Design Principles - Excavator Technology

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Wind tunnels are used when designing cars. They provide the engineers with the a ppropriate design specifications they need to achieve to gain speed and/or effic iency. Similar principles are used in bucket design: 1. to achieve the maximum digging force for the minimum amount of pressure exert ed, increasing fuel economy 2. to streamline the bucket flow through the cut, reducing the power required, i ncreasing fuel economy 3. compact design means a shorter pin to point (bucket pin to end of tooth) so t hat more power (force) gets to break the ground easier without losing the bucket capacity 4. that the bucket shapes simulates the natural arc of the dipper arm as it digs the earth, again reducing the force on the excavator saving fuel and maintenanc e costs 5. that the bucket is designed for the geometry of the excavator. That it digs c orrectly as the machine was designed. Its not just a case of changing bucket hang ers to fit all machines. All excavators are designed to dig differently and fitt ing the wrong bucket may result in the bucket either hitting the inside of the d ipper arm or not opening up enough to dig efficiently Why doesnt everyone build their buckets this way? Technology - the majority of excavator attachment manufacturers do not have the technology nor do they understand the principles needed to design attachments. M any of them are just welders or boiler makers who have been asked to copy a clie nts bucket. Its a little like getting your motor mechanic to build you a car! Manufacturers have spent millions of dollars on technology to improve the design of their machines, so that they will perform better and more efficiently in all areas. When poorly designed attachments are installed, the machines will not pe rform to the manufacturers or the owners expectations, using more fuel, and requir ing more maintenance OH&S - With more importance being placed on workplace safety, the real concernin g factor is that many manufacturers have no idea as to the safe working loads of the machines for which they are building their buckets, nor do they have the ca pacity to calculate the computations necessary to work to the capacity of the ma chines. Not only does this mean that the operators and innocent bystanders safety is at risk, it also works the other way, that the attachment may be over-sized, under-sized, too heavy or too light so that the machine cannot be utilised effic iently or effectively Cost - Costs are a major reason why many manufacturers dont use technology. Some manufacturers that have the technology dont use it because to weld a brace here o r there takes extra time and labour. Our efficient double radius bucket design r

equires the entire back plate be rolled, whereas in a single d design, only a smal l part of the back plate needs to be rolled. Effort - Labour costs and time are two reasons manufacturers dont use technology to their benefit. Efficient excavator bucket design Fig. 1 on the right indicates the reason for the full curve of the bucket back p late. This design shows the teeth digging the material and the rest of the bucke t following the teeth through the cut collecting the dug soil quickly and effici ently. This puts less strain on the bucket as well as the excavator and will sav e fuel and maintenance costs. Fig. 2 on the right shows a flat bottomed bucket moving in the arc of the excava tor dipper arm ploughing the material using extra power and fuel. Greater bucket capacity by design Fig. 3 shows how we can build more bucket capacity into the bucket design. This assures the operator that for the same pin to point bucket height, the capacity is increased around 10%. This means that greater capacities are achieved without losing any of the bucket breakout force, which is so important.