Projections show that the global earthmoving equipment market will reach a value of $84.24 billion by 2026.
Earthworks involve a lot of equipment, and one of the most crucial machines is the excavator. A mass excavator can easily carry out several tasks on your worksite that other machines would struggle with.
If you’re wondering what a mass excavator is and why you need one, keep reading.
What Is an Excavator?
An excavator is one of the most important machines on any job site. The main purpose of an excavator is for digging and hauling, and they come in a range of types and sizes.
Whether you’re working in construction, building, or mining, having an excavator will help improve efficiency and speed.
The type you need will depend on the size and scale of the job being carried out. Professional excavating contractors like BuildPro STL can advise you on the best type for you.
Different Types
Standard excavators run on tracks and use a boom, stick, and bucket. These are attached to an arm on the front that is used to dig. It can rotate 360° giving a lot of control without having to move the machine. These vary from the mini excavator to large excavators used for mass excavation.
Wheeled excavators are similar to standard excavators but instead run on wheels. These work in a similar way but are better for hard terrains like concrete or asphalt. The tracks of standard excavators are better on loose terrain.
Backhoe Excavators are another very common machine on almost all job sites. These are simply backhoe loaders fitted with an excavator boom attachment. These are limited to a rotation of just 200°, but backhoes are very versatile and can also perform tasks such as leveling soil and transporting large volumes of materials.
Other common types of excavators include:
- Long-reach excavators
- Dragline excavators
- Hydraulic shovels
- Suction excavators
Different Excavator Attachments
Excavators are capable of a number of tasks with their standard configuration. Even so, several attachments are available to increase the functionality of excavators even further:
- Buckets – The most common attachment for excavators, but slim or wide buckets can give an excavator the ability to dig narrow trenches or scoop and lift larger loads
- Thumbs – these can increase the capacity of a bucket and enable an excavator to pick up larger objects
- Augers – capable of quick and efficient hole digging, often for fence posts or building supports
- Hammers – for breaking through concrete quickly and easily
- Rippers – an effective tool for tearing or breaking through materials
- Coupler – a hitch that makes switching between various attachments much quicker
What Can a Mass Excavator Do?
Mass excavators are specifically built to handle large jobs. This means large buckets capable of carrying bigger loads. They are designed with a focus on power and are often used to prepare sites before the main construction work begins.
While digging is the main use of mass excavators, their size and power also make them very effective when it comes to site demolition.
In Need of a Mass Excavator?
If you have a job site and need to carry out earthworks and excavating, you’ll want to make sure you have the best quality equipment.
BuildPro STL has decades of experience and has covered some of the biggest earthworks projects in the Midwest.
If you have any questions about how we can help you feel free to contact us by clicking here. We’re always happy to help.