In the dynamic landscape of turf maintenance, where the wheels of progress are in perpetual motion, the unspoken hero is often overlooked. Picture this: the hum of machinery, the scent of hard work in the air, and the collective pulse of an industry beating with ambition. Yet, beneath this bustling surface lies a crucial undercurrent – a commitment to uncompromising safety.

For Trimax, world leader in flail and rotary cutting equipment, safety isn’t just a tick box exercise.

“From the design and development of our machines to the testing and manufacturing processes, safety is always at the forefront of our minds. We believe that by prioritizing safety, we can not only protect operators but also enhance their productivity and efficiency.” Caroline Shaw, Global Brand Manager at Trimax.

Here we’ve got an exclusive, behind the scenes look at the meticulous safety testing that every Trimax machine undergoes before it hits the market!

Thrown Object Testing

When cutting grass, mowers can come into contact with foreign objects like stones, sticks, and golf balls. When mowers come into contact with them, there is a danger that the struck object may be thrown and cause injury to the operator or any bystanders.

The thrown object test looks at how and where objects are dispersed. During the test, the machine is surrounded by specified targets and will run over sand and stones. To pass the test, no object can be thrown to the side or in the operator area, and only low impacts in the discharge area are acceptable.

Blade Impact Testing

Although Trimax blades are designed and made with durability in mind, in the event of a blade breakage, it must not fall in an unsafe way.

During testing, the mower is surrounded by targets. While the blades are moving, the mower is lowered onto a high-tensile steel bar.

To pass the blade impact test, there must be no loss of any part of the mower, and the targets must not be punctured by blades or any other part of the mower weighing more than 30g.

The purpose of this test is to ensure that if any part of the cutting system fails or comes into contact with anything that could cause damage, there is no hazard to the operator or anyone nearby.

Designing and Testing for Finger and Limb Safety

Due to the nature of a mower, it’s imperative that fingers or limbs cannot get close to the blades, especially while in motion. For this reason, every hazard zone/ opening to moving parts has been carefully considered by Trimax, ensuring maximum safety.

Testing for Foot Access to the Cutting Chamber

Another important test is foot access. During testing, Trimax probes the cutting chamber with a dummy foot to evaluate the level of access around the machine, this ensures maximum protection for both the operator and any bystanders.

Trimax Mowers: Safer By Design

When it comes to safety, Trimax is setting the standard. Their uncompromising safety measures, extensive testing, and innovative safety features are what set them apart from the competition. To find out more about the safety or testing of Trimax mowers, call +27 11 626 2928.

Investing in machinery is a key consideration for greenkeeping and groundscare professionals. Choosing the model of mower and additional equipment is only one aspect of the decision. You also need to consider the lifetime costs of your new machinery.

Buying machinery is a popular route as it ensures you have full control and ownership of your equipment and is an asset within your business. However, it is vital to consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) when making this decision.

Both new and used machinery needs to be assessed with TCO in mind, helping you to budget for the best possible choice for your long-term needs. Let’s explore TCO in more depth and how to calculate the real cost of your new machinery and the potential return on investment it generates.

Productivity

The productivity of your machinery is measured at the rate at which the work is performed. Key variables may include the overall cutting width of the mower, as well as the operating speed. When we talk about operating speed, we mean both the forward speed of the machine, but also if that one machine can do all the work required. For example, would you have to roll the area after it’s been mowed or is there a roller on a mower? Would you need to go around afterwards and blow the cut grass away, or does the mower have a collector?

Speed may also impact the cut quality, depending on the chosen model. The more productive the equipment, the more jobs you can get done, and the more profitable you will be.

Investing in the most up-to-date technological machinery usually delivers higher productivity levels. However, older machines can still deliver high productivity levels and be the correct choice for your work. To find the most suitable machine, we recommend having a demonstration on your grounds.

Fuel

Operational costs are another leading contributor to machinery’s TCO. Older equipment may naturally be less efficient and may use more fuel, so it is important to consider whether an initially lower price is worth the additional cost over time to keep the equipment operational.

If you are looking to purchase an attachment machine, then you should consider the weight. The heavier the attachment, the more power and fuel it will draw from the tractor.

While hybrid and electric technologies are becoming more popular, we are still in the early adoption stage for this machinery. It is also important to consider whether the increased cost is worth the investment.

Maintenance & Servicing

When we talk about maintenance and servicing, we are referring to several things:

What maintenance and/or servicing does the machine require?

Understanding the machines’ maintenance requirements is important as this will affect the TCO. How many grease points does the machine have? How frequently do they need to be greased? How accessible are the grease points?

You may be surprised at the results when you go through all this information. It’s not uncommon to see machines requiring 200+ hours a year of greasing. That’s almost a month in the workshop, unable to be used. And that’s just for greasing, not all the other servicing a machine requires.

How accessible and affordable are spare parts?

Parts and the accessibility of parts should be a key deciding factor when purchasing new machinery. Consider:

• How frequently will crucial parts and components need to be replaced?
• How long does each part take to replace?
• How accessible are the parts?

These are all great questions to ask sellers. Consider, if your machine breaks down, can you get next-day delivery to get you back up and running? Every minute of downtime costs money so understanding the maintenance and parts costs for your new equipment is a vital part of its TCO.

What support and backup is available?

Is there technical support available for your new equipment? It’s worth exploring whether there are useful self-help portals or 24/7 support from specialists in the make and model of your machinery.

To make an informed purchase, you must ask questions about the support available for your new machinery. Ask as many questions as you need to feel confident in your purchase, as making a good purchase decision relies upon having all relevant information.

Purchase Price

The initial cost price is the final key component of any machine’s total cost of ownership. The purchase price you pay is often the main figure considered before investing in new machinery. However, as the above shows, many other factors influence the true and total cost of ownership. Budgeting accordingly is vital to ensure you purchase the right machinery for your needs.

Buying older or second-hand machinery may be appealing because of the lower purchase price. However, this equipment often does not offer additional benefits such as warranties, service plans and reliable parts availability. When considering any machinery, you must thoroughly consider the ongoing maintenance and running costs.

Using Total Cost of Ownership to Inform Your Next Purchase

Taking a more holistic and long-term approach to the total cost of ownership will help ensure you choose the right option for your needs. The same principles apply if you are looking to purchase brand-new equipment or considering second-hand.

It is easy to be swayed by an attractive purchase price but do not forget to look into the specifications of the machinery, consider its efficiency and the costs that may build up over time in fuel, maintenance and running costs.

The total cost of ownership gives you a truer and more reflective picture of the lifetime cost of your machinery, so measuring and comparing different models of different ages and conditions is a vital part of making your final purchase decision.

When it comes to maintenance or repair, choosing genuine parts is the only way to guarantee the performance and life of your mower, explains Robert Todd, European Service Manager for Trimax Mowing Systems.

At a glance, genuine parts and pirate parts may appear to be similar; but scratch the surface and the issue becomes clear.

The Case for Genuine Parts

Genuine parts are exactly the same parts used to build the original machines. Years of research, development and testing have gone into them. They are made from high quality materials and in some instances individual parts perform more than one function.

Take the blades on a Trimax mower as an example. Primarily meant to cut grass in diverse types of terrain, they also direct airflow ensuring the cutting chamber remains unobstructed and clippings are well distributed.

Beyond this, Trimax quality control ensures the blades are flawless – they can encounter obstacles like small logs and rocks without shattering and exiting the mower as a deadly piece of shrapnel. Safety and quality are integral parts of the Trimax design, ensuring the whole machine meets or exceeds all regional safety standards.

Ongoing Improvement

Continuous improvement is the cornerstone of companies like Trimax. Ensuring the pedigree means always having the latest technology and where possible new advances are designed to fit older models. Customers choosing genuine parts will have the safest, most efficient machines, and access to expert advice from the people who designed and manufactured the parts.

The Pirate Way

Pirate part vendors profess to make parts that are “just as good” as the real thing but cost significantly less. Really?

It is impossible for pirate parts to out-perform the original items and cost less because pirate parts are produced as a separate, profit-making exercise.

To maintain profit margins, pirates cut corners, lower specs and alter or delete pesky design details (remember the blades and flails), which might complicate manufacture.

For manufacturers like Trimax, parts are integral to their primary business – producing high quality machines. Parts are not produced as a stand-alone enterprise.

Other Factors For Consideration

Aside from the physical design and cost, there are some other important elements to consider before deciding between genuine or pirate parts.

• Safety – genuine parts have been tested to comply with safety regulations for maximum protection of machine and operator. Lower risk, greater peace of mind.
• Warranty – using non-genuine parts often voids manufacturer warranties, particularly if they go on to cause issues with the rest of the machine.
• Downtime – genuine parts are guaranteed to fit your machine first time, every time. Maximum uptime and performance.
• Expertise – only with genuine parts will you get expert advice from the people who designed, tested and manufactured the machine.

Where do You Stand?

It’s worth noting that genuine parts often aren’t as expensive as you might expect. Most manufacturers will price their parts competitively, meaning you can still get a good price: and in some cases, genuine parts can even be cheaper than pirate parts! It’s definitely worth checking with the original manufacturer before even considering going for a non-genuine part, as you may be surprised by how little real replacements actually cost, explains Robert Todd

For more information or to find out more about genuine parts, give us a call on +61 383 617 868 or [email protected]

Proud to support our customers and consider them part of the Trimax family, we’re excited to announce the launch of the Trimax Owners & Operators Club on Facebook.

This exclusive club is for all owners and operators of Trimax Mowing Systems. We aim to build a strong community and support network where you can reach out and speak with others utilising the same kit as you, as well as getting access to handy hints and tips about your mower.

We’re proud of all our products and love hearing customer feedback. We also love seeing our mowers in action and hope the group will become a valuable resource for ideas and inspiration when creating and maintaining amazing green spaces for people to enjoy.

We’re pleased to invite all Trimax owners and operators to sign up as members of this exclusive club and connect with the wider community. See you on the inside!

Trimax Owners & Operators Club | Facebook

Everybody quotes blade tip speed, this is not nearly as important as spindle speed.

Blade tip speed is similar across all brands, and some brands are running tip speeds higher than required as the cleanest cut possible is only achievable within a certain speed range. Too fast and power and fuel are wasted, too slow and the grass is torn and damaged. What really matters is how many cuts or rotations the blade achieves per forward meter of travel, which is where spindle speed comes in.

Trimax mowers feature shorter blade beams that enable more spindles to be fitted across the decks for any given cutting width. This keeps the deck compact for better weight distribution and maneuverability.

To maintain the perfect tip speed for cleanly cut grass, these shorter blade beams spin at a higher rate allowing the blade to take a smaller bite (clip) of grass each rotation, ultimately increasing the number of cuts per forward meter. This increased number of cuts is essential for producing a finer cut.

The other benefit is each spindle only has to handle a small volume of grass. This allows for the most effective use of the specialised Trimax airflow design in mixing the cut grass with air for an even spread which is discharged safely and effectively over the rear roller with no windows.

To gain an even greater number of cuts per meter, Trimax offers the patented Quattro Blade Kit on selected models increasing the blades per spindle from two to four, thereby doubling the number of cuts per rotation.

As an option, Quattro can be retrofitted for when an even finer clip of grass is needed. For all fine cut and turf applications, we recommend Quattro blade carriers and your choice of blade combinations including flat and uplift options.

Talk to your Trimax Sales Representative today about the best blade combination to suit your application. You can also book a demo by clicking here, or download our catalogue by clicking here.

Trimax’s assembly and parts distribution warehouse in Melbourne recently moved to larger premises not far from their original location. This new site location expansion will allow Trimax to provide even greater support for the Australian mower market with improved capacity to assemble mowers and keep parts quantities in peak supply along with the Sales team being able to supply most mowers ex stock.

Australian Market Manager Brent Willing says “We aim to keep lead times on new mowers to a minimum, and have the ability to build mowers in market to meet individual customer needs”

We understand how important managing downtime is and what it means for your profitability, so where possible we make sure you receive your orders overnight. We fully support all current model mowers and will air freight in parts if a mower is down and we are nil stock. Parts are easily ordered online or calling direct 03 8361 7868

Exciting times ahead, so pop in and say hi to the staff of our new site location if you are in the neighbourhood – we’d love to see how we can help you.