Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.
Issue link: http://concrete.epubxp.com/i/923891
www.concreteproducts.com January 2018 • 81 INNOVATIONS EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTS Caterpillar Inc. is launching a new tier of repair and replacement parts to support small- and medium-sized equipment under its Construction Industries umbrella, along with pre-EPA 2010 on/off-highway truck engines. Yellowmark products will offer an alternative for customers looking for reliable, value-priced parts from Cat dealers. "Whether online, through our new services or products, we are working with dealers to deliver a step change in our aftermarket offer- ing," says Caterpillar Chief Marketing Officer Nigel Lewis. Building Construction Products (BCP) and Global Construction & Infrastructure (GCI) equipment customers indicated a need for more repair and replacement part options as they seek the right balance between convenience and reliability at a lower cost, especially for older equip- ment, he adds, noting, "Yellowmark repair and replacement parts build on the current range of Caterpillar new and remanufactured solutions to provide more options to customers as they work to opti- mize the owning and operating costs of their fleets." Yellowmark parts will encompass and expand on the Cat Classic Parts line. New offerings will be added over time to the Classic line to ensure a full range of parts for BCP and GCI equipment. Initial repair and replacement part offerings will be introduced throughout 2018; future Yellowmark introductions will also include maintenance and wear parts. World of Concrete Booth C6061 Caterpillar forges new value parts brand for legacy engines, machines Daimler Trucks North America has begun a pilot program for plastic parts produced using 3D printing technologies, which the manufacturer sees as soon playing a significant role in heavy-duty fleet maintenance. More importantly, management notes, DTNA views 3D printing as an opportunity to better serve customers, particularly those needing parts that have been difficult to provide through traditional supply chains due to truck age or very low or inter- mittent demand. The pilot will have DTNA release a controlled quantity of 3D printed parts and invite cus- tomer or technician feedback. It will also collect performance data and assess potential future demand for 3D printed products. The manufacturer is teaming with the 3D printing service bureau, Technology House, which has 20-plus years of additive manufacturing experience. The companies have made the first parts available to customers with Selective Laser Sintering; the process refers to layering powder in a print chamber and then "selectively" melting a pattern with lasers before adding the next layer. The 3D printed parts have been validated to meet durability requirements and many will appear no different from conventional parts to the untrained eye. Initial parts to be printed include nameplates, map pockets, and plastic covers. Along with other parts eligible for 3D printing, they are being stored in DTNA's digital warehouse, allowing fabrication on demand with shorter than normal lead times. Without the need to maintain tooling, such parts will remain available to customers when needed. On-demand 3D printing removes the need of holding physical inventory. Currently, the order process can take two to four weeks, but once the program is fully launched, DTNA anticipates parts shipment in days. The on-demand printing/manufacturing capability has the potential to increase uptime for customers who may otherwise experience long wait times for a hard- to-find part. "Over the past five years, DTNA has made significant financial and intellectual investments in the supply chain network in order to deliver parts to our customers faster than ever before," says Aftermarket Supply Chain General Manager Jay Johnson. "We realize that we must con- tinue to innovate and invest in new processes, including 3D printing. [The launch] is only the beginning as we continue to develop this technology in our quest to be the benchmark for parts availability." World of Concrete Booth C5427 DAIMLER TESTS 3D-PRINTED PARTS FOR FREIGHTLINER, WESTERN STAR The Yellowmark launch follows a new corporate strategy Caterpillar presented to its global dealer network late last year, accompanied by a new purpose statement: "Our solutions help customers build a better world." Increase Concrete Unit Weights from 140 lbs per Cu Ft in Any Increment to Over 200 lbs Cu Ft. Custom Mix Designs Are Available. Applications: • Counterweights • Ballast • Pipe Coatings • Radiation Shielding • New Innovations • New Innovations US Iron Provides: • Year Round Shipping • Available as a Coarse or Fine Aggregate or as a Blend For Additional Information, Contact: Mark@usmagnetite.com • Ph: 765-210-4111 HEAVY WEIGHT CONCRETE AGGReGATE