FIELD INSIGHTS
Thoughts from the field on heavy equipment, mining, quarrying, wear, operations, business, and the decisions behind them.
More than two decades around this industry have taught me that some of the most useful lessons don't come from a brochure or a boardroom. They come from machines, operators, mechanics, customers, suppliers and sometimes from getting things wrong.
This is where I share some of those observations, along with industry developments and ideas I think are worth paying attention to.
How Much Machine Time Should a Tooth Change Take?
A reusable hammerless pin may reduce tooth-change labor and stopped-machine time. Here is how to measure the current process and decide whether conversion is justified.
What Does a Bucket Tooth Really Cost? Five Factors Behind Cost per Operating Hour and Cost per Ton
The purchase price of a bucket tooth is only the starting point. These five factors show what a GET system is really costing per operating hour and, when the records support it, per ton.
How Can a Quarry Test an Alternative GET System Without Converting the Whole Fleet?
Converting a bucket without a clear incumbent baseline proves very little. Here is a practical way to test an alternative GET system on one machine, measure what matters and decide whether another conversion is justified, or whether the current system should stay…