Fuel facts
Tips to help keep operating costs down
Find lower fuel costs with five timely tips
Fuel is a necessity and a major expense item for construction companies. As prices spike, so does the possibility that your profitability might take a hit, but there are ways to help lower your fuel bill and operating costs.
Reduce your idle time
Idling is necessary in certain situations, such as warming up a machine and before shutting down at the end of the day. It could also be justified when you are in high-production activities that involve near-constant movement, such as loading trucks with an excavator and charging crushers with a loader, where restarting would negatively affect productivity.
Telematics helps fleet managers easily track idle time by machine and for their entire equipment lineup. If they see excessive idling, they can then address that with operators and other on-site personnel.
An easy way to help control idle time during unproductive periods is to use the auto idle shutdown function, a feature available on most Tier 4 Final machines. Your machines’ operations and maintenance manuals can guide you on how to set it—the minimum is five minutes before the shutdown begins in most cases—and your local dealer can help, too.
Heed Eco Guidance and choose the right mode
Komatsu’s ECO Guidance provides information to operators on energy-saving operations that help control fuel consumption. It is a feature on most Komatsu machines introduced during the past 10 years. Idling stop guidance is among the suggestions that may be available with ECO Guidance. With this option, typically if no operation is performed for more than five minutes and the engine is idling, the idling stop message is displayed on the monitor.
ECO Guidance is most useful when you choose the most effective mode. ECO Guidance might also suggest operating in “economy” instead of “power” mode.
- The “economy” mode promotes enhanced fuel efficiency but maintains working equipment speed for light-duty work, similar to the “power” mode
- Excavators and dozers are mainly used to dig and move naturally compacted soils, and in most instances, “economy” mode will get the job done while controlling fuel burn
- The “power” mode is advantageous in heavy-duty applications, such as when a wheel loader must climb a 10% ramp with a full bucket or when an excavator moves hard material like heavy clay
Consider a hybrid
Another thing to consider is purchasing or renting a hybrid excavator, such as the Komatsu HB365LC-3. Hybrid excavator technology is designed to provide a fast and responsive swing, and when swinging, to have all available hydraulic power sent to the boom, arm and bucket to help improve cycle time and enhance production.
Properly size and match equipment for the task
Bigger is not always better, and using a large machine to do a job that a smaller one could do can increase fuel usage and your overall operating costs. Fleet managers need to consider several factors when using equipment, including choosing the right size for the job.
An important component of rightsizing is matching equipment that will be working together in the same application. For example, loading and hauling equipment need to match in order to drive optimum efficiency. If a loader is too large for a truck, or vice versa, the project will likely not be as efficient.
Use advanced technology
GPS-based grading helps promote productivity and control per-yard costs to move material. During the past two decades, GPS technology has advanced significantly, with integrated machine control helping to drive lower costs associated with replacing cables, masts and additional satellites.
Many of today’s machines with integrated GPS grade control also feature additional technologies, such as Komatsu’s proactive dozing control, that help operators get to grade more efficiently and at lower costs, including better fuel usage. Technology is also helping new operators become proficient at moving dirt faster than ever before.
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To learn more about Komatsu’s ECO Guidance, visit https://youtu.be/fqVRUmGtyk4?feature=shared.
