Capital Equipment News August 2016

IPD PARTS REV FLEET OPERATORS’ PERFORMANCES

A s much as 80% of an engine rebuild comprises parts and the balance engi- neering and testing, providing fleet oper- ators ample opportunity to save costs. However, selecting the correct diesel engine replacement parts requires a thorough understanding of the important role that they play in the long term viability of any equipment operation. Enterprising fleet operators are saving costs on their diesel engine parts by striking a del- icate balance between quality and price, but these decisions have been guided by expert opinion that place plant availability right at the top of the agenda. “Astute fleet operators demand that they at least receive the operating hours that were guaranteed by the parts supplier and the pro- vider of the engine rebuilding or repair service. They understand that risks involved in making poor decisions can have major adverse im- pacts on their businesses further down the line,” says Andrew Yorke, operations director of Metric Automotive Engineering. Metric Automotive Engineering is the exclu- sive African distributor of IPD parts. The cur- rent IPD product line offers wide and deep coverage for engines in the older CAT 300 series to the later CAT C series, allowing Met- ric Automotive Engineering to supply critical componentry at a very competitive price. Adverse cost cutting principles Fleet operators have come under significant pressure due to low commodity prices and a slowdown in infrastructure spending, and cost cutting practices have become inevitable to ensure survival. However, Yorke tells Capital Equipment News that he is concerned that some procurement departments are making short term decisions that are having a significant impact on the sustainability of their businesses. Important decisions are being made without the necessary technical input from personnel at the operational and workshop levels. This has sometimes led to original parts being procured without exploring the performance of cost effective alternatives that exceed the original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) specification. In extenuating circumstances, procurement departments opt for cheap parts without con- sidering the mandates of operational depart- ments that have to keep essential items of equipment operating efficiently.

These parts are sourced from Asian countries at vastly reduced prices, but carry no warranty and the quality of their workmanship can be questionable. “Unfortunately, costs are being cut in the critical areas of the operation. The reality is that these businesses have been built upon the efficient operation of their equipment and their viability is being compromised by these practices,” Yorke says. He says the risk associated with buying cost effective alternative parts can be easily mitigat- ed by consulting the expertise of diesel engine specialists. Metric Automotive Engineering was appointed IPD’s distributor based on its long track record providing a quality engine rebuild- ing service to prominent fleet operators in the mining, construction and industrial sectors. Metric Automotive Engineering’s customers also respect IPD’s leading standing in the in- ternational diesel engine sector. The company has been manufacturing high quality diesel and natural gas engine components since 1955, and the workmanship of its compo- nents is backed by its ISO 9001:2000 certifi- cations and comprehensive warranties. However, it is the extensive work done by IPD to improve the performance of critical compo- nents that has enabled it to retain its compet- itive edge in global load-and-haul industries. A sound example of this is its patented one- piece friction-welded piston that includes an oil gallery as part of the original casting. This removes inherent design weaknesses in two- piece pistons with their steel crowns and alu- minium skirting. A proactive response “IPD’s research and development efforts are a proactive response to modern high performance engines with their higher combustion pressures and temperatures. Our customers expect their parts suppliers to be well ahead of the innovation curve in line with the sophisticated machinery they deploy on their sites,” Yorke says. Importantly, the R&D agendas of leading en- gine OEMs are creating higher barriers of entry for component manufacturers and, in many instances, exposing the limitations of many af- termarket pistons, bearings and liners. Yorke says this has already exposed the inadequate performances of pirate parts which have significantly underperformed

IPD Parts are manufactured in an ISO 9001:2000 certified facility and R&D ensures the latest materials and technology are leveraged for optimum performance.

Andrew Yorke, operations director of Metric Automotive Engineering.

in these arduous environments, resulting in very steep learning curves for unsuspecting fleet operators. Conventional materials used to make liners, for example, are no longer sufficient for the high horsepower of these engines. Liners have to be hardened to increase their resistance to wear and have been designed to be stable, eliminating movement inside the engine. IPD responded to this demand many years ago when it introduced high tensile seamless steel tube cylinder liners with a wedge design that continue to outperform their traditional cast counterparts, and Yorke expects them to become standard replacement parts. The ‘yellow’ equipment industries are facing what is probably one of their most challenging periods. Lowering total operating costs and boosting productivity are essential to survival. Metric Automotive Engineering and its prin- cipal have a solution that strikes that critical balance between cost and quality. b

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS AUGUST 2016 36