Bandit Industries has added a Productivity Package, powered by MasterTrak, to their product offering. This asset management tool communicates directly with the engine and monitors engine and equipment problems, reducing costly, unexpected failures that impact your bottom line. The Productivity Package is standard on all new whole-tree chippers and horizontal grinders, and is available as an option for the stump grinder and hand-fed chipper line. The MasterTrak Productivity Package can also be added to existing units out in the field.
Diagnostics provided by the Productivity Package have shown savings in:
• Reduced breakdowns
• Improved preventative maintenance scheduling based on use
• Improved vehicle use rates
• Reduced repair costs
• Improved technician productivity
Well-timed maintenance and parts replacement not only prevent job site machine failures, but also ensure a better price tag at the time of resale. Beyond this, owners can retain control over every machine, every day, at every location.
The Productivity Package allows for run-time reports, which summarizes run hours and alarm counts, so users can quickly identify problems. An online display of equipment condition and alarm history helps reduce unnecessary trips to the site. Alerts help prevent equipment abuse by sending out email notifications for alarms and fault codes. The GPS mapping feature, known as ‘bread crumbs’, allows users to track their machine from job to job, aides in theft recovery, and provides maps and driving directions for efficient logistics.
“This new option will be especially helpful where there are strict air-quality control and emission standards,” said Ray Eluskie, marketing manager for Bandit Industries. “The Productivity Package records run-time, travel logs and other information required by air-quality agencies, saving time and providing accurate logs.”
In addition to accurate tracking, the package also allows for remote monitoring of equipment maintenance. “Keeping tabs on the machine is as easy as looking at the screen and monitoring, say, the radiator temperature,” Eluskie explained. “You see the engine is getting too hot, so you call your guy in the field and tell him, ‘Hey, check that radiator screen.’ You’re preventing a trip out to fix the machine, and preventing damage to the unit.”
Rental companies will also see the benefits, as they can keep an eye on their equipment’s position and key components from a distance. “Rental customers can be rough on the equipment,” says Eluskie. “Adding the Productivity Package allows rental managers to keep a close eye on scheduled maintenance and the number of hours on the chipper.”
