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Writer's pictureRALPH COPE

SEVEN Common Excavator Jobs



Excavators are highly versatile and efficient machines. Here are the SEVEN most common tasks of these beautiful pieces of heavy machinery.


1. EARTHMOVING

When most people think of excavators, they immediately think of earthmoving. Making use of the teeth-like edges on the bucket, excavators are great at digging and scooping earth – an activity that has captured the imagination of millions judging from the number of views on YouTube videos of massive mining machines loading 400-ton rigid dump trucks. Excavators are also fantastic when it comes to digging trenches to set foundations, install wires and pipes or create an area to plant seeds in agriculture. Excavators can dig trenches that would take significant time and effort with manual equipment.


2. MATERIAL HANDLING

When an operator attaches a clamp attachment to an excavator, the machine is transformed into a material handling monster. Scrap metal yards are a paradise for excavators. They can move large blocks of metal around with poetic ease.


3. DEMOLITION

Using a breaker attachment like a hammer, an excavator can perform various demolition tasks. These hammers provide hundreds of pounds of pounds of energy to break into concrete, stone and other tough materials. Once again, mechanical force and efficiency easily trumps human muscle force.


4. BORING

Excavators use auger attachments to bore deep into the ground. Try laying a line of telephone poles with a spade. Then do the same task with an excavator and you will quickly realize why these monsters are one of the marvels of modern engineering.


5. AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS

Amphibious excavators, also known as swamp excavators, are used for shallow water tasks only and are not intended to be fully submerged underwater. They perform a variety of tasks, including flood maintenance works, maintenance of waterways, and roadbuilding through wetlands. Swamp tracks are wider than regular tracks to help the machine operate in soggy conditions.


6. FORESTRY

In forestry, operators use excavators to create access routes, load lumber, cut and shear. Excavator attachments include mulchers that use a rotary drum equipped with steel chipper tools (“teeth”) or blades to shred vegetation.


7. DEBRIS REMOVAL

Attachments such as buckets and clamps enable excavators to pick up debris in removal applications. Different excavator types and sizes allow you to choose the right combination of power and maneuverability for debris removal jobs.



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