LINK AS-TRACK 6Y1139 - Caterpillar

This is the text of a speech given to Truck Fleet Equipment Superintendents by R. J. Hovey, Manager, Product Support Department, Caterpillar Engine Division.
Power units make our business go - but the engine is not the reason that our companies exist. The enterprise exists to satisfy its own customers, to provide its service, product or function in as effective and cost efficient a manner as possible. Maintenance management's key role is to avoid disappointing those customers. This means that loads must be moved efficiently and arrive at their destination on time. If we do this well, our company is perceived as dependable and we get more business.
Dependability and low operation costs require planning for major maintenance and downtime. We have to work with dispatchers to anticipate "Out of Service" and to schedule alternate equipment so deliveries can be made and drivers kept busy. A major benefit comes from handling the repair in an orderly, efficient manner. We avoid the "fire drill" excitement and disruption of work routines. We plan for repairs rather than reacting to crisis.
But the question is, how do we know if the power unit needs work if it has not failed? With Caterpillar engines, there is a wealth of experience, both at dealer and factory levels, from which you can draw. Couple this with modern diagnostic technology and your own good recordkeeping, and you can put YOURSELF in charge of repair situations.
We are finding that the "fine tuning", which many are doing in an attempt to maximize engine life, may not be justified. For instance, what determines how long you keep a power unit? Chances are the engine's mechanical integrity is only one of several factors. Chassis conditions; things such as rust, accident damage or abuse; may cause you to trade even though the engine is in good shape. Special tax incentives, depreciation of equipment, or de-sign advances may dictate a change. Other factors may include a change in your hauling requirements which necessitate higher or lower horsepower, contract expiration, or a change in the working season. Many variables not connected with the unit's condition can force you to make a trade or sell decision.
The key to management control is to match the power unit's life to your company's business needs, not necessarily to maximize the power unit's mechanical life. This approach toward your power units will drastically influence the timing and amount of repairs you schedule. For years, good maintenance managers have worked with operations management to determine future business considerations and their effect on power units. Today, though, a frequent cause of major maintenance is still BREAKDOWN - that frustrating, budget-busting repair that causes havoc with your schedule.
The planning element you need is a clear definition of how long the power unit is needed "on line". This may work out to exactly one engine life, but more likely it will come out to two and a half or some other fraction. If it is two and a half, you know that at least