Forestry’s digital edge

How telematics technology enhances logging efficiency, improves safety, and streamlines equipment management.

You wear many hats – from heavy equipment maintenance to timber harvesting. Understanding telematics can refine your logging operation and free up time for strategic decision-making.

In today’s forest industry, many technologies are available like telematics machine monitoring. These technologies can boost efficiency, improve crew safety and keep your operation running smoothly. Let’s delve into telematics and how a fleet monitoring service allows you to focus on the forest while it keeps an eye on your equipment.

What is telematics?

Today’s forestry equipment, including log loaders, is likely already equipped with fleet tracking technologies, called telematics, to track and report data in real time.

Telematics systems can provide a better understanding of how, when and where equipment is operating. The location is provided in longitude and latitude, and the mapping software automatically changes to the closest address.

Many fleet tracking technologies use a terminal that is installed on equipment to gather and communicate data wirelessly via cellular or satellite service. The machine’s data is then sent to a website where you and your dealer can monitor the following:

• Machine performance
• Operating hours
• Fuel usage
• Engine idle time
• Work time
• Engine temperature
• Hydraulic oil temperature
• Fault codes

Telematics benefits

A telematics monitoring service can help you in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples:

Better allocate resources: Telematics data can show you exactly where and how often your equipment is being used. By analyzing this data, you can determine if you are underusing your assets or whether it is time to invest in adding to your equipment fleet. Adjusting your fleet size to meet your needs can also help reduce equipment costs.

Fine-tune bids: If you want to create accurate estimates on future projects, telematics can help by providing you with data on machine hours and fuel usage to determine operating costs and labor costs for more accurate billing.

Promote better operator behavior: Data collected through telematics systems can be used to solve business challenges and improve operator performance, such as reducing prolonged idle time or improper use of equipment. By monitoring this data, you can correct these issues to promote a more productive and safer job site. You can also identify areas where you can reduce operating costs to extend component lifecycles and reduce the frequency of unplanned maintenance.

Save on downtime: Your dealer may be able to diagnose a problem without physically being in the same location as the machine for faster response time. This will help save unnecessary machine downtime and reduce travel time for your dealership’s service department. When a technician does need to visit your job site, they will be better prepared to fix your issue because of telematics data shared with the dealership.

Improve fuel efficiency: Telematics data can help you improve equipment fuel usage and efficiency. The system monitors equipment idle, helping you identify machines that are working under or over capacity. Reducing idle times can also extend engine life and reduce repair and maintenance costs. And you can monitor power mode operation and adjust the power mode to do the same work while using less fuel.

Help prevent unauthorized operation: Use telematics history reports to keep a close eye on your machine and see where it’s been operated. A geo-fence, or an invisible/virtual boundary, can be created through the machine’s GPS system. If your machine leaves the virtual fence, it will send a notification and can alert the authorities about possible equipment theft.

A time fence or curfew on each machine can also be created. If the machine is operated outside of working hours, an email or SMS text notification can be sent to you. This helps prevent unauthorized operation and potential vandalism to the machine and job site.

Telematics systems are unique to each equipment manufacturer – these systems have a variety of benefits to help you make smarter decisions about how to best manage your fleet.

Source: Canadian Forest Industries

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