Wagner_Spring15

WAGNER EQUIPMENT CO.

Spring 2015 | The Wagner Review

Operator Tips for Higher Productivity

themselves under pressure to finish a job quickly. It’s important to resist the urge to rush, because hurried work can lead to machine damage, dual efforts to fix mistakes and poor record keeping. Up-to-date and accurate records allow machine owners and operators to track progress, which can be used to make adjustments for increased productivity. Additionally, the following loading practices can improve operator efficiency. • Pay attention to the distance between the machine and the material when loading. Traveling longer distances than needed

increases completion time and can accelerate wear on tracks and tires.

• Be aware of loading limits. Overloading the machine could have a negative impact on maintenance intervals, lead to downtime or increase equipment wear.

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Get creative with your equipment Work tools improve machine versatility

so operators can complete more jobs with fewer machines. Using machines and attachments for multiple purposes or in unique applications can help optimize the equipment even further. For example, a mulcher can be used to clear shooting lanes in a deer hunting reserve, which opens the paths for hunters and increases equipment productivity. Here are some other examples: • Augers are used for drilling, but they can also be used to screw specialty bits into concrete or asphalt for manholes and valve access. They can drill anchors for a stronger foundation, such as soil stabilization in hill sides. Augers have even been used to power stirring devices for manure and slurry retention ponds. • Hammers can be equipped with plates, instead of pointed tools, for compacting. Stick-mounted hammers can be used overhead for removing rock faces or for scaling ceilings in caverns and tunnels. • Cold planers are used to profile or texture asphalt and concrete roadways, but they can also remove large numbers of stumps in special applications such as Christmas tree farms. In dairy applications, a cold planer mounted to a skid steer loader can texture concrete to keep the cows from slipping and falling in the milk parlors. Analyzing application practices can make a big difference in improving jobsite efficiency across the board. The goal is to apply equipment in unique ways that will allow machine owners and operators to get more out of their fleet, reduce wear and tear and increase overall productivity.

P roductivity is something that can always be improved upon, so it makes sense that machine owners and operators continue to look for ways to get more from their equipment. Being more mindful of how jobsite responsibilities are completed can help operators work more effectively. We’ve identified three areas in which application practices can be evaluated to improve jobsite strategy, extend equipment lifecycles and increase efficiency.

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and minimizes wear and tear on the machine. • In agriculture, some job tasks require moving heavier materials like manure. In this case, select a bucket with less capacity to maintain the proper balance of breakout force, bucket loading time and job site travel speed. • In construction, it’s more efficient to incorporate a quick coupler onto a loader arm than to use forks on the front of a bucket. By removing the bucket, and installing a set of forks, construction operators can safely lift a heavier load, improve jobsite visibility and increase machine stability at higher ground speeds. • It’s common for operators to break concrete using the bucket on an excavator or backhoe loader. Adding a hydraulic hammer is much more productive and does less damage to the machine.

Anticipate equipment needs Job requirements can differ by a number of factors including, but not limited to, project type, location, application and industry. It’s important to outline tasks and identify which machine type, size and configuration is needed before starting any work. Each industry generally has a standard set of equipment that’s required, but sometimes, the same machine can be used across a variety of job tasks for improved productivity. Here are some examples: • Landscaping machines, like compact track loaders or multi terrain loaders, can also be used for snow and ice management. Purchasing a set of snow tracks can greatly improve performance because track-tread patterns meant for soil do not work as well in snow. Additionally, a skid steer loader could probably remove a tree stump, but replacing the bucket with a stump grinder makes quick work of the job, does less damage to the site

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Establish effective operator techniques Sometimes machine operators will find

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