Hey everybody! I hope this is the appropriate board to ask these questions and apologize ahead of time if it isn't. I understand this might be a long-shot but any input will be greatly appreciated! :tong So I'm currently an undergraduate engineering student at the University of California Davis working on a small project for an engineering econ class. If it isn't too much to ask, I am hoping that anybody with expertise in scraper operating could provide me with some information about your experiences on the job. A little about the project: It's essentially a mock-analysis of a road-way building project in which my group and I have to choose between renting and buying a Caterpillar 623G Wheel Tractor Scraper. What I want to ask you guys: I've done a bit of background research on sites like the Bureau of Labor Statistics but I'm looking for more specific information. So here are the questions. 1) What is your operation days per year? 2) Labor hours per day? 3) Tractor hours per day? Really appreciate you guys taking the time to read all this. I hope to hear from somebody soon! :notworthy
Our recent project we used our cat 623G scrapers around 100 days in a year period. This was on a project that required a million yards of material to be moved on a 5 mile stretch of 4 lane highway. The operator gets paid 10 hours a day and typicaly the machine gets 9-9 1/2. Things to think about is the size of the project, and what future work you have lined up. I am guessing you can't use leasing the machines as an option?
I dont have answers to your questions, but 2 615C cost $300,000, 1 623g is $500,000
Need a little more info, how big of a job are you looking at? And will you have any support tractors. And why do you want a 623? Have you thought about AG tractors and pans?
When I was in engineering school and used to get these kinds of things it usually came from an instructor who never set his little toe out in the real world and had no pratical experience. First quesiton I would ask is are you going to get into rock which will totally throw your 623 out pf the picture.
Ok several questions and I'll give you my real world answers not text books. You probably already turned your stuff in already but here's my 2 cents. 1. Is the machine a prime mover (ie the main earthmoving piece of equipment) or support? If Prime see 2. If support see 3. In my experience 85% of the time self loaders are used for support on road construction and not the prime mover. 2. How many hours will the machine be used? 2000 see 11. 3. How many hours will the machine be used vs sit idle. If > 62% see 2. If <62% see 12. 10. Rent 11. Rental with purchase option. The industry is so sluggish right now a straight purchase of a $700,000 piece of equipment is sticking it out there. 12. How many months will you need it? <3 see 10. <6 see 13. <12 see 14 <24 see 15 13. Purchase used say 12,000 hours 14. Purchase used say 8,000 hours 15. Purchase used say 4,000 hours Self loading scrapers for road building are a necessary evil. A lot a times they sit on a job and you use them 10% of the time your on the job. If you rent them say for $15,000/month and use them 15 hours thats a whopping $1000/ hour. Not real economical. In our company we run older self loaders. If its used for support a smaller self loader scraper makes those numbers a little easier to swallow. Good Luck