Wherever your project falls on the scale, excavators are a crucial piece of machinery for construction projects. But what is excavator, exactly? Whether you’re a first-time buyer or you’re expanding your fleet, knowing what an excavator machine is, how it works, and the different types of excavators can help you make a smart decision. In this guide, we’ll give you everything you need to know about excavators, including how to use them, different types, pros and cons, and what you can expect to pay when you buy or rent one.
An excavator is a heavy construction machine designed to dig, lift, and move materials. Powered by hydraulics, an excavator is incredibly versatile, capable of performing a variety of tasks such as digging trenches, lifting heavy loads, and even demolition. In this article, we will explore what an excavator is, how it works, its types, and the key advantages of using one on your construction projects.
Ready to dig deeper into what an excavator is and why it’s such a crucial tool for a construction project? Let’s start by understanding the basic ins and outs of what an excavator is and how it works.
What is Excavator?
An excavator is a large piece of heavy equipment used in construction, mining, and other industries. It’s used to dig, lift, and move materials like dirt, gravel, and debris. The term “excavator” usually refers to any type of large equipment used for excavation work. Most excavators have a long arm that is attached to a bucket or other tools used for scooping up materials. They’re often called excavator machines.
Key components of an excavator include:
- Boom: The long arm that raises and lowers the bucket.
- Dipper Arm: The part that connects the boom to the bucket.
- Bucket: The part that does the digging.
- Tracks: What the machine runs on. Sometimes excavators have tires instead of tracks, but mostly, for the jobs we’re talking about, it’s tracks.
Types of Excavators
There are many different types of excavators, each one designed for different types of work. Here are some of the most common types.
Crawler Excavators
Crawler excavators are the most common and most used type of large excavator on most construction sites. They are very stable and can handle any sort of terrain because of the tracks. They distribute the weight much better than tires so they can outdig and outlift just about any other type of equipment.
Wheeled Excavators
In contrast to crawler excavators, wheeled excavators don’t have tracks; they run on wheels instead. Because of this, they are mobile and faster in flat surfaces. They excel where quickness and mobility are a must; for instance,
doing road work, or if you’re working in the city.
Mini Excavators
A mini excavator, also called a compact excavator, is a smaller machine designed for getting into tight spaces. These are often used for residential work or for a smaller digging need. Even though they are small, they are
just as versatile as a big machine. You can put different kinds of attachments on them just like their big brothers.
Long Reach Excavators
Long reach excavators are a specialized piece of equipment that extends the reach of the machine. These are excellent for jobs such as dredging, working deep trenches or riverbeds or other industrial jobs. You have an arm that’s significantly longer than a standard excavator.
Hybrid Excavators
Hybrid excavators are the newest thing on the market. It is a combination of a fuel engine with an electric motor to cut fuel consumption and emissions. These are starting to become popular, especially with larger companies
because they are trying to use less fuel and be friendlier to the environment.
How Does an Excavator Work?
How does an excavator work? The whole thing runs on hydraulic; the hydraulics are what make it mobile and what make the machine run.
Hydraulic System
At the heart of every excavator is the hydraulics. The hydraulics use hydraulic fluid and pumps to move the boom, stick, and bucket. By controlling the flow of fluid, you move those three parts and can dig, lift, and rotate.
Movement of the Excavator
The tracking system can be powered hydraulically or by a diesel engine, while the boom is raised and lowered by hydraulic cylinders and the arm can move the bucket in and out. Finally, the operator controls the movements
of all these components by using two joysticks to provide precise control of the machine.
Power Source
Most modern excavators are powered by diesel engines. Diesel provides the power needed to dig, lift, and carry heavy loads. However, newer hybrid models offer both diesel and electric power to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
Control Systems
The operator controls the excavator by using joysticks, foot pedals, and levers, which operate the hydraulic systems that move the boom, arm, and bucket. These controls are designed to be both simple and precise. Many modern excavators also feature advanced digital displays that allow the operator to monitor and control most machine functions with the touch of a button.
Advantages of Excavators
Excavators offer numerous advantages that make them invaluable for construction and other industries:
High Efficiency
They are also able to handle a variety of materials and work in confined spaces, making them adaptable to different job requirements. Excavators are also versatile in that they can be equipped with specialized attachments, such as augers, breakers, and grapples, to handle a variety of tasks. Their mobility also makes them well suited for handling different tasks across a job site. Finally, the ability to operate an excavator from within the cab significantly reduces the physical effort required to perform tasks, increasing operator safety and reducing physical exhaustion.
Versatility
This leads to a lot of work for an excavator. It’s not unusual to see a single machine doing a wide variety of tasks on a job site. Excavators are lovingly called the Swiss Army knife of the construction industry because they can do so many different jobs. With various attachments like buckets, hydraulic hammers, and grapples, you can perform many different jobs with an excavator. Whether it’s digging, lifting, trenching, or breaking concrete, an excavator can do it all.
Cost-Effectiveness
While the initial cost of a machine can be significant, you’ll save much more money in the long term. You’re not renting equipment, and you’re not paying labor to do the same work. So it probably pays for you to buy the machine. Also, your project timeline is going to be so much quicker, which is what really saves you money with an excavator on the job.
Safety
Excavators today are so much better and safer. They’ve got guard rails around where the operators stand. They’ve got a little cage to keep your butt safe if the machine tips on its side. The cabs where the operators sit are high enough that they’re not going to smash their heads if anything goes wrong. The whole machine is weighted better and more balanced. It’s just a way safer machine today than the ones we used to deal with.跳转至当前
Why Excavators Are Essential for Construction Projects
When it comes to construction, an excavator is the go-to piece of equipment. Whether it’s a small job or a large highway job, the excavator is the main tool.
Excavation
In addition to digging, excavators are used for lifting and carrying applications. The boom and stick raise and lower using hydraulic cylinders powered by the on-board hydraulic system, while an extremely strong force is applied via a bucket, lifting hook, or other lifting device.
The lift capacity of an excavator is based on the pressure, force, and stability of the hydraulic system, as well as the counterweights attached to the rear of the machine. After the material is picked up and carried to another location, it is typically dumped out using the bucket. Excavators aren’t designed for aggressive cycle times like you see with wheel loaders or backhoes, per se, but an operator can usually double-handle material with an excavator by dumping, spinning, and picking up another load within a few seconds.
Grading
In addition to digging, excavators are also used for lifting and carrying work. The boom and stick go up and down by using hydraulic cylinders, which are powered by the on-board hydraulic system. A tremendous force
is created through a bucket, lifting hook, or another lifting device in order to accomplish the lifting. The lifting capacity of an excavator is based upon the pressure, force, and stability of the hydraulic system, along with the
counterweights attached to the rear of the machine. Once the material is picked up and carried to some other location, it is generally dumped with the use of the bucket.
Lifting
In addition to these purposes, excavators can also be used as a material-handling machine. The same hydraulic system that operates the boom and stick is sometimes used to power a steel cable winch, allowing the excavator to be used as a crane, also called a dragline. This type of excavator is not common on most construction sites, but it is found more frequently in mining and quarry operations or in specialized industries like utility work.
Excavator Price: What Should You Expect?
Earthmoving and excavating companies typically do not use a dragline to dig trenches, build roadways, or construct building pads, as the lift capabilities of the dragline are typically not as good as a standard digger
excavator.
New vs Used Excavators
Used excavators, on the other hand, can be as low as $100,000 to over $500,000 for a large, recent model. The price greatly depends on the year, make, model, and condition of the machine. In general, a used excavator will cost about 50-60% of the original price. However, an older model may be priced as low as 10-20% of the original price, while a used model from the last year or two may be as high as 80-90% of the original price.
On the other hand, used excavators can be a more budget-friendly option than a new unit. They usually cost much less, but the price can vary greatly depending on the machine’s age, condition, and usage. You may pay anywhere from $30,000 to $250,000, depending on its history and how much life is left in it. However, buying a used machine means you are inheriting the potential problems that the machine has from wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or other issues. Used machines have usually seen a few miles and some dirt, so finding a machine with a long life expectancy may be a bit harder than with a new machine.
Brand
Brand name can also affect the price of the machine. Caterpillar, Komatsu, Volvo, Bobcat, and the other big names are typically the most expensive machines. That’s because they’re the ones that have the highest engineering standard, the best reputation, the most parts and service support, and the best warranty coverage. They also have a well-established name in the construction business, so they can justify their higher prices based on quality, dependability, and life expectancy in the field.
Some other machines are less expensive because they’re made by newer companies. Or they may be foreign companies just now entering the U.S. market so their business is relatively unknown. They may be third-world manufacturing companies and many people question their life expectancy, parts support, service after the sale, warranty, and resale value. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
How to Choose the Right Excavator for Your Project
Project Requirements
Every project is different, and the machine you need will be different, too. You need to match the machine to your work, which is a separate topic. The main reason we’re doing this exercise is to find the right machine for your earthmoving operation that fits your budget. You need to keep in mind what you’re going to use the machine for and what your long-term plans include. This line of questioning is the starting point of the journey.
Also, think about what you’re mainly doing. Are you digging, grading, or picking things up? Some machines come with special features, or you can get an attachment or special options added to the machine to do grading, slope work, or something else. What are you doing on the project? That’s the work.
Attachments
What attachments will you need? Excavators are jack-of-all-trades machines, but you can extend their ability with the right tool or tools. Hydraulic hammers, grapples, and buckets will cost you some additional money, but they will make your machine more versatile. Make sure that the machine you get is compatible with the real attachments you plan to use and that the attachments you want are the right ones for your project.
Excavator Attachments: What Are Your Options?
Buckets
Attachments The most common attachment for an excavator is a bucket. Buckets are used for digging; scooping; and carrying, loading, and dumping materials. There are various types of buckets depending on what task you are trying to accomplish. The most common are standard/ bucket, trenching bucket, and heavy-duty bucket.
Hydraulic Hammers
A hydraulic hammer’s job is to break up concrete, rocks, and other hard materials. It’s awesome when you’ve got a demolition project, or you’re trying to break through some hard rock and dirt and the excavator bucket won’t quite do the job.
Augers
Augers are attachments used to drill holes into the ground. People use augers a lot to drill holes for fence posts, or they’ll use them to set poles for all types of utilities. Essentially, they’re drilling holes with the machine.
Grapples
Grapples are used for picking up and moving large objects, pieces of concrete, debris, trees, etc. People use grapples a lot in demolition and also in the logging business. You can use it like a claw to grab onto trees and pull them out of the ground. It makes your excavator a lot more versatile by giving it another way to pick things up and move them.
Choosing the right attachment will allow you to do more work with your excavator, more efficiently. The right attachment will make the excavator exactly what you need it to be for your specific tasks. It’ll make it to where you don’t need as much time, labor, and other people to do the job you need to be done on your site.
Used Excavators: Are They Worth the Investment?
If you’re on a budget, used excavators can offer significant savings while still providing excellent value. However, it’s crucial to evaluate their condition carefully to avoid any hidden issues. Here’s what you need to consider:
Maintenance Records
Ensure that the used excavator has detailed maintenance records. Machines that have been serviced regularly and maintained properly are less likely to have major issues. Look for any needed repairs and if the machine has had regular oil changes and checks of hydraulic fluid.
Signs of Wear and Tear
Ask the seller how the excavator was used. If it was predominantly used in a softer environment, it likely has less wear and tear than one used in rocky, abrasive fill. Also, ask if the excavator had a mulching head or ripper attached to it in the past.
Previous Usage
Remember, the information sellers tell you provides an idea of how the excavator was used. If it was only used for light duty in a residential situation, it likely has a lot of life left. If it was used for blasting granite rocks in a quarry, it probably isn’t long for the world. Also, if the machine ever had a mulching head or ripper on it, it likely worked hard, lots of rocks, or wasn’t used as an excavator at all.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an excavator is a powerful and versatile piece of equipment that is critical to not only the construction industry, but other industries as well. By understanding the different types, how they work, their
advantages, disadvantages, and costs, you can make the right decision the first time. Whether you decide to buy new or used doesn’t matter as much as you making the right selection, adding productivity to your business, and making sure your projects are successful.I’m Abby from HIXEN. Our company specializes in all kinds of second-hand construction machinery. If you want to buy it, please feel free to contact me and I will answer your questions.
