Equipment World December 2019

equipmentworld.com | December 2019

®

AEMP 2019 TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

Welding skills, teamwork and a commitment to safety bring John Kelchner, Schlouch Inc., top honors.

P. 46

Winter’s Here

It’s time to check undercarriage life

ONE SURE BET

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Experience the Progress.

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The Liebherr-Power-Efficiency (LPE) System of the XPower® wheel loaders adjusts the power to the job for fuel savings of up to 30 percent - so you handle more, faster. Find your dealer at liebherr.us/dealer-emt.

Liebherr USA Co. Construction Equipment Division 4100 Chestnut Avenue Newport News, VA 23607 Phone: +1 757 245 5251 E-mail: Construction.USA@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.us

Cover Story

P.

Vol. 31 Number 12 |

table of contents | December 2019

27

AEMP TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR Welding skills and innovative thinking earn John Kelchner, Schlouch Incorporated,AEMP Technician of the Year award

Equipment 19

Marketplace

New products from Bobcat, Case, Deere, Ditch Witch, Kobelco, Vermeer and more.

58 Road Works

67

Check out our picks for top roadbuilding products of 2019

Turn your skid steer into a snow pusher, tree cutter – even a backhoe – with these attachments

Skid Steer Attachments

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019

5

table of contents | continued

Features 35 Special Report: Tech Shortage Part 4 As machines evolve, basic technician skills still needed

46 Maintenance

Winter’s here. It’s time to check undercarriage wear

55 Contractor of the Year Finalist

Greg and Jodee Huylar, Tri-Valley Construction, Yakima, Washington

®

equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Executive Editor: Tom Jackson Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Senior Editor: Don McLoud Contributing Writer: Richard Ries editorial@equipmentworld.com Media Sales Geoffrey Love: gdlove@randallreilly.com Pete Austin: paustin@randallreilly.com Drew Ingram: drewingram@randallreilly.com Patsy Adams: padams@randallreilly.com Jordan Arsenault: jordanarsenault@randallreilly.com Art Director: Tony Brock Advertising Production Manager: Leah Boyd production@equipmentworld.com

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Departments 9 On Record

Videos: more, please

11 Reporter Cat dealers to put sticker prices on equipment in new retail strategy 50 ConExpo-Con/Agg 2020

Get a leg up on fleet management with ConExpo-Con/Agg’s educational sessions

64 Quick Data

Articulated dump trucks

Watch 65 Safety One chock not enough Word 74 Final The two-tiered technician field For subscription information/inquiries, please email equipmentworld@omeda.com. Equipment World (ISSN 1057-7262) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly, 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 2029, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403 or email at equipmentworld@ omeda.com. Customer service: 1-800-517-4979. 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, 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 arise out of publication of such advertisement.

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December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: equipmentworld@halldata.com Editorial Awards: Azbee Award of Excellence, Special Section National Gold Award, 2019 American Society of Business Publication Editors Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Single Issue of a Tabloid/Newspaper/Magazine, 2019, American Business Media Jesse H. Neal Award finalist, Best Subject-Related Package, 2019, American Business Media Best Editorial Series, 2018, Construction Media Alliance Eddie award for B-to-B Series of Articles, 2016 Highways 2.0, Folio: magazine Editorial Excellence, Original Research, Silver Award, 2016 American Society of Business Publication Editors Jesse H. Neal Award, Better Roads, 2011 American Business Media Robert F. Boger Award for Special Reports, 2006, 2007, 2008 Construction Writers Association Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Subject-Related Series of Articles, 2006 American Business Media Editorial Excellence Special Section Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors

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on record | by Marcia Doyle MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com

Videos: more, please

A

ccording to our Equipment World Connectivity Report 2019, contractors are following general population trends and increasingly using smartphones to get equipment information.

When we compare the 2019 results to a similar study done in 2016, the trends are unmistakable. Smartphone adoption went up 31 percent from 2016 to 2019 among our respondents and using the internet in truck/vehicle buying decisions went up 96 percent.

But what’s gained the most traction are construction equipment-related videos, especially because they can be consumed so easily on smartphones.

When we asked about what types of videos respondents like to see, four general categories saw increases of more than 40 percent compared with 2016: • New product walkarounds, up 71 percent • Interviews with construction experts, up 150 percent • Drive tests, up 44 percent • Interviews with contractors, up 66 percent Which is one of the reasons why we’ve upped our video offerings in the past few months, a charge lead by Wayne Grayson, our online managing editor. To get a glimpse of the direction we’re heading, go to youtube.com/ EquipmentWorld.

We’ve been encouraged by the response to our new approach, not only in the number of views, but in the engagement they’re getting. One of the stars to date is Wayne’s video on Bobcat’s redesigned R-Series skid steers and compact track loaders from a press event in September, which has more than 108,000 views and 105 comments. (OK, many of those comments are on the poor operating skills of the gathered trade press editors, but still…)

We’ve also looked at Cat’s new D5 dozer, the Ditch Witch SK3000 compact utility loader and Bobcat’s iPhone remote skid steer controls. These were all created within a few days or even hours after a press event, which leads to my next point.

If you’re a subscriber to our YouTube page (totally free; simply click the “subscribe” button), you’ll see these products much more quickly – in some cases a couple of months earlier – than if you wait for a mention within these pages. Whenever we load a new video on the site, you’ll be notified, so there’s nothing to continually check. And if you find you don’t like us after a few videos, just unsubscribe (again, a click on the “subscribe” button).

All of which adds up to great viewing during your “free time” … if there is such a thing in construction.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 9

Find us at Central Hall - C5577

Find us at North Hall - N10001

More power. More work.

Doosan ® wheel loaders give you the stability to endure every job

and the power to load more than ever.

Doosan® and the Doosan logo are registered trademarks of Doosan Corp. in the United States and various other countries around the world. © 2019 Doosan Infracore North America, LLC. All rights reserved.

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reporter

| staff report

Cat dealers to put sticker prices on equipment in new retail strategy

C

aterpillar is making big changes to its retail experience, with the goal of making buying a machine faster and easier.

Specifically, Cat is encouraging its dealers to clearly display prices on new machines, something the automotive industry has long provided but the heavy equipment industry has largely shied away from.

This all started with an effort to better reach and provide a more hassle-free shopping experience for potential buyers of Cat’s compact equipment. Alex Stokman, Cat’s retail development manager for North America, says the company surveyed its dealers and the showrooms of the competition, and took time to better understand the car- and truck-buying experience. “A lot of our compact construction equipment is kind of on par in terms of price with a luxury car or a well-suited pickup,” Stokman says.

Much of Cat’s compact equipment is bought by small-business owners, including landscapers, plumbers and farmers. Usually these customers buy one to three pieces of equipment, and often these purchases are made without even coming into the dealership.

“This is not a traditional Caterpillar customer,” she

adds. “As such, we didn’t do a good job of serving that customer base. But that customer base is extraordinarily critical to Caterpillar.”

Stokman says the solution is to make Cat’s retail stores one-stop shops that are easy to navigate and browse – even if you don’t want to talk to a salesperson.

“We need to make sure that once they get into our showrooms that they can see exactly what it is that they’re looking for,” Stokman says, adding that Cat wants to keep customers from driving around a dealer campus looking for a parts counter or rental pricing.

In other words, if customers want to explore a Cat retail store completely on their own, gathering prices and browsing Cat swag as they go, Cat wants them to be able to do just that.

“It’s our job as a manufacturer to make sure that we are giving these customers options of how they want to view our equipment and our machines. So within the showroom, you can find all the specs (and pricing) you need to know about those machines, but you can also find it digitally, online,” Stokman says.

And if you need to buy a machine but can’t go into a store due to time or other constraints, Caterpillar is starting to offer online equipment purchases as well.

(Continued on page 12) EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 11

reporter |

continued

Stokman says 20 percent of its North American dealers hold online machine sales. And by the end of 2020, every dealer in North America will offer this service.

Though online equipment sales might seem like the most difficult piece of the new retail strategy for dealers to accept, it was the plan to clearly mark machines with easy-to-understand pricing that gave many dealers the most pause. As an example, Stokman said that in one dealership she visited, even the Cat ball caps on sale inside the showroom weren’t marked with price tags.

Beyond empowering customers to shop smarter and with less hassle, Stokman says, sticker pricing will help combat an aspect of the Cat brand that is usually a huge advantage but sometimes causes issues in connecting with customers. “[Compact equipment] customers see Caterpillar as an aspirational brand. They know that it’s a premium product and they make an assumption that it comes with a premium price – which we sometimes have talked ourselves into as well,” Stokman says, adding that hiding the price of the machines tends to add to the perception that Cat machines simply

aren’t within their reach.

Stokman says the sticker price tells “folks these machines are more affordable than what they think.”

Ultimately, Stokman says, dealers were convinced.

Cat is rolling out on-machine pricing to dealerships across North America, starting with compact equipment, including UTVs, compact excavators, skid steers, backhoes and more. Stokman says the strategy could extend to larger machines later.

“We’ve brought a lot of strategies to our dealers over the years, but I’m proud to say that this is the one strategy that every dealer in North America has committed to be on,” she says.

For those customers ready to buy, Stokman says, Cat has speeded up the purchase process, too.

“We have worked to smooth out that process, inclusive of getting credit decisions through Cat Financial.

So now you’re taking a few hours to get that machine in your hand, on the trailer, loaded up going out the door, versus what used to be, in some instances, more than several hours, and in several instances, days.”

–Wayne Grayson

Boston plumbing contractor guilty of manslaughter in trench deaths

The owner of a Boston plumbing company has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of two of his workers during a 2016 trench collapse in the city.

Suffolk Superior Court judge determined after an eight-day bench trial October 31 that Kevin Otto and his company, Atlantic Drain Service, were guilty in the deaths of Robert Higgins, 47, and Kelvin Mattocks, 53. They were also found guilty of witness intimidation.

(Continued on page 14) 12 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Briefs

Recession or not?

’Tis the season for forecasting, and several construction industry surveys predict growth for 2020 – albeit slower. Here’s a sampling: Construction starts will fall 4 percent in 2020 in the United States in an “orderly pullback,” but there will be no recession, forecasts Dodge Data & Analytics.

The Portland Cement Association reports U.S. cement construction will rise this year by 2.4 percent, 1.7 percent next year and 1.4 percent in 2021. It expects the overall economy to grow in a similar fashion, with no recession.

North American construction-equipment rental revenues are expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2019, 2.3 percent in 2020, 3 percent in 2021, 3.7 percent in 2022 and 3.1 percent in 2023 percent, according to the American Rental Association’s latest forecast.

The general-tool rental forecast is 6.8 percent this year, 3.8 percent in 2020, 3.96 percent in 2021, 5.2 percent in 2022 and 2.9 percent in 2023.

(Continued on page 14)

reporter |

continued

Sentencing is scheduled for this month.

The men were working in an unprotected, 12-footdeep trench when dirt caved in, covering them to the waist, then the water main at a fire hydrant burst, according to the Suffolk County Prosecutor’s Office.

“The trench was flooded in seconds, and neither Higgins nor Mattocks was able to escape,” the prosecutor’s office said. “Both died at the scene, and it would be almost six hours before their bod-

ies were recovered.”

Atlantic Drain also faces about $1.5 million in fines from the U.S. Occupation Safety and Health Administration from the incident. Otto is contesting the proposed penalties.

(For more on the business and human costs of trench-collapse fatalities in the United States, see Equipment World’s special report “Death by Trench” at http://bit.ly/DBTseries.) –Don McLoud

New ANSI standards on aerial lifts delayed due to appeals

Briefs (continued)

Earnings roundup

Here’s a glimpse of 2019 third-quarter earnings reports compared to 3Q 2018, in which equipment sales mostly declined and rental revenues continued to rise: • United Rentals reported total revenues increased 17.6 percent.

• H&E Equipment Services’ revenues increased 9.6 percent.

• Herc Holdings, parent of HercRentals, reported equipment-rental revenues rose 2.4 percent.

• Manitou Group’s revenues rose 4 percent.

New standards governing aerial work platforms will be delayed for three months, taking effect March 1 instead of December 10.

This gives contractors and others in the industry three more months to prepare for the new sweeping standards approved by the American National Standards Institute. The ANSI standards affect all who operate, sell, rent, repair, manufacture or ride on telescopic and articulated boom aerial platforms and scissor lifts. The 14 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

standards also change the name of the devices to mobile elevated work platforms, or MEWPs. For contractors, the new standards mean getting MEWP operators trained, as well as developing safe-use programs, among other changes. (Check out Equipment World’s recent series on the new standards for a more in-depth look at what the changes mean for contractors, at http://bit.ly/ANSIdelay.)

–Don McLoud

• Net sales for the construction segment of CNH Industrial, the parent firm of Case Construction Equipment, decreased 9 percent.

• Caterpillar sales and revenues declined 6 percent.

• Global sales dropped 4 percent at Volvo Construction Equipment.

• Astec, owner of Carlson Paving and Roadtec, saw a 0.3 percent drop in net sales.

For more on each of these stories go to equipmentworld.com.

B O B C A T. C O M / T O U G H C O N S T R U C T I O N

Bobcat ® equipment makes more of whatever you bring to the job: versatility, speed, agility or toughness. When you’re behind the controls, you are One Tough Animal®, and you’ll get it done.

Bobcat is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century.

Bobcat ®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2019 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1358

TRENDS DRIVING YOUR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT IMPROVING EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY

76

%

87

%

of lubricant decision-makers in construction say extending the lifespan of their equipment is a priority of construction firms experienced equipment breakdown in the last three years

INDUSTRY TREND

THE SHELL SOLUTION

RENTING MACHINERY Equipment is rented when required to free up capital and hit tight deadlines

High-quality lubricants to maximise equipment protection and productivity

PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE Maintenance focuses on data, preventing failure and downtime

High-quality lubricants and expert services to keep equipment running

TECHNICAL INNOVATION Manufacturers are producing new and improved equipment

Innovative products, e.g.

Shell’s gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology

SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT Businesses are diversifying and need more specialist equipment

Multi-tasking lubricants for different types of machinery to simplify selection

SHELL LUBRICANTS WORKS CLOSELY WITH CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WORLDWIDE TO DELIVER SAVINGS.

Getting the best out of your equipment is key for a successful construction project. Find out how our lubricants can enable your engines, hydraulic systems, transmissions and greased components to deliver enhanced value – so that your business can thrive.

VALUE-ADDING SERVICES This free online service helps you to find the right lubricants for your vehicles and equipment in seconds.

This early warning system helps you to identify potential oil and equipment failures before they become critical.

We coach your teams to deliver better performance through this in-depth lubrication training program.

Find out more by visiting www.shell.us/construction © SOPUS Products 2019. All rights reserved. CS15876-01

Venezuelan company Dragasur operates heavy-duty equipment such as trucks and cutter-suction dredgers.

Dragasur wanted to reduce its operating costs and worked with Shell to obtain a lubrication solution.

The Shell technical team recommended Shell Rimula R6 M heavy-duty diesel engine oil. The company has extended its oil-drain intervals by 180%, increased the availability and reliability of its units, and reported annual savings of US$1,247,758.1 Sureway Construction Management in Canada was using separate products to lubricate its wheel tractor scrapers’ final drives and transmissions but faced the challenges of managing oil changes and mixing the products. Since switching to Shell Spirax S6 CXME, Sureway has reduced its oil consumption and maintenance costs, and increased productivity through less downtime, which give it reported annual cost savings of US$140,298.1 Saving reported by one customer. Actual savings may vary, depending on the application, the current oil used, the maintenance procedures and the condition of the equipment.

1

JohnDeere.com/Elevate

ELEVATE YOUR LOAD-OUT GAME. INTRODUCING THE 844L AGGREGATE HANDLER. Compared to its predecessor, the 844L Aggregate Handler consumes less fuel, plus features increased first-gear rim pull and a dedicated hydraulic pump for steering and lifting that enable quicker cycles. That means more trucks loaded out on less fuel in a day. And with a larger cab for all-day comfort, you’ll see how all the L-Series Production-Class Loaders can help you Run Your World.

marketplace

R’S EDITO K PIC

| by Don McLoud |

DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com

MOST POWERFUL STAND-ON COMPACT UTILITY LOADER Toro’s Ditch Witch brand has introduced the SK3000 stand-on compact utility loader.

With 51 horsepower and a 3,100-pound rated operating capacity, it is the market’s most powerful stand-on track loader. To achieve the higher ROC, Ditch Witch added weight via welded-on

Protect operators, equipment from electrocution HD Electric has launched its Lookout Voltage Detection Network, which alerts an operator when equipment is getting too close to an energized conductor, preventing damage to workers and equipment from electrocution. When detecting a strong electric field, the device sounds an alarm, flashes colors and causes every detector in a network, within 100 feet between detectors, to emit an alert. The detectors are water-resistant and can be placed on any type of equipment being used near energized conductors.

steel panels at the rear and with steel fuel tanks, which also increase durability in tougher applications. The SK3000 delivers 5,000 pounds of breakout force and features dual-auxiliary hydraulics. The compact utility loader is started by key code and has a manual throttle.

Precise, consistent bucket movement

Case updated the four models of its F-Series compact wheel loaders with new electro-hydraulic controls. Lift and tilt settings can now be adjusted with two three-way rocker switches mounted on the side console. The switches allow for toggling between high, medium and low responsiveness of the loader lift arms independently of the attachment tilt functions. The new controls also offer automated bucket metering for more precise, consistent movement of the bucket edge. A new E-inching pedal increases precision at slow speeds.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 19

marketplace

| continued

More operating capacity but still fits through gate

Vermeer gave its CTX160 compact utility loader 60 percent more operating capacity than its CTX100, while making it only 1.5 inches wider and about 6 inches longer. At 42 inches wide, it still fits through a standard gate. The CTX160 has a rated operating capacity of 1,600 pounds. To achieve additional operating capacity, Vermeer moved the machine’s weight down and toward the center. Its 40-horsepower turbocharged Kohler KDI engine does not require a diesel particulate filter. The CTX160 weighs 4,000 pounds and has a 9-inch rubber track undercarriage.

Mini-skid/compact wheel loader combo The Small Articulated Loader (SAL) is a new machine type for Doosan Bobcat. Bobcat will initially launch two SAL models next spring – the L23 and the L28. Both will be powered by 25-horsepower engines.

The L23 has a fixed boom, and the L28’s telescoping boom can reach up to 8.5 feet for loading and dumping into trucks. The company says the machines’ compact size, maneuverability and ability to lift small pallets of material with low ground disruption make them suited for such tasks as tree removal, landscaping, snow removal and light construction.

20 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Manually angle blade for backfilling, grading John Deere has developed a new mechanical angle blade for its 950K and 1050K crawler dozers. The blade can be manually angled side-to-side for such tasks as backfilling, rough grading and general earthmoving. The company designed the blade to be stronger, more durable, as well as better at shedding material and reducing blade plugging. Deere also increased the approach angle on the blades by 29 percent over predecessors.

Other advancements include better protection of hydraulic hoses, reduced blade weight and better weight distribution.

ADAPT TO

SUCCEED Castrol VECTONŽ is the world’s first certified carbon-neutral commercial vehicle engine oil. Featuring the extra performance reserve delivered by System Pro Technology, it adapts to engine conditions and maximizes oil drain intervals.

marketplace

| continued

Faster, easier location data

The UtiliGuard 2 multifrequency locator from Subsite Electronics uses a new user interface that features simplified graphics for easier, faster data interpretation. UtiliGuard 2 data can be used by operators and supervisors to verify performance, demonstrate quality and compliance, and track performance, as well as reduce cable strikes. The locator has integrated GPS positioning. A 5-watt or 12-watt transmitter drives signals farther down large buried utilities and provides horizontal and vertical distance to the utility for accurate location.

Sips gas instead of diesel

Offered as a more economical alternative to diesel-powered models, BOMAG has introduced the BPR 60/65 reversible plate compactor. The BPR 60/65 consumes less than 1 gallon of gas per hour, is comfortable to operate and compacts large areas at speeds reaching 92 feet per minute, the company says.

Designed for soil and block paving applications, the flexible base design offers compaction widths of 17.7, 25.6 and 29.5 inches. A hinged hood enclosure surrounds the engine and components to prevent damage.

Demolish tall buildings

Kobelco’s new SK400DLC-10 and SK550DLC-10 excavators are designed for tearing down buildings eight to nine stories high. The crawler excavators can be configured to different heights through a joint attachment system. The attached separate boom has a working height up to 48 feet for the SK550D and 45 feet for the SK400D. The ultra-long attachment can be added to achieve 81 feet of reach for the SK400D and 90 feet for the SK550D. The excavators can reach a digging depth of about 20.5 feet with the separate boom.

22 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

“Level Best is Best in Class”

Precision grading to

of spec

Doug Whitlock, Sales Ozark Laser, Springfield, MO

“ There are wannabes, but Level Best is tops in fine grading equipment.”

AS SALESMAN AT OZARK LASER, DOUG WHITLOCK IS AN EXPERT IN LASER GUIDED GRADING EQUIPMENT. HE’S SOLD ON LEVEL BEST.

“My job is to create happy customers. For fine grading equipment I always recommend Level Best because I know it’s extremely well made, highly maneuverable, and they always have the latest technology.

Basically, Level Best makes my customers very happy.”

See Doug at Level-Best.com

Lower costs, better bids, more jobs.

For about half the cost of a new pickup truck you can grade with unrivaled precision and get a significant competitive edge on nearly every job you bid. Here’s how.

Always the latest technologies.

Works in both directions to help maximize production in precision grading.

% CONCRETE OVERAGE INCLUDED WITH EVERY BID 10 % 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 STANDARD 1 10% material 0

overage estimate

Added margin for submitting bids that are more competitive Level Best Standard Bid Practice

With Level Best in Your Fleet

2 to 3 % material overage estimate

Level-Best.com

800-342-0905

marketplace

| continued

Visible up to a quarter mile Milwaukee Tool’s USB Rechargeable Beacon Hard Hat Light makes wearers visible in all directions by combining task lighting with a safety light that wraps around the backside of hard hats.

With steady and blinking light options, the Beacon personal safety light makes users visible up to a quarter mile from all directions when used with the front hard-hat light. The front hard-hat light delivers 600 lumens with spot and flood beam modes. The hard-hat light is designed to improve safety for roadside and underground work and working around moving equipment.

Add 125-foot boom to crawler carrier

Morooka’s MST4500VDL is the company’s largest crawler carrier. The 4500 has a 23-ton max load capacity, a 350-horsepower Cat Tier 4 Final engine and 3-foot-wide rubber tracks. But its biggest selling point could be its ability to handle up to a 125foot aerial work platform. Other features on the carrier include a heated and air conditioned ROPS-certified cabin, backup camera, video information display, remote mirror and joystick control.

Currently, the 4500 is a custom-order machine, to be equipped with whatever attachment the customer chooses.

Lift and raise ramps with air bags

Talbert has designed its new Air Ramp Tilt Tag-A-Long Series of trailers to make it easier and safer to raise and lower the ramps. Instead of manual ramps, Talbert equipped the new trailers – the 20-ton capacity AC-20-ART and the 25-ton capacity AC3-25-ART – with ramps that are raised and lowered by air bags, ones that can typically be purchased at truck stops. Talbert also designed the trailers for loading low-clearance equipment like asphalt rollers and equipment used for dirt work. The trailers feature a load angle of 7 degrees and a 33-inch deck height.

These product introductions are just a few of the many featured regularly on equipmentworld.com.

24 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

KOBELCO-USA.COM

OKADA. ON THE JOB. DOING THE JOB. Carriers prefer demolition attachments made by Okada America. Okada’s demolition attachments expand the versatility of the excavator, mini-excavator, loader/ backhoe, skid-steer and track loader carriers.

Okada has a wide variety of attachments. Breakers.

Demolition Shears. Crushers. Pulverizers. Processors.

Grapples. Compactors. Screening Buckets. These attachments are precision-engineered, productive and dependable. Okada. On the job. Doing the job.

Call 1-800-270-0600 for the name of the Okada America, Inc. Distributor nearest you.

12950 SE Highway 212 Clackamas, Oregon 97015

904 Medina Road Medina, Ohio 44256

115 Commerce Boulevard Cleburne, Texas 76033

okadaamerica.com

Š2019 Okada America, Inc.

technician of the year

| by Tom Jackson |

TomJackson@randallreilly.com

Kelchner taught himself how to do line boring in the field to help the company reduce repair times and save money.

Welding skills and innovative thinking earn John Kelchner, Schlouch Incorporated, AEMP Technician of the Year award

“I

always had a lot of interest in mechanical things, even at an early age. I was curious about how things worked. If it had moving parts, I wanted to fix it,” says John Kelchner, advanced level maintenance welder at Schlouch Incorporated, a diversified earthmoving, utility and site development company in Blandon, Pennsylvania.

“It is certainly not an easy occupation, but back in the late ’70s and early ’80s, it was a fairly attractive career, and it was a guy thing,” he says.

This inherent interest in all things mechanical helped earn Kelchner the Association of Equipment Management Professionals’ Technician of the Year award at the group’s Equipment Shift conference in October.

Heavy welding Kelchner’s background is heavy on welding. He has worked in bridge construction as a foreman, done structural welding, certified welding, shear connectors, X-ray quality welding, and all-position welding.

He also worked in a quarry, welding and repairing heavy equipment and fabricating parts.

At Schlouch, Kelchner continues to weld, but he’s also involved in undercarriage rebuilds, cylinder work and other routine repairs.

After 21 years at the company, Kelchner says its safety culture is one reason he’s stayed. “There are no repercussions here if you stop and say, ‘I don’t think this is safe.’

If you do, we stop, and we’ll take a look at it.”

“I have two sons who work here,” he adds. “My oldest son is a site fore-

man, and my youngest works in the shop with me. So as a father, I know the dangers of this industry, and it is comforting to me knowing Schlouch’s commitment to safety. I take safety a whole lot more seriously now than I did when I was younger.”

The company’s safety protocols extend to welding and fabrication as much as anything. “I use a positive-pressure ventilation system that is above and beyond compliance when welding or grinding dirty materials,” Kelchner says. “To protect my coworkers from welding fumes, I use an air scrubber, which pulls out heavy metals, dust and harmful fumes.”

Kelchner took two years of Vo-Ag training at Kutztown High School followed by three years of welding technology at Berks Vo-Tech. He has a Maryland state welding certifiEquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 27

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technician of the year

Skill sets: A little bit of everything

Tina DeLong, fleet foreman (left) and Kevin Reimert, fleet coordinator, join Kelchner in celebrating his first 20 years with the company.

cation and numerous Caterpillar training and certification classes under his belt.

With his OSHA 30-hour certification, he can stand in as the competent person in the shop or on the jobsite when supervisors are not present.

The welding doesn’t stop when the day is done at Schlouch. “I create sculptures with discarded scrap, equipment parts and construction materials,” says Kelchner. In the past two years, he has donated several pieces of art that raised over $2,500 at charity auctions.

Field and shop While some companies struggle to manage differences between the field and the shop, Kelchner says, Schlouch is way ahead. “We’ve got a great bunch of people to work for here,” he says. “Everyone has a common goal, and we’ve got a lot of support and cooperation from the field.”

The variety of work also attracts him.

“You don’t feel like a robot here, and that’s a big thing for me. One day I’ll be in the shop, the next day I’ll be in the field, so that helps break things up and makes the day go fast.”

Schlouch, because of the diverse nature of its work, has a variety of equipment from most OEM brands, which Kelchner finds challenging and interesting. “I’ve fixed everything from a chainsaw to a twin-engine scraper.”

Freedom to innovate It also helps that the company gives this

| continued

Being named the top technician of the year at AEMP is a high bar to clear. But Kelchner brings more than three decades of experience to the shop, including skills like:

veteran technician plenty of latitude.

“Management here has allowed me to try new things if I think it’s for the greater good. And you know, it doesn’t always work. Some of the best lessons you can learn are from failure, and here, they give you that freedom.”

What few failures Kelchner may have experienced are vastly outnumbered by his successes. The company’s confidence in its top welder has resulted in things like: • Converting foot pedals in a machine to hand controls to accommodate an employee with an amputation.

• Creating specialty tooling for removing and installing off-road truck transmissions, leading to safer, faster and lowercost repairs.

• Implementing a leaf-spring bushing replacement procedure on large road trucks to eliminate the need for spring removal, outsourcing and specialty tooling.

• Fabricating a tool for excavators to lift and place large concrete structures, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in crane time and rentals.

• Engineering and building dump body supports to eliminate the use of wooden supports during service and repair operations.

• Extending the service life of loader couplers from 1,500 to 2,500 hours by machining precise tolerances and mating surfaces.

• Working with OEM dealers and engineers to improve designs and reduce failure rates on things like undercar-

• Aluminum and steel welding • Bucket rebuilds • Blade overhauls • Hard surfacing • Line boring • Body work • Painting • Undercarriage rebuilds • Hydraulic cylinder rebuilds • Hydraulic hose fabrication • Articulating joint rebuilds • Scraper hitch rebuilds • Scraper bowl rebuilds • Moldboard/base edge replacement • Final drive rebuilds • Hydraulic forming of steel and aluminum • Hydraulic straightening of loader arms • Precision machining and measurement • Formed bucket liners • Formed cones for bark blower truck • Diagnostics on all machines and systems • Fabrication of specialty tooling

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 29

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technician of the year looked, so we decided to be proactive.”

The modifications included grab rails, steps and platforms with anti-skid tape that were welded to the blade to create three points of contact. He also put proKelchner says having his sons working with him at the company has tective sleeves made him even more conscientious about safety. To his left is Andrew over the mast Kelchner, site foreman, and at right is Jansen Kelchner, shop technician. arms to protect them from riage clearance, bore failures and damage. “It all happened because dozer blade skins. we’ve got good communication • Using nondestructive, ultrasonic with the field,” Kelchner says. equipment to determine wear percentages and remaining service life Challenges on dozer blades, buckets, undercar- The biggest challenges he faces are riages, dump bodies and scraper wet weather and location changes, bowls to better forecast repair times says Kelchner. “We have jobs on these high-dollar items. spread out over a large area, and • Developing a safety inspection the shop is in one central location. program for quick couplers.

So depending on the job, you can One project Kelchner is particuburn several hours a day getting to larly proud of is developing lineit and back.” boring capabilities at the shop. “Not “You get pressure from the field, a lot of companies our size do line but that’s OK,” he adds. “I’m aware boring in-house,” he says. With this of the cost of downtime and mobilicapability, he can take out misalign- zation. So if I can do a repair in the ments, improve precision, and true field versus bringing it back to the and restore worn bearing surfaces shop, I will do it in the field, espeon pins and bushings and other cially if it involves a permit move moving parts. Doing this in-house and all the cost and time that takes.” saves substantial money, accelerates repair times and makes many Teamwork of Kelchner’s repair and fabrication Although Kelchner possesses an projects possible. array of skills, he’s not a one-man wonder. He believes in being a GPS safety team player.

One innovation Kelchner took the “Effective, open and honest comlead on at Schlouch was creating a munication is actually listed in my safer way for the operations people job criteria,” he says. “To do my to mount and dismount GPS rejob, I have to communicate daily ceiver heads on their dozer blades. with the service planner, shop fore“We had guys who had to take a man, site foreman and operations. step ladder out to the dozers every I also communicate with the fleet morning,” Kelchner says. “I thought coordinator on repair cost estimates the safety aspect of it was overand to make repair decisions. I un-

| continued

derstand that a lack of communication can have a negative impact on the repairs and costs.”

Kelchner also leads some of the company’s training sessions in winter after the work has slowed.

That includes equipment-related safety training, as well as training field personnel on coupler safety, ground engaging tools and preventive maintenance. He’s also led training for the maintenance crew on oxy-acetylene welding and grinding safety.

Next gen When it comes to the next generation interested in a technician career or coming up the ranks, Kelchner’s advice is simple: “Show up on time. Work hard. Take it seriously, especially the safety.”

But his most emphatic advice is to do what he has done his whole life – never stop learning.

“Learn as much as you can about as much as you can,” he says. “Most of what I learned was from handson and trial-and-error. But always take advantage of extra training.

Even if it’s after hours, even if you think you know the subject already, even if you think the training is repetitive, you can always take something away from it. I’m always fascinated by new little bits of information that I can pick up.”

Photos: Kevin Reimert, Tina DeLong and Tanya Reynolds

AEMP Technician of the Year finalists:

Alton Hanes, Virginia Department of Transportation Staff Sgt. Nathan Baker, United States Air Force

The AEMP Technician of the Year is sponsored by John Deere and Equipment World. If you or a technician who works for you is interested in applying for this award, go to: https://www.aemp.org/ page/ToY. You do not have to be a member of AEMP to be eligible.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 31

PARTNER SOLUTIONS | MOTION INDUSTRIES

RECALIBRATING SAFETY TRAINING: 4 STEPS TO A SAFER JOBSITE

T

Ted Cowie, Motion Industries

echnology has completely changed the way operators interact with equipment today. One stares in amazement when seeing how tasks and work processes are accomplished on jobsites.

Unfortunately, along with all of this advancement and sophistication can come a potentially false sense that the technology is so good, so encompassing that it will adjust, correct and account for every circumstance and situation on the jobsite. This tendency or belief is just as dangerous as any situation faced on a jobsite 20, 30 or 40 years ago.

We often begin using new technologies without thinking through how they impact normal tasks and without examining other consequences of a changed work process. Up until a few years ago, most tools and equipment were independent devices that workers used for specific applications with little concern for other equipment concurrently in use. Today, many tools and devices are interconnected using chips and software to provide real-time information on performance, maintenance needs and proximity. All of these changes and new environments require a re-thinking of the training process.

Have all of our training programs, approaches and processes been recalibrated to take into account the ways technology is changing the workplace? Many workers

are doing their jobs the same way they always have, despite implementation of new tools and equipment.

It requires a planned and concerted effort to get your teams learning better, safer and more productive work methods based on the capabilities and features of today’s workspaces. It may also demand a full review and re-thinking of core safety policies and principles.

Many equipment and tool manufacturers offer useful tools in support of these steps. With each manufacturer pursuing their technology solutions and platforms, a worksite having a distributor partner that can help find, closely evaluate and navigate these options is critical.

Working close with your distributor partners can to help accelerate an improved and re-worked training process and provide multifaceted inputs and ideas.

Training is still one of the most important aspects of every business safety plan, and ensuring you are training for the right risks and work practices as they evolve is a fundamental need. Take time to regularly review and evaluate your workspaces and the equipment and tools being used, and gather feedback from your teams on how all of these changes and new technologies affect safety. Your team will welcome the exercise and your safety program, and most importantly, your safety performance will be the big winners.

Four key steps to recalibrate your training programs and processes

1

Do a complete review and assessment of all of your workspaces and process to identify hazards and risks (this is a step that should be done annually or following any major plant and/ or equipment upgrades/changes).

2

Compare your assessment results and hazard/ risk situations with your current training programs to identify gaps in your current training program.

3

With input from team members, manufacturers and distributors, develop and implement

new or modified training programs to address your identified gaps. Engage team members who are directly involved in the identified gap situations so you have a complete and accurate understanding of specifically how to update your training programs.

4

Following the first implementation of the new or enhanced training programs, conduct surveys and gather extensive feedback to validate that you are addressing the identified gaps and that the new training is effectively covering those areas.

Photo: Motion Industries

Ted Cowie is Vice President Sales, Safety & Industrial Products for Motion Industries. Before joining Motion in 2013, he served as Executive Vice President at Elvex Corporation, and before that as President and COO of Safety Today, Inc. between 2000 and 2011. Cowie has also served on the Boards of the Safety Equipment Distributors Association (SEDA) as well as the Safety Marketing Group (SMG).

For more information, visit MotionIndustries.com/equipmentworld as well as The Safety Specialist (https://tinyurl.com/yxq64jn7).

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Tech Shortage special report

Part 4 of a four-part series

AS MACHINES EVOLVE, BASIC TECHNICIAN SKILLS STILL NEEDED

T

by Marcia Doyle and Tom Jackson

alk about the future of construction equipment technicians and several terms rise to the surface: electrification, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality and augmented reality.

But many argue that even as construction machines evolve, technicians will still need basic hydraulic, electronic and mechanical knowledge.

“You’re still going to have hydraulics and electron-

ics,” says Al Cevero, vice president of construction, mining and utility for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “Most of it stays the same.”

“Right now, there’s nothing to replace the power and speed of a hydraulic cylinder,” says Dave Wilson, Indiana product support manager for West Side Tractor Sales, a Deere dealer headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. “For the foreseeable future, there will be hy-

A Volvo product manager uses a VR simulation for diagnostics. Although this is a future technology, some of the company’s dealers are already running pilot programs with mixed-reality consultations using artificial-reality glasses.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 35

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special report

Tech shortage | continued

draulic pumps, hydrostatic pumps and hydraulic oil. People still need to understand how to read schematics. There are still the fundamentals of understanding voltage, electricity, hydraulic flow, pressure and temperature, and how a diesel engine runs.”

Evolving machines In many ways the future is already here. “There are already a ton of electronics and telematics on these machines,” says Preston Wery, vice president of Aring Equipment, a Volvo Construction Equipment dealer headquartered near Milwaukee. “Not only do technicians need to know how to repair the machine, they will have to know what the end result should be, what the contractor is trying to accomplish.”

Trimble’s Remote Expert allows an experienced technician and a novice to share real-time images of a maintenance situation on tablets or phones simultaneously. While looking at the images on the screen, the two can mark up areas on the image, discuss what needs to be done and annotate the repairs for recordkeeping.

Still, change is coming and some are predicting it at a fast pace.

“No one’s going to throw a switch and we’ll suddenly transform, but in 10 years, most heavy equipment

will be at least partially – and some of it fully – automated,” says Barrie Kirk, executive director of CAVCOE (formerly the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence), which produced an autonomoustechnology study for the Associated Equipment Distributors earlier this year. “And by the 2030s, 80 percent of the equipment sold will use electric powertrains.”

Technicians will need more expertise in electronics, electric drivetrains and software, Kirk says.

And while this transition is taking place, the older machine population still needs servicing.

“Dealers have to make sure they have the people who can fix both current and future machines,” Kirk says.

Future techs will need to know EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 37

special report

Tech shortage | continued

Future now: Liebherr unveiled its LB 16 electro-hydraulic drive drilling rig this fall in Germany, designed to be charged overnight after a 10-hour work cycle. Servicing and repairing such machines will likely be one future technician skill adaptation.

38 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

how to use digital tools and correctly analyze the data coming off machines, says Bill Chimley, Komatsu America director of training and publications.

Eventually, artificial intelligence may have a role in supplanting some of these analytic skills.

Komatsu estimates that by 2023 half of its dozer and excavator fleet will have intelligent machine control as standard, Chimley says. Technician training will be needed to support these advanced machines and solutions. “The rise of simulators and digital training is a cornerstone in our ability to train on electrification and autonomous technology,� Chimley says. To support this, Komatsu recently purchased Im-

mersive Technologies and Oryx Systems, which specialize in mining and equipment simulation technologies.

Providing technician resources could involve an Alexa-type service in the shop or field, says Hannah Ross, marketing manager for 4Rivers Equipment, a Deere dealer based in Greeley, Colorado. “They could state the problem, and Alexa could answer,” she says. “The key is having a database that we could use to quickly train new hires on the product.”

In the future, the mix of humans and autonomous machines on jobsites will make technician safety a concern, Chimley says. “We’ll be able to do that training much more effectively through VR, AR and mixedreality type training, but you’re going to have to take into consideration the human element when you’re around autonomous machines.”

And it’s not just autonomous machines. “There are some safety precautions with the future of electrification, especially when you

de-energize a machine,” Chimley adds. “For instance, there’s an ultracapacitor on our hybrid machines.

Before you work on it, you always want to make sure that ultracapacitor is de-energized and not part of any circuitry and has no charge.”

Senior/junior tech teams Many experts see a two-tier system developing in construction shops: the veteran technicians providing the brains and the younger techs doing the heavy lifting. “It’s not just using AR or another technology,” Cevero says. “You need a 30-year experienced guy sitting in the shop that can tell the tech in the field what the problem is and how to fix it.”

“In addition to safety, the rise of AR will allow us to upskill new employees while still engaging an older workforce,” Chimley says. “Using this technology, a senior technician can see what the newer technician is seeing in the field. The senior technician can share his knowledge

and troubleshoot even though he may no longer choose to do the physical work. It’s a way to connect that brain power to the next generation of technicians and prolong the careers of some senior techs.”

“As we deal with the tech shortage, this gives an option to extend the work life of these senior technicians,” says Greg Currier, director, region fleet, United Rentals.

Trimble has just introduced its Pulse Remote Expert app as a firststep approach to such peer-to-peer communication. The app was developed after the company noted that today’s technicians either focused on electrical or mechanical work and its customers didn’t want to send out two technicians for one job.

“It connects two technicians in a peer-to-peer way and allows for a remote collaboration session to be established using the built-in AR capabilities of their phone,” says Brent Carter, strategic marketing director at Trimble’s Field Service

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special report

Management. “We went with the phone approach, because everybody has a phone, and they’re already using them for work.”

“You can point the phone at a bulldozer or a diesel engine or whatever the part is and then the expert can start marking up the screen with his finger to show the other technician where to look for the problem,” Carter says. The techs can also text questions and answers back and forth and save job, project and repair data for review later.

Scalpel and sledgehammer Other nuances are at play, Wilson says.

“You’re always going to need the sledgehammer as well as the scalpel,” he says, further explaining: “You’re always going to need the guy who can replace engines and transmissions and you’re going to need the person who can pinpoint and chase down that phantom intermittent electrical issue. We’re always going to need both.”

40 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Tech shortage | continued

Design Interactive’s Virtual Equipment Training uses the firm’s Augmentor AR software to train truck technicians, using actual and virtual parts, systems and vehicles.

“There’s still no way around some of the heavy lifting mechanical parts of these machines, such as replacing a 2,000-pound final drive on a dozer,” says Chimley. “I don’t see a way around that, other than human labor.”

But robotics may offer an assist later on, adds Chimley. A robotic assistant in an equipment shop, for example, could ensure that humans stay safe and procedures are accurate during heavy removal and installation jobs.

Skill sets, positions “Future technicians are going to have to have a deeper understanding of electrical diagnostics,” Wilson says. In fact, he says, “electrical is the biggest challenge for our machines today. There isn’t anything that’s just mechanical anymore.”

The rise of telematics data has prompted dealers to create positions that play in both the technician space and information technology.

Komatsu dealers have developed “technical solutions experts,” designed to serve as a customer consultant in emerging technologies.

Some Volvo CE dealers have “service IT support representatives.” This position helps dealers direct resources to where they’re most needed, says Ryan Flood, vice president with Highway Equipment & Supply, a Volvo CE dealer in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

“We’re not dispatching a $175,000 truck and a technician we need elsewhere to just do a computer update,“ Flood says.

Not quite yet Augmented reality and virtual reality offer intriguing possibilities of how machines will be serviced in the future.

For example, Caterpillar’s Service Information System online portal, which debuted last year, has 3D

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special report

Tech shortage | continued

Komatsu Autonomous Haulage System-equipped trucks have moved more than 2 billion metric tons of material in the mining sector.

and augmented-reality elements that drive visual learning, says Jason McIntire, senior IT analyst with Caterpillar. “The system offers guided troubleshooting and diagnostics from connected [telematics equipped] assets and allows you to overlay that 3D model and identify the part location using augmented reality,” McIntire says. For instance, users can quickly locate one sensor from the banks of sensors used on a large machine.

But using headsets such as Oculus Rift to pinpoint step-by-step repairs won’t happen tomorrow, says Trimble’s Carter.

“Headsets are not quite ready for widespread adoption now, especially in outdoor environments,”

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Carter explains. “For one, they’re very expensive. They can run $3,000 to $7,000 apiece. And when you’re deploying this type of technology, you need a critical mass. You can’t just give it to five or 10 technicians. If you look at a dealership that has a lot of technicians and you ask them to invest in these, the initial investment becomes a barrier.”

The headsets also face a common technology fear: obsolescence.

“People are worried next year that a better headset is going to come out, and they’re going to become obsolete. And they’re probably right,” says Carter.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to getting digitized engine and machine schematics into an artificial or mixedreality format is just the sheer volume of information that needs to be uploaded to make these systems work.

“To digitize the schematics and get all that content into a delivery mechanism requires a ton of participation from the OEMs,” says Carter. While

digitizing this information is easier with newer machines, providing that information for older machines seems to be less of an OEM priority, he says. And there are plenty of older machines in contractors’ fleets, all of which need servicing.

And then there is the question of how much of the diagnostic information OEMs want to share with their customers, says Carter. “They are still deciding what entry points they want to allow and for what purpose.

They’re still figuring out the business models around that,” he says.

Remote fixes Machine telematics have prompted OEMs to offer a wave of fleet management services aimed at predicting failure and optimizing downtime.

Now machines can be diagnosed and receive software updates remotely, much like your smartphone updates.

Cat’s Remote Troubleshooting and Remote Flash are examples of how OEMs are using remote functions.

With Remote Flash, customers receive a notice from Cat or their dealer that a software upgrade is available, much like a smartphone software upgrade.

Once an authorized user receives the flash-file push notification, he confirms the machine or engine is ready and initiates the process. Using the machine’s onboard telematics, Remote Troubleshoot allows the dealer to run diagnostics testing and pinpoint potential issues. Some issues can even be resolved remotely, saving a technician repair call.

“We’re certainly on a development journey with these remote features, one that is driven by the value that we can create in making technicians more efficient at our dealerships,” Cat’s McIntire says.

These capabilities have been a significant factor in getting machines fixed more quickly, Wilson adds.

“The more OEMs put that as standard will have a big effect on our technicians. It gives us the ability to pre-diagnose before we leave for the

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EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 43

special report

Tech shortage | continued Some customers have 24/7 service needs. “One of our metrics is our customer service response time and making sure we’ve taken care of a failure within a four-hour window,” says Greg Currier with United Rentals.

job and fix it more quickly when we get there.”

Remote solutions have already saved tens of thousands of hours of technicians’ time, Chimley adds.

Uber tech?

A short-term impact of today’s technician shortage might be the rise of the “uber tech,” an all-brands person who focuses on PM items, such as filter and oil changes while OEM dealer techs do more complex repairs.

“I don’t see the technological improvements happening quick enough in the next three years to overcome the pace of the current technician shortage,” Chimley says.

“However, our dealers have realized this and are focusing different skilled technical employees into both of these product support seg44 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

ments – one group for preventive maintenance and another group for technical repair.”

In one way the uber tech is already here, says United Rental’s Currier.

“We’re actively engaged in using third-party vendors,” he says, speaking of his area of concern: power HVAC equipment, such as portable and diesel generators, chillers, air conditioners and cooling towers. “We particularly use them if we are shortstaffed in a certain area, or we’ve got a large project coming on.”

What’s really needed Don’t forget about the human element, Wilson says.

“When I look at what skills technicians will need in the future,” Wilson says. “I really don’t need any different skills than we have today. But I need people who are

trustworthy and honest. Maybe instead of a huge diesel engine, in the future, you will have a smaller engine and drive motors. But what I still need to fix that complex tractor is the same thing I needed 10 years ago: a good human being.”

Online extra: Training for the future – How technical colleges are responding to changes in machine technology. http://bit.ly/VR-technicians Read this article online by scanning this QR code. Simply open your phone’s camera app and position the QR code in the frame. If your camera app doesn’t support QR code scanning, you can find a QR code scanner in your device’s app store.

maintenance

| by Tom Jackson |

TomJackson@randallreilly.com

Winter’s here.

It’s time to check undercarriage wear

W

hen the rest of the world is basking in the glow of the holiday season, smart equipment managers think about the condition of their dozers’ undercarriages. Whether it’s simply turning the pins and bushings or replacing worn or damaged parts, the slower work pace makes winter the best time to tune up.

Half of a dozer’s maintenance cost is wrapped up in its undercarriage. And while most of its service requirements can be monitored by sophisticated sensors and tracked through a telematics program, undercarriages don’t yield their iron secrets to high-tech approaches.

You monitor them with your eyes and your hands, and when you need to be exact, with gauges and dial calipers.

This makes undercarriage wear a big deal when it comes to decisions about buying or selling used equipment. Get this wrong and you leave a lot of money on the table. Knowing how and why undercarriages wear and how to evaluate that wear is key to nailing your dozer owning and operating costs.

Service life All the components in a dozer undercarriage are designed to wear out together at roughly 4,000 hours, or half the service life of the engine.

A midlife tune-up typically happens at 2,000 hours when the pins and bushings need to be turned.

46 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Applications determine what parts of the undercarriage wear out first, says Tim Nenne, senior market professional for undercarriages at Caterpillar. In some cases, the bushing and sprocket segments are the first to hit a service point. In hard rock conditions, shoes will likely be the first point of service.

The most accurate way to determine when a bushing turn may be required is to measure the bushing and sprocket wear, says Nenne.

Once the wear is known, a discussion of whether a bushing turn is required to get the maximum hours out of the link/roller system should be held. If a bushing turn maximizes the link/roller system life and makes sense for the cost per hour, then you can determine the best time to do this maintenance.

As long as you have the dozer in the shop at the 2,000-hour mark, it might also make sense to replace the sprockets if they are worn, says Derek Ruell, aftermarket supervisor for Berco America. “The front and rear rollers may be worn more than the center rollers, so you may want to swap those out by taking the front and rear rollers and putting them in the middle and putting the middle rollers on the front and rear, just like rotating tires on a car,” he says. Also look at the carrier rollers, although those can run until they fail and only cost about $100 to replace.

How they wear In normal operations, the applica-

Rust doesn’t matter but letting dirt, clay and debris build up can shorten track life. Pressure wash as often as practical.

tion and underfoot conditions are the largest determining factors for the life of an undercarriage, says Nenne. For example, soils with a high percentage of quartz and high moisture levels will significantly shorten the life of an undercarriage.

Quartz is an abrasive material, and the moisture in the soil turns it into a kind of lapping compound.

And while you can’t do anything about the soils you work in, there are many things you can do to minimize wear or damage to an undercarriage. These operational

right dozer for the job. Always use the narrowest shoe possible, says Russ Reeg, senior engineer, undercarriage, Deere. A low ground pressure dozer will have a tough time of it in rocky soils. Likewise, a narrow gauge track will bog down and jam with mud and debris in soft soils. Consider changing your fleet mix or leasing the right dozer for the job if necessary, he says.

tips start with a jobsite analysis.

Unexpected wear is often caused by a new experience – new motions, forces or a new environment, according to Larry Bergquist, staff engineer, undercarriage, at John Deere Construction & Forestry.

These might include: • New jobsite or cutting/grading/ pushing at a new depth on a jobsite.

• Jobsites that require longer push distances or jobs that require high-speed reverse travel direction.

• Jobsites that require more turning.

• Additional bench cutting operations (uneven loading and excessive material in the undercarriage).

• Changes in soil moisture content.

Though these are new conditions, they don’t have to be unexpected.

If operations does a thorough analysis of the jobsite and identifies these additional wear factors, the cost can be built into your owning and operating figures and bid models.

Also make sure you have the

Frame and alignment issues Like the tires on a car, the tracks on a dozer have to be aligned to prevent abnormal wear, says Ruell.

“You could have an alignment problem. It could be an equalizer bar or a pivot shaft. If your roller frame is off on one side or the other, the tracks will follow the path of the roller frame and cause excessive wear,” he says. “And failure in one part can lead to troubles in the whole. If you have a roller or an idler out and you continue to run it, that can cause a lot of stress on the undercarriage and increase the wear.”

The visual indicators are often obvious. “If the roller frame is cocked out a little bit, you can see it,” says Ruell. “In a recent field inspection, we pressure-washed the undercarriage and had the operator use the blade to lift the tracks off the ground with a sixway blade and tilt it to one side and the other. As it lifts you can see the tightness in the equalizer bar and the pivot shafts. If there is any movement at all, that’s going to cause excess wear.”

Even flat on the ground, there are obvious signs to watch for, Ruell says. “Take a look at your front idler, your carrier rollers and see if those are wearing abnormally.

Your sprocket is a good indicator, too, if it is wearing on one side more than the other.”

Track tension It’s important to actively manage track sag on crawler dozers, says EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 47

maintenance

| by Tom Jackson |

TomJackson@randallreilly.com

Track chain segments showing pins and bushings.

These are typically turned at 2,000 hours and have a total life of about 4,000 hours.

Bergquist. Soil types, moisture conditions and the work your dozer is doing change over time. When track sag is insufficient, the contact forces are much larger and lead to accelerated wear, he says.

Failure to clean out debris and packing in the undercarriage and between the undercarriage and frame should be corrected in the field, says Nenne. If the application tends to produce packing and the machine is not set up correctly, the packing will lead to unexpected wear.

Another area sometimes overlooked is the guiding and guarding of the undercarriage, says Nenne. If the amount of guiding or guarding is not correct for the application, it will contribute to abnormal wear, he says. Excessive amounts of dirt, clay and debris in these conditions can also hide grease leaks due to faulty seals or cover up grease zerks.

Operator training Since your operator spends more time with the machine than anybody, he or she should be trained 48 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

in proper operation, says Bergquist.

Some suggestions: • Reduce track slippage. It’s not productive and it accelerates wear.

The drive sprocket segments need to be replaced when the teeth become “sharp” or pointed on their ends.

Uneven wear across the width of the teeth may indicate frame misalignment or other issues.

• Limit high-speed travel. This increases the load on the undercarriage without adding any productive value.

• Limit backdragging. It causes more wear than going forward.

• Plan turns. Make them smooth and balanced right to left.

• Plan each pass. Where possible, avoid working on top of crowns, in depressions and across side slopes, as these increase load and often wear one side more than the other.

Inspections of used equipment Knowing how to spot undercarriage problems can be a skill worth developing.

“The first thing you want to look at is the sprocket,” says Ruell. “The sprocket is going to tell you just about everything you want to know about the undercarriage. If it is sharp, it means it’s been wearing. If it’s not sharp, then maybe they replaced it.

“Does the undercarriage look as though anything has been hitting it? Because you can definitely tell when the pins are sticking out through the track chain and your pin bosses are worn out.”

Another tip is to put your hand under the chain. Feel the pin and bushing. How much wear is on it? If there’s just a little bit of wear, you can feel with your fingers – you’re good to go. If it feels like its egg-shaped, then it’s

ready for a turn or it might be junk, says Ruell.

Inspections by trained service professionals All OEM equipment dealers have trained professionals that do undercarriage inspections and evaluations. Technically, it is possible for a contractor to buy a tool kit and take these measurements themselves, but you’d also need training and a thorough familiarity with the specs. The professionals who know this stuff cold can help you plan undercarriage replacements or repairs to minimize downtime and financial impact to your company.

For these reasons, 99 percent of contractors rely on the dealer to do the inspections and make recommendations, says Ruell. This can often be a free service package that comes with the sale of a dozer. Inspections should be done every three to six months, depending on the hours and wear factors.

Although visual inspections and observations are helpful, the measurements taken by a professional service rep allow you to compare the wear balance and wear progression with your past experience, says Bergquist. This critical analysis of the wear rates provides insight to alter items that are in your control and to improve your undercarriage wear experience before it affects your uptime and profits.

Keep in mind that while a trained professional is best for undercarriage inspections and evaluations, replacing a whole undercarriage or its various components can be done by almost any competent mechanic, says Ruell.

“It’s really just nuts and bolts.”

(To see how a product support specialist walks through a complete undercarriage measurement and inspection, check out our video from Flint Equipment in Atlanta: https://www.equipmentworld.com/ucinspection/.)

Product support specialists such as Louie Leak at Flint Equipment in Atlanta are trained to take thorough, exact measurements of all the wear items on an undercarriage. By charting these and comparing them to OEM specs, they can help you maximize the life of your undercarriage and minimize the costs.

Auction appraisals When a dozer goes to auction or on the used equipment market, buyers like to see the undercarriage less than 50 percent worn, says Nenne. A machine with less than 50 percent wear will sell more easily and obtain a higher price.

“If you are at 50 percent of the pin and bushing wear, the rest of the undercarriage should be about 35 percent,” says Ruell.

“That means you may have 800 or 900 more hours on the undercarriage before you have to do a pin and bushing turn. Is it worth putting another $4,000 into it?

Probably so.”

Distance rather than hours When establishing your protocols for analyzing and comparing undercarriage wear, Bergquist suggests basing them on distance traveled rather engine hours.

There has been a trend across the industry to work at faster speeds and shut down the engine during long idle periods, he says. This has resulted in more distance traveled per engine hour. Keep this in mind as you compare current appraisals to past experience. Many newer units capture forward and reverse distance and even distance at a given speed, he says.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 49

ConExpo-Con/Agg 2020

ConExpo-Con/Agg 2020 March 10-14 To attend an educational session, you must register for the show and then separately purchase the sessions. Single sessions are $69.

Educational sessions can also be purchased by the day ($195) and for the full show ($395). In addition, an all-access pass that includes both the show and a full education conference pass is $539 until Jan. 17th, $589 from Jan. 18 to Mar. 9 and $639 beginning Mar. 10th. To register, go to http://bit.ly/conexporeg.

When: March 10-14, 2020 Where: Las Vegas Convention Center Conexpoconagg.com Registration: $149 through Jan. 17; $196 from Jan. 18-Mar. 9; $249 at the show.

50 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

| by Marcia Doyle |

MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com

Get a leg up on fleet management with ConExpo-Con/Agg’s educational sessions There are 18 educational sessions planned for the Equipment Management & Maintenance track at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2020. Here’s an overview: Tuesday, March 10 9 - 10:30 a.m.

The Fleet Maintenance Journey: The Importance of a Robust Fluids Management Program – Today’s fluid requirements for newer equipment are high-tech and complex. Learn proper fluid storage and handling, understand that the cultural change required to improve

your maintenance program must be done in steps and discover how oil analysis is an essential metric to measure maintenance-program performance. Speakers: Michael Holloway, Strategy & Training, ALS Service USA; Jami Melani, technical services manager, BP Lubricants USA/Castrol.

how to manage change across your organization and help you create a personal plan for developing yourself and others. Speaker: Gregg Schoppman, principal, FMI.

3 - 4 p.m.

Best Practices in Equipment Maintenance: Learning from the Fleet Masters – A panel of Associated Equipment Management Professional’s Fleet Masters will examine what they did to drive new ideas and improvements in their organizations. Learn how they met challenges in implementing technology, getting management buy-in and overcoming talent shortages. Speakers: Gregg Schoppman, principal, FMI; Kevin Schlangen, fleet manager, Dakota County Fleet Management; Michael Brennan, principal asset consultant, CDMB Consultants; Gil Gilbert, director of fleet operations, infrastructure and integrity, Strike LLC; Barry Schlouch, president, Schlouch Incorporated.

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Making Data Useful: A Telematics End User’s Journey – There’s so much data coming off today’s machine that it can be difficult to manage it in a way that provides useful information. Yet using this information is critical in making smart decisions about repairs, maintenance, rates and equipment life cycles. Learn how to receive buy-in from all stakeholders, understand how to approach data and programs with a result in mind and how heavy civil-construction contractor Branch Civil has streamlined data and technology in a Situational Awareness Room. Speakers: Tim Morgan, equipment operations, Branch Civil; Chris Caldwell, equipment superintendent, Branch Civil.

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Leading in an Age of Disruption – Despite managing the largest asset on the balance sheet that has the greatest impact on the bottom line, equipment mangers are often under-resourced and less trained. Equipment leaders will need a new skill set to operate effectively in the future. This interactive presentation will identify the key skills leaders need to survive in this new environment, explore

3 - 4 p.m.

Key Elements of Life Cycle Cost Analysis – Determining the total cost of ownership can help you track your bottom line. In this session, you’ll learn about acquisition, depreciation, resale value and maintenance costs. You’ll also gain an understanding of how companies can pay only for the part of the equipment/fleet they use and gain insight on the resale market. Speakers: Matt Lang, AVP, account executive at The Bancorp; Scott Lubischer, corporate sales executive, FleetEvaluator, Sandhills Publishing.

3 - 4 p.m.

The Value of a High Performing Equipment Manager – What factors go into winning bids to ensure your company’s long-term profitability?

The organizations that give more authority to their equipment management teams have the competitive advantage. Your equipment manager can help you significantly reduce costs, forecast properly and maximize the efficiency of your fleet. Speaker: Ernest Stephens, corporate equipment manager, Superior Construction.

Wednesday, March 11 3 - 4 p.m.

Fuel When the Price is Right – Fuel costs present an ongoing challenge. Bulk fuel pricing offers poEquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 51

ConExpo-Con/Agg 2020

| continued

tential savings, but fuel storage and distribution challenges can reduce the actual savings. Learn how new data from fuel distribution sites can help identify potential savings. See an example of how you can track fuel purchases and refueling operations. Speaker: Roberta Wright, CEM, fleet contract administrator, City of Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thursday, March 12 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

How to Manage Rising Equipment and Rental Costs – There’s more to the rent-versus-own question than just tracking utilization. Look at six key components of a rental strategy as a way to keep your projects and budget on track. Find out the total cost of rental transparency, discover that utilization equals productivity and learn how to implement a culture change. Speaker: Gregg Christensen, United Rentals.

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Maximizing Shop and Facility Efficiency – Equipment managers are responsible for planning the efficient use of shop time, resources, information technology, space and personnel to manage a company’s fleet. Learn how to apply work standards to schedule resources, work sites, information technology and facility cost, and how to reduce expenses. Understand the role of preventive maintenance inspections in shop productivity. Speaker: Michael Brennan, principle asset consultant, CDMB Consultants.

52 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Conveyors 101 – Conveyors are the lifeline to any aggregate plant’s productivity. In this session, you’ll gain an understanding of conveyor systems, learn about conveyor belts and understand how different conveyor components work and how they affect your plant’s performance. Speaker: Jeff Jurasits, ASGCO. 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Life and Death Cycle: How to Identify Engine and Transmission Failure – Examine the reasons for these failures, how to identify their root cause and how to correct them. The session will include handson/workshop segments. Speaker: Michael Holloway, strategy and training, 5th Order Industry.

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Your Internal Equipment Triangle: The Key to More Successful Fleet Management – Effective collaboration between operations, fleet maintenance and accounting (or your company’s internal equipment triangle) results in a more successful fleet management process. This interactive session will use reallife examples to provide insight into how to execute best practices in acquisition strategies, maintenance, disposal and more. Speakers: Don Swasing, CEM, chief operating officer; Rich King, treasurer/chief financial officer; Kevin Reimert, CEM, fleet coordinator, all with Schlouch Incorporated.

3 - 4 p.m.

Maximize Your Spend: Procurement and Acquisition of Equipment – Understanding the procurement

process and adeptly negotiating to meet your company’s equipment needs will make you an indispensable member of the equipment management team. Learn how to minimize owning and operating costs, increase the quality of services delivered and boost the use of capital. Speaker: Gil Gilbert, director of fleet operations, infrastructure and integrity, Strike LLC.

Friday, March 13 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Preventive Maintenance to Predictive Maintenance – The transition from preventive maintenance to predictive maintenance will further drive down the cost of labor, parts and downtime. This session explores the techniques and methods to make the transition seamless and valuable. Speaker: Michael Holloway, strategy and training, 5th Order Industry.

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Electronic Inspections: A Universal Communication Tool – Keeping track of what needs checking, tweaking and repairing can be tricky to communicate across a jobsite. This session will highlight the importance of electronic inspections within the maintenance process and demonstrate their value in guiding inspections. Speaker: Jeff Bremer, CEM, vice president of fleet, GeoStabilization International.

1 - 2:30 p.m.

DPF Cleaning: Protecting Your Tier 4 Investment – Diesel particulate filters are designed to

trap soot until it is regenerated into a gas, but this process still leaves ash behind, which will remain in the filter until it is cleaned out. If not cleaned, it destroys the filter, which can lead to significant downtime and a shorter life cycle for a machine.

Learn how to develop a preventive maintenance approach to the aftertreatment system. Speaker: Jeremy Anderson, national sales manager, FSX Equipment.

1 to 2:30 p.m.

Optimizing Fleet and Asset Management with Usage-based Equipment Financing – Smart approaches to financing equipment allow for increased collaboration between end users, manufacturers, dealers, distributors and resellers. This includes using digital technology to stay optimized, usage-based financing solutions and increased transparency that are a positive aspect of the new IFRS / GAAP accounting regulations. Speaker: Theodore Rennenberg, fleet solutions account manager, DLL Group.

3 - 4 p.m.

Service Application Through System Performance – Examine the proper way to use crushing and screening equipment such as jaws, HSIs, cones and screens. Identify the do’s and don’ts and how to properly balance a system by making the correct choices with wear parts and settings. Learn how to develop a good maintenance program that includes documentation of historical data. Speaker: Wade Lippert, field service representative, KPI-JCI.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 53

Shrock Premier Custom Construction, our 2019 Contractor of the Year, has a great story. So do you.

One way to make sure it gets told is to become one of our 2020 Contractor of the Year finalists. equipmentworld.com | May 2019

Our Contractor of the Year program honors the forward thinkers, high achievers and just plain good people in construction. These are the construction companies that get the job done right, on time and within budget.

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contractor of the year finalist | by Tom Jackson

| TomJackson@randallreilly.com

Greg and Jodee Huylar, Tri-Valley Construction City, State: Yakima, Washington Year Started: 1985 Number of 24 employees:

Greg and Jodee Huylar (and yes, that’s Jodee’s truck).

Annual revenue: $3 million to $5 million Markets served: Site development, underground utilities

Couple build construction firm with loyalty to employees and giving second chances

G

reg Huylar was born and raised on the Yakima Indian reservation. His father was a cattle rancher, tending up to 350 head, and Greg spent the better part of his youth on horseback working cattle in the mountains of Washington state.

Despite studying agriculture in college, Greg didn’t want to spend the rest of his life on the farm. “The best thing about college was I met Jodee,” says Greg about his future wife. Jodee’s father had a successful crane company, and Greg went to work for it, painting cranes and

welding, whatever he could do to be useful.

But Greg didn’t see himself sitting in a crane 10 to 12 hours a day either. He wanted more action and to see what he could do on his own, so in 1988 he bought an older Cat 416 backhoe. “It was one of their first models – ROPS, no cab,” says Greg, “I had to tow it with my pickup truck.”

With that, he and Jodee started building a construction company.

They later acquired a well-used 1972 Kenworth truck and another employee. Tri-Valley Construction started to show potential, but Greg

and Jodee realized they had to do more. “We either had to get bigger or go out of business,” Jodee says.

“So we decided to bid bigger work.”

Replacing the backhoe Since those early days, Tri-Valley’s equipment and trailering portfolio has improved considerably. Today the company has seven trucks and dumps, as well as three-axle tilt decks, a lowboy and a hydraulic beavertail trailer. Greg says he can get three pieces of equipment on the beavertail, which makes it ideal for out-of-town jobs.

Greg has also replaced his EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 55

contractor of the year finalist |

continued

Pausing for a moment on a busy workday are (from left to right) Bob Quist, Eric Kanzig, Greg Huylar, Gordon Martin, Tim Wilsey.

backhoes with skid steer/compact excavator duos. “You can spin 360 degrees with those mini-excavators and shift the boom to the side to clean out a ditch,” he says. “You can dig and dump 90 degrees behind you. Building sidewalks is a dream with these things. You can cut subgrade and put down gravel with the same machine. They’ve just become part of our life.” TriValley now has four compact excavators and two skid steers, recently adding a Cat 314 and 313.

Loyal employees Maintaining the size of the business has been good for employee relations, and a big part of Greg and Jodee’s success has been their loyalty to their employees. “We treat them as family,” says Jodee. “We give them good benefits, the kind of benefits that we would want. If 56 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

their kid has a game, we give them the time off because you can’t get those hours back.”

Although the company is nonunion, the pay and benefits come close to union scale, says Greg.

“We keep our employees around because they are our family, and we do a lot of those little extra things, like help them out on their own personal projects. A lot of the guys like to work on their vehicles at our shop. There’s a lot of things you can do.”

The company also doesn’t fret much about prior experience. “Most of our people came to us without a CDL or any previous dirt work,” Greg says. The company will give new hires time and advice on how to pass the written test for a CDL and even let them practice driving trucks around the yard. More experienced employees are tasked with

raising the skill levels of the new workers, and as a result, almost everybody in the company has a CDL and can work multiple jobs.

“Most of our employees started as young people who didn’t know anything,” Greg says. “They started out washing trucks and worked their way up to running jobs.”

Recession proof While the recession of 2008-2011 wiped out more than a few contractors, it hardly phased Tri-Valley Construction. “We didn’t flourish, but we worked through it,” says Greg, “and we came out with flying colors. All those people who went under, we were buying their equipment.”

Yakima is an agricultural community with some of the largest and most successful fruit orchards in the country. And people have

to eat. So with that to bolster the region’s economy, Yakima continued to build schools, hospitals and warehouses and invest in its civic infrastructure.

“While the rest of the country was up in arms about real estate, our farmers were still growing fruit, and our economy wasn’t hit nearly as bad as places like Seattle with all the tech businesses,” Greg says.

Second-chance hiring Yakima, like Seattle two hours to the northwest, has its share of homelessness and drug issues, which only add to the widespread problem of finding dependable employees.

But Greg and Jodee are big on second chances and don’t hesitant to hire people with a checkered past if they can pass a drug test and are willing to work. “Some people come in the door, and they may have a shady background,” says Jodee. “But if we can, we like to give them a chance. Just because you screwed up in high school doesn’t mean that when you’re 25 you are the same screw-up you were then. And if somebody doesn’t give them that chance, they may go back to their old lifestyle.”

“Everybody deserves a shot,” says Greg. “We had one kid who came to us, and we told him like we tell everybody, we’re going to do a background check and a drug test.

Turns out he got into trouble and was using heroin in Seattle. But he got into treatment and moved out here with his wife to start a new life and to get away from the sources of his addictions. He passed the drug test, and he’s one of the best and most loyal employees I have.”

Greg relates the story of another young man who interviewed well but didn’t pass the drug test and was not hired. “Jodee and I sat on that for two months and then called him back. I asked him, ‘Do you still want to work, and can you pass the drug test?’ The answer was yes to

Greg Huylar pores over some plans with estimator Mel Burton.

both questions, and he stayed with us for six years.”

Customer appreciation Early on Greg and Jodee focused on growing the business. Today they focus on making sure they earn their customers’ loyalty. “When one of our customer-friends has a project, we marry into that project,” says Greg. “And if something comes up that we can’t charge for, then we don’t charge them for it. That’s why we get a lot of these contracts.

When there is a change in the scope of work, then everybody is going to get their money. But if it’s a gap in the scope, somebody has to bite the bullet, and that’s why they want us back.”

Benjamin Stephens at Stephens and Son Construction says of TriValley: “Greg’s a handshake kind of guy. He always follows up on what he says he’s going to do, and he’s always doublechecking, make sure that everything’s going right. As stressful as this business is, everybody who works there seems to be pretty happy. My wife’s cousin’s husband works for them and he goes to work up to a half an hour early just to sit and talk to the guys in the shop before he heads out to work.

That’s a family atmosphere, you know, when things are like that.”

Jeff Durfee at Fowler General Construction says Tri-Valley’s flexibility makes it a top choice for general contractors. “They do care about my schedule,” he says.

“There have been times when there were conflicts in our schedules, but if they know it needs to be done, they go ahead and do it. So many contractors demand a change order, but they do right by their customers.”

Marriage and teamwork Greg and Jodee keep the crane and construction sides of the business separate. But it’s obvious their teamwork and partnership have helped both thrive. When Greg says getting out of bed in the morning and going to work is the key to success, he really means it. He and Jodee make a point of rising at 3:30 a.m. so they can put in time at the gym before the workday starts.

(Jodee competes in professional bodybuilding events.)

But the couple are also protective of their marriage, with clearly defined roles and an understanding of the value of work-life balance. “We have our own areas that we specialize in, and we try to stay out of each other’s way,” says Jodee. “And at the end of the day, we don’t take our work home with us.”

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 57

road works | staff report

EDITORS’ PICKS: TOP ROADBUILDING PRODUCTS OF 2019 PAVERS Dual swingout operator stations BOMAG’s new line of highwayclass wheeled and tracked pavers feature dual swingout operator stations and other innovations to give operators better views of their work.

The pavers’ introduction also streamlines the company’s 10foot lineup from four pavers to two models – one wheeled, the CR 1030 W, and one with rubber tracks, the CR 1030 T. They are designed for such projects as interstate and state highways, airports, heavy industrial and large commercial. They replace BOMAG’s CR 452, CR 552, CR 462 and CR 562 pavers.

Eliminate daily cleaning under hopper Carlson Paving gave its CP75 II a high-flow material conveyor and frame design that does not require hydraulically lifting hoppers – eliminating the need for daily cleaning under the hopper. Instead, operators only need to inspect the undercarriage every 500 hours to ensure there is no buildup. The conveyor system, which pairs belt technology with a heavy-duty chain and slat conveyor, is designed for longer life and greater efficiency. Carlson also replaced all the operator controls with toggle switches for a more intuitive feel.

58 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Increase paving distance by one-third Dynapac North America’s FC1700C commercialclass paver is equipped with a larger Tier 4 Final, 120-horsepower Cummins engine than the FC1600C model it replaces. Its hood profile offers best-in-class visibility to the hopper. A lower conveyor dumping height and larger 9.5-ton hopper capacity increase paving distance by one-third before reloading the hopper is necessary. The wider 14-inch track pads improve traction when paving on soft surfaces by reducing ground pressure. New operator controls are more intuitive.

2 tons more hopper capacity Mauldin’s 1860, the largest in its lineup of asphalt pavers, replaces the company’s former largest paver, the 1750-C. One of the main differences between the two models is the 1860’s larger hopper size. It can handle 9.5 tons of material versus the 1750’s 7.5 tons. The 1860 maintains the company’s Silver 16 Screed, which is the heaviest in its class at 4,500 pounds.

Mauldin moved all controls to the two individual operator stands.

Each operator stand has a 5-inch display screen.

The tracks have been upgraded from 12- to 14inch track pads.

Wheeled paver pushes like tracks Roadtec’s wheeled 10-foot RP-250e asphalt paver is designed to provide the same pushing power as a tracked paver, the company says. To achieve this, Roadtec gave the heavy-duty paver a 250-horsepower engine and large diamond-tread, high-flotation drive tires. The paver also has an adjustable frame-raise feature for weight distribution and tractive effort. The RP-250e comes with the same features as Roadtec’s other pavers. These include the company’s anti-segregation design of its feed tunnel, feed tunnel discharge and rear augers.

Access tight spaces Weiler designed the screed on its P195 asphalt paver for mat quality and a range of paving widths. The 3-foot, 10-inch front-mount screed can be hydraulically extended to 7 feet, and to 9 feet with bolt-on extensions. The 80-inch-long tracks deliver 64 inches of ground contact and, with a 125-milimeter track chain pitch, provide a smooth ride and increased flotation.

Weiler added automatic track tensioning. All controls are on a single panel within reach of the operator. The paver’s narrow design allows for simple transport and accessing tight spaces.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 59

road works | continued

Remote-control bridge paving Terex Bid-Well unveiled its 3600RC remote-control paver designed for paving bridge decks, as well as flatwork and roads. The paver can be operated remotely from the ground, and the operator can adjust machine settings without having to call down to a worker to make the change or to stop paving operations. The remote control governs engine, power legs, machine and carriage travel-speed functions and can also control accessories. It has a maximum paving width of 86 feet, a truss depth of 3 feet and an operating weight of 7,760 pounds.

ROLLERS Compact beside structures and obstacles Case’s Tier 4 Final DV23CD combi roller has nearly 20 inches of curb clearance, an oscillating articulation joint for drum-to-ground contact, and no overhangs, which allows work beside structures and obstacles. The hydrostatically driven front drum comes standard with dual-frequency, automatic or manual vibration control, and features a tapered drum edge to minimize tearing through turns. The rear pneumatic tires can be paired with an ACE Force Intelligent Compaction System for precise results.

60 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Turn on the spot Wirtgen’s SP124i slipform concrete paver has a working width of 39 feet with four steerable and slewing crawler units and an optional slew drive steering system with a steering angle of up to 260 degrees. This maneuverability allows paving beside a building, turning almost on the spot without wasting time on repositioning. The paver is powered by a 420-horsepower Cummins diesel engine and can pave from 14.5 to 39.3 feet wide and up to 17.7 inches thick. Options include a self-loading dowel bar inserter with fully automated dowel magazine.

Work a day without refilling water, diesel tanks Hamm’s new generation of pneumatic tire rollers include the HP 180, HP 280 and HP 280i, with operating weights between 10 and 28 tons. They feature a variable ballasting concept, which allows you to adjust the operating weight to match the asphalt type, thickness and application by adding or removing steel, magnetite or concrete ballast bodies between the axles. The ballast components are mounted in the center of the machine to evenly distribute weight. The rollers’ water and diesel tanks are sized to last the day without refilling.

MILLING Sliding operator stations Caterpillar gave its PM310, PM312 and PM313 cold planer models a boost in power, as well as added new features.

The milling machines are now available with a 334-horsepower Tier 4 Final C9.3 engine, for a 3 percent increase in power. Cat designed the planers for small to mid-sized jobs where maneuverability and high production are needed.

They come in wheeled or tracked versions. The cold planers feature operator stations that slide out 8.5 inches beyond the frame for improved visibility down the side. The seat also now has a rightside armrest for comfort.

Boost in power Roadtec updated the RX-700e cold planer with an 800-horsepower Tier 4 Final engine that requires no diesel exhaust fluid.

The Caterpillar engine on the half-lane cold planer replaces the 755-horsepower Tier 4 Interim engine on the previous model. The planer cuts up to 14 inches deep with standard widths of 6 feet 7 inches, 7 feet 2 inches, 8 feet 2 inches and 10 feet 6 inches. The RX-700e is available in three- or four-track models. The cutter housing’s angled moldboards reduce wear by preventing material from accumulating around the drum.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 61

road works | continued

Change milling drums in 15 minutes Offering milling widths from 4.9 to 8.2 feet and milling depths of up to 13 inches, Wirtgen‘s W 210 Fi, W 200 Fi and W 200 F models are equipped with engines rated up to 755 horsepower and a hightorque output at 1,300 rpm. A quick-change milling

drum assembly enables you to change out different width drums in as little as 15 minutes. The drum side door opens hydraulically, and a loosening tool is positioned on the main bolt. Push a button and the tool loosens the main bolt, enabling you to pull out the milling drum.

ADDITIONAL ROAD EQUIPMENT

Loaded, hexagonal cab Komatsu’s GD655-7 motor grader features a hexagonal cab for increased visibility. The cab viewing area has a narrow center section and two clear doors on the sides. Electronic controls are situated back toward the seat in a more relaxed position for the operator, instead of an upfront antler rack configuration. Komatsu made the cab quieter and loaded it with such standard features as power raise and lower for the left-hand and right-hand consoles, multi-position adjustable armrests, air-suspension seat and rearview camera.

62 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

More power for reclamation, soil stabilization Caterpillar’s RM400 Rotary Mixer gets a 19 percent boost in power over the RM300, which it replaces, with a 417-horsepower Tier 4 Final Cat C9.3 engine. Cat also improved the cab, which can slide right and left for side views of the tire edges and cut lines. The company provided standard front and rear cameras and optional side-mounted cameras. Cameras can also be mounted in front and behind the rotor chamber. The 51,809-pound RM400 has a cutting width of 8 feet and is designed for full-depth reclamation and soil stabilization.

Environmentally friendly road recycler Wirtgen designed its W 380 CRi cold recycler to rehabilitate roads quickly and economically while reusing the paving material in an environmentally friendly way. The cold recycling process grinds and reuses the surface and base materials of a deteriorating road and

mixes it with binding agents, such as cement, bitumen emulsion or foamed bitumen. With working widths of 126, 138 and 150 inches and recycling depths of 4 to 12 inches, the W 380 CRi can feed up to 800 tons an hour of material to a paver via its swivel-mounted, height-adjustable conveyor.

PAVING TECHNOLOGY

Automatically adjusts to paver distance Dynapac’s MF2500CS material transfer vehicle features automated operation, low fuel consumption and less maintenance than previous models. Lasers on the MTV allow the operator to switch to auto mode, and the MTV’s conveyor will automatically keep the proper distance from the paver’s hopper. A sensor can also be placed on the front, so the MTV will automatically steer along a curb line or concrete barrier. Dynapac also automated the loading of the MTV. The operator hits a couple of buttons, and lights flash to guide the truck driver.

Push a few buttons and let it roll Caterpillar unveiled an automated soil compaction system that allows the operator to simply tap a few buttons to get the compactor automatically rolling, rather than having to input loads of data. The Command for Compaction system’s touchscreen for Cat’s B-Series vibratory soil compactors enables the operator to set parameters, hit “auto,” and the compactor takes over the steering, keeping the compactor rolling forward or in reverse over the desired path. The system also includes an automatic object-detection system that alerts the operator to obstacles.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 63

| by Marcia Doyle |

quick data

MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com

Articulated dump trucks A snapshot of new and used sales trends from Randall-Reilly’s EDA equipment financing data and TopBid auction price service.

$

425,000

Top auction price paid for a 2018 Cat 745 with 1,501 hours at Ritchie Bros. sale Feb. 21 in Orlando.

360,000

$

OTHER TOP BID:

for a 2016 Volvo A40G, Ritchie Bros., Feb. 21 in Orlando.

Top three states for CTL buyers*

,75 $ 187

6

HIGH

New

AVERAGE

LOW

0 0 5 , $ 62

,00 $425

0

Brand market share for new, used financed articulated dump trucks* New machines*

Used machines*

Brand

% of financed total

Brand

% of financed total

Cat

39%

Cat

37%

Volvo

33%

Volvo

29%

Deere

11%

Deere

13%

Komatsu

8%

Komatsu

11%

Bell

6%

Terex

5%

Others

3%

Others

5%

New

Articulated dump truck new, used sales trends, 2009-2018*

UNITS

# of buyers

Texas

72

Florida

50

North Carolina

35

Used State

# of buyers

Texas

131

Pennsylvania

81

Georgia

72

Top financed new articulated truck*

Used

Other top selling new machine:

Used high: 2018, 1,974 units

Used low: 2009, 1,146 units

State

Cat 745, 296 units

*In terms of number of new and used financed units sold Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.)

2,900 2,700 2,500 2,300 2,100 1,900 1,700 1,500 1,300 1,100 900 700 500 300 100

USED: UP 4%

NEW: UP 4%

*Comparison of number of articulated dump trucks financed Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019, and Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept.

30, 2018. Source: EDA, edadata.com

Final bids unit count: 221 Nov. 1, 2018 – Oct. 31, 2019; prices for articulated dump trucks 5 years old and newer, U.S. sales only.

Only includes bids $5,000 and above. Source: TopBid, topbid.com

Year-over-year change*

Volvo A40G, 130 units

Top financed used machine* Volvo A40G, 175 units

New low: 2010, 168 units

2009

2010

2011

New high: 2015, 1,362 units 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

*Financed equipment, 2009-2018, number of units sold by sale or lease. Source: EDA, edadata.com 64 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

2017

2018

*In terms of number of new and used financed units sold Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.)

| by Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

One chock not enough

T

he dump truck was in good working order, inspections and maintenance all up to date.

But when the driver attempted to drive the truck out of the yard one cold winter morning, he noticed it acting sluggish and then saw skid marks, indicating that a tire on the passenger side was not moving. Icy conditions had locked one of the brake drums overnight.

The driver set the parking brake, left the truck running and went into the shop to get some help. The victim that day volunteered to help, and the two of them returned with a small sledgehammer to free up the drum. Since the truck was on a slight incline, nose high, the driver chocked the back of the front passenger-side tire to prevent it from rolling backward and entered the cab through the passenger door to release the parking brake. The victim lay down between the front steer axle and the Date of safety talk: Attending:

first drive axle at a right angle to the wheels and slid under the truck so he could hammer on the frozen drum.

The driver exited the cab to watch the victim work.

After a few hammer blows, the brake drum broke free, but because the truck was running and in gear, it started to move forward. The chock block, being behind the wheel, proved useless. The tires on both the rear axles ran over the victim and also struck the driver. The truck continued to roll forward another 175 feet, crossing a two-lane road and coming to rest only after it hit a concrete-block retaining wall. The victim died of his injuries, and the driver suffered injuries to one leg.

How this accident could have been prevented: • Employers should develop written standard operating procedures (SOP) for truck maintenance in winter and train all applicable Leader:

Illustration by Don Lomax

safety watch

personnel. (The SOP should include what drivers need to do to minimize brake freezing.)

• Employers should train truck drivers on safe work practices to unfreeze brakes, such as ensuring that the truck is in neutral with the engine off, wheels chocked in both directions prior to work and making every effort to strike the brake drum from outside the path of the wheels.

• Any vehicle being serviced, adjusted or repaired while the motor is running should have two wheels chocked from front and rear or the parking brake set or other restraint controls in place.

• Written procedures should be developed to address exiting the cab while the truck is running and performing work while underneath the truck.

For more information on this accident see: http://bit.ly/2Chocks

_____________________ EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 65

alerta de seguridad

| por Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

Una cuña no fue suficiente

Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes: 66 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Líder:

Illustration por Don Lomax

E

l camión de volteo estaba en buenas condiciones, con sus inspecciones y su mantenimiento al día. Pero una fría mañana de invierno, cuando el conductor intentó manejar el camión fuera del estacionamiento, notó que se movía pesadamente. Viendo las huellas del camión notó que una de las ruedas del lado del pasajero estaba inmovilizada. Las condiciones heladas habían trabado uno de los tambores de freno durante la noche.

El conductor fijó el freno de estacionamiento, dejó el camión encendido y fue al taller en busca de ayuda. La víctima se ofreció voluntariamente a ayudar y los dos regresaron con un pequeño martillo para liberar el tambor. Ya que el camión estaba en una pequeña inclinación con la nariz hacia arriba, el conductor puso una cuña en la parte posterior de la rueda delantera del lado del conductor, para impedir que ruede hacia atrás. Luego ingresó a la cabina por la puerta del pasajero para solar el freno de estacionamiento. La víctima se acostó entre el eje delantero y el primer eje de la transmisión en un ángulo recto a las ruedas y se deslizó bajo el camión para martillear el tambor congelado. El conductor dejó la cabina para ver cómo trabajaba la víctima.

Después de unos golpes de martillo el tambor se liberó, pero ya que el motor estaba encendido y con la marcha puesta, empezó a moverse hacia adelante.

Como la cuña estaba detrás de la rueda resultó inútil.

Las ruedas de ambos ejes traseros de la transmisión pasaron sobre la víctima y también atropellaron al conductor. El camión continuó rodando hacia adelante unos 175 pies, cruzando una pista de dos carriles y deteniéndose solo después de golpear una pared de retención de bloques de concreto. La víctima falleció por sus heridas y el conductor se lastimó una pierna.

Cómo pudo haberse prevenido este accidente: • Los empleadores deberían desarrollar Procedimientos Estándar de Operación (SOP, siglas en inglés) para el mantenimiento de camiones en invierno y capacitar a todo el personal que lo necesite. Los SOP deberían incluir procedimientos para que los conductores reduzcan el congelamiento de los frenos.

• Los empleadores deberían capacitar a los conductores de camión sobre prácticas seguras de trabajo para descongelar los frenos, tales como asegurarse de que el camión esté apagado y en neutral, las ruedas con cuñas en ambas direcciones antes de la tarea, y hacer lo posible por golpear el tambor de freno desde fuera de la trayectoria de las ruedas.

• Todo vehículo que esté recibiendo servicio, ajustes o reparaciones con el motor encendido debería tener las dos ruedas con cuñas por el frente y por detrás, o tener activado el freno de estacionamiento o cualquier otro sistema de sujeción.

• Deberían desarrollarse procedimientos escritos en cuanto a salir de la cabina mientras el camión está encendido y realizar trabajos debajo del camión.

Para más información sobre este accidente visite: http://bit.ly/2Chocks

skid steer attachments | by Don McLoud |

DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com

Scrape hardpacked snow Fisher’s Storm Boxx pusher plow is designed with a steel trip-edge for clean scraping performance in hard-packed snow and for protecting the operator and carrier equipment from hidden obstacles.

The plows come in widths of 8 or 10 feet and are 32.5 inches tall. The blades have a 63-degree attack angle. A structural-steel channel extends the length of the blade and is lined internally with stiffener ribs. The wings are protected from bending when hitting curbs or other obstacles by side support struts and are attached by interchangeable, bolt-on plates.

Grab hard-to-handle materials

Cut trees up to 14 inches in diameter

The Bobcat industrial grapple attachment handles hard-to-manage materials, including building materials and demolition debris, as well as bulky or uneven loads. Bobcat offers eight models in fork or bucket styles from 36 to 80 inches wide.

Models come in single-arm and larger two-arm designs. Both sizes can be paired with a bucket or fork bottom to increase load capacity. The grapples are approved for use with M2-Series compact track loaders, skid-steer loaders, Toolcat utility work machines, and the Bobcat V519 telehandler.

Loftness designed its Bad Ax disc mulcher for skid steers for land clearing, vegetation control and other heavy-duty applications, cutting material into fine particles. The Ax’s 60-inch-diameter disc can cut trees up to 14 inches in diameter, is driven by its own hydraulic motor and has no belts to replace. A polyurethane coupler dampens vibrations. The attachment features recutter bars and counter teeth to hold material in place while it is being mulched. The teeth can also mulch at ground level due to the angled housing.

EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 67

skid steer attachments | continued

Turn your skid steer into a backhoe

John Deere’s BH9B, BH10B and BH11B backhoe attachments for skid steers were designed for operators performing light-construction work, especially in tight spaces. The attachments feature swing speed control and 180-degree maneuverability. A low-profile design provides good visibility, and cushioned cylinders deliver smooth operation and limit shock loads. Hydraulic flow ranges from 9 to 12 gallons per minute and max dig depths of 110 to 133 inches. Breakout force on the BH9B is 3,895 pounds; 5,675 pounds on the BH10B; and 5,675 pounds on the BH11B.

Keep the hydraulic fluid cool Fecon’s new hydraulic coolers can be mounted on top of the cabs of skid steers and compact track loaders for maintaining hydraulic fluid at optimal temperatures and viscosity. They use two 11-inch cooling fans to regulate hydraulic fluid temperatures, delivering 120,000 BTU per hour of cooling capacity. They fit on most skid steers and CTLs and can handle flows up to 48 gallons per minute. They work well in tandem with the company’s Bull Hog mulching attachment, the company says. They also have a bypass relief for cold oil starts.

PERFORMANCE THAT’S GROUND BREAKING MORE POWER, MORE UPTIME, MORE PRODUCTIVITY. ALL WITH LESS COMPLEXITY, LESS WEIGHT AND LESS SERVICING. THE B6.7 PERFORMANCE SERIES ENGINE FROM CUMMINS DELIVERS BENEFITS TO EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS AND OPERATORS ALIKE. THE HIGHER POWER OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE MACHINE CAPABILITY. ITS SIMPLER, EGR-FREE DESIGN IS EASIER AND LESS EXPENSIVE TO INSTALL. FOR THE USER, IT IS MORE EFFICIENT, MORE RELIABLE AND CHEAPER TO RUN. SEE HOW CUMMINS B6.7™ SETS THE BAR FOR PERFORMANCE AT CUMMINS.TECH/CONSTRUCTION

©2019 Cummins Inc. Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.

CUIN-190737 Equipment Today 7x4.5.indd 1

68 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

9/10/19 3:27 PM

Cat gets ‘smart’ with skid backhoe

Cat’s new BH130 Smart Backhoe for its recently unveiled D3 Series skid steer and compact track loaders represents an industry-first technology, the company says. The smart attachments enable the carrier machines to automatically recognize the tool and tailor machine controls and operator information to match the attachment and the task. Operators can switch from travel to digging mode with a single button click. In digging mode, joysticks automatically convert to backhoe or excavator pattern, all without the need for separate controls.

MEET US AT

BOOTH F1548

AMPHIBIOUS EXCAVATOR YOUR ACCESS TO UNREACHABLE LOCATIONS

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WWW.REMU.FI EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 69

skid steer attachments | continued Plow wings automatically adjust to conditions

Western designed the wings on its Prodigy snowplow to automatically adjust to conditions when changing the plowing angle. The plow attaches with a universal skid-steer plate and pins and uses the skid steer’s hydraulics to lift and lower the blade. It features 6 degrees of oscillation for improved scraping and reduced wear on the cutting edge, while also protecting the terrain below the snow. The blade is 29.5 inches tall, with a plowing path of 8 feet 7 inches wide in scoop mode and 9 feet 8 inches wide with open wings.

4 applications with 1 bucket Kubota by Land Pride’s 4-in-1 CB25 Combination Buckets are available in sizes of 68, 74 and 80 inches and can be used for loading, carrying and dumping materials. The jaw can be used as a grapple to pick up such things as large rocks, tree branches and sticks. Fully open, the jaw can dig, scrape, level and finish grade, or be used like a dozer for digging, moving and backfilling dirt, gravel, sand and similar materials. An optional spill guard adds bucket capacity and helps hold in loose materials when picking up and transporting a load.

Check out Equipment World’s new 2020 Attachments Guide, which can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/attachments2019. The eBook features attachments for: • Earthmoving • Landscaping • Lifting • Land Clearing • Cleanup/Snow Removal • Asphalt/Concrete • Excavators • Skid steers 70 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

Drive up to 80 posts an hour

Eterra PDX-750 post drivers can install 50 to 80 fence posts an hour, the company says. The attachment for skid steers, compact track loaders and excavators uses concrete breaker technology, powered by a nitrogen-charged power cell that is contained in

heavy-duty housing. The PDX-750 can tilt up to 15 degrees sideto-side for working in uneven conditions. The driver is available with an open-style, coned driver head that can handle posts up to 8 inches in diameter, or with a flat-cup driver head with enclosed post guide and multiple eyelets.

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EquipmentWorld.com | 11/5/19 December 2019 4:21 PM 71

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www.EquipmentWorld.com We are proud to announce the launch of the new mobile version of EquipmentWorld.com. Stay up to date while you are on the go, with the latest construction industry news, products and insight from our award-winning editorial team.

EquipmentWorld.com | October 2019 72 BaileyBridge_BR0513_PG14.indd 1

4/23/13Untitled-4 9:321 AM

8/19/14 3:02 PM

equipmentworld.com | December 2019

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EquipmentWorld.com | December 2019 73

final word | by Tom Jackson

TomJackson@randallreilly.com

The two-tiered technician field

I

n this issue, we have an interesting contrast. On page 35, we have our fourth and final report on the technician shortage. This article focuses on the future of technicians and all the digital tools they will be wielding soon. On page 27, we have our article on the Technician of the Year, who has earned this distinction in large part due to his very analog welding and mechanical skills.

Nobody doubts that the technician career is evolving into a two-tiered field. Every person we interviewed has said as much. But there also seems to be an unspoken assumption that the digital technician is the preferred job, the wave of the future, that these technicians will be better paid and that these jobs are going to draw more young people into the profession.

I agree 100 percent that the digital technology in today’s heavy equipment delivers vast improvements in productivity, fuel economy and safety. There’s no going back. And we’ll need a small army of laptop-enabled technicians to keep these digital systems functioning.

But it would be unwise to think of our nondigital technicians as relics of the past.

When you add up what AEMP’s Technician of the Year, John Kelchner, has accomplished with his welding torch alone, you see an impressive contribution to the safety and productivity of his company. It’s great to have a sensor that can warn you ahead of time when your oil pressure is dropping or an air filter is clogged. But there isn’t a laptop in the world that can fix a crack in a boom, a broken tooth on a bucket or a leaky hydraulic cylinder. Until dirt turns into digits,

74 December 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com

heavy construction is still a world of extreme physical forces to be tamed.

There is one other reason the industry shouldn’t start thinking that the people who do the “clean” work are on separate career paths from the people who do the “dirty” work. The fact is you need to get your hands dirty first before you can gain the kind of intuitive knowledge you need to solve a machine’s problems.

All technicians need to recognize the difference between the smell of burning electrical wire and burning oil. They need to have stripped the threads on an aluminum fastener at least once, so they understand how soft it is compared to steel. They need to hear the difference between a whine in a transmission and one coming off the serpentine belt.

Only after a year or two of this kind of hands-on training can a person have that deep, tactile, physical understanding of the equipment as a base of knowledge on which to understand what the digital systems are reporting and recording.

On their first day of class in Germany, students in the machinist trades are given a square, a file, a slightly irregular block of aluminum and a bench vise. Until they file that block perfectly straight and square on all six sides by hand, they don’t advance.

They either know the material physically and intuitively or they can’t advance. The quality of German cars and manufacturing is a testament to how well this system works.

We would do well to learn from this. By all means, bring on the army of digital technicians, but make them change oil and learn to weld first.

Put the wheels of tomorrow in motion.

New opportunities are born every day.

With the right equipment, they’re yours for the taking. North America’s most complete wheeled excavator lineup, including the Volvo EWR150E, is engineered to help you take on new and different challenges. Put versatility on your side and face tomorrow with confidence. volvoce.com/wex