Reducing the Costs of Using Construction Machinery by Using the Oil Condition Monitoring Technique

In this research, with the aim of reducing the costs of maintenance and use of construction machinery in the road construction sector, the methods of increasing the time intervals for changing the engine oil of these machines have been discussed. Accordingly, as a case study, this goal was achieved in an excavator of the Komatsu PC۲۲۰-۷ model using SAA۶D۱۰۲E-۲-C engine oil by means of an engine oil condition monitoring system that was used at intervals of ۵۵, ۱۱۰ and ۱۶۵ hours of operation. Machines have been investigated in construction and road construction projects. The main parameters of this research include viscosity at ۴۰ degrees Celsius, alkaline number, erosive elements (iron, chromium, aluminum, copper, lead), oil additives (zinc, phosphorus, calcium), oil contaminants (calcium, sodium and Boron) and Particle Quantifier for each of which a standard index has been considered and the change of these parameters in three periods of ۵۵, ۱۱۰ and ۱۶۵ hours of vehicle engine operation has been investigated. Also, as an economic discussion, the cost parameters in Iran for these conditions have been investigated. The results of this research showed the good performance of the oil during ۱۶۵ hours of engine operation.