With the economy as it has been for the past decade it is important to understand how we all can make the bottom line better and maintain our equipment more efficient. This book is not in any way designed to be the end all to your maintenance problems, but rather a guide to help understand the importance of empowering your mechanics so they will be able to improve the work they do. The better they are at what they do, the better they will be to reducing maintenance costs.

1. A Simple Introduction to
9 Ways To Reduce Maintenance Costs
How to improve your bottom line by helping your mechanics be their best.
A Publication of Hydraulic Training Associates
We do more than train, we empower.

2. Table of Contents
Introduction Chapter 6
Symbolism
Chapter 1 Chapter 7
Knowledge is power Know the design
Chapter 2 Chapter 8
Supply and Demand Past, Present, or future
Chapter 3 Chapter 9
PM’s Follow up
Chapter 4 Conclusion
What do they do?
Chapter 5 CTA
Filtration, filtration, filtration

3. Introduction
With the economy as it has been for the past decade it is important to understand how we all can make the bottom line better and maintain our equipment more efficient. This book is not in any way designed to be the end all to your maintenance problems, but rather a guide to help understand the importance of empowering your mechanics so they will be able to improve the work they do. The better they are at what they do, the better they will be to reducing maintenance costs. We will be discussing information that I have passed on for years in our classes. Information that after they get it, say to themselves “I knew that.” Yet it never hurts to re-instill that knowledge and refresh their base. We will be discussing basic information that tends to get forgotten because of the hurry up mentality we have become so accustom to. “Get it done now, we need that equipment working.”, these words are heard way too often. In the process steps are forgotten and information which was vital to the repair or installation are missed. This can happen to the best of mechanics, just last week I was with a customer who had a new install. A problem had arisen which could have cost the customer more money. When the customer contacted us we were able to help them by isolating the components that related to the problem and by having the product knowledge needed to evaluate the situation I was able to advise them of an adjustment they needed to make and the problem was solved. These are only a few steps to take, but can help reduce costs in the future for all your equipment.

4. CHAPTER ONE
Knowledge is power

5. Knowledge is Power
Mechanics knowledge of equipment they are working on.
One of the first steps to reducing maintenance costs is assuring that your mechanics have the knowledge needed for the equipment they are working on. Because my background is in the field of Hydraulics and Pneumatics, I relate all of my experiences to those components. Yet this knowledge transcends all components, whether diesel or gas engines, brakes or transmissions and any other mechanical component you can think of. Know the components you are working on, how they function normally, and what can be expected of them while they are working. In order to troubleshoot it is impossible to know what is wrong if you don’t know how it should be when it is right. An example of this would be a pressure compensated pump. If the mechanic doesn’t know how one is to function properly, and the main relief comes out of adjustment or the spring becomes weak, this could possibly cause the inexperienced mechanic to pull the pump, costing one to two thousand dollars unnecessarily. The problem could be fixed by an adjustment and the system would be back in working order for little to no cost.

6. CHAPTER TWO
Supply and Demand

7. Supply and Demand
Supply chain the meets your needs when you need it.
Vet your suppliers thoroughly, be sure they are ready to meet your needs when you need them. Our nation of suppliers have adopted the JUST IN TIME inventory system. A system the has reduced inventories across the nation drastically. Because of this they are having a hard time keeping the components on the shelf like they used to. In many cases big name products such as Parker, Commercial, Eaton, Sauer and many more are giving long lead times to deliver what used to be normal stock items. Make sure your supplier is going to be able to meet your needs, and then if not be ready to seek else where to find what you need and when. The other problem we are facing in this economy is personnel replacement. Those who used to answer the phones were knowledgeable of their products they sold. Since the recession started we have seen a large downsizing of firms. Now that companies are getting back to work the demand for components is getting greater, this is causing the suppliers to hire more people to answer the phones and take orders. People who may not have the knowledge you have on the components you need. If you can supply them with a part number they will look to see if the computer has what your need. Costs go up, down time gets longer and supplier frustration sets in.

8. CHAPTER THREE
PM’s

9. PM’s
Preventative Maintenance
I have traveled the World helping others with their knowledge of components and maintenance needs. I have seen Gold Mines, Oil Well Drillers and Suppliers, Lumber Mills, Water Well Drillers, Coal Mines, Diamond Mine Drillers and many other industries. Each and everyone has the same issues, Preventative Maintenance not done properly costs time and money. Putting in place a proper Preventative Maintenance program helps to identify issues, spots weakness, prevents accidents, saves on down time and helps to schedule repairs and replacements before the component fails. The simplest PM’s are done by the operators working together with the mechanics. Each as one team identifying potential problems and then acting on the situations in a timely manner. While in the Army I worked on tanks, I had 18 that I was responsible to keep ready for action 24-7. Each a sophisticated piece of machinery, complex and massive. The tankers relied on me to keep them running and I relied on them to let me know if anything was wrong. By developing a simple form they would turn in each day we were able to sink together and all of us fulfill our needs. The operator wants their equipment working, that is how they make their income. The mechanic has the job of keeping all of it working properly, that is how they make their income. The owner wants all if it done as inexpensively as possible, that is how they make their income. When each are working together for the same outcome then everyone is happy.

10. CHAPTER FOUR
What Do They Do?

11. What Do They Do?
Understanding Components function in order to Troubleshoot.
Mechanics are trained to understand many parts and components and how they function. The more inventory they are responsible for the larger the product knowledge must be. In order to troubleshoot properly, it is very important that they know how those components function in their normal state. As I stated earlier, in order to know if a Pressure Compensated Pump is working improperly, it is first important to know the normal state of the unit. Are gear pumps suppose to growl, or is there suppose to be foam in the reservoir? Is it normal for a Hydrostatic system to get hot? What is the proper adjustment to a Counterbalance Valve and why? What is the difference from a Pressure Control and a Flow Control? Each of these questions should be easy for your mechanics to answer, yet in my travels I have educated many long time mechanics who have said time and again that they didn’t know most of this stuff. For two different firms we developed a Pre-Hire and a Post-Hire test to help identify the knowledge base their new mechanics have and their existing mechanics lack. Not for the sake of firing anyone, but to asses the proper training needed in order to get the most for their investment. One firm, after training 148 of their employees in four different Mills, presented me with a report that showed a 90% drop in hydraulic component purchases since starting the classes.

12. We can not insure the same results for everyone taking our classes, but it was the training of the components that helped reduce the costs.
Once a mechanic is familiar with the proper function of the components, they can approach a system confidently in order to troubleshoot. They will have the base knowledge needed to evaluate the situation and resolve sooner the needed repair or replacement.
Never underestimate the moneys spent in training, they are returned many times over in time costs and component savings.

13. CHAPTER FIVE
Filtration, Filtration, Filtration

14. Filtration, Filtration, Filtration
Understanding Proper Filtration
What is the proper Beta Ratio for your system? What is the size of a spec of dirt seen by the naked eye? How does the ISO chart help me to identify the proper oil or filtration of my system? Each of these questions are vital to keeping your systems functioning properly, yet I have seen too often little to no regard to the condition of filtration in many systems. The filter is your first line of defense to protecting components from pre- mature failure. The proper filtration system will inform you when your system if failing, and keep elements that could damage the system form entering and creating more damage. In our classes we spend a great deal of time discussing filtration because we have seen first hand the outcomes of poor maintenance in this area. The simplest of all procedures I can pass on to you is simply remove your old filter, cut it in half and observe what is in the pleats. You may be amazed what you find, the gold and silver is not what you think. Rather they are indications of component failure, and the black is not necessarily seals failing, but rather the inside lining of your hoses breaking apart. How often does your company perform oil sampling? What does the sample tell you about your system? How can you prevent further damage? More questions that need to be answered in order to save on your Maintenance Costs.

15. Understanding the components of all filters in a filtration system is critical. The head of the filter is the component that attaches the conductors to the filter. In the head is most commonly supplied a by-pass check valve. The purpose of this check valve is to prevent back pressure in a system. The tension spring for the check valve is usually supplied by the manufacture and come in various strengths. The check valve will open once the filter element is sufficiently plugged with contaminants from the upstream system.
The check valve will allow oil to by pass on down stream. The more the filter is plugged the check valve will open allowing more oil to by pass. Once the filter element is replaced the by-pass check will once again close forcing the oil the pass through the filter element.
One of the most neglected components of filter is the indicator gauge. All filters should have installed on the head an indicator gauge. The purpose of this gauge is to inform the operator or mechanic the condition of the element. The gauge will have three bands, red, yellow, and green. If the gauge is broken, cracked, or missing then the possibility of passing contaminated oil through the system increases. As the by-pass pressure increases, the gauge will sense the pressure increase and the band will change from green to yellow. If the band is neglected it will increase in back pressure and the band will rise to red. At this point the filter element is no longer effective in protecting the system and exposes the system to failure.

16. CHAPTER SIX
Symbolism

17. SYMBOLISM
Know the ISO symbols that relate to components
What does ISO stand for? Many believe it is the International Standards Organization or something of that fashion. The organization which today is known as ISO began in 1926 as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA). This organization focused heavily on mechanical engineering. It was disbanded in 1942 during the second World War but was re- organized under the current name ISO, in 1946. Even the name of the organization is standardized. The name, “ISO” is not an acronym but was derived from the Greek “isos” meaning “equal”. (The relation to standards is that if two objects meet the same standard, they should be equal.) This name eliminates the confusion that could result from the translation of “International Organization For Standardization” into different languages which lead to different acronyms. Courtesy of: “A Brief History of ISO” and can be found on the web at www.sis.pitt.edu/~mbsclass/standards/martinic/isohistr.htm Symbols are critical for technical communication. They are not dependent on any specific language, being international in scope and character. Hydraulic graphic symbols emphasize the function and methods of operation of the components. These symbols can be rather simple to draw, if the logic and elementary forms used in symbol design are understood. The elementary forms of symbols are circles, squares, triangles, arcs, arrow, dots, and crosses.

18. Each symbol holds a specific function for the component it is describing. To learn the symbols is like learning another language, also like learning that language if not used it will be a struggle to remember. Encourage your mechanics to read and become familiar with the ISO symbols and then reading a schematic will become like a second language to them.

19. CHAPTER SEVEN
Know the Design

20. KNOW THE DESIGN
Identify Schematics and be sure to train Mechanics to use them first.
No mechanic has x-ray eyes, so seeing what the systems components are without a schematic is near impossible to troubleshoot. Many Mills and Industrial Plants have stationary units which mechanics become familiar with, but even then there are components they forget about sometimes. A schematic will assist in the identification of these components and is the best tool a mechanic has to provide answers to a situation or break down.
I instruct in my classes that all electricians place their schematics right in the control panel of the electrical boxes, why then is it that we don’t have our hydraulic or pneumatic schematics located next to the units as well. Instead, more often then not, they are placed in a book in the office or no where to be found. I encourage the mechanics to take their schematics copies, place them in a plastic envelop and attach them to the equipment. That way they can have them always available when they need them.
Just recently I supplied a Wind Farm with their schematic animated and in MP4 format. This allowed them to put the schematics on the mechanics Smart Phones, when they went 40 feet up in the towers, they had the schematics and they were animated. This allowed them to see the components move as the valves were shifted. A great troubleshooting tool.

21. CHAPTER EIGHT
Past, Present, or Future

22. Past, Present, or Future
Write up Work Orders so future problems are relational to past failures.
Many Mills, Mines, and Industrial Plants use a Work Order system. The question is how often are the Work Orders relational to work that has been done in the past? A good Work Order system will help with past problems and identify on going continual situations which may be caused by something else totally different then originally suspected.
Work Orders are the Journal of the life of the equipment, it becomes a ledger for potential buyers indicating to them the value of the equipment. It is a tool for the Owners letting them know how much life a particular piece of equipment may have. It is a valuable tool for a mechanic, they can identify continuing problems and diagnose more accurately the best course of action.
Without a Work Order system past problems will become future headaches and costly down time due to poor diagnosis. If your firm does not have a system in place we can help with free programs which, if for nothing else, will help put your equipment on the right track.

23. CHAPTER NINE
Follow Up

24. Follow Up
Follow up after repair or replacement to assure problems are resolved.
Was the job done right, did the operator get the symptoms correct? A follow up to the repair or replacement will alleviate many strong feelings which may come from operators not sensing the mechanics care about their work. I have experienced of my 38 years mechanics frustrated with operators because of misconceptions. A belief that the mechanics do not care about their work. This is so far from the truth and yet a problem that can be eliminated in about 30 seconds. Just do a follow up. I encourage mechanics to either call or walk by the machine they worked on and ask a few very short questions, how is it going and are there any questions. These two phrases send a powerful message to those having to make money with the machine. They hear a mechanic asking if they are satisfied and letting the operator know they do care about their workmanship. During this discussion it can be found the either the work was satisfactory or that there is an on going problem but the machine is not at a place where it can be shut down for awhile. Either way the relationship of the co-workers builds a trust and emotions are left out of the workplace. Down time can be scheduled and not caused due to catastrophes.

25. If you shoulder the responsibility of choosing training for your organization, you know how difficult it is to find a training provider who is an expert you can rely on, is easy to work with, will work within your training budget – and can deliver exactly what they have promised.
That’s where we come in, we make it incredibly convenient! With Hydraulic Training Associates, you choose the time and the place, and we’ll be there with a skill-building training program tailored to your organization’s unique needs.
Hydraulic Training Associates training provides a great ROI Our training is the perfect choice for companies that need to train groups of employees – from 10 to 50 or more. You get a maximum number of employees trained in new skills in a minimal amount of time for minimal fee. They receive the same message at the same time, creating synergy to the learning experience that gets everyone “on the same page.” The skills learned in the troubleshooting portions of our courses will save time and money right away. In many cases the cost of replacing the wrong components because of miss-diagnosis will more the pay for a few attendees.
Expect higher morale, lower absenteeism and greater loyalty Hydraulic Training Associates not only improves your employees’ skills, it inspires them to pull together as a team and creates a greater sense of job satisfaction. It lets them know you are investing in their future and as a result, your organization realizes higher morale, lower absenteeism, and greater company loyalty from your team members.
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27. 9 Ways To Reduce Maintenance Costs
Understanding Hydraulics , Pneumatics, or Mechanical Components and Schematic Troubleshooting courses in your area or coming soon.
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