Earth Moving Equipment
Even in the present recession road building, construction and mining are vital areas of the economy, and this is true in countries around the world. It follows that earth moving equipment, construction equipment and mining equipment are still the focus of research and development and business procurement. Man has come a long way from the days of blocks on rollers, to being capable of designing and creating increasingly versatile and efficient machines to perform jobs which previously required vast amounts of labour and man power. This equipment is continuing to grow in size and hence carrying capacity and load bearing capability. Technology is also leading to machines which require very little man power, which is cutting labour costs and increasing efficiency in these industries.
The big names in these industries such as Caterpillar Ltd, John Deere, CASE, Komatsu and JCB, have all developed reputations for building bigger and better machines over the years. Although these companies have divisions dealing with different types of machinery, and some companies have their preferred markets and products, if one deals with the major companies one is always ensured quality when looking to purchase or hire anything from a bulldozer to a fixed over-head crane. That said, many new companies are emerging that offer high quality mining, construction and earth moving equipment at a competitive price.
Earth Moving Machines
When it comes to earth moving, whether it is clearing a garden or creating a five lane high way, the use of a bulldozer is common. Used to clear and flatten areas of land, which different styles and types of blade for different purposes, the bulldozer is a popular machine in any project. Another common feature on a construction site is a dump truck, although they are not limited to this location. Highly versatile and with many different types designed for different locations, dump trucks are used to spread gravel on a road as well as carting large amounts of mineral ore to a refinery among many other uses.
Other types of earth moving equipment found on construction sites includes excavators, scrapers, track and wheel loaders and graders. Excavators are becoming increasingly popular due to the number of functions that a standard hydraulic powered excavator can perform; this versatility is constantly being enhanced. Scrapers are used to clear and level large areas, usually road beds, however unlike a bulldozer they also collect the ensuing rubble and are capable of transporting it to a different location. Wheel and truck loaders are used to load rubble, ore, and other materials into dump trucks or trams for transport.
Construction Equipment
There is a wide range of construction equipment aside from that used for earth moving. Perhaps the most familiar is the forklift truck, used primarily in warehouses and help with the loading and off loading of crates and containers from Lorries before putting them into storage. The use of cranes to lift large loads to great heights and transporting them horizontally to different areas is common on many construction and transport sites, and they can be seen on the skylines of many towns and cities. In rural locations and for working at height cherry pickers are popular; other construction machines include pneumatic drills, asphalt pavers and telehandlers.
Mining Equipment
In the mining industry, a range of different, specialized machines are involved such as drills to extract minerals and ore and trommels to separate minerals from gravel and soil. Other mining equipment is involved to help with transport, including trams and conveyor belts which transport ore and minerals to storage and loading areas as well as gravel, soil, rock and other excess material to a dumping ground.