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How to improve the engine fuel efficiency of your machines
As an OEM, we know you want to create the best possible equipment for your customers. And that means building machines that are going to run efficiently and have a positive impact on their bottom line.
It’s no secret that reducing costs is a priority for business owners and it’s no different when it comes to operating heavy equipment. But what you might not know is that fuel is a big ongoing expense. Of course, there are plenty of other factors that influence fuel consumption. But if you want to get the most fuel efficiency from your machine, you’ll want to start with the engine.
We know you’re always finding ways to look out for your customers’ best interests. One of the best ways to do this is by making sure that you choose the right engine for your machine.
What are the benefits of fuel efficiency?
As well as the cost savings associated with reduced fuel consumption, there are many other advantages to fuel efficient engines.
Just some of these include reduced emissions and environmental impact, lower project costs, better equipment performance and improved equipment lifespan – all areas that are front of mind for business owners.
What impacts the fuel efficiency of your equipment?
There are plenty of on-site factors that can affect the fuel efficiency of your equipment – these include the operating environment, the level of idle time, the choice of equipment and operator technique.
And, while you might not be able to influence the on-site behaviour of your customers, you can choose the right components for your machines to make them easier to operate in a fuel-efficient manner. The most important of these? Your engine.
How to measure your engine fuel efficiency
There are plenty of on-site factors that can affect the fuel efficiency of your equipment – these include the operating environment, the level of idle time, the choice of equipment and operator technique.
And, while you might not be able to influence the on-site behaviour of your customers, you can choose the right components for your machines to make them easier to operate in a fuel-efficient manner. The most important of these? Your engine.
It can be tricky to accurately measure fuel efficiency in the field as there are so many factors influencing it from your machine’s end-users.
The most accurate way of measuring fuel efficiency is to talk to your engine supplier. Our own engines go through extensive testing in our state-of-the-art global research and development centres to make sure that they are operating as efficiently as possible.
Technology can also be helpful when it comes to monitoring and understanding fuel consumption. We offer a suite of digital services that connect with our engines; these provide the data and intelligence to help optimise the fuel consumption and performance of your machines.
How can you improve the fuel efficiency of your machines?
There are a number of ways that you can improve the fuel efficiency of your machines.
Choose the right engine
We can’t emphasise enough how important choosing the right engine is. Selecting the wrong engine for your machine’s application means that it will have a detrimental effect on performance and fuel consumption in particular.
When you choose an engine that’s got too much power or is too big for the application, it means your machine won’t run efficiently and might not be as reliable. Picking the right sized engine means that it will run in optimal conditions, running the speed and load that give you the best overall fuel and fluid consumption.
Running the right size engine for your equipment means that you’re going to get to your maintenance intervals having not used as much lubricating oil. The overall fluid consumption over the life of your product is going to be the lowest.
Our global dealer network and expert team are committed to helping OEMs select the right engines for their machines. We can specify engines and even bespoke them to your machine’s exact requirements, ensuring that they are the perfect fit.
Look for power density
By improving power density, you’ll receive higher performance in a smaller package. This translates into better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
The right size engine for your machine is key, which is why we have a range of options to fit your application. For example, we have a range of different fan sizes and flywheels customers can choose from to match the machine’s cooling and inertia requirements. We want to do everything we can to make your engine perform at its best.
Focus on reducing emissions
Lower emissions aren’t just better for the environment; by reducing your engine emissions it helps your engine to operate more efficiently.
For example, Cat® engines are compliant with the EU Stage V emission regulations. They contain a high pressure common rail system that allows precise fine control over the amount of fuel that’s put into the engine and when it’s put in as well.
Other emission reduction components, such as how air is handled around the system, also help to minimise fuel consumption and parasitic losses.
Look for advanced technology
The technology available within engines to increase fuel efficiency is advancing all the time.
Whether it’s idle reduction technology within the engine that’s linked to your machine or engine connectivity options, such as maintenance alerts and scheduling, technology is your friend when it comes to choosing the most fuel-efficient engine.
At Caterpillar, we are always looking to the future when it comes to fuel efficiency technology. When developing our engines, we are constantly asking questions, such as:
- What features can we put in our engines to reduce fuel consumption?
- How can we improve on what we’ve done before?
- How can we reduce friction?
- How do we reduce parasitic losses?
It’s important to us to produce the best possible engines to make your machines as fuel efficient as possible, as we know that this in turn will help your customers to do their most efficient work. For example, our latest C13D engine contains an advanced controls algorithm to optimise fuel consumption which means that the performance adapts to the conditions that it’s currently in – meaning it’s built for the future.
