TYPE OF COOLANT IS USED IN THE EQUIPMENT Chevron, there are IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN IT PROPERLY. MIXING different types of COOLANTS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. coolant, including conventional low-silicate, fullyformulated and extended life coolants (ELC). Conventional low-silicate coolants, often called “green antifreeze,” is a glycolbased product known as inorganic additive scale buildup, according to Chevron. technology (IAT) and contains silicates as part Fully-formulated coolants feature the of its inhibitor package. This is your typical addition of a pre-charge of supplemental “green antifreeze.” This type of coolant inhibits coolant additives (SCAs) designed to protect corrosion by laying down a chemical layer over cylinder liners in heavy-duty engines from the metallic surfaces of the cooling system. cavitation. To maintain this protection, these However, this layer can impede heat exchange types of coolants require the addition of SCAs and shorten the life of the water pump due to periodically throughout the coolant’s life. But be aware, the total dissolved solids in circulation can result in pump vane and seal wear. These coolants can be green, pink or purple in color. ELCs are designed with special chemistries to prevent liner cavitation from occurring throughout the coolant life without the need for SCAs. These types of coolants can be nitrited (NOAT), which are typically red in color, or nitrite-free (OAT), which vary in colors. Unlike the coolants mentioned above, ELCs do not contain solid additives and will not decrease pump life. A third type of ELC is hybrid organic additive technology (HOAT), which HH5800 / E+ / GETTY IMAGES features an inhibitor package combining IAT and OAT chemistries.
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T T
THE TOUGHER YOUR OIL THE BETTER YOUR BUSINESS Extending drain intervals. Reducing maintenance costs. Saving fuel. They’re all good for business. And all reasons why construction companies around the world switch to DURON™ heavy-duty engine oils. Because when it comes to saving money, the tougher your oil, the better. Petro-Canada Lubricants are proud to be a new AEM member.
Visit DURONCHALLENGE.COM THE SOONER. THE BETTER.
DURON HEAVY-DUTY ENGINE OILS THE TOUGHER. THE BETTER.™
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Fleet managers and technicians need to understand which type of coolant is used in your equipment in order to maintain it appropriately. Coolant types should not be mixed as some types are not compatible and can even create a gel that results in system failure.
COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE IS CHANGING In the past, cooling system maintenance was relatively simple. Most maintenance technicians could just look to see if the coolant level was visible, and if so no further action was recommended. As long as no visible evidence of leakage was seen at the hose connections and water pump and no steam was present while the engine was running, maintenance was likely not done. The most typical maintenance needed was replacing the radiator cap and topping off the coolant level. However, the advanced engines of today require more of the cooling system, and that means cooling system maintenance is changing as well. According to an online article from Work Truck, cooling system maintenance starts when you take possession of a piece of equipment. Maintenance professionals need to know which types of coolant are present from factory filled engines in order to prevent cross-mixing coolant types. Consider labeling the radiator to indicate which coolant type is permitted in the engine. If you are unable to use the same coolant, Polaris Labs recommends selecting a coolant with similar corrosion protection inhibitors to maintain the inhibitor levels for adequate corrosion protection. Additionally, if your coolant includes SCAs, coolant testing to ensure high enough SCA levels will be needed. Despite their longevity, extended life coolants are not maintenance free. These coolants should be tested twice a year to confirm color, concentration, pH and carboxylate levels.
BEST PRACTICES FOR COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE Routine maintenance recommendations may vary from one engine OEM to another, but there are some general maintenance guidelines to follow with cooling systems. One best practice tip is to check coolant and cooling systems during routine oil changes. Here are a few additional cooling system maintenance check points: â?Ż Ensure cooling system is filled with coolant and freeze protection level is adequate for the ambient environment. Under-filling the cooling system can cause corrosion and overheating issues. An inadequate freeze protection level can result in cracking of lines or
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passages when the coolant freezes and expands. If the coolant level is low, investigate why. Many failures happen because of head gasket leaks where the coolant seeps into the engine cylinder and eventually ends up contaminating the engine oil. For Tier IVi and Tier IVF engines, you also need to check for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and nitrogen reduction system (NRS) cooler leaks. There are no indicators such as white exhaust smoke or signs in your engine oil analysis that indicate these leaks. They show up as a slow but constant coolant loss. But if the leaks continue they can damage intake, intake valves and the diesel particulate filter (DPF). ❯ Use the same coolant found in the engine for top offs. Don’t mix coolant types. ❯ Check radiator fluid levels and concentration. Check the integrity of the radiator cap and look for leaks. ❯ Have coolant samples analyzed at recommended intervals (check with engine OEM or coolant supplier) ❯ Properly clean and flush the system when coolant is changed. While flushing the system is a good practice, some coolant problems can’t be fixed by flushing, including corrosion, deposits, pitting and erosion. Flushing should not be the only maintenance practice service technicians rely on. For the coolant itself, maintenance technicians should do periodic testing of coolant chemistry and adhere to strict and proper drain and refill intervals. Your coolant supplier should be a great resource to verify your preventive maintenance processes. Polaris Labs also recommends proper testing of coolant
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FLUSHING THE SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY MAINTENANCE PRACTICE SERVICE TECHNICIANS RELY ON.
Journal of Equipment Management
AEMP
WHY WHY WHY AEMP AEMP AEMP CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? CERTIFICATION? Top 5 Equipment Supply Top Top Top 5 Reasons Reasons 5 Reasons 5 Reasons Equipment Equipment Equipment Management Management Management Professionals seek CESP certification: Professionals Professionals Professionals seek seek seek CEM CEM CEM certification: certification: certification:
#1 Maximize your company’s service to #1#1#1 Maximize Maximize Maximize your your your company’s company’s company’s bottom bottom bottom line! line! line! your customers!
#2#2#2 Find Find Find new new new efficiencies efficiencies efficiencies forfor your for your your fleet! fleet! fleet! #2 Help your customers find new #3#3#3 Expand Expand Expand your your your knowledge knowledge knowledge and and and gain gain gain new new new efficiencies! skills! skills! skills!
#3 Expand your knowledge and improve #4#4#4 Advance Advance Advance your your career! career! career! your skills!your
The The Certified The Certified Certified Equipment Equipment Equipment Manager Manager Manager Support (CEM) (CEM) (CEM) designation designation designation the is the the is the Professional (CESP)is is premiere #5 Earn Earn Earn thethe industry’s the industry’s industry’s most most most recognized recognized recognized premiere premiere premiere professional professional credential credential credential credential forprofessional professionals who #4#5#5 Advance your career! for for managers for managers managers ofheavy off-road of of off-road off-road heavy heavy heavy supply off-road equipment credential! credential! credential! equipment equipment equipment fleets fleets fleets or or managers or managers managers of of of #5 Earn the most trusted credential for fleets or municipal/government municipal municipal municipal government government government fleets. fleets. fleets. If If If equipment suppliers! fleets. If you are ready to you you are you are ready are ready ready to showcase to showcase showcase your your your demonstrate totoyour customers knowledge knowledge knowledge and and prove and prove prove your your position your position position that you truly understand their in the in the inequipment the equipment equipment management management business and canmanagement serve as their sector sector sector as as a subject as afor subject a industry subject matter matter matter expert, expert, expert, go-to source expertise, take take action take action action today today today and and find and find out find out what out what what Visit Visit Visit www.AEMP.org/CEM www.AEMP.org/CEM www.AEMP.org/CEM CEM CEM CEM certification certification certification can can do can for do for you! for you! you! CESP certification can dodo for you! Visit www.AEMP.org/CESP
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formulation be done to see the whole picture of corrosion protection levels, equipment health and contamination that may be present in the cooling system. Testing is an essential step in cooling system maintenance. Consulting with your coolant provider or engine OEM can help you determine the right testing process for your cooling system.
❯ Sample bottle needs to be clean and free of contaminants ❯ Fill out all equipment and fluid information completely and accurately whether recording electronically or on paper ❯ Include the time/distance on both the equipment and the coolant
REPLACING COOLANT FILTERS
COOLANT ANALYSIS
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Engine cooling systems may include a coolant filter (called a water filter in the past). Changing these filters at every PM interval is not recommended. Instead, coolant filter replacement should be contingent on the level of SCAs present, according to Work Truck. Premature filter replacement could result in premature release of unneeded SCAs, which could damage the cooling system. Preventative maintenance is key to the health of your construction equipment, and cooling system maintenance should be part of your PM strategy. As engines and cooling systems continue to advance, revisit your PM strategy to ensure you’ve got the right processes in place to keep your cooling system working productively.
Coolant analysis can help you better manage your cooling system and the health of your equipment by catching problems before they cause damage. Maintaining proper coolant levels and properties is essential to preventing engine failure. Coolant analysis is recommended as part of the normal PM strategy. Just changing your coolant regularly will not help identify cooling system problems. According to Polaris Labs, engine coolant should be tested once before winter and once before summer. With coolant analysis, you can detect issues including: ❯ Incorrect glycol concentration ❯ Unacceptable pH levels ❯ Inadequate corrosion protection inhibitors ❯ Sources of contamination ❯ Early failure Plus, a coolant analysis program can also help catch problems that are not the fault of the coolant but can cause cooling system failures. Coolant analysis starts with taking the best coolant sample possible. Polaris Labs offers a few tips when taking coolant samples:
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Building Excellence in Equipment Management