The evolution and accessibility of technology is creating efficiencies across all industries, including construction. Site and fleet managers are looking for ways to educate themselves, and that often means using technology to gather data about jobsite activity. Data gathered on jobsites can provide contractors valuable insights into equipment performance that can be used to make decisions to improve productivity and profitability.
WHERE RUBBER MEETS THE DIRT ROAD
On any jobsite, tires do the heavy lifting by keeping the equipment going. Initially, owner operators must choose the most appropriate tires for the job and site conditions, considering temperature and load variances. However, true efficiencies are gained when fleets incorporate proactive tire maintenance and management as a part of their business best practices.
For major jobsite equipment, such as loaders, graders, and earthmovers, proper tire inflation is critical to equipment operation and ensures a vehicle’s weight is evenly distributed across the tire tread pattern, preventing uneven wear and enhancing the overall life of a tire. Proper tire inflation pressure maximizes equipment performance and allows owner operators to get the most out of their significant tire asset investments. Technology can play a crucial role in monitoring tire pressure and ensuring data is accurate and timely.
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), such as the recently launched Bridgestone PressureStatTM system, closely track and communicate tire pressure in real time.
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), such as the recently launched Bridgestone PressureStatTM system, closely track and communicate tire pressure in real time, providing operators with the information they need to adjust tire pressure to recommended levels. Without TPMS, owner operators manually inspect inflation pressure of each tire asset and then record results in logbooks. This process often leads to inaccurate data and can take a significant amount of time. TPMS can reduce the off-the-road tire inspection process by up to 75 percent and ensure data is recorded correctly and in a timely manner.
This accurate, real-time data from TPMS helps owner operators have greater visibility into the state of their tire assets, which allows them to detect patterns, anomalies, and efficiencies well in advance to avoid downtime. This data can also inform operational decisions about future projects and help fleets improve jobsite performance and safety.
TURNING DATA INTO ACTION
The instantaneous data provided by construction site technology, including TPMS, is vital to equipment maintenance and to achieve a lower total cost of ownership. However, simply gathering data on a jobsite is not enough. The value of these advanced data tools is best realized when combined with a trustworthy data management platform and analyzed over time.
Data management platforms offer a macro look at the data collected and allow users to analyze trends. For example, data pulled from the PressureStatTM system can be housed in the Bridgestone TreadStatTM tire and rim management platform to give key decision makers an overarching look at their tire asset performance, allowing them to identify trends and develop a more efficient maintenance plan. This big picture can facilitate cost savings and increase efficiencies and uptime.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As jobsite managers continue to track data and detect patterns, the next step is to use comprehensive data sets to make jobsite equipment predictions. These forecasts about the demands of a tire program can inform smart business decisions such as the optimal time to schedule maintenance and invest in new or additional tire assets.
Technology in the construction industry will continue to produce data, but information without strategic application does not provide users the ultimate benefit. It is up to businesses to combine big data and management software to arm contractors with real-time intel for decision making, positively impacting tire performance and, ultimately, the bottom line.
About the Author:
Rob Seibert is the director, marketing, commercial off-the-road tires, for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations where he leads all marketing research, planning, and execution for mining in North America. Seibert also manages the strategy development and execution of special projects aimed at advancing the organization’s OTR solutions offerings. For more information, visit www.bridgestoneamericas.com.
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Modern Contractor Solutions, March 2018
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