10 Main Parts of An Excavator and Their Function
In order to properly maintain your excavator so that it functions to the best of its ability, it is important to know what components it includes and how everything works together.
This article will cover some of the main components belonging to an excavator and important features to keep in mind when it comes these individual parts.
Boom
The boom is one of the most fundamental parts of the machine, as it provides the excavator with enough reach to allow the operator to position the arm and bucket as needed for digging, lifting or placing materials.
Booms come in a variety of lengths and it is important to consider what the intended use of your excavator will be when deciding on boom length. Longer booms are very useful for jobs such as cleaning out ponds and canals where extra reach is needed, whereas shorter booms are better for working in more confined spaces.
Stick (Dipper Arm)
The stick connects the end of the boom to the bucket – which we talk about next – and helps to control the motion of the bucket during digging. The arm can be extended and retracted to adjust the distance between the boom and the bucket to allow for precision when work is carried out.
Much like the boom, the arm length can also vary and is dependent on the size of the excavator. Mini excavators have shorter arms for better maneuverability in confined spaces, where larger excavators have longer arms to assist with deep excavations.
Bucket
The bucket is the attachment connected to the end of the arm and is responsible for digging and carrying of materials. Excavator buckets are typically designed with teeth and sharp cutting edges for breaking through tough soil and rock deposits.
The size and shape of the bucket can significantly affect the excavator’s performance, so it is important to make sure that you have picked the correct one. There are 11 types of excavator buckets and each is designed for a specific purpose, you can read about each of them by clicking here.
Cab (Operator’s cabin)
This is essentially the brain of the machine as it is from here that the operator can manage the entirety of the machine’s functions. It contains the control panel and pedals to operate the boom, arm, bucket, rotation and travel can also be controlled from the cab.
Technology has become more advanced over the years, and as a result, both ease of function and safety for excavator operators, as well as everyone else on site, have been significantly enhanced..
Undercarriage
The purpose of the undercarriage is to support the machine’s weight, facilitate and provide enough stability for movement. The undercarriage can either include tracks or wheels and there are benefits to both:
Tracks
Offer very good traction and weight distribution as the ground pressure is reduced, making it easier to navigate rough and uneven terrains.
Tracked excavators have slower travel speeds compared to their wheeled counterparts, which can affect project timelines and they are more susceptible to wear and tear.
Wheels
Provide a lot of agility for maneuvering on smooth surfaces and allow for more mobility compared to tracks.
As there is higher ground pressure, there is the increased risk of terrain damage, and there is limited traction which means excavators may struggle when it comes to challenging terrain.
Engine
Excavator engines typically run on diesel fuel, but electric powered excavators are slowly and surely on the rise, to provide safer working conditions, reduce CO2 emissions, reduce noise pollution and several other benefits.
Engine size and power output is dependent on the size of the excavator, as that will determine how much power is needed to operate the hydraulic system and support the excavator’s movements.
Hydraulic system
The hydraulic system is a network of high-pressure hoses, pumps, valves and cylinders that work together to control the movements of the boom, arm and bucket. It works by the pump pushing pressurised fluid through the system and converting mechanical energy into fluid power. Once this fluid reaches the cylinder, the hydraulic energy converts it back into mechanical energy.
Since the hydraulic system is the heart of the excavator, it is designed to be highly responsive and it is important to ensure that all the individual system components are kept in good condition.
Counterweight
The counterweight is often located at the rear of the excavator and is designed to provide balance and stability during digging and lifting operations, which is when the bucket can get very heavy. The counterweight prevents the excavator from tipping over when this happens.
Counterweights are adjustable and can be tailored to suit an excavator’s specific requirements to maximise safety and prevent accidents.
Swing Gear
Swing gear is the component that allows the excavator to do a 360° rotation, and it plays a very important role, as it enables the position of the bucket to be adjusted without needing to reposition the entire machine. The swing gear also means that the operator can swing the excavator to reach different work site areas without needing to reposition or move the excavator from its current location.
Swing gear greatly enhances productivity and flexibility without the need to move the excavator every time, and this ultimately works out better for the quality of the machine in the long run.
Blade
This is an optional component for excavators that is attached to the front end and comes in useful for levelling and grading tasks. The blade can be adjusted by the operator to achieve particular grading depths and angles, this makes it a very useful component for earthwork and leveling projects.
A blade transforms an excavator into a machine that can assist with site preparation and grading work in addition to its primary function of lifting and digging.
At Jaytrac, we supply parts for some of the components mentioned in this article such as undercarriages and hydraulic systems. If you are interested in finding out more about what we manufacture here at our facility, get in touch at sales@jaytrac.co.uk or give us a call on +44 (0) 1604 491133 and a member of team will be on hand to help.