Senior mechanic of technology vehicles carpool of "Yakutugol" Roman Vostrikov won in the category "Professional Engineer" in the contest "I am an engineer" and won the super prize – a car "Niva". Vostrikov proposed to replace the import of dump truck Komatsu-830 E spare parts by the domestic counterparts.

- Roman, tell us how the idea was born?

- The idea came to me two years ago, when delivery times increased, as did the cost of imported parts.

- How much time passed from the moment of conception to the full realization of the project?

- It took about six months to ensure purchase and install all the necessary parts. When installing the pump we had difficulties in fastening system, as we had to install a transition clutch.

- Why did you decide to replace imported spare parts for domestic counterparts on the truck Komatsu 830-E?

- Komatsu 830-E is most in demand at our company and has established itself as the most reliable and high quality dump. We changed three parts – nodal units (accumulator) of steering brakes, sensors, cooling fluid and hydraulic pump steering. Of course, we had to change fasteners, brackets and hoses, but the result is worth it. It is important that the analogue of imported parts to be "fitted" in a way not to disrupt operation of the whole equipment. It is necessary to take into account the requirements for operating equipment in difficult geological conditions and at low temperatures of the North.

- What is relevance of this decision for your company?

- First of all, it saves money when purchasing domestic counterparts, and productivity increases through fast delivery of spare parts.

- What are the results of your project and how many cars have been converted for today?

- Saving for the company amounted to about 7,5 mln rubles per year. The company "Yakutugol" has in total 12 Komatsu 830-E dump trucks, now all 12 units have been converted.

- Tell us as a person from the field of the automotive industry, how relevant is the issue of replacing the import of spare parts for domestic counterparts?

- In my opinion, very relevant. This solution speeds up the process and reduces the cost of repair and replacement of parts.

- Do you think competitions like "I am an engineer" give a stimulus for the development of specialists in this field?

- Of course, since this competition helps to express themselves, supports young talents, and allows to learn a lot of new ideas in the field of engineering.

- Are there any other ideas that you want to realize in the near future?

- At the moment, we conduct an experiment on Komatsu 830-E modernization – we have established domestic contactors "Sholbau."