Seems a rather open question I know.... In another business, we build things. After having to make a few parts for my own equipment it got me wondering if we should apply our engineering and manufacturing skills to the replacement part and accessory sectors of heavy equipment. One area of interest for me is skid steer attachments and track replacement parts. Basically I also have to assess the market demand for such parts. I know some guys might get bit on say a sprocket set for a D9 but I am not yet sure how to determine the market for such parts yet. Curious what you guy's thoughts might be? As far a capability, technically can make anything with enough demand and backing but I am really trying to stay away from forgings for now. As far as skid steer accessories, I might rather look at a few things I have in my head or do something better, I don't like just duplicating components. Trying to think of a skid steer accessory that is not yet out there is, well, hard! Hell, they practically make a TP dispenser attachment. As far as experience, we design and build water pumps, air pumps, structural shafts, structural components, composites, etc.
The aftermarket parts game for construction equipment has been a whore's market for at least a couple decades, especially with the Korean and Chinese manufacturers turning out copies of just about everything. Attachments are about the same, the only possible success, and that short lived, would be as you say to come up with something nobody else has yet, that there is an obvious need for. And then within a year you would have several competitors selling a similar item, for just a bit less money. The snake is more or less eating it's tail, there are more people with more products, and less demand and dollars. The internet has been the great leveler, contractors used to rely on their local dealers and parts houses to source things, now anybody with a CTL or a mini-ex can get online and order a single spare flown over from China. Just the way she is. Find a niche is my only advice, price yourself fair and offer superb service, you have to stand out to succeed these days.
I would say what has worked for us so far is designing things right, making them right with the correct materials and not cutting corners, and providing good support. We compete with others that cut corners and obviously do not have the engineering background to know how to do it right. The old philosophy to just keep adding metal and welds until it stops breaking..... I have ideas in lots of material handling markets but you are right, it is VERY hard competing today. Always someone out there willing to practically make it for free.
Yair . . . From my experience to be competitive in manufacturing pretty much anything you need some volume. Our business, due to the expertise of one of the partners, ended up outfitting most of the Australian prawn (shrimp) boats with on board sorting/grading/packing systems and supplied the equipment to clients all over the world. With just the same few top tradesmen working in the factory there was still a huge difference in the profitability of suppling and fitting six boats versus just one. Interestingly we tried to sell the equipment into the US and discovered (in the early nineties) that the Gulf shrimp boats were thirty years behind their southern hemisphere counterparts possibly in part due to the Jones Act. Even today I see documentaries about shrimping out of Brownsville and other gulf ports and some of the boats are still running countershafts and mechanical winches and sorting on the deck. Cheeers.
Don't know anything about shrimping but do see too many around here it the US that are more interested in moving as fast as possible to the 19th century in more ways than one! "We did it like that for years, Why Change now?"
Something you might want to look into is making a high quality bucket for skidloaders. From what we have used and seen thier is realy no one that makes a skidloader bucket that's ment to last. For bigger stuff you can always depend on Esco, Hensley, or Cat for dependable attachments but I have never seen a skid steer bucket that even comes close to those standards.
huh, I can't say I have run into that. Are you mostly in rock? The buckets I have run have all been factory Case, CAT, and NH and non I could really complain about other than maybe lacking in some trick features to make them more multi purpose. Never liked leveling with a bucket but a lot of guys do it. I am too used to a box blade. What sort of features lead you to "low quality" statements?
Yair . . . kshansen You got it in one, that is exactly how it was. I never made it to the US but my partner had several meetings with companies on the Gulf Coast and as soon as he mentioned hydraulics to run sorters and conveyors and some decent refrigeration instead of stone age brine tanks their eyes would just glaze over. Cheers.
True that the markets have led to the cheaper made stuff with low quality, but that only lasts so long. We have bought that way in the past and now we concentrate on quality over price. If its a throw away attachment then different story, but for the most part we are fed up with these things not lasting. It is not cost effective to spend 75% of good quality only to have it last 50% as long, or less. Kinda like skid steer buckets, oem or otherwise, they are all cheaply made, we end up having to put new bottoms in them fairly regularly, especially on Cat MTL's, great machines to grade with, lay the bucket down and go, all the while wearing out the bottom. lol Good thing our dealer keeps base edges in stock.
Hello Fast, I think we could use someone here that is familiar with the app sketch up artist. I have an idea for stairs that collapse to a ladder for a 966 size loader or similar size ag tractor. Are you familiar with sketch up? I looked at the tutorial. ...seems pretty cool.
I am afraid I am not familiar. We use engineering type 3D programs to combine structural analysis but I am sure if you can kick out a generic file, we should be able to convert and open it. If you can find 3D software, that really would be best and you can usually then generate an engineered drawing from that to see dimensions and such easier. I sent you a reply via PM earlier.
Thanks Fast, My idea or concept is when the 966 is zero air pressure. ...it's a ladder with handrail. With pressure it's an extended staircase with handrail
My concept is without air pressure. The latter is retracted with air pressure it's retracted
We run into the exact problem that mjrdude is having. Bottoms wear thin then crack in no time. Welds on the side washing out and having to reweld and plate the sides and my favorite is the backs of the buckets getting pushed in then going sloppy. Now I know repairing skid steer buckets ain't rocket science but it would be nice to have something that would hold up and be worth rebuilding.
The skid bucket mentality was always build it light to get more material per scoop, since early skids were limited in lift before tipping. As the machines got more powerful and operators began to push the limits of what could be done with a skid steer in terms of digging, dozing, and grading and especially the MTL/CTL type machines, the industry hasn't really caught up. Of course what dealers deliver on machines unless something different/better is specified is the least cost universl dirt bucket that fits the quick attach frame. There are severe duty buckets available for skid steers, and the attachment makers will happily build you whatever you ask for, for a price. Cheers.
I did do a little research but to be honest, Lantrax might be dead on! I am seeing buckets for about a grand, new! All I have to do is calculate the weight, and we have that much! I could certainly see why quality is what it is! I saw a 2012 MTL with 1000hrs and bucket was toast! cracked out in the back, lead edge was hammered. Guess it depends on what you put it through too! Out old 225 ex bucket looks like it fought the good fight and lost. Morons were demoing buildings with it. Hard to build around using the wrong tool for the job I guess.