CE EQUIPMENT CONNECTION - Compact Equipment

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Buckets of Knowledge Maximum productivity does not necessarily mean running at maximum RPMs. Ingrain that idea into your skid steer operators and their productivity will increase. Smooth, controlled operation is just one important aspect of skid steer training for your crew. Training programs are available from a variety of sources, including your equipment dealer and manufacturer. The following are some important productivity tips that your training program should address. 1. Use the Bucket’s Full Capacity on Every Load — A full bucket is more important than speed. Fill a skid steer’s bucket as you would a wheel loader. Lower the bucket until it’s fl at on the ground or work surface, then drive into the bank or pile as far as you can before losing power or traction. Raise the bucket slightly to make sure that all tires are fi rmly on the surface; then roll the bucket back to keep it fully loaded. If the skid steer loader approaches the pile without enough down pressure on the bucket or with the bucket not fl at on the ground, a “ramp” of material Buckets 101: A very full load can spill over the back of the bucket. This reduces productivity and the spillage can land in the operator’s compartment or on the operator’s feet, resulting in a potential safety concern. may accumulate at the front of the pile, reducing loading effi ciency. Setting a slight downward angle on the bucket can eliminate this problem. Ordering your skid steer with ride control will also help increase productivity. Ride control acts like a shock absorber, cushioning the bucket from the front-to-back rocking motion that a skid steer experiences under load. It not only helps you retain more material per load, it also reduces operator fatigue. 2. Load Loose Material with a Scooping Motion — When loading from a pile, a scooping motion of the bucket will result in more productive loading than a gouging or cutting motion, which is more appropriate to digging and loading sticky materials. By Jim Hughes, Marketing Manager of Case Construction Equipment 3. Keep Loaded Buckets as Low as Possible — Keep your loader’s center of gravity low by keeping your loaded bucket low. Drive straight up and down slopes with the heavy end of the machine always uphill. When the loader is carrying its rated capacity, you can drive it forward up slopes, but drive down slopes in reverse. 4. Keep the Bucket Level While Unloading — A very full load can spill over the back of the bucket. This reduces productivity and the spillage can land in the operator’s compartment or on the operator’s feet, resulting in a potential safety concern. When dumping into a truck, bin or container, drive forward slowly, lift the arms until the bucket has cleared the container side walls and dump the load by tilting the bucket fully forward. If your skid steer is not equipped with self-leveling, be sure to level the bucket while raising the loader arms. If your operation involves a lot of truck loading, be sure to order your skid steer with a self-leveling option. 5. Understand Your Options for Attachments and Tools — Skid steer loaders are among the most versatile of construction machines. Look into the dozens of attachments and tools that are available and understand the impact of each attachment on your application and the effect it may have on your productivity. If you switch out buckets and attachments frequently, be sure to order a hydraulic coupler. It allows you to switch attachments without ever leaving the seat of the machine, which makes you much more productive than manually releasing the coupler while changing attachments. Talk to your equipment dealer to make sure you are using the correct attachments for every application, that your machine is confi gured correctly and that you understand the correct installation and operation for maximum effi ciency, productivity and safety. 6. Maintain Your Equipment Properly — Following your skid steer operator’s manual for daily service checks and routine maintenance will keep your machine in top condition. Performing these checks daily and changing the fl uids at the proper intervals means that your skid steer loader will operate at peak productivity. 7. Find the Ideal Machine — The most productive skid steer is the one that provides the operator with ease of operation, high operator comfort, high visibility and high productivity so he or she can feel confident on the jobsite. A confident operator is a productive operator and that means more money in your pocket. A productive skid steer is also properly matched to the application and conditions. Providing your operator with training, along with appropriate tires, auxiliary hydraulics, bucket and specialty attachments, as well as options like A/C, highway safety equipment (rotating beacons and backup alarms) will maximize productivity. 18 Compact Equipment January 2008 compactequip.com
Check the Flow Skid steer loaders often are the go-to earthmover for landscape, agriculture and construction projects thanks to their small size and versatility with work tools. Buyers have a wide range of choices when it comes to manufacturers and models — even when it comes to hydraulics. Manufacturers offer high-fl ow and standard-fl ow machines, usually in a variety of sizes for each confi guration. 1. How It Works — A diesel engine and a set of hydraulic pumps (drive and implement/auxiliary) comprise a skid steer loader’s power train. Hydraulic pumps are connected to the engine; variable displacement pumps provide power to the hydraulic drive motors and fi xed displacement pumps provide power to the loader arms, move hydraulic fl uid through fi lters and provide pressure to run the pilot controls. Engine speed will determine the amount of power the system can generate. 2. Hydraulic Ground Drive — When an operator is not running a work tool, the drive pumps can direct full power to the wheels or tracks. A lot of power is needed to propel the machine into a dirt pile and break the load out, but if the implement pumps were to supply pressure and fl ow for this operation while the drive pumps were still drawing max power, the engine could stall. To combat this, some machines automatically reduce the displacement of the pumps preventing the engine from stalling while maintaining torque to the wheels or tracks at a reduced speed, providing maximum power to the implement circuit. 3. Gear and Piston Pumps — When selecting a machine, contractors should consider the type of pump the high-fl ow system is using. Most high-fl ow systems are designed by adding a gear pump to the standard fl ow circuit to add incremental fl ow at the same system pressure as the standard system. This increases the available hydraulic horsepower by increasing the speed of the work tool, but it does not provide additional torque to the work tool. Additional torque would require the high-fl ow system to provide higher system pressure too. Variable displacement piston pump high-fl ow systems are currently the only such systems that provide higher system pressure. 4. High and Standard Flow — Each manufacturer may have different criteria for “high fl ow” or “standard fl ow” among their own machines. A machine with a highfl ow circuit typically exceeds 26 gpm and 3,300 psi. The typical fl ow for a standard-fl ow machine is 22 gpm. By Keith Gribbins, Managing Editor of Compact Equipment 5. Keeping Things Cool — When considering a machine with high fl ow, it is important to take the cooling capability of the machine’s hydraulic system into account. Because high-fl ow machines generate more hydraulic horsepower they can also generate signifi cantly more heat in the hydraulic system. Gear pump high-fl ow systems generally will produce more heat than a variable displacement load sensing pump system. This is due to the gear pump system utilizing a relief valve to manage pressure in the auxiliary circuit. 6. Know Your Tool’s Flow Needs — Generally, a machine with high-fl ow hydraulics is able to operate work tools designed for standard-fl ow hydraulic machines, but the reverse pairing (high-fl ow tools with a standard machine) is not recommended. The hydraulic system of the standard-fl ow machine will be unable to supply the fl ow needed to properly operate the work tool. 7. Rent to Own — For contractors who work most often in medium-duty applications, owning a standard-fl ow machine and work tools and renting a high-fl ow machine for the occasional heavy-duty projects may prove the best solution. Contractors may also consider renting both types of machines in order to test their capabilities on real jobsite conditions. Hydraulic hose hookups and fi ttings are matched to the machine, ensuring a proper match and tight fi t eliminating the chance of leaking and loss of pressure. A manufacturer designs the machine controls to work with specifi c corresponding tools as a system and the pairing is intended to maximize the performance and controllability of the work tool. compactequip.com January 2008 Compact Equipment 19
Page 2 and 3: Circle 1 on reader service card
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTS 16 24 28 32 36 46 COMPACT
Page 6 and 7: F R O M T H E E D I T O R . . . Tra
Page 8 and 9: CE News United Rentals Supplies “
Page 10 and 11: CE News FMI and CMAA Present the Ei
Page 12 and 13: AEM Releases Annual Outlook Report
Page 14 and 15: Hammer Time Tips for Choosing, Main
Page 17: New projects often present challeng
Page 21 and 22: Tow to Tow One morning your skid st
Page 23 and 24: Versatile Buckets 1. Ballad of the
Page 25 and 26: Breaking Out When the time comes fo
Page 27: Five Tips for Operating a Concrete
Page 30 and 31: Power buggies cost $7,500 to $10,00
Page 32 and 33: Every compressor salesperson claims
Page 34 and 35: One way to determine if a compresso
Page 36 and 37: Get ready to test your luck at the
Page 38 and 39: Takeuchi The TB138FR mini excavator
Page 40 and 41: Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Inger
Page 42 and 43: Coneqtec/Universal Coneqtec/Univers
Page 44 and 45: Products Komatsu Ltd. was fi rst es
Page 47 and 48: Few applications have a wider range
Page 49 and 50: Honda Engines The World’s Biggest
Page 51 and 52: Contractors on the Go By Greg Thomp
Page 53: Racks or sides come in a few differ
Page 56 and 57: CE EQUIPMENT CONNECTION Circle 12 o
Page 58 and 59: CE E-Biz Hobart Brothers Keeps You
Page 60: Circle 4 on reader service card

CE EQUIPMENT CONNECTION - Compact Equipment

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?