Quarrying and construction machine operators have a huge influence on total cost of ownership (TCO). Volvo Construction Equipment says that customers who invest in their people will reap enormous financial rewards in the long term as they help them to bring out the best in their machines. The Sweden-headquartered global off-highway equipment market manufacturer is highlighting four main ways operator training can make a difference.
Save money on fuel
Inexperienced operators who push the throttle to the bottom all the time and jerk machines about will send fuel consumption through the roof. Fuel doesn’t come cheap and over time this will add up to an eye-watering amount of money wasted on unnecessary fuel consumption. Training will help operators develop a feeling for how much power they need while avoiding spinning tyres. Even experienced operators will benefit from a course, such as EcoOperator training, which helps participants to plan their work in the smartest way and make the most of all the latest efficiency-enhancing features on new Volvo machines. The investment soon pays for itself. After that, all savings on fuel consumption go straight to the bottom line.
Reduce maintenance costs
In addition to wasting fuel, over-revving the engine, sudden staccato movements or overloading will cause unnecessary wear to a machine and reduce the life of its components. Untrained operators may even attempt dangerous manoeuvres or jobs for which a machine is not suited causing costly damage. Training operators will encourage them to work with the machine in a smooth, careful and responsible way that leads to significantly lower maintenance costs in the long term.
Avoid costly accidents
Accidents are every customer’s nightmare. Even if there is no harm to the operator or other people surrounding the work site, accidents still lead to unplanned downtime while the cause of the incident is investigated and any damage is fixed. Production time lost and repair costs eat into profits like nothing else. Volvo is committed to safety and builds many safety-enhancing features into its machines but cannot guarantee against their misuse. Training will help operators to develop their safety awareness to ensure they are always using the machine in a correct and responsible way, while looking out for people and other machines on the site. Safe production is reliable production, which will lead to lower TCO overall.
Increase overall production
The skill of an operator has an enormous impact on the amount of work they are able to achieve within a shift. Operators who plan their work efficiently, use precise movements, and achieve an optimum load or fill factor save a lot of time. Upskilling your operators will dramatically increase their productivity – and the more you produce, the more you earn.
This article first appeared on our sister title Aggregates Business.
