The construction and mining industries operate with excavators that are put through extreme conditions, and therefore, downtime cannot be tolerated. In order for a company to maximize efficiency and productivity, all components must be dependable. Thus, purchasing premium excavator parts has become much more than a matter of maintenance; it has evolved into a key business requirement for companies around the globe. For light duty tasks, standard excavator parts might perform adequately; however, extreme conditions associated with rock excavation, moving large quantities of earth and working in very harsh or very abrasive conditions place extreme demands on use of excavators. Therefore, premium quality excavator parts have been engineered to manage these types of conditions and continue to perform at their highest level without failing. Premium excavator parts use advanced metallurgy, precise engineering, and an extensive testing procedure to provide an extended product life and lower total cost of ownership. The machine's ability to produce maximum power and efficiency will continue from shift to shift. Project Managers and Fleet Owners must understand the value associated with using these premium parts. Knowing how to use these premium components optimally helps maximize operational uptime, safety, and profitability in a global marketplace. Special Materials and Enhanced Engineering
Quality of premium components is based on the material used to manufacture the parts and how sophisticated the design was developed by the manufacturers. Manufacturers of premium excavator parts use high-grade, alloyed steel specifically formulated for strength, wear resistance, and ability to withstand tremendous impact. Critical components such as Bucket teeth, Cutting Edges and Hydraulic Cylinder Rods are often subjected to various specialized processes (Heat Treated or "hardened") including Quenching and Tempering processes.The way in which the microstructure has been altered has created a combination of the hard-wearing surface that provides a high level of resistance to abrasions and the core material that is tough enough to absorb shocks or impacts.

In addition to the fact that the properties of the material were critical in determining the overall performance of the part, advanced engineering was important to ensure that stresses experienced during operation through the use of computer-aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA) were replicated and optimised through these programmes. Therefore the geometry of the part was also optimised to ensure the equal distribution of stress over the part to eliminate the possibility of forming any weak points, which could lead to premature failure.

For example, a premium quality hydraulic pump can not only have harder gears or pistons, but will have tighter tolerances and more efficient fluid pathways. The combination of selecting quality materials combined with an engineered design, results in a significant improvement in the longevity of the part through more frequent maintenance intervals and more ability to endure service pressure.

Premium excavator parts instantly produce an increase in the amount of time the equipment remains operational before a breakdown occurs. This is especially true for the mining industry or large scale earthmoving. The effect of the continual abrasion from soil and rock is one of the primary challenges of the industry. For example, premium quality undercarriage parts like track links, rollers and idlers, made from thicker wear surfaces and equipped with hardened pin/bushing systems, prevent the rapid deterioration that causes premature track failure, which is a major contributor to unplanned interruption of service.Enhanced durability for excavators has a proven and positive relationship with increased uptime for machines. Because premium parts last much longer than standard parts, there are fewer replacement occurrences, which allows for shorter maintenance windows. As the frequency of component failures decreases, the opportunity for an unexpected work stoppage also decreases, enabling jobs or projects to remain on schedule. The reliability of these parts gives operators and site managers the confidence that disastrous breakdowns of their equipment will not occur during critical operations. In industries where project schedules are tight and any delay would result in an extraordinary expense, the value of guaranteed performance is priceless.

Maintaining Peak Performance and Efficiency:
Durability is only part of the equation; however, premium parts are designed to keep the original performance standards of the excavator throughout the life of the part. Standard hydraulic components, once worn, lead to reduced pressure, longer cycle times, and an increase in fuel consumption, as the system is forced to work harder to produce the same results. Conversely, premium hydraulic pumps, valves, and motors are designed to maintain sealing integrity and volumetric efficiency, resulting in a consistent level of power and responsiveness produced by the machine.

Consistent peak performance is critically important to productive work. The digging force, lifting capability, and swing torque of the excavator are maintained with premium parts. Operators don't lose control of or power over the machine, enabling them to work at an efficient level of speed and accuracy. Efficiently operating components also lead to improved fuel economy. Better-sealed and more efficient hydraulic systems require less energy from the engine and consequently consume less diesel fuel. This results in lower cost to operate the machine and less negative impact on the environment. Therefore, placing a premium on premium parts is a commitment to extending the productivity and operational economy of the machine, thereby enhancing the return on the initial capital investment.

The Global Value Proposition: Total Cost of Ownership
The highest price a premium part initially sells for will always be greater than the price of a standard replacement, so a true economic analysis must evaluate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The TCO includes not only the purchase price of the part but also all costs related to the service life of the part (installation labour, machine downtime, lost productivity, and frequency of replacement). Although a cheaper part may appear economical on paper, if that part fails twice as often, you will incur twice as much in labour expenses and exponentially more in project delay costs.

The global implications of this value proposition are even greater. Spare part logistics may be complicated and time-consuming for large spare parts in remote mining or major international construction projects. Therefore, the extended life cycle of a premium component reduces the logistics requirement to ship that component by either air or express delivery. In addition, the reduced frequency of failures allows for better and more reliable scheduling of maintenance and provides a means to reduce spare part inventories required to be held at project sites and/or in regional warehouses and to free up valuable capital and/or storage space. Furthermore, the longer times between failures provide for predictable maintenance scheduling, improved budget management, and ultimately a decreased per operating hour cost. As a result, premium parts are a sound strategic choice for companies doing business in various and sometimes difficult environments globally, as the reliability of their machine forms the foundation for their competitive advantage and success in delivering successful projects.Excavators’ enhanced durability is directly associated with their increased uptime. By utilizing premium parts that have a longer lifespan than standard parts, customers have fewer occurrences of replacement, and therefore, shorter maintenance windows. As the rate of component failures decreases, the chances of an unforeseen work stoppage also decrease; hence, allowing jobs/projects to continue aheadCompanies that manufacture and sell parts for excavators have found a correlation between the durability of excavator parts and increased machine uptime. More frequent part replacements lead to longer maintenance windows, while reduced component fail rates reduce the chances for unscheduled downtime, thereby allowing jobs/projects to maintain their timelines. There is a certain comfort level associated with knowing that operators will not have catastrophic failures of equipment while performing critical operations. The value is immeasurable if an operator's or site manager's project timeline is tight, as any delays could be extremely costly.

Peak Performance and Efficiency:
While durability is an important factor, premium grade components provide a consistent ability to achieve the original performance specifications of the excavator throughout the life of the part. If hydraulic components are worn and do not operate correctly, equipment will experience reduced pressure, longer cycle time, and increased fuel consumption because the hydraulic system must work harder to produce the same results. With premium grade hydraulic pumps, valves, and motors, these components maintain sealing integrity and volumetric efficiency, resulting in a constant level of power, speed, and responsiveness to operators.

The ability to operate an excavator consistently at peak performance is crucial to the ability to do productive work. With premium components, operators maintain control over their digging force, lifting capability, and swing torque. Therefore, operators can perform work at optimal speed and accuracy. The improved fuel economy that is achieved when hydraulic system components operate more efficiently also leads to less energy consumption from the engine, which results in decreased diesel usage. Therefore, premium hydraulic components represent a commitment to maximizing the productivity and operational cost-effectiveness of the machine; thus, maximizing the return on the capital investment.

The Global Value Proposition: Total Cost of Ownership
When comparing the original price of a premium hydraulic component to a standard hydraulic component, premium hydraulic components will always have a greater initial price; therefore, a full and accurate economic analysis must include TCO. The TCO will incorporate not only the purchase price of the hydraulic component but also all costs associated with the hydraulic components lifecycle (installation labour, machine downtime, lost production opportunities, and frequency of replacement). On paper, a less expensive hydraulic part may seem like a better economic solution. However, if it fails twice as frequently as a hydraulic component manufactured to premium specifications, you will incur two times the amount of labour expense associated with the hydraulic component, and exponentially greater cost associated with project delays.

The value proposition of premium hydraulic components should be viewed in a global context. Due to the complexities involved in spare parts logistics associated with spare parts for large, remote mining and construction projects, extending the life of a premium component reduces the logistics needed to ship that component either by air or express freight. In addition, the reduced rate of failure allows for better and more reliable maintenance scheduling, resulting in reduced spare parts inventories at job sites or regional warehouses thus freeing up capital and/or warehouse space. In addition, the greater time between failures provides for improved scheduling of maintenance, better budget management, and a lower cost per hour of operation. Consequently, purchasing premium hydraulic components may be an effective strategic decision for any company operating in a diverse and often difficult global environment due to the importance of machine reliability as a competitive advantage and successful project delivery.