Are you trying to learn more about the most common types of heavy equipment? Read this article to learn more about heavy equipment types.
If you’re in construction, mining, or the logistics industry, then heavy equipment is a crucial part of your business. You can either buy the heavy equipment or rent them out. The first option is much more economically feasible and is what most companies opt for.
Getting new types of heavy equipment for your business is a very huge and expensive decision. As such, you need to take the time to do your homework before settling on the equipment you’ll purchase.
For the machines to add value to your business, they need to be safe, efficient, cost-effective, and up to the task.
Depending on your project, you’ll need one or more of these heavy machines. If you’re a business owner looking to purchase some heavy equipment, then read on as we explore some heavy equipment you should consider getting.
Milling Machines
Milling machines are also known as cold planers. You use a milling machine to remove concrete and asphalt paving from a surface. It is important for paving jobs because before you can add a new layer of pavement on a surface, you need to remove the existing one.
These machines contain a drum that rotates to grind the pavement surface after cutters cut the pavement. The machine pushes any loose pavement to a conveyor belt that sends it to the disposal unit. You might need water during the entire process to prevent overheating and also reduce dust.
Compactors
When it comes to compactors, you have several types to choose from. If you’re working with fresh asphalt, then tandem vibratory rollers are best-suited for the job. That’s because these compactors exert a greater weight on the surface, and the vibration facilitates better compaction.
For soil compaction, then a soil compactor is what you want, but for waste-handling, you should consider a landfill compactor. If you’re considering a second-hand compactor, then make sure it has a good service history. Compactors are notorious for breaking down unexpectedly if you don’t service them consistently.
Excavators
As the name suggests, you use excavators to excavate for construction, landscaping, and other reasons. An excavator consists of an arm with a bucket at its, an undercarriage, and a house.
The bucket scoops materials and is the part that excavates. The undercarriage houses the engine and other mechanical components. The house is where the operator sits and contains all the controls.
Excavators are pretty flexible, and the arm can do an entire 360-degree turn. For smaller excavation jobs, you should consider a mini excavator. These excavators are just like normal excavators, but smaller in size.
You also have to choose between track and wheel excavators. Track excavators can navigate all types of terrain, no matter how rugged. Wheel excavators are much faster than track excavators, but they leave deep impressions on the surface and also can’t handle rough terrain.
Bulldozers
Bulldozers use a large metal plate in front of them to push soil, objects, or any other objects away. Bulldozers are massive machines with a lot of power and need a lot of fuel to operate. As such, it’s not feasible to push large quantities of material over long distances.
Instead, it’s much more economical to excavate the material and dump it on a truck’s trailer, when moving the material over long distances. Just like excavators, you can either get a track dozer or a wheel dozer.
Track dozers can handle rough terrain pretty well, unlike wheel dozers. In track dozers, the tracks also spread out to distribute the weight of the load evenly on the ground. This means the tracks don’t leave deep impressions on the ground when they move. It also prevents the dozer from sinking into the ground.
Now what type of dozer you need depends on the project you’re working on. If speed is a priority, then get the wheel dozer. For bumpy, hilly, or swampy areas, then get the track dozer instead.
Grader
Graders, also known as motor graders, are used to make surfaces level. As such, they are essential for landscaping and road works. Just like dozers, graders have a large blade in front of them. However, graders can only move a small quantity of soil and material as compared to bulldozers.
In snowy areas, you can use graders to clear snow away from roads and compounds.
Backhoe Loaders
Backhoe loaders are pretty versatile machines because they combine three machines in one. With a backhoe loader, you have a loader, backhoe, and a tractor. The backhoe digs the earth, and then the loader moves the materials from one location to another.
Backhoe loaders can move easily even on rough terrain because part of it is a tractor. It isn’t uncommon to spot backhoe loaders in mines across the country. These machines can swing up to 200 degrees, which makes them somewhat flexible.
Sewer Cleaner
If you’re a cleaning contractor or an engineer dealing with organic waste disposal, then a sewer cleaner is an invaluable piece of equipment. Sewer cleaners are special types of trucks that contain a rig for cleaning sewers.
The rig contains a high-pressure hose, with a jet nozzle that you use to clean dirty pipelines. The high-pressure water jet removes any dirt and pushes it into a gully hole. The rig also vacuums the dirt instead of pushing it deeper into the sewer line.
All the waste is vacuumed into a sludge tank. You need a sound control system to control the sewer cleaner. Intuitouch technology, for instance, is famous for its effective and easy-to-use control systems for sewer cleaners.
Invest in the Right Types of Heavy Equipment
Before buying any heavy equipment, make sure you get the right one for the job to get a good return on investment. Now that you know the common types of heavy equipment doing so should be easy.
Also, be careful about where you buy your equipment, especially if you’re buying second-hand equipment. Make sure the seller has all the relevant documents and inspect the equipment thoroughly before finalizing the purchase.
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