The current challenging economic environments makes investment in capital equipment expenditures increasingly difficult, so naturally, equipment owners try to stretch every dollar and lengthen equipment life and functionality. It’s called ” stretching” – a slang term for “doing more with less,” Marringa explains.
I think stretching is something that we’re all guilty of – some of it because we have to and some of if because we want to. I admit it. I bought this year’s valentines for my children at The Dollar Tree this year. I also stocked up on birthday cards and upcoming event cards there. I couldn’t bear the thought of spending $5 per card on something that may just be thrown away. I also stocked up on some cleaning supplies there to stretch my dollars. I usually succumb to convenience, buying everything at the grocery store or Target.
But while I was there, I did my own type of “stretching.”
In the world of equipment, Marringa says, stretching may mean attempting to achieve higher productivity by modifying machines to handle heavier loads. Sometimes larger buckets are put on them. Sometimes counterweight sizes are increased.
There are cases where it has been authorized by the manufacturer, Marring says, but other times dealers and owner-operators are doing it themselves to suit their own needs. “The machines are running on the fringe of their intended design,” Marringa says.”The engine and equipment manufacturers work together and design a machine for an intended range or capacity. Those loads directly related to axles to bear the framework.”
However, Marringa says, by encouraging or endorsing an increased lifespan, the products are being diminished. In a manufacturer-authorized case, ” It is a matter of a manufacturer choosing to work on the edge of their design,” he says.
