How to Delay the “Retirement” of Machinery — and Where to Draw the Line Between Extending the Life of Old Equipment and Buying New?
We discussed this question with Yuri Misenko, Director of LLC “Spetstehcenter”. He shared insights on how to make informed decisions about maintaining older machinery, determining the right time for replacement, and achieving the optimal balance between operational efficiency and financial prudence.
The company specializes in the supply and rental of special-purpose machinery from various brands, as well as providing maintenance and repair services for this equipment.
How well do the manufacturer’s maintenance regulations correspond to the actual operating conditions in Russia?
‘The information required for servicing is not always provided with new equipment. Sometimes the dealer has to request technical documentation and maintenance regulations directly from the manufacturer. However, it should be noted that in most cases these regulations hardly consider the actual operating conditions of the machinery. For example, following the practices of European manufacturers, a Chinese factory might specify a scheduled maintenance interval of 500 engine hours, without always considering temperature conditions or the intensity of equipment use.
Dealers or service organizations often have to adjust the manufacturer's requirements based on their own experience and expertise. Yet, the responsibility for assessing the frequency and quality of maintenance ultimately lies with the equipment owners themselves. Many factors come into play here, from the owner's perception of efficient equipment use to the available maintenance budget.
In my opinion, regardless of the operating conditions, whether moderate or highly demanding, changing the oil at intervals longer than 250 engine hours for large machinery and 200 engine hours for smaller equipment carries a high risk of premature engine wear. The owner must understand that any piece of special equipment is a complex and finely tuned mechanism that requires constant qualified supervision.’
What are the main mistakes made by owners of special equipment that shorten its service life?
‘The main mistake is ignoring the manufacturer's requirements for daily maintenance and trying to save money on parts. Another serious issue is allowing low-qualified personnel to operate the equipment.
There is also another important factor: using special machinery for purposes other than intended or exceeding the permissible load on certain components and assemblies. This most often happens when using heavy attachments or operating in harsh environments. Such cases are not uncommon in our practice.’
Where should one start if the equipment is no longer new, but there is a desire to extend its service life as much as possible?
‘If we are talking about purchasing used equipment, the most important thing is to perform a thorough and professional inspection. Many serious problems can be avoided later if a defect is detected at an early stage. It is important to understand that the failure of any component, even one that seems insignificant, can lead to serious consequences.
To keep your equipment fleet in proper technical condition, it is essential to adhere to regular maintenance and, if possible, to shorten the service intervals recommended by the manufacturer. It is also advisable to carry out a full maintenance check with diagnostics of all key systems once a year or after every 2,000 engine hours.’
How does the quality of oils, filters, and other consumables affect the service life of a machine?
‘Having many years of experience working with motor oil manufacturers, I can confidently say that in Russia they have learned to produce high-quality oils and technical fluids that are in no way inferior to the well-known brands that left our market and, in some aspects, even surpass them. There is no reason to overpay for basic oils; however, there is a range of specialized oils and lubricants for which one should be more careful when making a choice.
It is important to understand that the cost of oil consists of the base oil price and the price of special additives. The richer and higher quality the additive package, the more expensive the oil becomes. In any case, the lifespan of any component depends on the quality of the lubricants used and choosing them is ultimately the responsibility of the equipment owner.
It is almost the same story with spare parts. The service life of a unit directly depends on the quality of the installed part.
In our company’s experience, an original part with the machine manufacturer’s marking did not always show better performance than its equivalent. However, in most cases, original spare parts and consumables cause fewer issues during installation and subsequent operation.’
What role do the operator’s qualifications play in extending the service life of the equipment?
‘The operator’s qualification is a crucial factor in the long and trouble-free operation of the equipment. The operator is directly responsible for carrying out daily inspections and preparing the machinery for work.
Initial diagnostics in the event of malfunction are also performed by the operator, and without basic technical knowledge, they will not be able to prevent serious consequences.
It is essential to provide regular training for responsible personnel. Equipment is constantly evolving, and the principles of control and operation are changing as well. Those who directly operate and maintain the machinery must be aware of these updates. Many dealers today include operator training as part of their equipment sales services.’
What would you recommend to equipment owners who need to reduce expenses while keeping their machinery in working condition?
‘There is no universal formula for reducing maintenance costs while keeping equipment operational. However, one thing is clear: the older the machine, the more attention it requires.
There is a certain limit to the cost side. The downtime for repairs should not exceed the actual operating time of the machine. However, equipment downtime is not always caused by repair work itself; it can also result from waiting for necessary spare parts.
When purchasing lesser-known equipment, the owner does not always think about the possible wait time for spare parts or the complexity of repairs. The recommendation is as follows: when buying equipment, make sure that the dealer or distributor is well informed about the details of its operation and will be ready to get the machine back into service as quickly as possible in case of a standard breakdown.
Based on many years of experience, I can confidently say that the brand is not always the decisive factor. Having a distributor or dealer with a warranty service, spare parts warehouses, and its own logistics chain will help you reduce overall costs in the long term by ensuring longer operating time without extended downtime.’
How can one determine when it is time to renew the equipment fleet?
‘It is reasonable to assume that if the operating costs of maintaining a specific unit of machinery exceed the profit generated from its use, then continuing to operate it no longer makes sense.
At present, our company is actively developing a new business direction: the rental of special equipment. Considering the service life of Chinese-made machinery and our experience in repair and spare parts supply, we set an operational period of three to four years for our rental machines. However, I would like to emphasize once again that it is important to pay continuous attention to the equipment. This way, you can clearly recognize the point at which operating a machine stop being profitable.’