Repair Data Development

Labor Repair Guidelines

September 2015

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 What do Labor Guidelines Contain?

• Repair segments (repair options) with labor required

– Include all start-bys, follow the D&A manual
– Mostly Remove & Install (010) jobs of major components
– Lists what components are included and excluded for each
segment
– Use SMCS code structure and descriptions for:
• Component
• Job
• Modifier
• Quantity

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 Where do labor times come from
• Data sources
– Author experience
– Product group supplied
– Dealer supplied info
– Analyzing dealer work order data (soon)
• Time studies
– Using Cat dealer technicians at Cat dealers, or at Caterpillar
facilities
– In the field at a customer’s site using a Cat dealer technician

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 Who uses Labor Guidelines
Warranty

Cat TEPS
Dealers Dealers

Labor
Guidelines

Repair SOR /
Data PSSR
Product
Groups

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 How are labor guideline models prioritized for
development?
• Population
• Warranty labor impact to the enterprise
• Dealer feedback or requests
• Gaps in product line coverage
• Product Group requests (NPI)
• New technology

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 How are Time Studies Developed?
• Contact Service Operations Rep
– Help locate iron, provide serial number prefix
– Facilitate discussion with dealer
• Coordinate between product group, dealer
– Shipping machine or iron. CatUsed inventory, Dealer Inventory
– Duration, location, special safety/customer requirements
– Travel plans
• Research product
– Vis model, D&A manual, s/n model coverage, claims on components. Make component
priority list for technician
• Perform on-site data capture
• Communicate serviceability issues to Product Groups
• Compile data
• Create document and publish on dealer.cat.com/TRG

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 How are time studies developed?

• At a Cat dealer using a Cat dealer technician

– Use an average seasoned technician
– Used and new machines/engines
– Use special tooling, power hand tools
– Adhere to safety, D&A manual steps
• Additional time is added to the final wrench time
– To accommodate variances
– Account for parts procurement
– Writing service reports etc.

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 How we capture and measure labor time
• Utilize a custom Excel spreadsheet
– Standing close to technician in the service bay
– Capture each repair step detail, time stamped
– SMCS codes and descriptions
– Wrench time and non wrench time captured
– Detail time multiplied by (x) number of technicians used

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 What We Record - Wrenching

• Time includes wrench turning, removing gasket material,

washing parts, installing gaskets, inspecting parts,
adjustments and lubrication of components, getting tools
out of and back into the toolbox, looking up torque
specifications and more…
• Additional uplift is added to the actual wrench turning time
– This adjustment allows for those aspects of the repair that are not
time studied, but are still a part of the repair.

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 What We Record – Non-Wrenching
• Bathroom breaks, phone calls, breaks, and safety meetings
are lumped into a general category
• Everything else we classify it into 5 different categories (this
helps us get an idea of how a tech spends their time while
performing the job:
• Parts (ordering parts)
• Documentation (looking at SIS, D&A, etc)
• Tooling (Running to tool crib or wherever special tools are kept)
• Clean Up (cleaning up tools, around the machine, etc)
• Facility (Anything that takes excessive time due to facility layout)

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 Types of labor times available

Equipment Repair Labor Guidelines (ERLG)

– Display info obtained from Builder files, no details, guide
Time Requirement Guidelines (TRG)
– Pdf document, active in Warranty Claims system, time study
details, limits labor exceeding TRG
Commercial Engine Labor Guidelines
– Pdf document or spreadsheet, time study details, guide and TRG
Machine Labor Guidelines
– Pdf document, time study details, source for Builder file labor,
guide

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 Benefits of Using Labor Guidelines

• Provides a predictable estimate of repair time

• Reduces warranty claim administrative time
• Promotes an efficient repair, lowering owning & operating
costs
• Can be used to quote revenue repair estimates
• Influences amount of labor being claimed
• Data could be used to develop standard repair options for
high frequency repairs

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 Where to find Labor Guidelines
Dealer.cat.com/TRG

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 https://smi.cat.com

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 https://smi.cat.com (through SISweb)

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 Cat Dealer labor time study participation
• Altorfer, Inc.
• Cashman Equipment Company
• Carolina Tractor & Equipment
• Cleveland Brothers Equipment
• Dean Machinery (currently Foley,
Inc.)
• Empire Southwest, LLC.
• Gregory Poole Equipment Co.
• Hawthorne Machinery Co.
• Holt Texas Ltd.
• J.A. Riggs Tractor Company
• John Fabick Tractor Company
• Johnson Machinery Co.
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• MacAllister Machinery Co., Inc.
• Michigan Cat
• Southworth-Milton, Inc.
• Pantropic Power, Inc.
• Patten Industries, Inc.
• Peterson Machinery Co.
• PON Power AS
• Ring Power Corporation
• Thompson Tractor Co., Inc.
• Toromont Industries, Ltd.
• Warren Power and Machinery, Inc.
• Western States Equipment
• Wyoming Machinery Company
• Ziegler, Inc.
 Cat Dealer labor time study participation
• If you are interested in participating in a time
study, please contact us at:

• TRG Feedback Form: https://

dealer.cat.com/cda/layout?id=3605658

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