According to market research, excavator market revenue reached $6.01 billion in 2021. At a compound annual growth rate of 10.8%, predictions show this market will grow to $15.11 billion by 2028.
You can choose to rent or buy an excavator for your construction project. It’s recommendable to go into the shopping process to better understand the different types of excavators in the market.
That way, you’ll understand what their capabilities are as well as their shortcomings. The types of excavators you’ll need will depend on your construction site, working conditions, and job requirements.
In this article, we help you explore today’s many excavator types.
CRAWLER EXCAVATORS
These types of excavators find application in mining, landscape grading, and trenching. Crawler excavators are great for uneven terrain since they run on two rotating tracks instead of wheels.
Even though a crawler excavator is slower than a wheeled excavator, it has a tracked chassis that makes it more stable. So, crawler excavators make excellent choices for rough, muddy, and steep landscapes.
WHEELED EXCAVATORS
Wheeled excavators work well for jobs on flat or hard surfaces. While these excavators work fast and move easily on concrete, they aren’t your go-to option for muddy and hilly terrains.
Unlike the tracks in crawler excavators, the wheels on these excavators have less traction than the standard ones. Thus, it’s best to use wheeled excavators on asphalt and concrete.
VACUUM EXCAVATORS
These excavators use a suction pipe that operates as a high-pressure vacuum. Working together with an in-built water jet, vacuum excavators suck up soil and debris efficiently at speeds of 200 mph.
You can use this product for fragile digging tasks and underground trenching and shoring projects. Besides, you reduce the chances of damaging your surrounding area and underground utilities.
Usually, the suction pipe will be about one foot or less in diameter. So, vacuum excavators may not be your best choice for large-scale projects.
LONG-REACH EXCAVATORS
These types of heavy equipment are used for hard-to-reach areas. Usually, long-reach excavators will have a long arm and boom.
The long extendable arm ranges between 40 and 100 feet. It makes it easier to excavate construction zones that are more than 100 feet away horizontally from a safe distance.
You can have different attachments to your long-reach excavators. These attachments can perform various tasks like crushing, cutting, and clearing.
MINI EXCAVATORS
These are lighter and smaller versions of the standard excavators. Mini excavators can reduce ground damage and fit through narrow, crowded areas like parking lots.
You can also refer to mini excavators as compact excavators. These types of excavators have a reduced tail-swing to maneuver very tight turns without contact with any obstacles.
TYPES OF EXCAVATORS
Different types of excavators have designs that allow them to perform varying jobs. Observing the necessary safety precautions when handling different types of excavators is essential.
Also, regular maintenance will ensure your excavator gives you long lasting and quality service. With the high costs of excavators, renting has become the most affordable option for most firms. Browse our page to learn more about construction and heavy industrial equipment.
