equipmentworld.com | October 2014
EYES IN THE SKY ®
How drones and UAVs are changing construction jobsites today ROAD TEST:
RAM ECODIESEL P. 611500 V-6 CREW CAB 4x4
BEHIND THE P.36 WHAT’S HUGE GAINS IN FUEL EFFICIENCY?
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Vol. 26 Number 10 |
table of contents | October 2014
Cover Story
EYES IN THE SKY HOW DRONES AND UAVS ARE ALREADY AFFECTING CONSTRUCTION JOBSITES
18
Equipment 13
Marketplace
Doosan’s DX300LC-5 and DX350LC-3 excavators, Takeuchi’s TW65 Series 2 and TW80 Series 2 compact wheel loaders, Vermeer’s PTX44 ride-on service plow and more.
28
Machine Matters
Why 4- to 6-yard wheel loaders are achieving big gains in fuel efficiency
31 Maintenance Technician recruiting
What a win looks like for technician recruiting and retention
35 Maintenance Contamination control Keeping your ammo clean in the war on friction
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014
3
table of contents | continued
Departments
®
equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World
7 On Record Ready to roll … into problems 9 Reporter
Bobcat’s new Acceleration Center; OSHA accident reporting requirements; Texas firms buying most earthmoving equipment
47 Contractor of the Year finalist
Vernnen Larman, Larman Construction, Garland, Texas
47
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Spotting safety problems: Always know what’s around you
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61 Pro Pickup 2014 Ram EcoDiesel 74 Final Word
What Moneyball and AEMP’s telematics education have in common.
Insert: Quick Data
(Between page 38 and 39) Articulated trucks For subscription information/inquiries, please email equipmentworld@halldata.com. Equipment World (ISSN 1057-7262) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: SEND ALL UAA TO CFS (SEE DMM 507.1.5.2). Non-postal and military facilities: send address corrections to Equipment World, P.O. Box 2187, Skokie, IL 60076-9921 or email at equipmentworld@halldata.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions (pre-paid US currency only): US & possessions, $48 1–year, $84 2–year; Canada/Mexico, $78 1–year, $147 2–year; Foreign, $86 1–year, $154 2–year. Single copies are available for $6 US, $9 Canada/Mexico and $12 foreign. The advertiser and/ or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC harmless from and against any loss, expenses or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel violations of right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that July arise out of publication of such advertisement. Copyright ©2013 Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Equipment World is a trademark of Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee regarding the quality of goods and services advertised herein.
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October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Editorial Excellence Special Section Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Analysis Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Section Silver Award, 2005 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Robert F. Boger Award for Feature Articles, 2005 Construction Writers Association Robert F. Boger Award, 2002 Sept. 11th Feature Articles
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on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle
MGruver@randallreilly.com
Ready to roll… into problems
Y
ou start the day out right. 5 a.m. and you’re up, putting in 40 minutes of exercise. You eat breakfast, and get to the office by a quarter to 7. You make a got-to-do list in your head, maybe even scratch it out on a sticky note, as you make your first call. You’re on track to accomplish an amazing amount of work. Conversely, your day could have begun with a call at 4:30. One of your trucks in transit between jobs and loaded with your newest excavator has had a fender bender on the Interstate, delaying delivery of a critical machine. The next call stirs up the mess: a project superintendent has a family emergency and has to take the day off. And speaking of family, your own 8-year-old wakes up with a high fever. In my first example, it was all up to you. You got up early, you did, you determined, you set the path. You were in control, and that’s how you – all of us, actually – like it. And it works up to a point, up until that 4:30 a.m. call. I often ask contractors what attracted them to construction. After the joking comments about it being the only thing they had the ability to do, most
mention the sense of accomplishment they feel after a project is completed successfully. There’s evidence they’ve made a mark, be it a paved road, a reshaped acreage, a community that gained sewer service, or a building now filled with businesses serving the area. But these contractors – and this has always struck me – also mention how much they enjoy solving problems, because each of these visible accomplishments has a tale of challenges. There’s the one about how your team scrambled when a paver broke down, the time your foreman inspired extra work from his crew during a 2 a.m. emergency call, or the office manager who covered for you when you missed a deadline. Not to mention the numerous times you had to call up a client, both to deliver bad news and offer a possible solution. You know. Everyday stuff. No one relishes that early-morning phone call, including you. You’d love to have all of your mornings start out on a straight, self-determined path that results in a list of checked-off boxes at the end of the day. But there are few plain vanilla days in construction and that’s one of the reasons you’re in this business.
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 7
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©2014 Takeuchi Manufacturing. Contact your dealer for current warranty and financing program details.
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reporter | by Equipment World staff
What it’s like to work at Bobcat: New office gives equipment giant a tech startup feel
T
aking cues from tech companies such as Microsoft, Google and Sundog, Bobcat opened its $28 million Acceleration Center in Bismarck this summer, designed to promote “chance encounters” among its employees, and in the process create a facility unique in the construction equipment business. “Our aim is to fail early and often, spend less money on bad ideas and in the process accelerate innovation,” says Matt Sagaser, center director. “We’re moving from a glorified garage to a best-inclass testing facility.” No gopher cube farms here; instead cubicles are waist high. There is no assigned seating, no executive offices sucking up the sunshine. Employees get a stationary locker and a “cart” (a lockable, wheeled file cabinet) which they are encouraged to move from area to area as work demands. Need to spend time with another team? Wheel your cart to a desktop next to them, hook up your laptop to the workspace monitors, and in five minutes you’re off. “There’s no nesting and no not talking to anyone,” says Sagaser. “We want people to interact who don’t normally work together.” To get that to happen, there are several casual areas throughout the building, with sofa chairs around a fireplace in one place, grouped seating around a console in another. Large TV screens and white boards are everywhere; in the spirit of experimentation there’s a treadmill computer station, video game player and table shuffleboard game. The 190,000-square-foot Acceleration Center has offices, several reserved and unreserved meeting areas, enclaves for private conversations, and what
Bobcat is calling the Kiva: a circular room surrounded by white board, designed for brainstorming. Bobcat is quick to point out that the center is also dealer and customer centric. The inside 35,000-square-foot demo area – with upper and lower arena seating for 35 – allows the company to test and showcase its equipment away from the dictates of North Dakota weather. “Now, instead of taking a prototype on the road, we can bring customers here, and get immediate feedback,” says Jeret Hoesel. Bobcat used 420,000 cubic feet of Class 5 gravel to fill the area, a material that will allow it to dig, compact and dig again. The 100,000-square-foot lab area will include a manufacturing process area, allowing the company to test out new ways to make product as opposed to shutting down a manufacturing line to experiment. The lab will include sound chambers, load test cells, dynamometers, vibration, electronic and hydraulic test rooms. – Marcia Gruver Doyle
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014
9
reporter | continued
Texas construction firms buying most earthmoving equipment
A
t 645 buyers, Texas stomped No. 2 Florida (317 buyers) in the number of financed construction equipment buyers engaged in earthmoving through August. The numbers are the result of an analysis of Equipment Data Associates data segmenting out companies* likely to be engaged in earthmoving and which bought new equipment in the past eight months. The top 10 states in the number of buyers of new equipment in this segment were: 1. Texas, 645 companies 2. Florida, 317 3. Pennsylvania, 314 4. California, 276 5. New York, 237 6. Ohio, 225 7. North Carolina, 211 8. Minnesota, 198 9. Wisconsin, 172 10. (tie) Georgia and Illinois, 166 The same pattern continues when looking at earthmoving used equipment buyers, with Texas once again dominating at 570 buyers, followed by Florida at 229 and Pennsylvania at 216.
Contractors who perform earthmoving bought 2,696 new excavators – or about 22.5 percent of the total number of new machines bought by this segment during the first eight months of the year. Other top new machines in the earthmoving segment include 1,783 compact track loaders (15 percent of total); 1,661 compact excavators (14 percent of total) and 1,036 wheel loaders (8.6 percent of total).
*Editor’s note: The earthmoving segment includes companies in 30 SIC codes determined to have earthmoving capability, buying a variety of earthmoving equipment, including dozers, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoes, skid steers, etc. Equipment Data Associates is a division of Randall-Reilly and tracks public Uniform Commercial Code-1 filings submitted by lenders in financed equipment transactions.
OSHA to speed up requirements on accident reporting
I
n response to a preliminary fatality report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that 796 construction workers died on the job in 2013 – the most of any industry – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has revised its rule on how quickly employers must report worker deaths or serious injuries. The revised rule, scheduled to take effect January 1, 2015, requires employers to notify OSHA within eight hours when a worker is killed on the job. The rule also requires employers to notify the agency within 24 hours when a worker is hospitalized, has an amputa-
10 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
tion or loses an eye due to a work-related injury. OSHA previously required employers to report all workplace deaths but only required reports of inpatient hospitalizations when three or more employees were involved. Reporting single hospitalizations, amputations or loss of an eye was not required under the old rule. OSHA plans to launch a page on its website for electronic reporting. For now, the page informs employers how to submit a report via phone. – Wayne Grayson
© 2012 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property owned by Chevron Intellectual Property LLC.
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marketplace | by Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com
EDI TOR PIC ’ K S
FUEL SAVERS Doosan has launched two new Tier 4-compliant excavators – the 271-horsepower DX300LC-5 and the 318-horsepower DX350LC-5, which replace the DX300LC-3 and DX350LC-3 models, respectively. The crawler excavators feature a range of engine improvements and new aftertreatment technology. The excavators include Scania diesel engines that have a highpressure common-rail fuel delivery system and cooled exhaust gas recirculation. To aid in meeting Tier 4 emissions standards, the excavators also feature a mass airflow sensor (MAF) that enables the electronic control unit to improve the management of the variable geometry turbocharger’s (VGT) airflow. The MAF also uses the air intake volume and rpm to optimize fuel delivery
Quick specs: DX300LC-5
DX350LC-5
Gross horsepower
271
318
Operating weight
68,764 lbs.
80,654 lbs.
Max dig reach (ground)
34 ft. 7 in.
36 ft.
Max dig depth
23 ft. 11 in.
24 ft. 8 in.
Max loading height
23 ft. 10 in.
23 ft. 6 in.
Bucket digging force
44,092 ft.-lb.
57,100 ft.-lb.
Arm digging force
30,644 ft.-lb.
41,667 ft.-lb.
Drawbar pull
77,162 ft.-lb.
83,335 ft.-lb.
to the combustion chamber. The VGT improves fuel efficiency at lower rpms by enhancing boost pressure through the rpm range of the engine. A new exhaust brake boosts operating efficiency by maintaining constant engine temperature at lower speeds, reducing emission levels when the engine is running at lower rpms. The excavators’ selective catalyst reduction and diesel oxidation catalyst lower engine emission levels, using diesel exhaust fluid injected into the exhaust system to convert NOx into water and nitrogen, while the DOC converts particulate matter emissions into water and carbon dioxide. Boasting a 10 percent fuel savings over the Tier 3-compliant models, the excavators feature auto shutdown following a preset idle time from between 3 and 60 minutes. Operators can choose from four power modes (Power+, Power, Standard and Economy) and four work modes (Digging, Breaker, Shear and Lifting) based on the application, and the work modes are easily configured via a dial switch on the console. Operators can monitor the excavator on a 7-inch LCD display panel that accommodates an optional side camera for a split screen view of camera displays. Additional machine updates include an auto-belt tensioner, improved serviceability, anti-skid plates on steps and walking surfaces, battery and alternator upgrades and an improved floor pedal angle. The DX350LC-5 has D-ECOPOWER available, which boosts hydraulic system output with engine horsepower, improves machine efficiency, productivity and fuel consumption, and also refines machine control and enhances operator comfort. EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 13
marketplace | continued SIMPLIFY UTILITY INSTALLATION
Boost productivity when installing fiber optic lines, electrical and gas services and irrigation systems with Vermeer’s PTX44 ride-on service plow for utility contractors, which has a 24-inch maximum installation depth with the dedicated plow. The optional trencher attachment has a max trenching depth of 42 inches and a 6-inch width. The optional bore attachment has a rotational torque of 620 footpounds. Designed for applications where a walk-beside plow would be impractical, the PTX44 is powered by a 46.8-horsepower Kubota water-cooled gas engine with 88.7 foot-pounds of torque for plowing, trenching and boring. A dedicated plow also offers the option to use a forward-mounted trencher and a bore attachment. Planetary axles reduce the stress and torque going into the driveline. The unit features electronic controls for precise handling, which also enables the operator to preset the creep speed. A centrally-located operator’s station offers unimpeded visibility of the work area.
COMPACT AND COMFORTABLE
Takeuchi had enhanced machine performance and operator comfort in mind when launching the company’s newest compact wheel loaders – the TW65 Series 2 and TW80 Series 2. The Tier 4 Final-compliant machines feature a compact design for maneuverability on tight jobsites, and provide reach and dump heights up to 8 feet 6 inches. The TW65 Series 2 has an 11,354-pound operating weight, 4,050-pound rated operating capacity, 9,171-pound tipping load and a bucket breakout force of 11,600 pounds. The 12,700-pound TW80 Series 2 has a 4,445-pound rated operating capacity, 12,700-pound tipping load and 13,960-pound bucket breakout force. Equipped with a turbocharged, water-cooled Deutz engine that provides 192 foot-pounds of torque at 1,800 rpm, the loaders deliver 73 horsepower with a rated engine speed of 2,200 rpm. The loaders feature a 12.4-mph standard travel speed; however, a high-speed road gear option is available that boost max speed to 24.8 mph. The road gear option also features a ride control accumulator that assists in maintaining machine control during periods of high-speed travel. The new cab is both heated and air conditioned, and features an adjustable armrest and control-
14 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
ler position. The automotive-styled interior has a frameless door to improve operator visibility, user-friendly function switches, an inching pedal for precise machine control and precision pilot controls. A new multi-function pilot operated joystick control handles all loader and travel functions, as well as including a thumb wheel to control auxiliary hydraulics. An optional highflow auxiliary system delivers up to 26 gpm.
SOME MASTERPIECES HANG ON A WALL. OTHERS KNOCK WALLS DOWN.
Built precisely. Works relentlessly. The world’s No. 1 selling compact excavators* feature zero and conventional tail swing, 20% higher lift and finely tuned Kubota engines. They’re part machine, part masterpiece and all Kubota. Locate your dealer today at Kubota.com/Construction. *According to 2013 OEM Off-Highway Research, Kubota has the largest compact excavator market share in the world. © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2014.
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marketplace | continued BIG BREAKOUT FORCES
Boost profitability in quarry and mass excavating jobs with Volvo’s EC480E crawler excavator, which features a Tier 4 Final D13 engine that provides high digging and breakout forces while delivering fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The electro-hydraulics system provides on-demand flow while reducing power loss. The excavator features Volvo’s ECO mode, which improves both fuel efficiency and controllability. The machine’s work mode system offers the operator a choice of idle, fine, general and heavy modes, and the excavator can be programmed to automatically reduce engine speed or shut down when the controls are inactive for a predetermined time. The EC480E has a threepiece undercarriage and high tensile steel X-shaped frame to ensure long machine life, and superstructure cover plates under the excavator protect the machine from damage from rock and debris. A hydraulically driven electrically controlled cooling fan prevents the machine from overheating while minimizing fuel consumption and noise. Reverse functionality, which blows air in the opposite direction for self-cleaning, is available as an option. Daily preventive maintenance is simplified via the placement of grouped service points and large, easily accessible doors. The excavator’s radiator, charged air cooler and hydraulic air cooler are located side by side to make cleaning easy and reduce blockage.
The EC480E features ergonomically friendly joysticks, keypad and LCD monitor, as well as a reduced number of switches compared to previous models. Safety features include a seat belt warning alarm that sounds if the operator’s seat belt is not fastened when the ignition key is turned. The machine has antislip plates and full size guard rails and hand rails to ensure safe cab entry and exit.
PRODUCTIVE CONCRETE CUTTING
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16 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
© Terex Trucks 2014.
Husqvarna has improved its K 970 power cutter, which is designed for heavy concrete and stone cutting in new construction work, as well as pipe, asphalt and metal cutting. A new cylinder design and carburetor increase the power cutter’s capacity, while the new cylinder with muffler and integrated heat deflector ensures the correct operating temperature. Ergonomics have been improved with a lighter magnesium blade guard on the 14-inch model and a reversible blade bushing that allows operators to simplify switching between blades. A progressive water valve allows the operator to adjust the water volume, improving dust control while reducing water consumption and slurry. The unit’s low weight combined with improved performance enhances the cutter’s power-toweight ratio. The X-Torq engine lowers both emissions and fuel consumption.
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cover story: drones | by Wayne Grayson
|
EYES
WGrayson@randallreilly.com
How drones and UAVs are already affecting construction jobsites today
Richard Evans of Houston-based firm SpawGlass flies his custom UAV above a jobsite.
The FAA’s stance on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) over time (For a more thorough discussion of the following, go to equipmentworld.com.) June 9, 1981: The agency issues Advisory Circular 91-57 on “Model Aircraft Operating Standards,” recognizing that model aircraft could pose a threat to people and property on the ground as well as full-scale aircraft in flight.
of “unmanned aircraft” and “aircraft,” since they are “used or intended to be used for flight in the air with no onboard pilot.” The agency noted that UAS could be used as public aircraft, civil aircraft or as model aircraft.
February 13, 2007: The FAA says model aircraft, no matter their
February 14, 2012: President Obama signs the FAA Modern-
size or complexity, fit the statutory and regulatory definitions
18 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
ization and Reform Act of 2012, which Congress confirms the
IN THE SKY W
hile liberating them from school, summer vacation also presents children with a challenge: finding something to do all day. For Richard Evans, that was never the case. On most of those balmy summer days growing up on Merritt Island, Florida, Evans and his older brother found their way to the private airport a half-mile from their house. They’d lie down in the grass and wait, patiently looking to the bright blue sky until a plane would hum into their vision before landing on the runway nearby. Fast forward to today and Evans, 61, is still watching in wonder as aircraft fly overhead. The only difference now is that he is in control. Long an avid model aircraft enthusiast, Evans has found a way to combine his favorite pastime with his career by flying quadricopters (small aircraft with four rotors) at the jobsites of his company, Houston-based contractor SpawGlass. Evans has been using the smallish aircraft mostly as an experiment to see the type of data it could one day provide the company. And though Evans’ enthusiasm for the technology is evident whenever he talks about the opportunities it represents for the construction industry, most people don’t share his excitement. That’s because most would classify the aircraft Evans and many other tinkerers are flying as a “drone.” Despite this definition being technically incorrect (more on that in a bit) a recent joint study by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian mag-
FAA’s definition of model aircrafts as set forth in 2007. However, Congress also prohibited the FAA from establishing “any rule or regulation” in the future on model aircrafts as long as they meet the several requirements. December 30, 2013: FAA announces six sites across the country
where teams will test and develop drones for safe commercial flight. February 26, 2014: FAA releases a post on its website titled
“Busting Myths about the FAA and Unmanned Aircraft.” In the
azine found that while 59 percent of Americans feel that most changes in technology are leading to a better future, 63 percent said that future would be worse if the U.S. opened airspace to personal and commercial drones. Despite the public’s concerns, many in the construction industry are finding drones and UAVs can play a vital role in their work. Whether they’re used for surveying, to show clients and potential clients an aerial overview of completed projects, to monitor jobsites to ensure safe practices or to inspect bridges and other structure, drones have the potential to become as important a tool to the industry as any piece of yellow iron. Beyond that, the Federal Aviation Agency prohibits the use of all unmanned aircraft for commercial use without the agency’s express approval. The agency lumps both UAVs and drones under the single category of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). However, they’ve done so with guidelines originally designed for model aircraft and the definition of “commercial use” isn’t always cut and dry. (See the sidebar below.) With the exception of a few experimental and academic research approvals granted by the agency, the result has been several UAV pilots receiving cease-and-desist letters and, in some cases, fines from the FAA, though at least one of those fines has been struck down by federal judges. Even drone schools, degree programs where students learn to pilot the aircraft, aren’t allowed to fly drones at all, forcing instructors to teach with simulators.
post, the agency states “there are not shades of gray in FAA regulations. Anyone who wants to fly an aircraft – manned or unmanned – in U.S. airspace needs some level of FAA approval.” March 6, 2014: An administrative judge with the National Transportation Safety Board strikes down a $10,000 fine from the FAA issued to a man who flew a flying wing UAV over a Virginia hospital campus for a TV commercial. The judge ruled the agency has not yet set an “enforceable” legal rule applicable to model
(continued) EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 19
cover story: drones
| continued
The FAA has said that it plans to allow commercial UAS use once it has drawn up proper regulations for the aircraft. The deadline for those regulations is some time in 2015. Until then, it’s a promising though somewhat confusing time for those pioneering use of the technology. Nevertheless, UAVs are already flying over construction jobsites.
The tinkerer Though he’s been in the construction industry for 30 years, Evans’ background is computers. He’s been the IT manager at SpawGlass for 20 years and was instrumental in ushering the general contractor into the digital age. “I had a strong background in electronic drafting and Business Information Modeling (BIM) when I came here. Every project we do, if we don’t have the plans available from the architect, we integrate aerial imagery of a site prior to construction and try to integrate a 3D model over that,” he says. “That’s something I’m working on for the future. To digitize a geographical terrain of an area for construction so we could bring that into the model.” Evans explains that he got into aircraft modeling as a teenager and, spurred on by a passion for photography, he’s actually been flying model planes with cameras attached to them since the 1990s – well before the technology made its way into the general public’s consciousness under the name of “drone.” “I think I had my first quad-rotor helicopter three years ago,” he recalls. “Back then, I just wanted to build what I called a ‘flying camera.’ I didn’t even think to call it a ‘drone’ then because it was still a few years before the military term ‘drone’ got transferred to little 5-pound devices that are actually UAVs.” Evans says he spent between $1,500 and $2,000 to build his first UAV from custom parts. Including that first rig, Evans’ fleet has now grown to six, including one that
Associate professor Javier Irizarry with two of his UAVs inside the CONECTech construction lab at Georgia Tech.
The FAA’s stance on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) over time (continued) aircraft or for classifying whether one is a drone, UAS or otherwise. The FAA has filed an appeal to the decision. June 18, 2014: FAA releases “Interpretation of the Special Rule
20 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
for Model Aircraft” pointing out that while Congress has prohibited it from regulating model aircraft, it “is not a complete bar on rulemaking” since rules the FAA makes in the future that apply to all aircraft could potentially effect model aircraft as well.
7.5 CUBIC YARDS‌ AND A CLOUD OF DUST. Engineered for speed, easy control and fuel efficiency, Doosan wheel loaders deliver class-leading lift capacities and fast cycle times, no matter which model you own. Load-sensing, closed center hydraulics and variable displacement piston pumps efficiently power your ability to do more in a day, leaving a mountain of work in your dust.
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DoosanEquipment.com/CloudofDust Doosan and the Doosan logo are registered trademarks of Doosan Corp. in the United States and various other countries around the world. Š2014 Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment America. All rights reserved. | 156E-0
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Doosan Delivers
cover story: drones
| continued
Irizarry snapped this photo high above a jobsite in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a DJI Phantom II.
fits in a shirt pocket. “The one I put together recently has achieved some goals I couldn’t do with the others. I wanted to increase the range and fly further away as well as increase the range of the video transmission that comes back,” he says. “I went from six minutes of flight to 15 minutes of flight and as far as the video goes, my original configurations gave me half-a-mile of transmission and that’s now up to 20 miles.” One thing that drew him to UAVs was the ability to have a first-person flying experience through a set of Fat Shark goggles. The goggles work a bit like virtual reality goggles, giving you a full, up close view of what the UAV’s camera is seeing while in flight. “It’s such an immersive experience. It’s just neat to fly around and have that perspective. You feel like a bird,” Evans says. “They give you almost like a theater experience while you’re flying.” Evans says he began flying the UAVs at SpawGlass jobsites initially 22 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
for fun. But it wasn’t long before he realized the aircraft could provide serious benefits for the company. “We flew it at one jobsite that was probably about a $60 million job for a high-profile client. We flew around and got a lot of footage of it and it was very impressive. We realized that we couldn’t have done that with the aerial photography service which we have been using for years. This wasn’t just still snapshots. It showed the property off in a way that made us realize that what we had in many ways was a great marketing tool,” he says. Evans explains that the UAV use is still very much in the experimental phase at SpawGlass. The company still gets the majority of its jobsite views using an aerial photography service, but Evans says there is great potential in fully replacing that service with UAVs. “We still haven’t said let’s do it all with the UAV. If so, we have to be serious about it. Because if I go
fly once a month on every job that would be my whole job. I wouldn’t have time for anything else,” Evans says. “We’re getting to the point where we’re starting to do it very seriously though. Job progress documentation is important and it can do a good job at that. It can get down close and look at things in detail. We can go up and look at things that are difficult to get to.” Evans estimates he’s flown at about 20 jobsites, noting that safety is always his first priority along with respecting the FAA’s model aircraft guidelines. “I’ve done project after project at this point and most of them stay internal. Basically I stay under 400 feet. I stay out of positions where I’m over people who are unaware. Fortunately, people on the jobsites are aware of what I’m doing and have hard hats on,” he says. “We always have the permission of the owner on the property and we are definitely sensitive to the customer’s
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cover story: drones wishes. We ask the customer before we show anybody or post it on YouTube. So far, we haven’t had a customer turn us down.”
The researcher Javier Irizarry is one of those few people who have received permission from the federal government to fly UAVs at work. As an associate professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Building and Construction, Irizarry and the CONECTech construction technology lab he directs received a $75,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation last year to study the potential uses of UAVs in highway construction and monitoring. When asked what he thinks about the general public’s mistrust of the technology, Irizarry points to that term “drone.” He talks about the negative connotations it carries – many of them militaristic – noting that, unfortunately, it’s become the news media’s go-to term for small, camera-toting aircraft without pilots. And then he points out that the term is often used incorrectly. “It’s unmanned, not completely autonomous,” Irizarry says, holding up a Parrot AR UAV. He explains that the term drone, technically, only applies to aircraft that fly independently of human control. “What we have been looking at for our research here is the UAV, not the autonomous vehicles.” Another particularly interesting aspect of Irizarry’s UAV research is that it centers around relatively inexpensive aircraft. The Parrot AR in CONECTech’s lab can be had for as little as $300 and can be controlled from an iPhone or iPad. The most expensive UAV in the CONECTech fleet is a DJI Phantom II, which Irizarry said the lab bought in April for around $1,300. The lab has made a concentrated effort on testing relatively inexpensive UAVs under the assumption that most contrac24 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
tors would be more willing to adopt more inexpensive versions of the technology since its use isn’t yet widespread. The study funded by the FHA/ GDOT grant lasted for about a year, Irizarry said, and during that time he and his students explored ways the UAVs could make everyday DOT tasks more efficient. To create a running list of tasks to try out with UAVs, the research team interviewed about 20 people at various levels within the GDOT. Of the tasks mentioned by GDOT employees, many had to do with ways to more easily monitor and manage traffic, such as using UAVs to assist in traffic light programming, getting fast and more comprehensive views of wrecks and even monitoring how well airports accommodate landing aircraft. But two of the tasks Irizarry and his students grappled with involved road construction. One involved using UAVs to visually verify steps in road work such as counting the number of stripes painted along a newly paved road or counting the number of guard rails installed. The other involved making bridge inspections easier and more thorough. “There’s a job the DOT has to do that requires inspectors to visually inspect the underside of bridges. They can do that from underneath from the supports but that only allows you to see only so much, particularly if the bridge is long and over water,” Irizarry says. He explains that by flying UAVs beneath the bridge, inspectors can get a detailed view of the bridge components in far less time. Irizarry says he’ll be publishing much of his lab’s findings from the DOT study in the next year. And though that study has ended, he and his students are still running experiments and exploring use cases of UAVs on construction jobsites, focusing mainly on safety management applications. Before the DOT study even began,
| continued
Irizarry and his students were trying to determine the usability of cheaper UAVs based on the current quality of images they capture. They ran a test with with the Parrot which captures 720p images. While resolutions of 1,080p and higher are obviously more ideal, Irizarry said he and the students were interested to see just how much information they could gather about the status of a jobsite from the 720p image: the number of workers present, how many were correctly wearing their personal protective equipment (PPE) and even seeing if they could check the status of equipment. The DJI Phantom II is $1,000 more expensive than the simple Parrot but based on the images Irizarry has been able to capture with it, the extra investment pays off. In a video shot at a jobsite in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the Phantom travels high into the air providing an incredibly crisp and smooth image of the jobsite. Beyond the ability to monitor safety, an image this clear would allow contractors to monitor jobsites from afar in a whole new way. Irizarry says he expects things to only get better in the next five or 10 years. “Once the FAA finalizes its regulations, a gun’s going to go off and everybody’s going to race. There are already academic programs such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that have a drone degree,” Irizarry explains. “Surveyors used to use a simple measuring line. Now they use total stations and GPS rovers. You can imagine a specialty trade would adopt something like this to maybe do surveys with UAVs. Some will add the technology to professions that already exist but new professions or trades could arise that use just the UAV.” Irizarry said he expects such companies to pop up at some point in the near future. Of course, Irizarry was unaware that Tommy Tomsu is more than a few steps ahead of him.
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cover story: drones
| continued
Richard Evans’ fleet of UAVs.
The surveyor While it might surprise you that Tommy Tomsu is working to start his own drone surveying company as soon as the next few weeks – well before the FAA has even released its regulations – Tomsu isn’t exactly the type of person to ask permission before following a dream. He got his start in construction at only 15 years old, lying about his age for three years as he worked on the pipe and dirt crews for a company before graduating high school. In 1995 he got a job with Leander, Texasbased H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction, one of the largest custom trenching and mass rock excavating companies in the world. He started in the lowly position of swamper, assisting operators and technicians where needed as the machines dug. But in seven months’ time, Tomsu says he worked his way up the ladder to superintendent of the company’s milling division, managing a dozen milling machines across the United States. 26 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
“And that’s how I got into surveying,” Tomsu explains. “We were being paid by the cubic yard of rock, about $18 to $35. That was pretty expensive, so we wanted to know what we were cutting. Nothing was ever matching up with what the owner or whoever we were cutting for said. They always said it was less than I thought we were doing. Eventually I found out a lot of these quantities were based on aerial photography.” So in 1996 Tomsu says he learned how to operate a total station to record the existing ground and found it to be a lot more accurate than aerial photography. Then he learned GPS and machine control, installing one of the first dozer systems Trimble offered on a rock milling machine. Tomsu says that by 1998 he was building full 3D models for the civil engineers designing the projects H.L. Chapman was cutting. “What looked good on paper didn’t always look good on the ground. During the design phase they started
sending me their stuff because we were the only game in town,” Tomsu says. “To be able to model stuff before it was finalized, they could look at the quantities and were able to value a lot more accurately. I knew what was actually going to work in the field.” With his 3D modeling in great demand, Tomsu left Chapman and started his own consulting firm in 2003, surveying for contractors and engineers and building models. Three years later, two engineers in San Antonio bought the company. He remained there until March 2011 before heading out on his own again to start up another company, this time a civil engineering firm named Tomsu Group. “We want to be that supplemental design grading expert. We go after the smaller jobs that the bigger guys don’t want. We still build lots of models. Typically, if somebody doesn’t have a guy in house, we build the model. We focus more on the engineering now but I still like
doing the stuff for contractors,” he says. Not one to stand still, Tomsu is now working on launching another company that combines his love of modeling with the hobby of RC helicopter flying which he began in the late 1990s. However, while much of the research behind the new venture has been done with a six-rotor UAV, or hexicopter, once the company gets off the ground Tomsu wants to use small, single-wing airplanes known as “flying wings” to do the actual surveying. More importantly, he wants them to operate not as UAVs but as full-fledged drones, flying autonomously along a predefined course. Though Tomsu’s drone is a custom build, it’s similar in operation and design to current UAS offerings from Trimble and Topcon. However, Tomsu says his finalized custom build will come nowhere near those aircraft in terms of cost. Trimble’s UX5 drone starts at $50,000 while Topcon’s Sirius base model is $42,000 with a “Pro” model priced at $53,000. “The reason that we’re going with the (flying wing) is they can cover a lot more ground on a single battery charge. The best I’m getting on the hexicopter right now is 12 minutes per flight, covering about 20 acres,” Tomsu says. “With the flying wing, we’re estimating at the speeds we’re getting we can probably do more than 200 acres in 30 minutes.” Tomsu explained the
drone surveying process begins with setting control points on the ground being surveyed. One way to set these points is to position 4-foot-by-8-foot sheets of drywall with black marks in the center at various positions around the site. “You have to have something on the ground you know the exact position of that can also be seen from the aircraft,” he explains. Then, you’ve got to tell the drone where to fly through a GPS automation system. On his hexicopter, Tomsu uses DJI’s NazaM V2. The system allows Tomsu to set up to 16 waypoints which he arranges in a back-and-forth pattern, “similar to how you’d mow your grass,” he says. Tomsu says DJI’s professional series system allows setting up to 50 waypoints but says he hasn’t done a job yet that has required that many. He notes that when he moves to the flying wing drone, he’ll use a system called Pixhawk by 3DR Robotics. After mapping out the route, the drone is launched, typically flying between 100 and 300 feet as it captures photo after photo of the site below. After it has flown, Tomsu says he takes a look at the photos capture to make sure the images are crisp and able to be processed into a sharp map. With photos in hand, Tomsu uses a piece of software called Pix4D which positions and stitches the pictures together into a 3D point cloud or map. So far, the main challenge Tomsu has had with
Should I buy a drone? The issue of commercial UAS operation is a gray area. On one hand, the FAA has clarified its stance several times on giving fairly clear descriptions of what it considers to be illegal commercial use of unmanned aircraft. On the other, an NTSB judge recently ruled that the agency’s current policy on model aircraft isn’t “enforceable.” Some folks in the industry feel strongly enough about the technology’s future that they feel tinkering with it is worth the risk in order to be ahead of the curve. If you’d like to at least get acquainted with the technology, we’ve put together the following list of options: 1. Parrot AR.Drone 2.0
If you’re looking at the cheapest way to explore the world of UAVs, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 runs only $300. It’s perfect for beginners thanks to its forgiving design and it can even be driven from a smartphone or tablet. It captures 720p HD video and can transmit that video to said smartphone or tablet while in flight. Available on Amazon. 2. DJI Phantom 2
For those looking for an affordable but more professional option, the DJI Phantom 2 is an extremely impressive device for its $1,300 price tag. A recent software update has made it a full-featured drone capable of 3.1 miles of continuous autonomous flight and capable of reaching up 16 predetermined GPS waypoints. You can see an example of the high quality video shot by the Phantom 2 on equipmentworld. com. Available on Amazon. 3. Trimble UX5
Moving up to the “strictly professional” category of these devices, Trimble’s UX5 flying wing drone starts at $50,000. The UX5 has a 16.1 megapixel camera that has a large imaging sensor and custom optics allowing it to capture data down to an incredible 2.4 centimeters resolution. Finally, you get the benefit of integrated access to Trimble software and it’s extremely rugged – designed to perform in all weather conditions – something many consumer UAS and custom builds can’t guarantee. Available from Trimble. 4. Topcon Sirius Pro
Topcon’s Sirius Pro flying wing drone starts at $53,000 and has the benefit of hand-launching, meaning no equipment is needed to get this bird flying. The design ensures simple assembly and the bundled MAVinci software allows for quick flight planning and upload to the aircraft itself. Once airborne, the Sirius Pro is completely autonomous and images are captured by a 16 MP Panasonic GX1 camera. Available from Topcon. EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 27
cover story: drones the venture has been figuring out how to slow the flying wing drone down. If the aircraft is moving too quickly, the Canon SS260 camera onboard isn’t able to take enough images to create a complete model of the land being surveyed. The images can be blurry if the aircraft is moving too fast.
| continued The FAA and the future When asked about the FAA’s possible objections to his new company, Tomsu says it’s not a concern for him. “The FAA is being stupid. They’re putting out this misperception that it’s illegal,” he says. And though Tomsu supports the agency’s decision to implement regulations in order to ensure the
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28 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
safety of what he believes will be a big industry, he says there’s “no way” the FAA finalizes such regulations by 2015. Evans, too, supports regulation in order to make sure use of UAVs and drones on jobsites is as safe as possible. “UAVs have so many uses and have so much promise that they will be a widely used technology for the future. We want to minimize things that could ban the technology,” Evans says. “I expect the FAA will come out with a way to rate competency and they may also require some safety measures to decrease the chances of colliding with other aircraft.” However, Evans says he’s concerned that the regulations the agency implements could overreach. “For instance if they require you to file a flight plan for UAVs, that might kill the potential for an industry.” Meanwhile, Tomsu says he’s already got clients lined up. “I really want to go after quarries nationwide. That’s going to be a huge business. Many of them have no clue how much material they have on hand. Stuff is moving so fast in construction when they’re producing their aggregates they have to shut down and retool to create a different size of material. They know how much they sell but not how much they create,” he sayd. “I want to build 500 of these flying wings and I’d like to work out a yearly contract with quarries where I do weekly surveys with drones.” Tomsu recently tested his process on about 50 acres at a Texas rail station stockpile that supplies the Eagle Ford Shale. He says it took a few flights with the hexicopter but gave him the opportunity to compare the data he can gather to LiDAR, the laser-based measurement technology the stockpile currently uses. “I think it’s great because everybody is scared to death because they think flying these things is illegal,” he says. “I know what it is. I know it’s not illegal and I’m going ahead and I’ll be ahead of them.”
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maintenance | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com
Engagement is key to retention and that means group meetings as well as one-on-one talks.
What a win looks like in technician recruiting and retention
T
he biggest challenge facing the heavy equipment industry is the lack of qualified workers in any skill area. The problem is not impossible to solve but as with football or any other sport, winning requires preparation, planning, goal setting, training and mentoring. This is more work than many contractors and fleet managers anticipate and certainly more than what brought results in the past. Carl Uhinck, CEM, asphalt equipment manager for Kokosing Construction, recently gave a presentation to
the Association of Equipment Management Professionals on his company’s “circle of retention� as they call it. This company-wide process is taught and practiced by all managers and results in better quality new hires, better engagement with them and ultimately better retention. The circle of retention graphically represents a continuous loop of activity. The process never stops moving from recruiting to training to engagement to development, and the ultimate goal, the career of welltrained, highly-motivated employee who works at the EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 31
maintenance | continued peak of their ability in the company’s systems. Here’s how it works:
Starts with the kids Recruiting starts early with managers reaching out to local schools, offering field trips and construction days. “The early phase is getting kids to understand there are opportunities in a field outside of wearing a suit and tie every day,” says Uhinck. “We take them to the shop and let them run a backhoe. Get them a hard hat and open their eyes to it. We bring in the Boy Scout troops. You touch a lot of people that way as they’re making decisions in junior high and high school.” As the kids and potential recruits get older, the conversation continues and Kokosing begins and help the kids focus in more detail on what specific paths they may want to pursue. The company also maintains clear channels of communication with the local trade schools. “We get to know those people. We talk to them a few times a year, talk about what we’re looking for and what they need.”
Uhinck says. The groundwork pays off, not only in more potential recruits, but perhaps even more important, a better quality recruit. “The more effort you put into
“
If you recruit with only one shoe on, that’s the kind of results you’re going to get.
”
recruiting the more it’s reflected in your retention,” says Uhinck. “If you recruit with only one shoe on, that’s the kind of results you’re going to get. When you recruit hard, communicate with the schools, you’re actually seeking conversations with young men and women about the industry and helping them decide if this is right for them or not. So you’re not wasting time.” The process only gets more personal and more involved when recruits become employees. This
phase of the process they call engagement. “I get tired of people always saying, ‘we’re looking for technicians.’” says Uhinck. “We’re not just looking for technicians. We’re looking for fine young men and women who want to do this job. To engage people like that you talk to people. They’re not just numbers. Help them understand what you’re dealing with. Get them involved in the process from the get go. Have them help you decide what the route is, and what’s the best opportunity for them.” That’s engagement and it also is a continuous process. “It’s more than a giving them a checklist and a gas card,” Uhinck says. Rather, you show them the career path. You talk about what interests them. You share what the company needs and you come up with a mutually beneficial path. “It has to be a frequent dialog, because it could change on a dime,” Uhinck says. “Sometimes your best recruit as a field mechanic turns into your best grade control specialist or
Recruiting the right people when they are young leads to better retention down the road.
32 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Text INFO to 205-289-3715 or visit www.eqwinfo.com
maintenance | continued welder. We don’t ever want to limit them to what their potential is at 21 years old.”
Over achievers The tempo of engagement also needs to vary depending on the individual. Every company would like to think they want overachievers but not all companies are prepared to engage these go-getters to take full advantage of their energy. “As a manager it pushes you to put the opportunities in front of that over achiever to fully engage them all the time,” Uhinck says. “If you slack off and don’t engage that person and don’t look for opportunities for them, they’re going to get bored. And they’re not going to feel satisfied. Pay is pretty standard across the board. All the other things decide if that person will be satisfied with the job.” Managers should also recognize that there are two types of engage-
ment, self initiated and forced. Self-initiated engagement is nothing more than regular conversations that emerge spontaneously when talking to employees. But managers sometimes have to work to get shy
“
As a manager it pushes you to put the opportunities in front of that over achiever to fully engage them all the time.
”
or reluctant employees to open up and tell them what they’re thinking. That’s forced engagement. An open-door policy also helps. “We’re a shirt-sleeve management company,” says Uhinck. “We want to be available all the time. But it’s
more than just a sign on the door. You have to be willing and ready to engage anybody anytime and that’s really the essence of the open door policy. A personal connection with each person.”
Training Forty hours a year of training is the goal Kokosing has set for people in technical fields. “Many times we exceed that based on what our needs are,” says Uhinck. “Its easy to fill up those 40 hours with all the opportunities available.” The delegation for training is pushed down to the different departments and those departments come up with specific and individualized programs that match company needs with employee talents and aspirations. Training programs are individualized first and then compared to find similar needs and synergies for collective training, Uhinck says. REACHING OUT | 1850SJ
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Kokosing does yearly evaluations as well, but informal discussions of an employee’s progress are also part of the process and keep the engagement process moving. Sometimes sitting down at a specific date and time yields a different caliber of information than informal discussions, Uhinck says, so both are useful.
No right way to do the wrong thing? One of the company’s core values, that’s neatly encapsulated in a quote is that there is “no right way to do the wrong thing,” say’s Uhinck. “We’re going to do the right thing and we want that ingrained from the start with everyone. There is only right and right. And top on that list for anybody in this industry is safety. From there on down you have to do it the right way.” Another bit of wisdom Uhinck shares with managers is “be the dumbest person in the room.” My goal is to train my people to be
smarter than me. And I want them to train their people to be smarter than them. I want that training to never stop. If you do that your department and your company will do nothing but continue to improve.”
Leadership All these processes have to be executed and reinforced with good leadership from managers. “Leaders have to match the company’s core values,” Uhinck says. “If you’re lacking in leadership, you’re going to lack in recruitment and retention.” Too often technicians move on to a different job because their managers didn’t communicate well, didn’t engage, didn’t listen, or train.” Leaders have to make those things happen. Another aspect to leadership is recognition. Uhinck says it’s easy to criticize but hard for some people in construction to give praise. Managers who recognize this and remind
themselves to be generous and sincere with the praise will reap rewards. You don’t have to overdue it. “A little bit of praise goes a long way,” he says.
The value of mentoring If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. But there is the practical payoff that comes from staffing your departments with committed employees and reducing the churn in low level employees. But Uhinck says sometimes the biggest payoff for the manager is the opportunity to be a mentor. “Finding those people and encouraging them to step up to is rewarding for the company, the person you’re bringing up through the ranks and the person who is doing the mentoring,” he says. It’s another way to challenge and engage your senior people because it gives them an opportunity to leave a legacy for the company.”
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EquipmentWorld.com 7/17/14 | October 3:382014 PM 35
machine matters | by Richard Ries
4- TO 6-YARD WHEEL LOADERS ARE THE PERFECT PLATFORM FOR HUGE GAINS IN FUEL EFFICIENCY
F
or most machines, Tier 4 Final fuel efficiency gains are around 5 percent. Yet fuel efficiency for wheel loaders is up 20 percent and more. How is that possible? There’s not some magical technology applied to wheel loaders that’s yet to be rolled out to other machines. In fact, every technological advance on wheel loaders can be found on other machines. What made wheel loaders especially suitable for huge gains in fuel efficiency was their use patterns. “Wheel loaders use their wheels as much as their hydraulics,” says Stefan Salomonsson, product manager, wheel loaders, Volvo Construction Equipment. “This makes their use patterns unique. Other machines don’t have as much opportunity for improvement in fuel usage.” Mike Stark of Doosan emphasizes that the enabling technologies are the same on wheel loaders as on other machines: programmable engine
36 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
control units (ECUs), transmission and hydraulic system design improvements and the use of a single overarching electronic “hub” to oversee operations (Doosan calls theirs a “Vehicle Control Unit,” or VCU). “Wheel loaders were especially ripe for improvement because of they have lots of travel, lots of charging the pile and lots of lift, travel and dump. Most other equipment is biased toward a single operation.” Among the many technologies used in wheel loaders and other equipment, two stand out.
Smarter hydraulics Any new wheel loader can be used to illustrate the role of modern hydraulics; we’ll use Komatsu’s WA270-7. Its hydrostatic transmission has a single pump driving two motors that transfer power to the wheels via a mechanical system. Traction control is part of the system. On the WA270-7, the traction control includes a setting giving the machine’s computer full control of traction to optimize performance and maximize fuel efficiency. The hydraulic system on the
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The 644K hybrid wheel loader from Deere captures regenerated energy as it is being created and uses it to power the machine. The hybrid loader is equipped with a John Deere PowerTech 6.8-liter Tier 4 Interim engine, which delivers hydraulic responsiveness and reduced cycle times. Other features include noise reduction, PowerShift transmission, four operating speed ranges, a Sealed Switch Model and a brushless generator.
WA270-7 uses a variable displacement piston pump. A variable displacement pump alters flow internally; flow doesn’t rely on engine speed. The engine can run slower, enhancing fuel efficiency with no loss of hydraulic performance. The pump on the WA270-7 has a closed-center, load-sensing design to enable quick and continuous response of the hydraulic system to changes in load. Hydraulics also control the variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) and the variable speed, autoreversing cooling fan.
Smarter electronics Controller area network bus (CAN bus) systems have been around for a while, but the number of electronic systems has grown past what a CAN bus can handle well. Beyond engine, transmission, and hydraulics, today’s wheel loaders also have multiple user-selectable performance settings, telematics to gather and relay information in real time, and multiple sensors to monitor such things as wheel slip. Higher-level electronics are required to manage all these features.
Liebherr’s answer is Master 4. With 64-bit architecture and large memory, Master 4 has the speed and capacity required to manage a wheel loader’s full complement of electronics, including the CAN bus and the Liebherr Power Efficiency system that optimizes the performance of the drive train. “The Master 4 is the main computer system responsible for integrating all machine components in a single system,” says Ana CabiedesUranga, marketing and communications manager. Kawasaki’s IntelliTech system EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 37
machine matters | continued
Liebherr
With a Z-bar linkage, Liebherr’s L 556 reaches a tipping load of 29,870 pounds at an operating weight of 39,460 pounds. The engine compartment has been redesigned so the diesel engine is installed transversely, giving the machine a compact layout. Other features include the Liebherr Power Efficiency electronic control system, precision common-rail fuel injection and exhaust emission control using a diesel oxidation catalytic converter combined with a diesel particulate filter.
Hyundai Construction
Hyundai Construction’s two new wheel loaders, the HL770-9A and the HL780-9A, are part of Hyundai’s 9A product line, and are powered by Cummins Tier 4 Interim engines with three engine modes. Both are also equipped with automatic transmission designed for minimum power loss, improved travel speed and low noise. Other features include long-life cooling systems, a new load sensing hydraulic system with a variable displacement piston pump, an enhanced axle, a 5.7-inch touch screen and color monitor. 38 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
manages several subsystems. IntelliDig balances rimpull and hydraulic digging force. SimulLoad coordinates lift and tilt while digging. QuickCycle speeds V-loading cycles. IntelliTech also improves transmission performance. Shift points can be altered to match working conditions. A downshift switch enables faster downshifts while a shift hold button maintains the present gear. AutoMode offers automatic operation in gears 1 through 5 or 2 through 5 as well as a manual mode. Declutching is seamless on level or sloping ground.
Impact on O&O costs Changes in wheel loader design and operation will have an effect on owning and operating costs. How much? “The impact on a customer’s O&O cost will vary depending on whether the customer is upgrading from older equipment (Tier 3 or before) or newer equipment (Tier 4 Interim),” says Lucas Sardenberg, wheel loader marketing consultant for Caterpillar. “If you look back to Tier 3 units and before, emissions compliance came at the cost of fuel efficiency. A customer upgrading from a Tier 3 machine to a Tier 4 Final will see up to 25 percent better fuel efficiency, partially offset by additional cost for DPF servicing and DEF consumption. A customer migrating from a Tier 4 Interim model to Tier 4 Final will see better fuel efficiency that in most cases more than offsets the additional price for DEF. A good tip for all customers is to make extensive use of telematics to track costs.” Some changes to O&O costs are subtle. “For example,” says Cabiedes-Uranga, “there is almost no brake wear due to the self-braking action of the hydrostatic drive. At the same time, there is also 20 percent less tire
wear since the continuous traction control of the drive line minimizes wheel spin.” John Chesterman, product marketing manager for production-class wheel loaders with John Deere, says auto-idle shutdown will also affect costs. “Customers need to understand that hourly fuel consumption goes up because if the loader is running, it’s working. But overall consumption goes down because you’ve eliminated fuel wasted during unnecessary idling.” Residual value is also affected. “A big part of the residual value equation is the ability to export machines,” says Salomonsson. “This continues to have high variability due to the availability of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel in other countries.” Some equipment can be “de-tiered” and made to run on non-ULSD fuel. Some countries are moving to ULSD. Some machines are simply incompatible with a large part of the export market. These factors greatly influence the resale value of equipment. Stark says Tier 3 machines got a bump in residual value because “some customers don’t want to mess with DEF or were put off by the higher initial cost of Tier 4 models.” He says given the many advantages of Tier 4 equipment, including fuel efficiency, those machines should hold their value well.
Changes for operators, service techs Pete Gallagher, wheel loader product sales manager in North America for JCB, says educating operators on operational techniques is essential. The lock-up torque converter, for example,
Komatsu
Komatsu’s new WA270-7 is powered by a Komatsu SAA6D107E-2 engine and offers a fuel consumption reduction of 10 percent over previous models. Weighing 28,836 pounds, this loader replaces the WA250-6 and WA250PZ-6. With a Parallel Z-bar loader linkage, the loader has a responsive hydrostatic powertrain system that reduces brake wear. The cab now has a lowered front glass, redesigned dashboard, a highresolution 7-inch LCD monitor and the machine comes with the Komatsu CARE scheduled maintenance program for the first three years/2,000 hours.
Cat
The Cat 966M, 966M XE, 972M and 972M XE, feature Tier 4 Final ACERT engines equipped with electronic, fuel, air and aftertreatment options. The XE advanced powertrain for the 966M XE and 972M XE reduces fuel consumption by 25 percent on average and simplifies operation with a two-pedal design. The 966M and 972M now feature lock-up clutch converters and planetary transmissions, lowering fuel consumption by 10 percent on average. EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 39
machine matters | continued should be used on travel runs of 165 feet or more but has no benefit during V-pattern loading. Operators can toggle the lock-up feature on or off accordingly. DPF is another area requiring education as operator habits can have a big impact on DPF function. Gallagher also says that while the advanced design of today’s wheel loaders puts less emphasis on operator skill, “in every application you can see the difference between a welltrained, highly-skilled operator and one with less training and lesser skills. The magnitude of that difference depends largely on the application. Site prep magnifies the difference while stockpiling minimizes it. But the difference is always apparent even with the most sophisticated equipment.” Although not directly connected to fuel savings, there are changes in Tier 4 machines that will affect both operators and service technicians. Todd Johnson, district sales manager for Hyundai, uses regeneration as an example. While passive regen is transparent to the operator, active regen requires that operators find a 15-minute window for the process to occur. “Operators understand that hotter is better,” says Johnson, “and that operating habits can extend active regeneration intervals out to 2,000 hours or even longer.” He says machines should be run hard then allowed to cool down for three minutes (“one song on the radio”) before shutdown. Minimizing idling also helps extend regen intervals. Johnson points out the importance of competency in service. For example, swapping out an injector must be done with care and the details 40 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Volvo
The Volvo L150H, L180H and L220H, occupying the 25- to 39-ton weight class, can handle a wide range of jobs including material handling to recycling, tunneling and extraction. The L250H includes a 9.2-cubic-yard rehandling bucket while the L110H and L120H include a Torque Parallel linkage to deliver high breakout torque and parallel movement throughout the entire lifting range. An optional Boom Suspension System, which absorbs shock and reduces spillage when traveling over rough ground, helps to create comfort for the operator and increases machine longevity.
Case Construction Equipment
The new 821F and 921F wheel loaders from Case Construction Equipment use a 6.7-liter Tier 4 Final engine with a quick throttle response and torque. Other features include a 10 percent increase in fuel economy, heavy-duty axles with auto-locking front and open rear differentials, a full climate controlled cab, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
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machine matters | continued recorded. “One injector can take you out of emissions compliance.” Outsourcing service doesn’t make you immune from problems. As with site contamination where the EPA uses the “strict, joint, and several” approach to penalties, equipment owners are responsible for keeping their machines in emissions compliance whether they do the work in-house or sub it out. Service personnel need to be aware of general shifts in the industry, says Philippe Bisson, brand marketing manager for Case Construction Equipment. He cites coolant as an example. “Many Tier 4 machines are switching to Organic Acid Technology (OAT) coolant for increased protection and overall better coolant performance. OAT coolants help eliminate fouling and
42 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
JCB
The Tier 4 Final JCB 457 model is the first to feature a new CommandPlus cab structure, engine cover and rear counterweight design, all of which improve visibility, reduce noise levels and increase internal space. The new cab features a new ROPS structure, JCB’s Command Driving Position and two full-color LCD screens. The loader uses an MTU diesel engine, meeting regulations with a selective catalytic reduction system and an exhaust fluid additive.
deposits that prevent heat transfer from the metal to the coolant. But OAT coolants are incompatible with other coolants and service personnel need to be aware of what coolant is shipped in each machine.” Sardenberg makes a similar point regarding DEF. “Caterpillar recommends topping off the DEF tank every time the machine is refueled. DEF should be stored in a stable, protected environment as exposure to sun and temperature variations can degrade its quality.” (For more on proper DEF handling, check out equipmentworld.com.)
Technology flow in and out Hybrids are emerging in the equipment market, but they’re more like rail locomotives and mine trucks than passenger vehicles. Deere’s two hybrid loaders, the 644K and 944K, illustrate this. An engine drives a generator which then powers the machine’s electric drive system. The result is excellent torque at low engine speed, high rimpull with a compara-
Kawasaki
Kawaski’s 8027 4.2-cubic-yard wheel loader incorporates the KCM IntelliTech family of features along with other changes to improve efficiency, productivity, intelligence and comfort. The 8027 has a Tier 4 Interim 193 net horsepower Cummins QSB6.7 diesel engine working and a 5-speed transmission. Other features include FNR directional control, a pilot assisted joystick hydraulic controller and sight gauges for hydraulic oil, transmission oil and coolant levels.
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EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 43
machine matters | continued SDLG
The SLDG LG948L has a 3.0-cubic-yard bucket capacity, a 173-horsepower Deutz Tier 4 Interim engine, dry-disc brakes, ZF transmission and a hydraulic quick coupler with third function hydraulics standard. The machine is distributed by select Volvo dealers in North America.
tively small engine, and fuel savings. The 6.8-liter engine in the 644K runs at a constant speed – 900; 1,200; 1,500; or 1,800 rpm – to match the load. Some customers report cutting fuel consumption nearly in half when running at 1,500 rpm.
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44 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Engineering Innovation since 1921
Why now? What now? So if wheel loaders have been so ripe for huge gains in fuel economy, why have manufacturers waited this long to deliver? Part of the answer is that it took this long for the required technologies to mature and make it into production. Part of it is that manufacturers held back a bit so they could offer improved fuel usage along with a host of other features to help offset the higher cost of Tier 4 machines. “Tier 4 put a date on the calendar,” says Bisson. “This is years of research and development plus technologies brought in from other industries (SCR has been proven in on-road trucking for many years), all coming together in this generation of equipment.” So is there another giant leap just over the horizon? Should customers take the plunge now or wait for the next big thing? Gallagher says there’s no time like the present. “Today’s wheel loaders offer outstanding production in terms of material moved per unit of fuel. Do you want to give up three years of productivity while awaiting something better? The industry is constantly advancing and will continue to develop new and better machines. But today’s equipment offers the best performance ever and waiting means missing out on that.”
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CONGRATULATIONS to the 2014 Contractor of the Year winner and finalists IN
R
E
N
W
Jeremy Hiltz Jeremy Hiltz Excavating Ashland, New Hampshire
Dwaine Doss Doss Enterprises Jane Lew, West Virginia
Kevin and Shawn Guyer Guyer Brothers Construction New Enterprise, Pennsylvania
Daniel Thiel and Steven Mueller J&S General Contracting Osceola, Wisconsin
Don Facciobene Don Facciobene Incorporated (DFI) Palm Bay, Florida
Vern Larman Larman Construction Garland, Texas
Brian Winot Northeast Site Contractors East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Brad Phillips Phillips Companies Beavercreek, Ohio
Landon Floyd Precision Pipeline Cedar City, Utah
Doug Thomas Thomas Construction Grove City, Pennsylvania
James Tollestrup James Tollestrup Construction Lethbridge, Alberta
Brian Winkler Wm. Winkler Company Newman Lake, Washington
Sponsored by:
contractor of the year | by Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com
An impressive level of quality combined with a passion for his people keep Dallas contractor at the top of his field.
A
fter Vern Larman returned to the Dallas area from a two-year stint as a missionary in Bolivia, he found he had a passion and expertise for excavation. During his five years working for a pool excavation contractor he learned to master the excavator to become the company’s
Vernnen Larman Garland, Texas
Larman Construction Year started: 1984 Number of employees: 24 Annual revenues: $3-5 million Markets served: Excavation, demolition, grading, hardscape development.
most profitable crew member. As his experience grew, clients were impressed and encouraged him to start his own business. The journey began in March 1984, when Vern purchased his first excavator and truck, and put together his crew. Today, Vern – along with his wife Karen and brother Lorin – own and operate a 24 employee company that provides a diversity of services that include new pool excavation, basement excavation, hardscape development, pool demolition, grading and numerous commercial excavation projects throughout the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. He’s viewed as an innovator in his field, says Chris Polito of Pool Environments. “We’ve been in business since 1990 and Vern has dug every pool we’ve ever built,” he says. “He’s at the top of the food chain – everybody else copies what he does.”
Attention to detail, focus on quality work and maintaining excellent relationships with clients, vendors and employees alike are the reasons the company remains at the top. Vern and Lorin – who have worked together for the better part of three decades – have merged their skills to create a firm that delivers top-notch work in a professional, friendly manner.
Mastering growth management Although Larman Construction is busier than they’ve ever been, Vern says he’s happy with the company’s current size, and hesitates to add another layer of management, as everyone enjoys the friendly family environment. He treats his employees as friends, and says that Lorin, who runs the crews, has a gentle nature with the staff. Primarily composed of long-term employees who EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 47
contractor of the year | continued
Crew leader Patricio Rangel tackles a residential demolition project. rarely have to be given specific instructions, his staff is fiercely loyal. Lorin, who works out all the crew assignments, conducts the morning review for the four crews, as well as running one crew himself. Having superior workers with a healthy work ethic helped Larman handle a growth period that started at the end of 2012. Warren Johnson of Fall Creek Gardens, a design-build firm that specializes in large-scale site and planting design, says that Larman and his workers go above and beyond. “I’ve been doing business with him for 20 years, and he has consistently grown,” he says. “He’s always been a super honest, polite guy, and you can depend on what he says. It seems to be the whole way down the line in his organization. I know there have been times on my jobs where he’s done things for me that he wasn’t specifically asked to do, but that have certainly made my work easier.” 48 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Going above and beyond ensures Larman maintains excellent relationships with his clients. He says while it’s easy to get caught up in problems on the jobsite, you have to look at the big picture. “I remember a piece of advice a mentor gave me many years ago – ‘get on it and get off it.’ He impressed upon me that it was important to make a decision and move on,” he says. “I take the attitude that if anything has gone wrong, it was probably us. It makes things easier. However, our guys are really careful. It’s a testament to them that we receive almost no complaints.” The vast majority of the feedback on the guys in the field is highly complimentary, says Windy Boren, Larman’s office manager since 2007. “Clients call me frequently to report on the great work our guys do for them,” she says. “It’s because they’re so good at what they do, and most of them have been here forever.”
Boren handles accounting, scheduling, and reception duties. Karen, Vern’s wife, handles payroll, pool demolition contacts, human resources, insurance and worker’s comp. Although Karen, a psychology major, was immersed in a fulfilling career as a program director for Court Appointed Special Advocates, Vern asked her to work with the company on a full-time basis. “I had always helped out, but didn’t have an active role in the day-to-day operation of the company,” she says. “I really do love human resources, though, because I love working with our employees.” Karen says the position allows her to still be involved with CASA on occasion, a group of community volunteers appointed by local judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children. Her passion for the organization has affected her husband as well, who has also volunteered with CASA as a child advocate.
Larman consults with crew member Robert Wolf on a jobsite.
Relationships matter Their caring attitude has enabled the Larmans to craft a company culture that keeps valuable employees around for the long term. “I’ve stayed with Larman Construction so long because of this guy right here,” says Fred Barhydt, pointing a finger at Larman. Barhydt, the first Larman employee hired 30 years ago, was just one of the employees expressing this sentiment. The company is successful because of the people who work here, Larman says. “I wouldn’t say they’re loyal to me; I’d say I’m loyal to them,” he says. “Life happens and I stick with them.” He feels a responsibility not only to the workers, but to their families, as well. In addition to giving them the usual vacation time and health insurance, Larman guarantees his people a 40-hour work week, even when times were slow in the past. “They remember stuff like that.” Since most of Larman Construction’s workforce has been with the company for many years, the staff has not only a sense of pride in their work, but also a certain level of ownership they’ve taken on themselves. Patricio Rangel, a construction veteran who runs one of Larman’s crews, is a perfect example, referring to the company’s clients as “his” clients. He also sees Larman as more than just an employer. “I like to do the best for our company and for our customers,” Rangel says. “And he shares from his own life; he’s not just the boss – he’s also a friend.”
Lorin Larman operates a Cat 316E on a residential project.
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 49
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safety watch | by Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com
Spotting safety problems
Always know what’s around you whether on foot or in equipment
The bottom line: A post-accident investigation determined the skid steer operator, who had his back to the dump truck, was not even aware the truck was on the jobsite. The investigation also determined the construction firm was a small business without an adequate safety program in place.
Smart safety One of the biggest mistakes contributing to this accident is the contractor and workers treating safety as if it’s just a matter of common sense. While you do have to use your head – as well as your eyes and ears – on the jobsite, following a clear, specific jobsite safety plan is just as important. When safety isn’t addressed regularly in an official capacity, workers are left to their own devices and
Illustration by Don Lomax
The accident: A skid steer operator was moving dirt and gravel around a small jobsite. A dump truck backed onto the jobsite behind the skid steer, and two workers approached the rear of the truck on foot. The skid steer operator backed up, pinning one of the workers against the tailgate. The worker collapsed and was later pronounced dead from severe internal injuries. can develop unsafe practices. If you work for a small company that has limited safety resources, the company might not develop a specific safety plan for each jobsite. Being proactive and taking responsibility for your own safety is the best way to protect yourself: • Walk the jobsite and note any problems you may encounter. • Ask the crew leader to go over potentially dangerous conditions, limitations or specific hazards you may face on the job. • Request the information is relayed to the entire crew.
Jobsite awareness Multiple machines and trucks moving on a jobsite at the same time increase the risk to pedestrian traffic. Although a small company working on a small project may not have a detailed Internal Traffic
Control Plan for the site, a system should be developed to keep machines and foot traffic separate. When multiple pieces of equipment are operating on a site at once, spotters should be assigned to alert machine operators and truck drivers to the presence of other workers and other equipment in their lane of travel. • Ask the crew leader to designate dedicated lanes of travel for equipment and trucks, as well as defining areas to avoid on foot. • If you’re an equipment operator, signal the spotter before you travel in reverse. The spotter will alert you if it is safe to proceed. • If you’re on foot, signal the spotter when you’re on the move so they’ll be able to alert equipment operators to your presence.
Information for this Safety Watch was taken from an accident report and from the Center for Disease Control’s NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program. It is meant for general information only.
Date of safety talk: Attending:
Leader:
_____________________ EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 51
alerta de seguridad | por Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com
Identificando problemas de seguridad Sepa siempre lo que hay en su alrededor ya sea estando a pie o sobre maquinaria
Illustration by Don Lomax
tome nota de cualquier problema que encuentre. • Pídale al líder de la cuadrilla que revise las condiciones potencialmente peligrosas, limitaciones o riesgos específicos que encuentre en el trabajo. • Solicite que la información sea transmitida a toda la cuadrilla.
El accidente: El operador de un minicargador estaba moviendo tierra y grava en torno a una pequeña área de trabajo. Un camión volquete retrocedió sobre el área de trabajo detrás del minicargador, y dos trabajadores se acercaron caminando a la parte trasera del camión. El operador del minicargador retrocedió, aplastando a uno de los trabajadores contra la compuerta trasera. El trabajador colapsó y fue luego pronunciado muerto a causa de serias lesiones internas. Conclusión: Una investigación posterior al accidente determinó que el operador del minicargador, que estaba de espaldas al camión de volteo, no estaba ni siquiera enterado de que el camión se encontraba en el área de trabajo. La investigación también determinó que la firma constructora era un pequeño negocio familiar que no contaba con un adecuado programa de seguridad.
Seguridad inteligente Uno de los mayores errores que contribuyeron a este accidente es que el contratista y los trabajadores consideraban a la seguridad simplemente como un asunto de sentido común. Si bien hay que usar la cabeza – tanto como los ojos y los oídos – en el área de trabajo, es igualmente importante seguir un plan de seguridad específico para el área de trabajo. Cuando no se habla regularmente de seguridad de manera oficial, los trabajadores son dejados de su cuenta y pueden desarrollar prácticas inseguras. Si usted trabaja para una empresa pequeña que tiene limitados recursos de seguridad, puede que la compañía no desarrolle un plan específico de seguridad para cada área de trabajo. Adelantarse a las situaciones y asumir la responsabilidad de su propia seguridad es la mejor manera de protegerse usted mismo: • Recorra el área de trabajo y
Conocimiento del área de trabajo Múltiples maquinarias y camiones moviéndose al mismo tiempo en un área de trabajo incrementan los riesgos al tráfico peatonal. Aunque una pequeña compañía trabajando en un pequeño proyecto puede no tener un Plan de Control de Tráfico Interno detallado para el lugar, debería crearse un sistema para mantener maquinarias y Don Lomax Illustration by peatones separados. Cuando múltiples maquinarias están operando a la vez, deben asignarse vigilantes para alertar a los operadores de maquinaria y a los conductores de camiones de la presencia de otros trabajadores y otros equipos en su recorrido. • Pídale al líder de la cuadrilla que designe carriles de recorrido para maquinarias y camiones, y que defina áreas a evitarse estando a pie. • Si usted es un operador de maquinaria, hágale señas al vigilante antes de ir en reversa, el vigilante le alertará si es seguro que proceda. • Si usted está yendo a pie, señale al vigilante cuando esté en movimiento para que éste pueda alertar a los operadores de maquinaria de su presencia.
La información para esta Alerta de Seguridad fue tomada de un reporte de accidente y del programa de Evaluación y Control de Víctimas Fatales del NIOSH del Centro de Control de Enfermedades. Tiene únicamente fines de información general.
Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes: 52 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
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maintenance | by Preston Ingalls and Mark Barnes
Contamination control
Keeping the ammo clean in the war on friction
I
n July, we showed the importance of keeping our weapon (grease gun) in good condition and using the proper gun. Now we’ll look at keeping the ammo (lubricant) clean and free of contaminants. Machine owners are seeking ways to make their businesses more profitable. But you may be failing to recognize one of the most significant impacts on your equipment: contaminants in lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids.
The importance of cleanliness In general industry, it’s widely recognized contaminants contribute either directly or indirectly to 60 to 70 percent of all failures of oil-wetted components. In earthmoving equipment, this number is even higher – perhaps as high as 85 to 90 percent. While inside a manufacturing plant equipment can be isolated from the elements, the same is obviously not true with construction equipment. Contamination is anything in the oil that doesn’t belong there, including dirt, water, air, wear debris, unburnt fuel in engines and leaked coolant. While all of these contaminants cause real damage to equipment, we’ll focus on particles and moisture. In a construction environment, particles and moisture are everywhere, and both can have a devastating effect. For example, failure to control particles in an engine can result in as much as a threefold to fourfold reduction in engine life. In
hydraulic systems, water can readily cause valve and hydraulic pump failures. While most operators appreciate that dirt and water are “bad” for equipment, they often don’t understand the level and type of particle and moisture contamination that cause all the problems. Dirt is obvious. But it’s not just the visible dirt that causes the problems. If we can see or feel dirt, it’s likely that the particles are in excess of 100 micron (4/1000 of an inch). The real troublemakers, however, are silt particles in the 1- to 5-micron size range. You can typically see a 40-micron dot on a white piece of paper, but a 3-micron dirt particle is far too small to see without a microscope. In a study conducted by Cummins Engine, sub-10 micron-sized particles produced wear rates that were three to four times greater than those produced by 20-micron and larger particles. Dirt has a similar impact on hydraulic systems. In many hydraulic pumps, clearances are also below 5 microns, while hydraulic valve clearances range anywhere from 1 micron to 10 microns, depending on valve type and operating pressures. In hydraulic systems, the impact of particle contamination is particularly insidious. It’s not just dirt particles that get in from the outside that cause all the problems. And studies have shown not only does dirt cause machine wear, but the particles generated through abrasive wear have a snowball effect inside the machine.
Avoiding water Water is perhaps the second-most pervasive contaminant found in construction equipment. Water in oil can exist in three distinct forms: free, emulsified and dissolved. Free water refers to water that has separated from oil and settled to the bottom of the sump or tank. Emulsified water mixed with the fluid being supplied to moving parts, however, is the biggest problem. Water is not a good lubricant, but this issue goes beyond its poor lubricating properties. Water mixed with oil in an emulsion has poor film strength and is unable to support a dynamic load the way clean, dry oil can. Also, as water flows through lubrication boundaries, sudden pressure changes can result in microscopic implosion events, which are especially hazardous to pumps. So how much is too much water? The answer is surprisingly little. As little as 500 ppm (about 6 fluid ounces of water in a 100-gallon tank) is sufficient to reduce pump life by a factor of two. The impact of water is even more pronounced in equipment used intermittently. At 250 ppm, any water present in a hydraulic system will be in the dissolved state and relatively innocuous at operating temperatures. However, when the machine is shut down and the oil cools down to ambient temperatures overnight, most water will come out of solution and become free or emulsified, resulting in corrosion and other water-related failure modes. EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 55
maintenance | continued Contamination control is the key Because of the impact of contaminants on equipment life, contamination control should be an important component of any preventive maintenance program. The first place to start is keeping particles and moisture out in the first place. Particles and moisture enter machines from two main areas: seals and air breathers. For engines, more than 95 percent of contamination comes from the air intake to the engine. For this reason, air-intake manifolds and air filters
must be properly maintained. Even with proper care and maintenance, however, silt-sized particles will get through air filters, particularly when you understand that for every gallon of fuel burned, upwards of 10,000 gallons of air is pulled into an engine. Once a particle enters an engine, the impact can be devastating. Even with the best full-flow oil filter, more than 1 billion 5 micron particles may still be present in the oil because most full-flow filters have little to no capture efficiency
below 8 to 10 microns. The key is to use supplemental bypass filtration. Bypass filtration involves installing a supplemental filter after the full-flow filter to direct 5 to 10 percent of the oil flow through a fine (1-3 um) depth media filter. These types of systems have been proven to improve fluid cleanliness in engines by as much as 32 to 64 times, resulting in a twofold to fourfold extension in engine rebuild life, in some instances in excess of 50,000 operating hour.
Bypass engine oil filtration can extend engine rebuild life by as much as two to four times.
In hydraulics, particles and moisture enter the system through the air breather, fill port or rod/ cylinder wiper seals. Again, these problems are easy to address. For rods/cylinders, even with a well-maintained dust/ wiper seal, particles and mois-
56 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
tures that alight on an extended rod surface can be drawn into the hydraulic fluid as the rod retracts back into the cylinder. One simple way to prevent this is to use rod boots, expandable bellows that are attached to the outside of the cylinder and
expand and contract as the rod moves out and in While older versions of rod boots didn’t stand up to the aggressive nature of construction, modern boots fabricated from Kevlar and other strong materials are far better suited and a great solution.
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maintenance | continued Desiccating breathers Equally important are the air breathers. When a rod extends out of the cylinder, the volume of hydraulic fluid needed to extend the arm needs to be replaced by air that enters through the tank breathers. Most tank breathers do a poor job of preventing silt (1 to 10 micron) sized particles from entering the systems and do absolutely nothing to prevent water ingress. To adequately address both particle and moisture ingress through the breather, air vents/fill ports should be upgraded to high efficiency desiccating breathers that remove moisture using silica gel and have a 1 micron particle removal element built in. Rod boots are an excellent way to prevent particle and moisture ingress through hydraulic cylinders.
Dirty business However, even with proper breathers and the use of rod boots, hydraulic systems can become contaminated, and while full-flow filters in hydraulic systems can be used to control particle contamination, oftentimes they are not enough. When optimum cleanliness levels cannot be maintained in hydraulics, bypass filtration systems similar can be deployed to keep contaminants down to safe levels. Construction is a dirty business. Particles and moisture are everywhere, itching for the opportunity to enter the oil and cause premature failure. But with a few simple remedies, particles and moisture can be controlled, resulting in prolonged component life, reduced maintenance costs and increased equipment availability.
Hydraulic breathers and fill ports should be modified to include high efficiency desiccant breathers.
Preston Ingalls is president/CEO of TBR Strategies, a Raleigh NC-based maintenance and reliability consulting firm, tbr-strategies.com. 58 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Mark Barnes is vice president of reliability services for Des-Case, which specializes in fluid management and contamination control solutions, descase.com.
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pro pickup | by Bruce W. Smith
Road Test: Ram 1500 EcoDiesel
Don’t be fooled by this Ram Crew Cab 4x4’s 3.0-liter V-6; it pulls like a V-8 while delivering 28 mpg on the open road
W
hen you are towing a trailer with a 1/2-ton pickup, getting around slower-moving traffic quickly and safely, especially if one works anywhere other than the flatlands, can be frustrating even with a V-8 under the hood. So ordering a V-6 in a work truck seems counterintuitive to most contractors who need to have an engine with hefty torque to provide good trailer-towing capability. However, the 3.0-liter diesel V-6 under the hood of Ram Trucks’
1500s is nothing like a typical gas V-6; the new engine is every bit as strong in pulling power as most small-block V-8s while giving them a good whipping in the fuel economy category. I found this out when I spent nearly two weeks behind the wheel of a black 2014 Crew Cab SLT 4x4 sporting the Fiat-sourced EcoDiesel. Ram’s EcoDiesel doesn’t perform like any other V-6 I’ve driven except maybe Ford’s 3.7L EcoBoost. The throttle response is quick; the lowto mid-range torque pulls strong; the 8-speed automatic behind it shifts
Fiat-sourced VM Motori V-6 EcoDiesel is a turbo’d, dualoverhead-cam, 24-valve that makes V-8-like torque at 420 footpounds while delivering highway mpg in the high 20s. with near perfection; and the engine has a nice hint of throaty exhaust. Then you take a glance at the fuel mileage displayed on the dash and see a number that’s at least a third better than the optional Hemi would be delivering and several mpg better than Ram’s new Pentastar V-6. I regularly saw 28-plus mpg on the open road running 65 to 70 mph while observing low 20s around town. Even towing a 4,000-pound enclosed equipment trailer for more than 150 miles netted 14.2 mpg and the majority of those miles were travelling in EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 61
pro pickup | continued Oregon’s Coast Range. Other tests have shown it gets low- to mid- 12 mpg with trailers weighing more than 5,000 pounds. (The max towing capacity for the model I tested is 7,200 pounds and requires a weight-distributing hitch on towed loads of more than 5,000 pounds.) Good power and excellent fuel economy are the two key points of the VM Motori diesel, which is a two-step upgrade in the Ram 1500s. The standard engine is a gas 3.6-liter V-6 and a 5.7-liter Hemi is the next option before the diesel. The diesel adds $4,000 to the SLT Big Horn’s $38,665 base price with the naturally-aspirated 305-horsepower V-6, or $2,850 more than it would cost with the Hemi. Getting an EcoDiesel also requires ordering the heavier-duty 8-speed automatic, which pumps another $500 into the MSRP. But the costs are worth it if you are a business owner who wants a 1/2-ton Ram that gets significantly better fuel economy than the 395-horsepower 5.7-liter and brings a higher resale/trade-in value at the end of the pickup’s service life.
ON THE ROAD Driving the EcoDiesel Crew Cab is really no different than that of any other Ram 1500: The interior is comfortable, driver visibility is good, ride and handling are pleasant and overall ergonomics are well thought out. I was pleasantly surprised how well the truck’s five-link coil rear suspension controlled the solid axle while trailer towing and having the bed loaded to its full 1,230-pound capacity. The suspension is smooth under loads, yet it never felt mushy or unstable, which is one of the reasons 62 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
The Big Horn Crew Cab we tested had a cloth interior with a 10-way power driver’s seat and a 60/40-split bench in the rear. The Luxury Group option ($560) included 7-inch view screen while the rear camera and park sensors added another $595 to the package. the five-link setup is now found under the new Ram 2500HDs. It also nicely absorbs the shock of hitting potholes and crossing broken pavement.
DIAL-A-SHIFT Driving Ram’s new 1500 makes it easy to forget it’s a diesel. It did, however, take me a few days to get used to not having a shift lever on the column or center console. Designers, taking advantage of the truck’s computer power and drive-by-wire technology, did away with a conventional shift lever and replaced it with a shift dial. Reaching for that big knob on the left edge of the centerstack and rotating it to shift felt odd at first. I got used to the dash to shift, but I didn’t like having to take my eyes off the road to do so. I still prefer a column shifter. Doing away with the column (or console-mounted) shift lever
also relocated the tow/haul mode button, which is now low in the centerstack, almost out of reach of the driver. The location is inconvenient for those who use the Ram for towing trailers.
CLEVER TOUCHES The buttons for switching between two-wheel-drive and the various four-wheel-drive modes feature intuitive placement directly below the shift knob. Four-wheel-drive works well, too. I ventured out onto fist-sized river rock at a fishing/boat-launch access point along Oregon’s McKenzie River. The thick layer of loose, rolling stones and sand made traction dicey and I was thankful one of the options on the test truck was Ram’s 3.55 anti-spin rear diff. I highly recommend the $325 upgrade if you are a contractor and/ or outdoorsman.
pro pickup | continued Another nice feature of the Crew Cab is the way Ram designed the level rear load floor. Folding up the 60/40 split-bench reveals plastic panels on top of the seat base that look like a folded–up box. The panels can be lifted up and the “base” folded forward to create a strong, level load floor the length and width of the rear seating area. Clever, those Ram engineers. I knew the 3.0-liter V-6 diesel would be a good mpg and trailertowing performer. I just didn’t think the whole Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Crew Cab package would be as good overall as it turned out to be.
Basic specifications
Dial-shift knob has replaced conventional column/console shifters in the 2014 Ram 1500s. Tow-haul-mode switch is now located in the cluster along the bottom of the centerstack.
Make/Model: 2014 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 MSRP: $38,665 Price as tested: $48,425 Engine: 240-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel Transmission: 8HP70 8-speed automatic Axle ratio: 3.55 w/anti-spin Fuel capacity: 26 gallons Fuel economy: EPA: 19 city / 27 hwy Observed: 21 city / 29.2 hwy Suspension F/R: FS coil/solid-axle with 5-link coil Brakes F/R: disc/disc Steering: electric power Max Towing Capacity: 7,750 lbs. (as tested) Max Payload: 1,233 lbs. (as tested)
Fold-out deck turns the rear seating area of the Crew Cab into a level load floor. Deck legs/surface folds flat under seats when not in use. 64 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
Performance: 0-60 mph: 9.4 sec 1/4-mile: 17.3 sec @ 80.5 mph
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e. Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), (4))
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999
77135
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70.44 %
60.62 %
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54050
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76730
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EquipmentWorld.com • October 2014
71
equipmentworld.com | October 2014
EYES IN THE SKY ®
Ad Index Equipment World Oct., 2014
FREE Product Information There are 4 ways to have these companies provide you with their product and service information 1
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How drones and UAVs Phone/contact Page Advertiser are changing construction jobsites today ROAD TEST:
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Advertiser
Visit:
ADVANCE METALWORKING
4
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Get the free mobile app at Phone/contact http:/ / gettag.mobi
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800-369-5365
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LBX
www.heavymachinesinc.com 25
970-384-0510
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LOADER PARTS SOURCE
www.loaderparts.com
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ECODIESEL888-544-6287
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LOCK AND LUBE
603-795-2298
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LOFTNESS MFG.
320-848-6266
ATI LEVEL BEST GRADING SYSTEM WHEEL LOADERS: 800-342-0905
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MILLER-BRADFORD & RISBERG, INC.
www.miller-bradford.com
B2B REPLICA’S
417-659-8697
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PETERBILT MOTORS COMPANY
www.peterbilt.com
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BRON
800-263-1060
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PETRO CANADA
866-335-3369
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CASE CE
www.casece.com
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PREMIER AUGER
866-458-0008
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CATERPILLAR INC.
www.cat.com
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PROGRESSIVE COMMERCIAL AUTO INS.
888-375-7905
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REMU USA
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CHEVRON COMMERCIAL LUBRICANTS
www.chevrondelo.com
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ROADRUNNER
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DOMINION EQUIPMENT PARTS, LLC
800-365-7260
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RUBBERTRAX, INC.
866-431-5305
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DOOSAN INFRACORE AMERICA CORP
877-613-7970
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SCHAEFER ENTERPRISES
800-626-6046
DRB AMERICA
888-860-4450
71
SHANTUI
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EW MOBILE
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SUNBELT RENTALS, INC
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TAKEUCHI MFG LTD
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TEREX TRUCKS
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EXPANDER AMERICAS
888-935-3884
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FITZGERALD GLIDER KITS
www.fitzgeraldgliderkits.com 42
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FOWLER PETROLEUM COMPANY
844-366-8204
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TOPCON
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GEITH INC.
800-762-4090
28
TRAMAC (MONTABERT)
866-472-4343
GLOBAL SALES GROUP/EZ OIL DRAIN
877-693-9645
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TRIMBLE DEMENSION
www.trimbledemensions.com 54
HAMMOND AIR CONDITIONING LTD
800-267-2665
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TSI/SSG
800-223-4540
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HYUNDAI CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
www.hceamericas.com
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UNIVERSAL IMPACT
800-525-6828
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INTEC
888-468-3211
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VANAIR MANUFACTURING, INC.
888-907-8050
JAMAR TECHNOLOGIES INC
800-776-0940
70
VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIP.
www.volvoce.com
JLG
www.jlg.com
34
VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA
www.volvotrucks.us.com
29
KOMATSU AMERICA CORP
www.komatsuamerica.com
33
WHAYNE SUPPLY CO
800-494-2963
68
KUBOTA AMERICA
www.kubota.com
15
WIRTGEN AMERICA INC
615-501-0600
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LANDOLL TRAILERS
800-428-0008
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AEMP
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www.engines.honda.com
BEHIND THE P.36 WHAT’S HUGE GAINS IN FUEL EFFICIENCY?
68 26/27
69 IBC (75) 66 2 12 8
5 44
43 BC (76)
* Indicates regional splits
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2014 73
final word | by Tom Jackson TJackson@randallreilly.com
What Moneyball and AEMP’s telematics education have in common: they can both teach you how to turn information into success
I
f you’ve seen the movie Moneyball, you understand how information can become a game-changer. And if you are looking for a competitive edge, you’ll find that what worked in Moneyball can also work in any business – especially construction when you learn to use telematics. The movie and the book by the same name chart how the Oakland Athletics’ manager Billy Beane used computer based research to prove to that he could win more games with lower-cost talent if he chose players using a metric everybody else ignored. Instead of paying big bucks for the heavy hitters, Beane found that teams with guys who consistently got on base won more games than teams with superstar homerun sluggers. Beane and his data model took a dead last team to the playoffs in 2003 and 2005 with a player salary budget of just $41 million. But more importantly, he won against teams like the Yankees with their salary budget of $125 million. In the world of construction fleet management, telematics plays the same role as Billy Beane’s statistical analysis. Telematics can show you where your fleet is efficient and where you’re wasting money. It can help you cut fuel costs and increase productivity and uptime. It’s information that’s available on almost every new model machine or through
74 October 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com
aftermarket vendors. In short, telematics enables you to do more work with the same amount of equipment or the same amount of work with lower equipment costs. Billy Beane figured out how to give the big guys a run for their money without spending a lot of money. You can do the same if you learn to master telematics. If you’re up for a deep-dive crash course in telematics, the Association of Equipment Management Professionals will dedicate the conference education portion of its fall Asset Management Program to telematics. The seminars will kick off Tuesday, November 4, with a session entitled Using Telematics Data to Achieve Competitive Advantage. Additional telematics sessions include: • Where Are You In the Integration Process? • AEM/AEMP Telematics Standard: What it Means for Your Business • Taking the No out of Technology: the Promise, the Power and the Problems of Telematics • Building a Case for Telematics. The speakers are predominantly construction equipment fleet managers, but also include tech industry professionals, dealers and OEMs as well. Get smart. Get telematics savvy and then start taking on the big leagues. For registration and more information go to aemp.org/symposium.
For These Beasts,
Work Is Play
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A close relationship with your dealer means downtime won’t keep you up at night.
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Text INFO to 205-289-3715 or visit www.eqwinfo.com