Remember these five tips to easily prevent malfunctions in construction machinery

Minimize the influence of harmful factors as much as possible

(1) Reduce the influence of mechanical impurities

Mechanical impurities generally refer to non-metallic substances such as dust and soil, as well as some metal shavings and wear products produced by construction machinery itself during its operation. Once these impurities enter the interior of the machinery and reach the mating surfaces, their harm is significant. Not only do they impede the relative motion and accelerate the wear of parts, but they also scratch the mating surfaces, damage the lubricating oil film, and cause the temperature of the parts to rise and the lubricating oil to deteriorate. It has been measured that when the mechanical impurities in the lubrication increase to 0.15%, the wear rate of the first piston ring of the engine will be 2.5 times greater than the normal value. When impurity particles enter the rolling shaft, its service life will be reduced by 80% to 90%. Therefore, for construction machinery operating in harsh and complex environments, it is necessary to use high-quality and well-matched components, lubricating oil and grease to block the source of harmful impurities. Second, it is necessary to do a good job in mechanical protection at the work site to ensure that the corresponding mechanisms can operate normally and prevent various impurities from entering the interior of the machinery. For malfunctioning machinery, it is advisable to have it repaired at a regular repair site as much as possible. When conducting on-site repairs, protective measures should also be taken to prevent the parts to be replaced from being contaminated by dust and other impurities before entering the machinery.

(2) Reduce the influence of temperature

In work, each component has its own normal temperature range. For instance, the temperature of general cooling water is 80-90℃, and that of hydraulic oil in hydraulic transmission systems is 30-60℃. If the temperature is lower or higher than this range, it will accelerate the wear of parts, cause the deterioration of lubricating oil, and result in changes in material properties, etc. Tests show that the main transmission gears and bearings of various construction machinery wear out 10 to 12 times more when operating in lubricating oil at -5℃ than when operating in lubricating oil at 3℃. However, when the temperature is too high, it will accelerate the deterioration of the lubricating oil. For instance, when the oil temperature exceeds 55-60℃, for every 5℃ increase in oil temperature, the oxidation rate of the oil will double. For this reason, during the operation of construction machinery, it is necessary to prevent overloading at low temperatures, ensure the normal operation during the low-speed preheating stage, and wait until the machinery reaches the specified temperature before driving or working. Do not neglect its important role just because no problems occur at that time. Second, it is necessary to prevent the machinery from operating at high temperatures. During the operation of the machinery, the values on various thermometers should be frequently checked. If any problems are found, the machine should be stopped immediately for inspection and any faults should be promptly eliminated. For cases where the cause cannot be identified for the time being, the machinery must not be allowed to operate while faulty without any treatment. In daily work, it is necessary to pay attention to checking the working condition of the cooling system. For water-cooled machinery, it is necessary to inspect and add cooling water before each day's operation. For air-cooled machinery, it is also necessary to regularly clean the dust on the air-cooling system to ensure the unobstructed flow of the heat dissipation air ducts.

(3) Reduce various corrosive effects

The phenomenon where the surface of a metal is damaged due to chemical or electrochemical reactions with the surrounding medium is called corrosion. This corrosive effect not only affects the normal operation of mechanical surface equipment, but also corrodes the internal components of the machinery. Rainwater, chemical substances in the air, etc. can enter the interior of mechanical parts through external channels, gaps, etc., corroding the interior of mechanical parts, accelerating mechanical wear and increasing mechanical failures. Because this corrosive effect is sometimes invisible and intangible, it is easy to be overlooked by people, and thus its harmfulness is even greater. During operation, management and operation personnel should take effective measures based on the local weather conditions and air pollution situation at that time to reduce the impact of chemical corrosion on the machinery. The key is to prevent the invasion of rainwater and chemical components in the air into the machinery.

2. Ensure normal working load

The magnitude and nature of the working load of construction machinery have a significant impact on the wear and tear process of the machinery. Generally speaking, the wear of parts increases proportionally with the increase of load. When the load on a part exceeds the average design load, its wear will intensify. In addition, under the same other conditions, stable loads have less wear, fewer malfunctions and a shorter service life than dynamic loads. Tests show that when an engine operates under unstable loads, the wear of its cylinders will increase by twice compared to when it operates under stable loads. Engines operating under normal loads have a lower failure rate and a longer lifespan. On the contrary, an engine that is overloaded has a significantly higher failure rate and its lifespan will also be shorter than the design indicators. The wear of machinery that is frequently subjected to wide range of load variations is greater than that of machinery that operates continuously and stably. Under normal circumstances, the engines used in generators have a longer lifespan than those used in bulldozers, excavators, etc.

Ensuring a normal working load mainly depends on the operator's use of construction machinery. First, it is important to note that the machine should not be operated under a load exceeding its maximum capacity. It should be used within its capacity. As a manager of construction machinery, when designating operators, one should hand over the random data and operation manuals of the construction machinery to the operators, enabling them to have a normal understanding of the mechanical performance and operation procedures. Relevant data should not be withheld at will. Second, it is necessary to ensure the uniform increase and decrease of mechanical load as much as possible, keeping the mechanical load in a relatively gentle state. Specifically, the throttle should be increased and decreased relatively evenly to prevent large fluctuations in the operation of the engine and working devices.

3. Ensure reasonable lubrication of the machinery

Wear on the working surface of parts, corrosion on the surface of parts and aging of materials are the three main forms of replacement of mechanical components under normal usage conditions, among which the failure caused by wear on the working surface of parts accounts for the largest proportion. That is to say, the wear and tear of machinery is one of the main reasons that push its various components to the limit technical state. Then, solve the problem of wear and tear of mechanical parts. In addition to using high-quality materials, choosing advanced manufacturing processes and designing reasonable mechanical structures, an important task to be done during the usage process is to ensure the proper lubrication of the machinery. According to statistics, more than half of the malfunctions of construction machinery are caused by poor lubrication. Due to the precise fit of various components in construction machinery, good lubrication can help maintain normal working clearances and appropriate working temperatures, thereby reducing the wear of parts and minimizing mechanical failures. Normal and reasonable lubrication is one of the effective measures to reduce mechanical failures. To this end, first of all, it is necessary to select lubricants reasonably. Normal lubricant categories should be chosen based on the types and application structures of the machinery. Appropriate quality groups should be selected according to the requirements of the machinery. Suitable quality grades should be chosen based on the requirements of the machinery. Appropriate lubricant grades should be selected according to the working environment of the machinery and different seasons. During use, neither low-grade lubricants nor other types of lubricants should be used as substitutes, and inferior products must not be employed. Second, it is necessary to frequently check the quantity and quality of the lubricant. If the quantity is insufficient, it should be replenished in time; if the quality is poor, it should be replaced promptly. Under emergency conditions, if different types and grades of lubricants are used as substitutes, the lubrication system must be cleaned afterwards and normal lubricants must be replaced in a timely manner.

4. Timely maintenance

All kinds of faults are bound to occur during the operation of machinery. Among these malfunctions, some may have a very minor impact on mechanical equipment, while others can be quite serious and even lead to major accidents that result in the destruction of machinery and loss of life. Experience shows that serious mechanical failures are often triggered by some minor ones. The reason for this lies in the neglect of timely handling of minor malfunctions. Therefore, for mechanical faults, regardless of their size, they should be eliminated in a timely manner. Only in this way can the normal performance of the machinery be maintained and the possibility of causing more serious faults be reduced. In a sense, promptly dealing with the faults that occur is an effective measure to reduce and prevent them. The so-called timely handling means that in accordance with the maintenance and repair regulations, regular maintenance and repair of machinery should be carried out. The maintenance and repair of various groups must be conducted as required. The existing various maintenance and repair specifications are the summary of years of practical experience and have their scientificity and rationality. In the absence of significant technological progress and innovation, these regulations provide absolute guidance for the maintenance and repair of construction machinery and must be strictly followed. Second, during the usage process, regular and irregular inspections of construction machinery should be strengthened to promptly understand the operation status of the machinery. For any temporary faults that occur, they should be dealt with in a timely manner. Do not delay the maintenance opportunity just because the faults are minor and do not affect the usage, which may lead to more serious faults.

5. Adopt correct technical measures and organizational management measures

With the development of materials science and design and manufacturing technology, many new technologies, new materials and new structures have been adopted in construction machinery, which requires that the technical support and management of machinery be more scientific and complete. For this reason, as the organizational managers and operators of construction machinery, one must pay attention to ensuring that the machinery is protected from damage, deformation, corrosion, etc. during transportation and storage. Second, it is necessary to strictly carry out the daily maintenance of machinery to keep it in good technical condition. Thirdly, it is necessary to educate operators on the correct use and operation of various construction machinery to reduce and prevent mechanical failures caused by human errors. Fourth, it is necessary to carefully maintain the machinery. Regular and irregular maintenance should be carried out correctly and reasonably to keep the machinery clean and tidy. The technical condition of the machinery should be inspected regularly. Any abnormalities should be dealt with promptly. Loose and mismatched parts should be tightened and adjusted in time. Some vulnerable parts should be replaced preventive.