Power Systems Technicians Joe Young and Tim Reneau remove a cylinder pack for inspection.
A typical engine overhaul takes about a week to complete between two technicians. On a recent job that Milton CAT completed on a behemoth offshore shipping vessel, the service department was given just six days to complete four overhauls on large, 16-cylinder engines. Thanks to the hard work of technicians and service department personnel, Milton CAT got the job done.
A total of 17 technicians, from Scarborough and Milford, turned wrenches round the clock to complete the repair on Cade Candies, a service operation vessel that transports personnel and components to one of the biggest windfarms in the U.S., located off the coast of Rhode Island. The clock started ticking on Thursday, May 8.
Completing four overhauls under such time constraints was a big ask, even for experienced technicians like Tim Reneau and Joe Young, who have worked for Milton CAT for 21 and 30 years, respectively.
This was a very large job, representing over $1 million in parts and service opportunity, said Milton CAT Vice President Power Systems Scott Martel. Securing it wasn’t easy, however. Marine customers like Otto Candies, owner of the shipping vessel, work with multiple CAT dealers along the east coast. Milton CAT had to offer more competitive rates to outbid them. Thanks to the collaboration between Milton CAT Marine Market Manager John Dendas and the service department, Milton CAT won the job.
Winning the job came with the condition that the dealership would meet Cade Candies’ tight deadline, the reason for which was simple.
“Money,” said Chad Folse, the ship’s maintenance manager. “Every minute you’re not working, you’re paying and not getting paid. That’s the push.”
Engine overhauls consist of replacing all the worn-out parts of an engine. During the process, nearly every component gets inspected. Vital to getting the job done on time was steadiness, efficiency and organization, according to Reneau. “We have the bodies for it, but it’s tight, there are lot of parts we need to replace, so organization and efficiency are key.”
One of the biggest challenges of the job was getting the parts from the deck of the ship to where the engines are located. Parts had to be lifted onto the ship via a monstrous crane, lugged across the deck, and lowered through a hatch to the engine room.
Power systems technicians and field service technicians joined forces to accomplish the task. They worked in tight spaces, sometimes with noisy engines running in the background that made communication difficult. The job’s high stakes meant attention to detail was key.
“If something goes wrong and they’re out at sea, the downtime is not good,” noted Joe Young, who said the recipe for staying attentive on job was taking breaks and fueling up.
Alongside Reneau and Young were young techs like Sarah Gable, who started working for Milton CAT full-time two years ago after completing the co-op program.
Gable understood the importance of being thorough. “We don’t want this job to go south, and it can south quickly if something’s not properly torqued or put away.”
It’s more difficult to control contamination and maneuver heavy parts when you’re working on the jobsite as opposed to in the shop, she said. “It’s cleaner in the shop than it is here, and you’ve got to be cautious about that. You have to make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be, and nothing gets cross contaminated.”
Milton CAT finished the job on Wednesday, May 14 — as promised. The job was completed on time thanks to the dedication of seventeen technicians, Marine Market Manager John Dendas, Service Manager for Milford Power Systems Mike Davidson and Energy Solutions Account Manager Angela Moccio, who played an instrumental role in parts logistics.
Earthmoving Field Service Technician Tyler Mullally inspects bolts for wear and tear.
