Types of Construction Equipment and Their Applications

Due to the rising number of commercial, residential, and industrial projects that demand heavy-duty tools and machinery, the sales of construction equipment reached an all-time high in 2018 and are ever-increasing.

This blog aims to cover the typical categories of heavy equipment and their potential applications.

Five types of heavy construction equipment for heavy work purposes

Choosing the appropriate equipment can greatly impact project success and productivity for contractors, road maintenance crews, and large-scale landscaping.

Motor Grader

Motor graders, also known as road graders or simply graders, are heavy equipment machines commonly used in construction and road maintenance projects. They are primarily designed to flatten and level the surface of the ground to create a smooth, even, and properly sloped surface.

Motor graders are an essential part of the construction and maintenance of roads, highways, airports, and other large areas that require a level surface for safe and efficient transportation.

How it works:

• Leveling: To begin the grading process, the operator drives the motor grader to the desired location and lowers the blade to the ground. The blade scrapes the surface of the soil, gravel, or pavement, removing any high spots and filling in low areas, thereby creating a more level surface.

• Shaping: Motor graders can be used to shape the ground for specific purposes, such as creating slopes on roads, embankments, or ditches.

• Smoothing: After leveling and shaping the surface, the motor grader can perform smoothing actions to ensure the surface is even and free of bumps or irregularities.

• Repeated Passes: Depending on the size and condition of the area being graded, multiple passes may be required to achieve the desired grade and smoothness.

Versatile Backhoe Loaders

A backhoe loader is a multipurpose machine that can be utilized as a backhoe, a tractor, or a loader. It features a robust backhoe attachment at the rear and a loading mechanism at the front, with the tractor serving as the central operating unit.

Thanks to its wide range of functions, a backhoe loader can be employed for various tasks, including:

• Farming
• Construction
• Hauling
• Digging
• Excavation

With its adaptability and capability to handle diverse jobs, a backhoe loader proves to be a valuable asset in different industries and applications.

Excavators

Excavators are versatile and commonly found at construction sites due to their durability. The rotating cabin is connected to a long arm and bucket, enabling tasks like excavation, demolition, hauling, and brush removal. With attachments, they can even handle forestry work. Excavators are essential for efficient and flexible construction operations.

There are different sizes of excavators for specific applications:

• Mini excavators are ideal for small, hard-to-reach areas and are suitable for home-based or small-scale projects.
• Medium excavators handle larger jobs while occupying less space than large excavators, making them beneficial for large-scale renovations, home improvement projects, and medium to large-scale construction sites.
• Large excavators are powerful and best suited for high-volume, large-scale operations.

Dozers

Dozers, short for bulldozers, are powerful construction machines commonly used in earthmoving and grading projects. They are equipped with a large metal blade mounted on the front that can be raised, lowered, and tilted to push and move various materials such as soil, sand, rocks, or debris.

Bulldozers are widely used in construction, mining, agriculture, and forestry due to their versatility and ability to handle heavy-duty tasks.

Cold planers employ rotating drums and carbide cutters to mill asphalt or pavement. They are capable of performing both superficial and extensive removal tasks. Due to the generation of significant dust during pavement and asphalt milling, most cold planers incorporate a water system to ensure a clean and safe working environment.

Wheel Loaders

Wheel loaders, also known as front-end loaders, are heavy equipment machines commonly used in construction, mining, and other material handling operations. They are designed to scoop, lift, and transport various materials, such as soil, gravel, sand, rocks, and other loose materials.

How it works

• Loading: The primary function of a wheel loader is to load loose materials into trucks or other transport vehicles. The operator drives the wheel loader to the material pile and positions the bucket in front of the material.

• Transporting: Once the bucket is filled, the operator drives the wheel loader to the desired location, carrying the material in the bucket.

• Dumping: Upon reaching the destination, the operator raises the bucket and tilts it forward to unload the material.

• Versatility: Wheel loaders can be equipped with various attachments, such as forks, grapples, or snowplows, to perform a wide range of tasks. For example, forks can be used for pallet handling, while grapples are useful for handling bulkier materials like logs or rocks.

• Operator’s Controls: Wheel loaders are operated from a cab located at the front of the machine.

With technological advancements and energy efficiency, heavy construction equipment continues to evolve to meet modern project requirements. At Hexco, we have a range of heavy construction equipment, preowned and new machinery. You may also get an instant payment if you wish to sell your machinery at a reasonable price.