Author: Wolfgang

Are you interested in pursuing a career in inspecting construction machinery?

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Whether you’re fascinated by heavy equipment or already have experience in the industry, here’s a guide on the essential skills, potential job opportunities, and earning potential in the field of machinery inspection. 

What Basics Do You Need to Become a Heavy Equipment Inspector?

Inspecting heavy construction machinery demands a solid technical foundation and hands-on experience. A successful inspector doesn’t just identify visible wear or damage—they often rely on intuition and experience to detect underlying faults. When assessing a machine, inspectors draw on a deep knowledge of mechanics, sometimes deducing issues based on subtle clues like unusual sounds or performance inconsistencies. This wealth of experience often distinguishes a skilled inspector, making their insights invaluable for clients.

Where Can You Work as a Construction Machinery Inspector?

Inspectors have multiple employment options. Many work with testing organizations that conduct annual safety checks, ensuring machinery complies with national safety regulations. These inspections, however, usually cover only basic safety requirements. In-depth condition inspections, which are often required by large construction companies and sales organizations, go further to analyse the technical health of machinery. This deeper insight helps with calculating operating costs, risk assessment or determining resale value, especially for used equipment being sold at auctions or through dealerships.

What is an Independent Machinery Inspector?

In the construction industry, inspections performed by machinery dealers can sometimes lack impartiality since they directly support sales. For buyers purchasing equipment from unfamiliar sources, independent inspectors offer an unbiased assessment. Unlike dealer-employed inspectors, an independent inspector works without involvement in the sales process, ensuring a neutral, accurate evaluation of machinery condition. They don’t receive sales commissions and provide objective reports that buyers can trust.

What Type of Employment Opportunities Exist?

The demand for full-time inspectors remains limited, with few companies employing machinery inspectors 300 days a year. For this reason, many inspectors take on freelance or multi-employer roles, working with different clients such as auction companies, testing organizations, or machinery safety companies. For example, inspectors at MEVAS often combine freelance inspection work with other roles in mechanics, safety assessments, or industry-related jobs to maintain a balanced workflow.

What Can You Earn as a Construction Machinery Inspector?

Earning potential for inspectors varies based on qualifications, location, and skill level. An inspector with specialized knowledge, for example, of mobile cranes or concrete pumps, may earn substantially more than someone inspecting only basic equipment. Those with a broad skill set and the flexibility to work across different organizations can often command higher rates, making this career path quite lucrative for seasoned professionals.

Where is MEVAS Looking for Inspectors, and What Skills Are Needed?

At MEVAS, we’re always looking to expand our global inspector network, especially in regions with high demand for used machinery evaluations. Currently, we’re seeking inspectors in China, Norway, Sweden, southern France, central Spain, and even Bavaria. If you have specialized knowledge in heavy machinery and are interested in joining us as a freelance inspector, we’d love to hear from you! Extensive experience in the field of heavy machinery and a good command of English are essential! You should have a good knowledge of Caterpillar, Komatsu, Terex and Volvo products.

Ready to start your journey toward becoming a heavy equipment inspector? Get in touch with MEVAS today and explore how you can contribute your skills in this rewarding field.

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The worst scenario for a Heavy Machinery user:

One of the most challenging situations for machinery operators is hydraulic pump failure, which can result in metal debris circulating through the entire hydraulic system. If not addressed immediately, this can lead to severe damage to critical components like valves, cylinders, and hydraulic motors.

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How to Respond Quickly and Effectively?

If you find yourself facing a hydraulic pump breakdown, here’s our recommended step-by-step guide for repairs and long-term damage prevention:

1. Immediate Shutdown

• Stop the machine immediately: Continuing operation will spread metal debris throughout the system, risking more extensive damage. Halting the machine minimizes this risk. The same applies, by the way, if you have damage to the drive motor. Stop immediately and do not continue riding.

2. Complete System Flush

• Drain the hydraulic fluid: Metal shavings are likely contaminating the hydraulic oil. Removing all old fluid prevents further circulation of debris.
• Oil filtration and analysis: Fine-filter the hydraulic oil and send a sample to a lab to assess its condition. Based on the analysis, you may need to perform a kidney-loop filtration to clean the oil for reuse.
• Thorough system flush: Flush the entire hydraulic system, using the filtered oil where possible to remove contaminants from all parts of the circuit.

3. Filter Replacement

• Replace all hydraulic filters: Contaminated filters become ineffective at trapping metal debris. Replacing them ensures proper filtration after repairs.
• Upgrade to high-capacity filters: Consider installing additional filters in key areas to catch any remaining particles and further protect the system.

4. Inspect and Clean Key Components

• Inspect the pump and hydraulic components: Before replacing the pump, examine the hydraulic motor, control valves, and actuators for wear or contamination. These may need cleaning, servicing, or replacement.
• Clean the hydraulic reservoir: Metal debris often settles in the tank, so a thorough cleaning is essential to avoid future contamination.

5. Hydraulic Pump Replacement

• Replace the damaged pump: Since the pump is the source of the debris, it must be replaced with a new or rebuilt unit. Repairing a severely damaged pump is often insufficient.

6. Inspect Cylinders and Hydraulic Motors

• Check for scoring or damage: Hydraulic cylinders, solenoids, valves and actuators can be damaged by circulating debris. If there’s internal scoring, these components may need to be rebuilt or replaced.

7. System Testing

• Test after repairs: Once the pump is replaced, the system flushed, and new filters installed, refill with fresh hydraulic oil (or kidney-looped oil) and perform operational tests. Monitor pressure and flow to ensure everything is running smoothly.
• Monitor filters closely: Residual debris might still circulate, so check filters frequently and replace them as necessary until the system is fully clean.

8. Preventative Measures for the Future

• Routine fluid analysis: Regular hydraulic oil testing can detect early signs of contamination, allowing you to take corrective actions before major failures occur. In an earlier version of this newsletter, we explained the advantages of oil analysis.
• Consistent maintenance: Schedule routine system maintenance, including timely filter replacements and oil sampling, to extend the life of your hydraulic components and prevent costly downtime.

9. Where to Find a Replacement Hydraulic Pump?

• OEM Manufacturer: The highest quality option is to source an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) hydraulic pump through your machine’s local dealer. Though more expensive, OEM parts ensure a perfect fit and maximum reliability.
• Remanufactured or rebuilt pumps: For a cost-effective alternative, consider a remanufactured or rebuilt hydraulic pump. There are several suppliers offering varying levels of quality, so it’s best to consult with local contractors who have experience with reliable reman parts.

By acting quickly and following these steps, you can minimize downtime, prevent further damage, and keep your heavy machinery operating at its best. If you need assistance with parts, repair manuals or expert advice, we’re here to help! We can also support with valuation of machinery for the insurance, repair cost estimation and sourcing of a replacement pump.

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Conversion of TIER IV engines to TIER III

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Modern construction machinery requires high-quality diesel fuels with a low sulphur content. Machines in the Tier IV emissions group usually have DPF systems with AdBlue injection (SCR) installed. These have the task of cleaning the exhaust gases and reducing pollutants by injecting AdBlue and using particle filters. Some engines only work with controlled exhaust gas recirculation and can therefore still manage without AdBlue injection. This usually depends on the performance levels of the respective engines.

The problem with diesel fuels

In many countries, the quality of fuels for construction machinery is lower than in Europe or America or the sulphur content is too high, making this fuel unsuitable for long-term use. This causes major problems in the daily operation of machines and engines. If such machines are used with low fuel quality without modifications, they stop working after a while. This may be because the particulate filters are clogged, the fuel filters become blocked or the software reports an error. Another problem is that the engine control unit no longer recognises excessive exhaust gas temperatures or incorrect back pressure. Reducing the engine output to an emergency programme is the lesser of two evils. Such a problem can ultimately lead to the destruction of the engine.

What solutions are available and how do they work?

Many manufacturers of construction machinery offer solutions for downgrading (de-tiering) to lower emission standards. In some cases, complete conversion kits are offered. However, this conversion is relatively expensive and irreversible. Machines lose their CE or EPA certification. In many countries, the conversion contravenes applicable laws. This applies in particular if the machines are not exported after being converted to a lower emission standard. Many manufacturers and their concessionaires have therefore stopped downgrading engines. They often only offer downgrades to complete engines and exhaust systems with lower emission standards for export. This gap is being filled by dubious providers offering supposedly uncomplicated engine conversions. The internet is full of offers for DPF removal or AdBlue removal kits.

What are the dangers and risks of conversion?

We are regularly contacted by users of converted construction machinery because problems arise with the modified exhaust systems. Machines stop working after a repair or replacement of components or only run at idle speed. Engines overheat or have low performance. Some machines no longer start at all because the software blocks the ECU. The excavator or loader may then be parked in Africa, 200 kilometres from the nearest service base, and fail to work.

What causes this and can it be repaired?

An engine with DPF has various sensors installed. The exhaust gas pressures are measured before and after the particulate filter. Exhaust gas temperatures are checked. There is an AdBlue dosing device equipped with sensors for injection. The NOx content is measured. All these sensors communicate with the ECU of the construction machine via the CAN bus. The sensors report operating values and these are compared with the data stored in the ECU. This means that if a machine has been modified, the software also has to be adapted accordingly. Another method used is to emulate the required values. The ECU is made to believe that all values are correct. This procedure involves a fairly high risk: the biggest problem with illegal conversions is that in the event of a future fault, the service technician will not be able to trace which type of modified system has been installed. Changing sensors or installing the latest software leads to a complete breakdown in communication between the exhaust system and the engine ECU.

What does the environment say about these modifications?

It has been established that engines that fulfil Tier IV emission regulations no longer even fulfil the emission regulations of TIER II after an alleged downgrading to Tier III. It is also logical that an engine with a functioning exhaust system is less harmful to the environment. Renowned construction machinery dealers, such as the German Zeppelin-Baumaschinen and Komatsu-Europe, have completely stopped downgrading engines for this reason

Testing exhaust systems when inspecting used construction machinery

When the Heavy Equipment Inspectors of Mevas test a used construction machine for you before it is shipped or imported, the exhaust systems are also examined. The inspectors check error messages and investigate whether the exhaust aftertreatment systems have been modified. These details are included in a machine report. So, if you want to make sure that a machine you want to import does not cause any problems with the exhaust system, we recommend an inspection by our technician. This costs significantly less than installing a new DPF system! Our inspectors are available in more than 20 countries. For Caterpillar and older Volvo construction machines, we access the ECU data directly. For others, we use the information from the displays in the machine.

Download this article about DPF-removal in construction machines.

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What is meant by oil diagnosis and what can be learned from the results?

For users of construction machinery, there is an interesting way to detect the wear of components such as engines, hydraulic pumps or gearboxes. Of course, it is not possible to open a transmission or engine during normal use to look inside for the state of wear. So, what would be a suitable way to check whether there is unusual wear? Diagnosis of oils in construction machinery!

Analysis of oils in a certified laboratory

You can find out the state of wear of components from the condition of engine oil or hydraulic oil. To do this, oils are taken from the machine and sent to a certified laboratory. Problems can be identified early on from the content of trace elements such as copper, aluminium, silicon, iron or glycol. The content of elements is given in ppm. The engineer can use the analysis protocol to determine whether certain components in an engine or hydraulic pump are subject to particular wear. It detects at an early stage whether foreign substances such as dirt or coolant are penetrating from outside and contaminating the operating fluids.

What are the requirements for a correct analysis?

When taking oils and coolants for testing, particular attention must be paid to cleanliness. Hoses, pumps and oil containers must be particularly clean. Another important factor is knowing the running time of the existing oils. It is therefore important to know how many hours the fluids have already been in use. The technician must know where in the system he can take the fluids and what operating condition the machine should be in for this. Modern machines have specific analysis plugs to drain oils.

Who benefits from oil analyses?

The most important group for oil analyses are the users of machines that are used intensively. Regular inspections are particularly recommended for machines in shift operation. Machines used in quarries or in the recycling sector are usually inspected regularly.

Another important group of people interested in oil analyses are buyers of used machines. For them, an analysis of the existing oils and coolants can tell them something about the machine.

Oil diagnosis by MEVAS

The international team of inspectors at MEVAS has oil diagnostics in their program. The certified Zeppelin Baumaschinen laboratory regularly carries out analyses of the oils of used construction machines. For prices starting at €120 per oil, MEVAS will be happy to take oil samples from the machine you want to buy. An analysis is available within a few days and the MEVAS technicians will provide you with an interpretation of the values ​​read. This allows you to accurately assess the risk associated with used heavy equipment.

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Unlock Savings & Secure Your Dream Machine: A Guide for Global Buyers

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In many regions, high-quality used construction machinery is hardly available, prompting many buyers to import equipment. But where can you find reliable machines? While many websites advertise construction machinery, it’s essential to navigate this market carefully to avoid costly mistakes.

Verifying Equipment Condition: Who to Trust?

When sourcing machinery, remember that all information typically comes from the seller, who may present details favourably to push a sale. Therefore, it’s crucial to verify the seller’s credentials. Look for reviews, ratings, and any complaints from previous buyers. Trusted sellers usually have a solid track record, such as those reflected in Google reviews.

Beware of Repainted and Mislabelled Machines

Our inspections, especially in China have uncovered many copied or mislabelled machines. For instance, a supposed CAT 966H wheel loader was found to be a counterfeit, with a Cummins engine and an outdated air brake system. Medium-size excavators are sometimes labelled as larger models, like a Volvo EC290 misrepresented as a Volvo EC360. Always be vigilant about such discrepancies.

Recommended Machinery Portals

While we don’t endorse any specific portal, it’s safest to use websites where the seller’s identity and location are verified. A reliable selection of machinery portals and search tools can be found at www.used-equipment.de.

Recognizing Dangerous Buying Environments

Creating a website to sell construction machinery is relatively easy and inexpensive. Some fraudulent operators create fake sites, copy photos from legitimate sites, and offer machines at unbelievably low prices, often asking for a deposit to reserve the machine. Be extremely cautious if a deposit is required before viewing the machine. Have sellers to provide legible photos of serial number labels from machine and engine.

Key Checks When Buying Used Machinery

1. Inspection: If you don’t know the seller or haven’t received a recommendation, always send someone to inspect the machine. Using a professional inspection service like Mevas ensures the machine’s existence and provides a detailed report with photos and videos.
2. Maintenance Records: Ask for maintenance records, which can reveal how well the machine has been maintained and if it has had major repairs.
3. Serial Numbers and Working Hours: Ask the supplier for the serial number. Get in touch with a representative of the brand and ask for logged service records to verify the real working hours and year of production.
4. Send an Expert: To avoid falling for the tricks of some sellers, it is a good idea to send an expert to the machine. Some people are good at hiding the problems. Experienced inspectors will find them anyway.

Payment Precautions

When it’s time to pay, verify that the seller’s account number is in the same country as the seller. Call the seller’s accounting department to confirm verbally the account details. Avoid paying via Western Union or cryptocurrencies. Carefully check the documents and invoice for details.

Secure Transportation and Certification

Ensure the machinery is transported securely by hiring reputable logistics companies that specialize in heavy equipment transportation to avoid any transit damage. Familiarize yourself with your country’s import regulations, including duties, taxes, and any restrictions. In some regions, machinery must have CE certification or comply with emission regulations.

Conclusion

Importing used construction machinery can be a cost-effective solution, but it requires careful research and verification to avoid costly mistakes. Stay informed, stay cautious, and make the best investment for your construction projects. Spending an hour checking the website and the machine details is better than losing $10,000.

By following these guidelines, you can make informed decisions and secure reliable equipment for your needs. Call Mevas today if you wish a professional inspection performed. We offer reliable services for a fair fee.

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Which is the appropriate crusher for my application?

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There are three main types of crushing plants which are used both in quarrying and in the recycling of building materials. These plants are differentiated according to the type of crushing tools. There are jaw crushers, impact crushers and cone crushers. In addition to these plants, we also know roller crushers, but these are not very common. The choice of system depends on the raw material. Is the system to process stone extracted from the quarry or is it for recycling building materials? Of course, the desired material to be produced during processing also plays an important role. Last but not least the expected capacity plays a significant role. All types of crushers have advantages and disadvantages. The costs for wear and tear are the most important parameter. PDF

Buying used instead new?

New and modern crushing plants have many advantages. Overload protection, oversize grain recirculation, hydraulic gap adjustment and low-emission engines are state of the art. However, these plants come at a price. Good quality used machines are a good alternative.

Where to find good quality equipment?

Ideally, you should have a dealer in your home country where you can view and test a system. The dealer will often also provide good advice on whether the system is the right one for the task at hand. He will advise you on whether the feed material, the expected result when crushing and the capacity of the plant are suitable for your tasks.

However, due to the limited number of available systems, you often have to search far and wide. Most used machines are listed in the common databases for used heavy machinery.  A wide selection of those websites is available at www.used-equipment.de. And regardless of whether the system is purchased near or far, it makes sense to send a mechanic to inspect it who also understands this technology.

Buying directly from contractor?

Buying from an entrepreneur often seems attractive because of the significantly lower price. You can perhaps also expect a more honest description of the crushing plant and the experience with it. However, this should only be done at home. When buying from abroad, problems quickly arise that the contractor is unable to solve. This starts with the handling of VAT and does not end with the export documents.

How to inspect a used crusher?

During the operation of crushing plants, enormous forces are exerted due to the weight of the material. Shocks and vibrations play an important role. And the plants are usually exposed to high levels of dust. The intensity of this stress has a major impact on the wear and service life of components. Experienced engineers from the recycling plant sector know the weak points and know where to take a closer look.

You should always use a checklist for the respective type of system so that you do not overlook any assemblies. Professional inspection companies such as Mevas can read out the engine data for many systems. The oils used can also be analysed. Each system has specific assemblies and the technician should be familiar with these and know how they ideally work. This allows the remaining service life and problems to be interpreted.

Cost for using a professional Mevas inspector

Mevas has inspectors for all types of heavy equipment. In 25 countries, local inspectors can assist with a professional inspection for crushers and screens as well as other construction and mining equipment. The final price for an inspection depends very much on the location of the machines, the scope of the inspection and the size of the equipment. Typically, the fee starts at €800 for a single piece of equipment. The inspector records a video and many images during operation and compiles a detailed report based on a 60-point checklist for the crusher inspection. Get in touch with Mevas for a quotation now.

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