Catch Wind of the Hype: The Growth of the Wind Energy Industry

In 2015, 80% of the world’s energy came from fossil fuels. However, there are other safer, environmentally-friendly solutions all around us, and we’re finally beginning to utilize them.

The past decade has seen stunning growth in environmentally-conscious businesses and consumers, especially where wind energy is concerned.

But why the sudden interest? Aren’t there other renewable energy sources?

There are, but right now is the optimal time for wind. Find out why you should join the movement.

Why Is Wind a Promising Choice?

Wind energy has few disadvantages and a myriad of advantages.

Wind turbines work by letting the wind spin propellors. The propellors link to the main turbine shaft, which transmits the energy throughout the turbine and to the generator, where it’s transformed into power.

The sun’s warmth spurs the wind, so it is an abundant resource. Further, it’s cost effective and advantageous to farmers or individuals with many acres of land, who can make money in addition to using the turbine to power their home.

Finally, turbines are excellent for the economy and the Earth.

The Future of Wind Energy

Wind energy is the fastest growing sector of renewable energy. In 2016, 27% of all new energy capacity additions were from the wind industry.

Over 30% of Iowa’s and South Dakota’s electricity in 2015 was from wind.

But the demand isn’t the only thing growing. Wind energy doubled from 2011 to 2016, and job growth increased by 32% in the sector from 2015 to 2016.

Like the wind itself, the sector is spreading across the globe.

Why Is the Wind Industry Growing So Quickly?

Society is beginning to turn to wind energy for power needs as it recognizes the positive impacts it has. There are many reasons for the sector’s growth.

Technological Advances

Wind turbines today are larger and more efficient than their past models. Researchers are also studying materials that reduce costs and stand up to the elements.

The result is turbines that are cheaper and offer higher efficiency.

Most People Can Benefit

Over half of the population dwells within 50 miles of a coastline, making wind a promising source for a large proportion of the US. As a result, businesses and even landowners are taking advantage of the future opportunities this entails.  

Prices

The prices for wind energy are excellent. Wind energy is the cheapest source of renewable energy in the UK and US.

As demand grows, competition ensues. This drives prices down even more.

State Requirements

More states are demanding businesses behave in environmentally-friendly ways. Customers, too, place a high value on this trait.

As expectations and requirements increase regarding behavior, companies search for the least expensive way to satisfy their corporate needs, state regulations and customer wishes. Wind energy is a popular choice.

Tax Credits

Finally, current and past tax credits encourage individuals and companies to take advantage of wind energy.

The Production Tax Credit will go out of effect in 2020, meaning businesses and homeowners are building now to take advantage of discounted prices.

Maintain Your Turbine

Wind energy is beneficial, and it doesn’t look like it will disappear anytime soon. But maintaining a turbine is a different matter. It takes quality parts, routine care, and careful research.

Do you need braking systems for your turbine? If so, contact our representatives to discuss your needs. Regardless of how specific, our experts will find the parts you require.

Let the wind blow those electrical bills away.

The Basics of Oil Rig Drilling Equipment

The oil and gas industry might be considered the backbone of America’s economy. With production going back to the mid-1800s, oil is an absolute necessity for this country. Since 2017 American oil companies have produced and refined over 571 million metric tons of oil.

The oil industry employs thousands of people, making it one of the most lucrative jobs in the country. Oil rigs are complicated. Keep reading to find out how most rigs work and what kind of parts make them up.

From the Top Down

First things first: getting to know your rig is essential. As such, knowing every inch of it from the mast to the mud tanks is the first step. There are several major components for every rig.

Crown Block

This collection of pulleys is located at the very top of a rig. These pulleys maneuver the heavy drilling equipment further down the rig. They will be mounted to the platform, keeping them stable throughout the drilling process.

Top Drive

A top drive will help decrease the manual labor that goes into oil drilling. The motor will turn the string which controls the drill. This replaces a Kelly or rotary table some older rigs are outfitted with.

Doghouse

For the people running the drill, a doghouse is a place where they can stay undercover to observe the drilling processes. It can be used as an onshore office or for offshore drilling it keeps the electronics safe from the elements.

Drill Pipe

This part will encase the drill bit and help revolve the bit as it goes deep into the ground. It will also circulate the drill fluids, preventing the part from overheating.

Drill Bit

Possibly the most essential part of every rig, the drill bit, will bite into the shale or gravel the rig is placed over, bringing you closer to oil. Drilling the wellbore is an essential step of the oil production business. Making sure your bit is reliable and of high-quality metal will ensure the process goes smoothly.

Shale Shakers

Oil drilling is a messy business. There will be a lot of material you need to sift through. Shale shakers are a collection of sieves and screens that will help remove unwanted grime from the well.

The Mast

This part is where most of the pulleys and strings are located. It’s the tallest part of every drill. You’ll be able to position the strings with the mast, ensuring your best ground penetration.

Mud Tanks

When a well begins to fill with excess fluids, it’s necessary to store them safely out of the way. Mud tanks are steel tubes and plates that keep those drilling detritus safe.

Know the Oil Rig Inside and Out

There are a lot of moving parts that go with an oil rig. Knowing what each one does will ensure you’re able to keep an eye on your rig better.

If you notice some parts are beginning to wear out though, it may be time to get some replacements. When you do, be sure to contact us. Our high grade, industrial parts will keep your production business running smoothly.

OSHA Compliance and Overhead Crane Inspection

Over half of all overhead crane fatalities involved injuries from objects or parts falling from cranes.

To avoid this type of injury and fatality, OSHA created a list of guidelines regarding the use and maintenance of overhead cranes. OSHA compliance should be one of your biggest priorities to protect the safety of your workers.

Keep reading to learn more about how you can become OSHA-compliant and how crane inspection can help you save the lives of your employees.

How to Achieve OSHA Compliance

We’re going to jump right into how you can achieve compliance with OSHA. As you’ll see, there are only a few steps, but each one will require a lot of work. Keep in mind that putting in this work is well worth the effort.

1. Know the Standards

Before you can adhere to the standards, you have to know what they are. Take your time in reading through the OSHA overhead crane standards to see which ones apply to your particular business.

These standards will determine what you need to do for the rest of the process.

2. Set up Inspections

One of the most important things you can do to comply with OSHA’s standards is to have regular inspections done of your overhead cranes. There are two types of inspection schedules that you need to follow.

Frequent Inspections

These should be done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis on all cranes that are in regular use. You’ll need to check that your cranes are working correctly and that all parts are in good repair.

Periodic Inspections

These inspections are done quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. In some cases, it involves carefully checking parts like brakes and fire extinguishers. It may also require a thorough inspection of cranes that are not in regular use.

3. Follow Manufacturer’s Recommendations

In your crane’s logbook, you should be keeping track of the manufacturer’s recommendations for every part of your crane. These will need to be inspected or replaced in different timeframes, so you need to know when to do these.

4. Perform Preventative Maintenance

In addition to inspecting your crane and parts, you also need to be performing routine maintenance on it. This will help keep everything in good working order and allow you to continue to comply with OSHA standards.

This is another area in which you’ll have to check for manufacturer’s recommendations to see how often parts need to be serviced and what needs to be done for them.

5. Ensure All Personnel Are Qualified

Every person that works in or around your overhead crane should have the proper certifications. OHSA requires that all crane operators have the appropriate training to reduce the chances of workplace accidents from happening.

Don’t forget to restrict access to cranes by using a keycard system and locking doors whenever possible.

Need an Overhead Crane Inspection?

Now you know the five things you need to do to ensure OSHA compliance for your overhead crane operation. As you can see, there’s a lot of work involved, but it’s worth it for the safety of your workers.

If you need an inspection to meet OSHA guidelines, ask us about our overhead crane inspection services.

Hydraulic vs Mechanical Disc Brakes: Your Questions Answered

Brakes come in many varieties and sizes, each with its own purpose. Out of the two most common brake types, hydraulic vs. mechanical disc brakes, which one is best? What is the difference between the two, and what purpose do they serve?

If you’ve come to this article seeking answers to these questions, then you’ve come to the right place. All of these questions (and more) are answered in the below.

Hydraulic vs. Mechanical Disc Brakes

In this section, you’ll find out the difference between hydraulic and mechanical brakes. Read on to find out more.

What’s the Difference?

Hydraulic brakes are better at coming to a complete stop than mechanical brakes, are cheaper, and save more space than other brake types.

Efficiency means that hydraulic discs dissipate heat well. This translates into a long life span for hydraulic brakes. When all of this comes together, it means that hydraulic brakes end up being safer than other brakes.

Hydraulic brakes are easy to repair because of readily available parts and because of their sealed-off closed system. This means that hydraulic brakes only lose brake fluid when the brake is malfunctioning.

Hydraulic brakes are also easier to inspect than mechanical brakes because there is no need to remove the wheels.

Mechanical brakes are significantly less durable than hydraulic brakes because they rely on fiction alone to stop vehicles. The durability of mechanical brakes depends on the strength of the friction-like material used in the pad or shoe of the brake.

Hydraulic brakes may be easy to fix, but that doesn’t mean that mechanical brakes aren’t easy to fix as well. Mechanical brakes are easier to set up and maintain and are more cost-effective than hydraulic brakes.

Also known as drum brakes, these brakes are known to brake fade, which is when you lose braking power due to the heating up of the brake system. Modern vehicles still utilize this older braking system, although they are (for the most part) found in the rear wheels.

Which Brake is Better?

Each brake serves its purpose in the real world.

Hydraulic brakes are most commonly found in vehicles, which often require a specific fluid to allow them to run correctly. High-pressure breaking is where hydraulic brakes excel, assuming the hydraulic system that powers them is operating correctly.

Mechanical brakes, on the other hand, do not require a power supply or system to run. A simple lever is usually what powers a mechanical brake, meaning they are quite basic. Parking brakes are an excellent example of a mechanical brake.

You Decide…

Hydraulic vs. mechanical disc brakes may sound complicated, but hopefully, this article has made it easier to understand what they are and what they do.

If you’d like a one-stop place for all the industrial solutions that you or your company require, then make sure to check us out.

The Basics of the Wind Turbine Brake System

The wind turbine brake system is one that is every bit as impressive as it is complicated. To work on something as powerful as a wind turbine, you can’t expect anything less.

Over the years the design has been modified to work at maximum efficiency and to help save on the general cost of materials. That being said, it can be a challenge to know everything that’s involved with making the brakes work.

This article will describe the basics of the brake system, so you’ll have an idea of how they work if you ever need to handle them in the future.

The Basics of the Wind Turbine Brake System

The turbine brake system is made to slow down and halt the movement of the wind turbine itself. It takes more than just a couple of simple brake pads to bring it to a halt.

There’s a lot of kinetic energy generated by the wind turbines, and to disperse it properly, you have to turn that kinetic energy into heat energy. Depending on the type of wind turbine, you can do this in several ways.

Low-Speed Braking

If your wind turbine runs off of lower speed mechanics, you don’t need to have the powerful brakes that high-speed turbines use. In this case, you could get away with installing a large disc brake instead.

Disc brakes are the same brakes found on many motor vehicles. We don’t tend to think of our cars as low-speed or low-power, but compared to a high-power wind turbine they don’t generate nearly as much kinetic energy.

One thing to keep in mind is that the disc brakes rely on torque to do their job, so make sure you pick the right brakes to last you a long while.

High-Speed Braking

When you have a bigger wind turbine or one that generates a lot of power, you need more than disc breaks to stop it. That’s where high-speed brakes come into play.

High-speed brakes work by engaging with the generator so they can directly affect the movement of the turbine. The ratio of the turbine’s gearboxes results in a significant reduction in output torque, something to factor into your selection.

Two of the main things you need to factor in are the diameter of the brakes and the number of teeth the brakes have on them. The higher the number these variables are, the better and faster the brakes will perform.

If you want to be on the safe side (and if your turbine allows it), you could get both brake types. Doing this ends up being cost-effective in the long run, so if you have the money to buy both now, you should do so.

All of the Products You Need

When it comes to accessing the right products, you should know we’ve got you covered. You can buy an industrial wind turbine brake system, as well as clutch accessories, torque limiters, and much more.

Reach out to us to find out what we can do to help you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Protecting Your Workers and Facility: Overhead Crane Safety

There is an average of 71 fatal accidents involving cranes in the United States every year.

It’s essential to understand overhead crane safety to avoid injury or death to your workers. By following these simple tips, you can help prevent numerous workplace accidents.

Keep reading to learn more about overhead crane operation and how to ensure the safety of everyone in your company.

1. Set up Daily Inspections

You should be doing a full, in-depth inspection of your crane every single day. Everything that’s checked should be noted in a log book where anything unusual is written.

Some things to check every day include:

  • Operating mechanisms
  • Lines, tanks, and valves
  • Hooks
  • Hoist chains and ropes
  • Slings

Any unusual findings should immediately be addressed, and the crane should never be operated if there are any suspicions that it may not be working correctly.

2. Inspect Before Every Lift

You should also be doing a quick visual inspection before every lift. This ensures nothing unusual has happened since the previous lift. It also allows you to make sure the loading area is clear of anything that could interfere with the next lift.

3. Always Confirm Suitability

If you always lift the same amount of weight with your crane, you can skip this step. However, if you are frequently moving objects of different weights, you need to ensure that your crane is capable of lifting them safely.

Carefully check everything from the type of motor you have to the sling and hook before lifting something. If you attempt to lift something heavier than what your crane can handle, the lift could end in disaster.

4. Use Clear Communication

In most cases, you won’t be able to speak directly to the crane operator. That’s why it’s crucial to have a qualified crane operator signal person on the ground.

This person should know the proper hand signals needed to safely direct the crane operator, so the job is completed without putting anyone in danger.

You’ll also want to communicate with everyone on the ground when a load is going up. This allows workers to clear the area while the crane is in operation.

5. Limit Crane Access

Speaking of qualified personnel, access to the crane must be limited to only those who know how to operate it. In the wrong hands, an overhead crane can be deadly. Use locks and keycards to restrict crane access.

6. Minimize Load Swing

Make sure your crane operators are both qualified and skilled at operating a crane. This means they can smoothly move the load to minimize the amount of moving it does.

When the load swings, it puts unnecessary pressure on components and can create an unsafe work environment.

7. Keep Equipment Clean

This should go without saying, but avoid storing slings and other crane equipment on the floor. By keeping everything clean, you can keep it in good working order which will decrease the chances of failure.

Learn More About Overhead Crane Safety

Now you have a list of ways you can ensure the safety of yourself and your employees when using cranes.

Learn more about overhead crane safety; check out our article on small mobile crane maintenance. There, you’ll find additional information on how you can keep your crane running the way it should.

4 Things Custom Machined Parts Can Do That Factory Made Parts Can’t

Custom machining parts might seem like a luxury that doesn’t have a lot of pay off. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Having custom parts will allow you to do jobs that either you couldn’t do or do well with factory made parts.

Other times your machines might need custom parts to keep them up and running correctly. We’ve made a list of things that custom parts can help with. Let’s learn more!

1. Handle Special Jobs

Some jobs will require special tools or parts to complete. In the past, you may have had to turn down some of these because you didn’t have the right equipment. Not anymore.

If you can custom make parts, then you can adapt the equipment that you do have. With the made-to-order parts, every task will seem to be much easier. This improves workforce productivity and allows you to grow your bottom line along the way.

2. Replace Old or Discontinued Parts

After you have machines for some time, they can become outdated or obsolete. That makes it hard to replace the parts as they wair out.  If an older machine that you use regularly goes out, you’ll lose money either in the downtime or by having to buy a new machine.

This is where custom made parts come in. You can easily have the part made to fit your machine regardless of how old it is. People who make these part can reverse engineer just about anything. You’ll just bring in the old part, and a new one can be made. This can cut down your wait time and get you back up and running quicker.

3. Give You a Hand with Tricky Material

Some materials are harder to work with than others, especially if you don’t have the right parts. Examples include plastics, bronze, and steel equipment.

You can’t use your regular equipment and processes with them. Because of this you might have had to limit the materials that you’ve worked with in the past.

4. Streamline Production

When you have custom equipment, you can cut down on time it takes you to do a job. Since the equipment that you are using is specially made for the job you are doing, you can get to it faster and better.

If you can make your own custom parts, then you never have to deal with suppliers. That also means you can make adjustments as you go without having to wait for someone else to send you more parts.

Regular Factory Made Parts Don’t Do All of That

When all of your employees are working at their full capacity, you’ll save a lot of money. For most companies, paying employees accounts for about 90% of total operating costs. When they work more, you make more.

Factory-made parts are limited in what they can do, while custom-made parts offer more versatility.

If you want to be able to take advantage of the things that custom factory parts can do for you, contact us.

 

Protecting Your Workers and Facility: Overhead Crane Safety

There is an average of 71 fatal accidents involving cranes in the United States every year.

It’s essential to understand overhead crane safety to avoid injury or death to your workers. By following these simple tips, you can help prevent numerous workplace accidents.

Keep reading to learn more about overhead crane operation and how to ensure the safety of everyone in your company.

1. Set up Daily Inspections

You should be doing a full, in-depth inspection of your crane every single day. Everything that’s checked should be noted in a log book where anything unusual can be written.

Some things to check every day include:

  • Operating mechanisms
  • Lines, tanks, and valves
  • Hooks
  • Hoist chains and ropes
  • Slings

Any unusual findings should immediately be addressed and the crane should never be operated if there are any suspicions that it may not be working correctly.

2. Inspect Before Every Lift

You should also be doing a quick visual inspection before every lift. This ensures nothing unusual has happened since the previous lift. It also allows you to make sure the loading area is clear of anything that could interfere with the next lift.

3. Always Confirm Suitability

If you always lift the same amount of weight with your crane, you can skip this step. However, if you are frequently moving objects of different weights, you need to ensure that your crane is capable of lifting them safely.

Carefully check everything from the type of motor you have to the sling and hook before lifting something. If you attempt to lift something heavier than what your crane can handle, the lift could end in disaster.

4. Use Clear Communication

In most cases, you won’t be able to speak directly to the crane operator. That’s why it’s crucial to have a qualified crane operator signal person on the ground.

This person should know the proper hand signals needed to safely direct the crane operator, so the job is completed without putting anyone in danger.

You’ll also want to communicate with everyone on the ground when a load is going up. This allows workers to clear the area while the crane is in operation.

5. Limit Crane Access

Crane access must be limited to only those who know how to operate it. In the wrong hands, an overhead crane can be deadly. Use locks and keycards to restrict crane access.

6. Minimize Load Swing

Make sure your crane operators are both qualified and skilled at operating a crane. This means they can smoothly move the load to minimize the amount of moving it does.

When the load swings, it puts unnecessary pressure on components and can create an unsafe work environment.

7. Keep Equipment Clean

This should go without saying, but avoid storing slings and other crane equipment on the floor. By keeping everything clean, you can keep it in good working order which will decrease the chances of failure.

Learn More About Overhead Crane Safety

Now you have a list of ways you can ensure the safety of yourself and your employees when using cranes.

Check out our article on small mobile crane maintenance. There, you’ll find additional information on how you can keep your crane running the way it should.

What You Need to Know to Keep Your Wind Turbine Running Smoothly

Want to lower your electricity bill by 100%?

You can use the green energy of your very own wind turbine to reduce energy costs in your own home. But it depends on a few factors.

Are you comfortable working with AC and DC wiring? Can you safely connect a battery? Are you comfortable pouring cement and renting heavy equipment such as a lift? Then you may be up for the project of installing your own micro wind turbine!

As someone who is already confident maintaining and fixing your own equipment, you might want to consider adding a wind turbine to your skill set. Below we’ve created a guide to wind turbines, to help you take advantage of the power of the wind!

How Wind Turbines Work

Giant wind turbines catch energy from either moving liquid or gas, as they spin around. They rotate because of the shape of their blades, which have a slight curve to them. This is similar to how wind lifts an airplane due to the shape of its wings. Except, in this case, the wind pushes the turbines or giant rotor blades.

The length of the rotor blade determines how much energy the turbine produces. They are usually about 230 feet long. It will also depend on the speed of the wind, which causes the turbines to spin faster.

If the wind blows twice as quickly, your turbines will produce eight times more energy. This is because wind energy is your turbine’s speed cubed.

Wind Power: Pros & Cons

The generator is the part of the wind turbine that takes the kinetic energy created by the wind turning the turbines and converts it into electrical energy. This can then be used to light a home or other building.

One nice aspect of wind turbine energy is that it doesn’t produce greenhouse gas emissions or pollution. However, there are some disadvantages to wind turbines, the most obvious being that they don’t generate as much energy as coal, gas or a nuclear plant. You would need about 1000 2MW wind turbines to keep up with a coal plant.

Plus wind power is dependent on, well, wind. Which as you know isn’t consistent. Lastly, it takes up a lot of space because each wind turbine must be a significant distance apart.

This is because as the wind passes through the turbines, it slows down.

Harness the Power of the Wind

If you’d like to take advantage of wind energy in your own home, you can install your own micro wind turbine. Small windmill generators can be a great way to save on electricity bills and also help the environment. But location is everything when it comes to turbines.

You will need to live in an area with very few obstructions from things like buildings or trees. These can block wind and prevent your turbines from generating energy. You will also need to speak with your town to make sure tall towers are allowed in your neighborhood.

The tower must be installed 30 feet above any obstruction in the area. Once you’ve determined that your location will work, consider finding ways to make your home more energy efficient. This will not only instantly reduce the cost of your energy bills but will also allow you to purchase a smaller renewable energy system.

There are plenty of energy saving tips to help you get started. When choosing a wind turbine, you will need to consult a professional manufacturer who will provide a total cost for all the parts you need as well as the labor. If you are unable to connect your wind turbine to a grid, you need a standalone battery.

Deep-cycle batteries are best for wind turbines since they can discharge and recharge 80% of their energy 100 times! Automotive batteries aren’t recommended.

You can learn more about setting up your own micro wind turbine through resources such as the Clean Energy States Alliance.

Wind Turbine Maintenance

Building your own small wind turbine might be the start of some major savings for you and your family!

If you’re ready to get started and are searching for specific parts, we’ve got an inventory you can’t miss!

5 Different Types of Testing to Perform on Your Equipment

Do you work in construction and use heavy equipment regularly? Can the environment make it hard for the machinery to operate correctly?

We happen to know a few ways to ensure that your equipment performs well.

A variety of tests are available to test the durability of the material you use on the job. They ensure that your tools function no matter what the weather is like.

With these techniques, you can save money on new machines and learn how to use your equipment in different scenarios. By using our services, you can have an easy time operating cranes, bulldozers, loaders, excavators, and other machines.

Here are five different types of testing to perform on your equipment to ensure their functionality.

1. Shock Testing

The quality of construction equipment depends on how well they can handle being moved around. There’s a way to make sure that it doesn’t fall over in these scenarios.

The material testing equipment for this option includes free-fall shock towers that simulate shock waves. Common sources of shock waves that construction equipment deals with include shipping, loading, and transport.

No matter how careful you try to be with your machines in loading docks, the wrong move can cause it to fall over. Even if you have to drop the equipment during placement, the force can cause it to tip to the side.

The shock towers can drop your machines from different heights and angles to see how much force they can take. It’s best to drop it from all angles to see if there are any weak spots.

We recommend this testing for those working with larger amounts of equipment. This can come in handy for projects in populated areas, or those that involve large structures.

2. Temperature and Humidity (Different Types of Testing)

The extreme heat and cold of the summer and winter can make it harder to operate cranes, bulldozers, and other large equipment. While the majority of these machines are designed for these conditions, you can never be too safe.

If you want your equipment to perform consistently, you should try it at different temperatures and humidities in environmental test chambers. The best options are below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Not all equipment is made of the same material, so some machinery will be able to handle specific temperatures better than others. We suggest testing everything you use, from iron to steel.

These material testing methods may not be needed during the Fall or Spring, which don’t experience such extremes. However, you should be ready just in case the temperature is still relatively high in November, or it’s still cold enough in April to get snow.

These chambers also come in handy in case you have to move the equipment to another part of the world that’s warmer or colder than where you are now. This will prepare your machines for whatever the area you’re traveling to has to offer.

3. Chemical Resistance Testing

Your equipment may be tough enough to handle extreme cold and heat. However, it may not be able to withstand certain chemicals.

Anti-freeze, fertilizers, insecticides, and other chemicals may be more harmful to machinery than they are to what you are usually using them on. This can lead the tools to degrade and break apart over time.

The age of the equipment may affect how much of these chemicals it can take. If you’ve been using the same machines for years, then you’ll have a tougher time in this situation.

Make sure to spray these chemicals and their components on your tools. Some machinery may take longer to react than others, but you’ll need to keep an eye on them.

This test is significant if you’re going to be renting equipment for a certain project. Spraying chemicals on it before you use it will save you plenty of time and money on finding replacements.

4. Sand and Dust Testing

Some people in the construction industry have the luxury of working in more pleasant environments. Others, however, have to work in places where dust and sand are common.

This material can keep your machines from working by collecting into parts that affect movement. If they stick to your tools long enough and in certain conditions, they can reduce the toughness of the object’s surface.

That’s where lab testing machines come in. Enclosed chambers have been designed to blow sand, dust, and gravel at your machines to test their resistance.

You will need to consider factors such as pressure, temperature, concentration, and humidity during the tests. Parts you should test include seals, enclosures, coatings, and brakes to ensure the equipment can move and stop when you need to.

Make sure that the tests include large particles, which are very common in the outdoors. If you don’t live in areas where sand and dust are common, these tests can still help in case you eventually have to work in such an environment.

5. UV Exposure Testing

As good as the sun may feel after months of low temperatures, your equipment may not feel the same way. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation may be keeping your machines from performing as they should.

Different types of material can handle UV exposure better than others. Enough exposure can cause cracks and peels in the coating, as well as a loss of strength in the surface.

With Xenon-arc UV exposure, your construction equipment will be able to handle the worse that the sun can throw at it. This test consists of bulbs that create a spectrum of natural sunlight to shine on the material.

You should first consider how much sunlight the area where you’re working is exposed to throughout the year. Tests during cloudier or colder days can prepare your machines for brighter days.

If you’re working on a variety of projects, you may need to conduct more tests. Some buildings consist of more steel or bricks than others, and their location can affect how much UV exposure they experience.

Our Take

Construction equipment requires different types of testing to be ready for any situation. Weather and the environment come with a variety of challenges, and the material and tactics you use to move machines face damage risks.

However, with the right testing machines and settings, you can keep your equipment in shape and running for a long time.

Check out more of our tips today so that your construction equipment stays strong and continues to produce amazing projects.