Tackle Many Jobs with One Machine: Attachments Increase Mini Hydraulic Excavator Versatility
Typical mini hydraulic excavators have a lower machine weight than the standard excavators and this allows them to move between jobsites more easily, thereby, providing a reduction in fuel costs. Further, their complex and strong hydraulic system enable them to quickly move large amounts of material. Above all, the various attachments that are used with the mini hydraulic excavators make them useful at any construction jobsite.
Based on the digging depth of the boom and bucket, mini excavators come in various sizes. Two popular types of mini excavators include tail swing and zero tail swing. Each of the mini excavators comes with an extensive range of attachments which can be easily attached to them to perform various tasks.
Let’s have a look at the various attachments of mini hydraulic excavators that increase their versatility and help them perform many jobs one after the other…
Attachments for digging
Mini hydraulic excavators have digging depth of more than 10 feet and can go far below the ground surface. They can be equipped with a variety of attachments to improve the digging speed, accuracy and precision. We list all those attachments…
1. Auger: It is a highly adaptable and rugged attachment that can be used with a mini hydraulic excavator for a variety of purposes. Basically, it is used for digging holes of all shapes and sizes with accuracy in any type of soil. From installing fence posts or building poles to planting shrubs, augers can efficiently extract soil as per the specifications. The standard augers are capable for most of digging tasks, however, augers with Tungsten Teeth become necessary for tough digging conditions such as rock and sandstone.
2. Rippers: They are used to cut through challenging ground conditions such as hard, compact or frozen dirt to loosen soil and improve productivity.
3. Buckets: Typically made of hard steel and having teeth in the digging edge of the bucket to ensure maximum digging and scooping performance, standard buckets dig through earth for many purposes. There are various types of buckets designed for various tasks. Typically, the capacity of the bucket depends on the bucket size and shape along with the type of soil on your jobsite.
Attachments for material handling
Mini hydraulic excavators can be easily employed to pick rocks and debris, move tree limbs or carry large quantities of waste material for recycling. An attachment of mini hydraulic excavator that helps in material handling tasks largely is…
1. Clamp or hydraulic thumb: If the bucket is the hands of the mini hydraulic excavator, clamp attachment is the thumb. It allows the operators of mini hydraulic excavators to pick up loose objects, large materials (tree branches or concrete), refuse and other debris. Clamps can be used with trenching buckets.
Other mini hydraulic excavators’ attachments
1. Breakers: Quite similar to jackhammers but much larger in size, breakers are used for breaking tough materials such as rock or concrete. They can be easily attached to the mini hydraulic excavators. Since they easily and neatly cut through concrete, breakers are commonly used for demolition purposes.
2. Trenchers: They help in ploughing through rocks.
3. Grading blades: They are designed to smoothen any type of surface that has already been demolished.
4. Grapples: Used for picking up large pieces or huge amount of materials, grapples can be easily employed for tough construction jobs as well as for waste-handling operations. They can be hydraulically rotated and angled in order to approach material from practically any angle.
5. Flail Mowers: They are generally used for landscaping operations where a standard mower cannot be employed. Flails are generally designed to bounce off the immovable objects.
Other attachments of mini hydraulic excavator include packer wheel, plate compactor, power tilt swing, etc. These attachments can perform a variety of tasks.
The most important point here to note is that no matter which attachment you choose, the mini hydraulic excavator quality and supreme design is very important as they have to operate for many hours in tough environments. Nonetheless, you should always make a point to opt for an equipment which supports maximum number of attachments.
Other factors to be considered
Apart from the various attachments which definitely increase mini hydraulic excavators’ usability and versatility, other things that need to be kept in mind while deciding on the mini hydraulic excavator include…
1. The right bucket size: One of the most important parts of the mini hydraulic excavator is the bucket and it is necessary to have the bucket size that can satisfy all your needs. The bucket size can range from 30 to 60 cm.
2. The correct tracks: Rubber or steel tracks can be used with mini excavators. Some equipment models come fitted with rubber wheels but they are not as durable as the tracks. Typically, the steel tracks are good as they offer stability but may cause damages on the pavement.
3. The digging depth: Digging depth of the mini hydraulic excavator decides how far down you want to reach with your equipment. So, if you know about the desired digging depth, it is an advantage. Generally, the maximum digging depth of a mini excavator is around 35 cm.
4. Opt for right dump height: If you are buying the equipment for material handling purposes on the construction site, then dump height assumes a lot of important. The dump height varies from 6-13 ft.
5. The right operating weight: Different mini hydraulic excavator models have different operating weight. Generally, the operating weight ranges from 700 kg to 8000 kg.
Thus, with the various attachments and features, the mini hydraulic excavators can prove to be a boon at any construction site by performing various tasks one after the other. It is for the same reason that the mini excavator market in India is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 12.5 per cent during 2015-2020 (Research and Markets Report—Indian Mini Excavator Market Outlook 2020).
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Dissimilar Kinds of Forklifts
Of this MHE sector that deals with equipment that help in movement, storage, control and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption or disposal; forklifts is an important part. Since the last few years, the Indian forklift market is growing at a scorching pace in terms of value as well as volume. They are now designed to be more reliable, efficient and service-friendly.
Typically, a forklift (also called a lift truck, fork truck, forklift truck or tow-motor) is a powered industrial truck which is used to lift and transport materials at the jobsite. Forklifts result in more safety at the jobsite and make the task of transporting various heavy materials quick and easy. Forklift trucks are available in many variations and load capacities. Different attachments increase the functionality of the forklifts.
Key types of forklifts
There are mainly three forklift types which include electric, gas/LPG and diesel powered forklifts. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of using each type of forklift at the jobsite…
Electric forklifts
Those forklifts driven by electricity via batteries are known as electric forklifts. They are generally used for indoor operations.
A. Benefits:
1) These kinds of forklifts are environment-friendly.
2) They don’t produce any smoke, harmful emissions and noise.
3) Since they are compact, they can easily work in tight spaces.
4) In addition to supplying power, the batteries in the equipment act as counterweights, thus, increasing the manoeuvrability of the equipment.
5) Batteries also make it easier for the operator to operate them as against the engine-driven machines.
6) They are simple and easy to drive because they only have an accelerator and a brake pedal. They don’t have a clutch pedal and the operator does not have to ‘rev’ the engine for fast lift or hill starting.
7) They are cheaper to run as there are minimal costs involved in recharging and topping up the battery.
8) Since, they have less moving parts, they are cheaper to service.
B. Drawbacks:
1) The initial purchasing cost of the electric forklift is higher because of the battery and charger.
2) They need a proper area where they can be charged.
3) When they are charging, they cannot be used, so this results in down time.
4) They need a better floor surface to work on because the higher point loadings on the axles and wheels can let them sink in shale or hard standing.
5) Power cuts pose a major trouble for battery charging of electric forklift trucks.
6) They cannot be used outside in wet weathers as the damp atmosphere can cause problem to the wiring and electronic components.
7) Their maintenance is not so easy due to the battery and the maintenance cost is generally high.
Diesel forklifts
These types of forklifts are generally used outdoors.
A. Benefits:
1) They can work with ease on nearly all slopes and landscapes.
2) They are more fuel-efficient that LPG/gas powered forklifts.
3) They have a longer engine life and don’t show signs of wear easily.
4) They have better acceleration and lift speeds as compared to the electric forklifts.
5) They can be used all throughout the day after filling the fuel tank which just takes few minutes. Hence, there is no downtime associated with this type of forklift.
6) They are less priced than the electric forklift.
7) Their maintenance cost is less than the LPG forklift.
B. Drawbacks:
1) They are costlier than the LPG forklifts.
2) Their maintenance cost is higher than an electric forklift.
3) They are a bit noisier.
4) They emit large amount of smoke and are unfit to be used indoors.
5) They are bigger and bulkier in size and hence, require more space to operate in and for storage.
Gas forklifts
They are also called as propane or LPG forklifts and can be used both indoors and outside.
A. Benefits:
1) They can operate for the whole day indoors and outdoors as they don’t need to be charged as against the electric forklifts.
2) They have a high power ratio as against the other two variants.
3) They are superior in terms of performance as against the other two variants.
4) They possess faster lifting speeds.
5) Their rate of acceleration and travel speed is higher than the other two variants due to better power to weight ratios and more responsive engines.
6) They are compact and more manoeuvrable than the diesel forklifts due to the solid cushion tyres and compact chassis compared with larger diameter tyres and increased clearances around the wheel arches of diesel forklifts.
7) They don’t produce loud noise and vibration at the driver’s seat and controls when compared to the diesel forklift.
8) They emit less fumes.
9) Their parts are easily available at competitive prices in the market.
10) They are the cheapest of all the three variants.
B. Drawbacks:
1) Their maintenance and fuel cost is the highest when compared with the other two variants.
2) The operators of this forklift require a higher level of skill to operate it.
3) They are not as comfortable as the electric forklift.
4) They can run out of gas without notice and this can highly affect the work. There is generally no way to gauge the gas level. Pressure switches indicating that the gas is finishing, gives the warning just few seconds before.
5) They are more prone to leaks from the engines.
In nutshell
Whether it’s an electric, gas/LPG or diesel powered forklift, each one of them is capable of moving large and heavy materials in a timely and safe fashion. However, they have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the need, budget, application, run-time requirement, number of shifts and environment where they need to be operated, you should choose the type of forklift that suits your specifications the best.
Deciding Whether a Backhoe Loader or Mini Hydraulic Excavator is a Better Fit
However, the answer is that both the equipment are irreplaceable and have different set of advantages to offer.
Before going into the debate further, we need to understand the definition of the two…
What is a mini hydraulic excavator?
Mini hydraulic excavators are compact, lightweight, portable and wheeled vehicles in the earthmoving equipment category. They generally come with a standard backfill blade and independent boom swing. Despite their small size and apart from digging, mini excavators can do grading, lifting heavy items, compacting a subgrade and many other tasks. Based on the digging depth of the boom and bucket, mini excavators come in various sizes.
Two popular types of mini excavators include tail swing and zero tail swing. The tail swing model features a rear counterweight that stabilises the excavator during operation and offsets added weight in the bucket. This model provides great lift capabilities and bucket and arm breakout force. On the other hand, providing comparable levels of performance when it comes to dig depth, reach and cutting and dump height, the zero tail swing excavators are also efficient. They are easier to navigate in tight work areas.
What is a BHL?
A Backhoe Loader consists of three pieces of construction equipment i.e., tractor, loader and backhoe combined into one unit. All the three pieces of equipment are suited to do various sorts of work. The tractor is used for moving the other two components from place to place. As for the loader and backhoe, when you dig up a lot of dirt to make a hole, you generally require a loader to either move the dirt out of the area or to fill it back when the work is done. Thus, the most common application of a backhoe loader is digging a trench with the backhoe and then filling it back with the loader. The backhoe has three segments i.e., boom, stick and bucket.
Apart from performing the above mentioned basic tasks, BHLs can be used for demolitions, breaking asphalt, laying roads, transporting materials, levelling, loading and much more at the job site with various additional attachments.
BHL v/s mini hydraulic excavator
Both Backhoe Loaders and mini excavators are highly versatile and multi-purpose equipment that can be employed for numerous applications. However, it is not at all possible to replace any one of it with the other because both offer strong benefits in different situations.
Which is a better fit?
Both the equipment i.e., mini hydraulic excavators and Backhoe Loaders have their own strengths and weaknesses. Hence, you need to first identify your requirement well and then figure out which is better for your specific situation. Typically, versatility, mobility and transportability are the three major differentiating parameters for the two equipment.
Below are some parameters that can help you to decide whether a BHL or mini hydraulic excavator is a better fit at your job site…
1. The type of job: The type of job that you want to perform will help you to determine the equipment that you need. So, before choosing any equipment, take some time to determine the technicalities involved with the job that you are planning to do at the construction site. For small demolitions, light transportation of building materials, digging holes, landscaping, breaking asphalt, paving roads, laying pipes, planting underground cables, laying foundation for buildings and drainage systems, you might require a BHL. For digging at a large scale, grading, lifting heavy items and compacting a subgrade, mini excavators can be put to use.
2. Other applications: In addition to performing tasks such as digging, trenching, lifting, excavating and loading, BHLs can also be used to travel at higher speeds like in case of snow removal. On the other hand, being compact and lightweight, mini hydraulic excavators are used to minimise track marks and ground damage. They are also blessed with the capability to make a 360-degree swing.
3. Space at jobsite: BHLs are comparatively larger equipment than the mini hydraulic excavators and can travel easily across the jobsite to complete various tasks with plethora of attachments. On the other hand, mini hydraulic excavators are smaller in size and can fit through small gates and work easily at crowded sites to complete jobs in tight spaces like indoor projects.
4. The job conditions: The job conditions like whether it is a hilly, rocky or uneven terrain, loose soil or valley may also help you to decide about the equipment. Generally, BHLs are good for rocky or uneven terrains.
5. The distance of the jobsite: BHLs can easily drive 25 mph on road surfaces between worksites. On the other hand, mini hydraulic excavators can only be transported through a trailer or utility truck from one jobsite to another for easy transfer.
6. The size of the equipment: Larger machines like BHLs are usually more sturdy and suitable for tough working conditions. On the other hand, mini excavator size can be 1-3 tonne or more. Out of all the available sizes of mini excavators, the 1 tonne mini excavator is widely used as it is easily movable in narrow and tight spaces due to its compact size.
So, be it BHLs or mini hydraulic excavators, both have distinct advantage to offer to the contractors or operators. It’s easy to get caught up in the debate of which machine is superior, but the fact of the matter is that none is better than the other. It actually depends on what you are planning to do, where you want to do it and what is the space available with you.
In addition, you need to look at the machine’s capabilities to perform the task you wish it to perform. So, you need to look before you leap to buy a BHL or mini hydraulic excavator for your jobsite.
Concrete Pump Will Get Your Business Moving
Through the usage of concrete pumps, some of the major advantages that can positively impact your project’s bottom line include labour and time savings, improved scheduling, reduced site preparedness, employee satisfaction, enhanced quality control and concrete placing versatility, all leading to increased profits, customer satisfaction and greater opportunity for more projects.
We discuss in detail the benefits offered by concrete pumps and how they can get your business moving towards success and positivity.
1. Saves times, money and labour cost: With less labour, concrete pump can place concrete faster and more accurately as compared to any other method. Typically, in the ordinary concrete transfer process, a lot of labour and time is involved, however, through concrete pumps, work becomes much easier as less handling is required since concrete can be placed directly at the desired location. It is seen that a job that would take 5 men and 2.5 hours to pour would only take 3 men and 1 hour through concrete pumps. In fact, concrete pumps can result in saving of labour cost by 50 per cent. Thus, the valuable personnel can be relocated to other tasks easily. Further, pumped concrete is easier to handle because the flow of concrete is directed to the exact spot of placement. Thus, concrete pumps can save a lot of manpower, time, energy and over-head costs.
2. Keeps job moving at a fast pace:
a. Concrete pumps can efficiently place concrete, regardless of weather, time of day or jobsite conditions.
b. Concrete pumps can increase the daily production considerably as the concrete is placed more efficiently and the unloading time is reduced significantly. Further, by providing more predictable unloading times, they can help the mixer dispatchers.
c. Paving way for no interruptions and delays, concrete pumps can promise steady flow and thereby increase productivity.
d. Site preparation for a typical pour can be time-consuming, labour intensive and unpredictable, thereby, hampering efficient scheduling. Concrete pumps reduce the need for site preparedness.
3. Helps to take on more jobs: Using a concrete pump, more ready mix trucks can be discharged in less time, resulting in completion of more jobs in a day.
4. Improves the concrete quality drastically: With the concrete being poured directly, there is no need for re-handling or for special mixes for improved quality and this keeps the concrete within specifications. Concrete pumps also eliminate the need for excess water. Using less water while making the concrete mixture, concrete pumps improve the quality of concrete mixing. Less water results in the material not suffering from various deformities including cracks and shrinks and this maintains its strength when the concrete is placed. Thus, concrete pumps can be used for creating high quality and long lasting projects with minimum maintenance required after completion. Generally, concrete pumps result in more stable end-product, which ensures project safety in the long run.
5. Makes laying of concrete at inaccessible sites easy: Using concrete pump is more convenient than the old mix and pour methods as the boom arms can actually reach over the top of structures to place the concrete in locations where other types of equipment can’t reach. Thus, concrete pumps ensure that the concrete is placed easily at inaccessible sites. So, whether you want to pour concrete on top of a high rise building or in a foundation slab, concrete pumps can deliver concrete mix to almost any area without leaving spills and lumps on the way.
6. Results in accuracy and precision while laying concrete: Concrete pumps lead to proper mixing of the concrete batch, thereby, leading to elimination of any waste. For complex locations like high-rise buildings or insulated concrete form walls, concrete pumps can increase pouring accuracy, thereby, resulting in little or zero material wastage.
7. Makes back-filling job easy: Concrete pumps can reduce excavating time from 10-15 per cent and make back-filling easier.
8. Enhances employee productivity and safety: Concrete pumps highly improve on-the-job safety as the ready mix trucks are kept at the curb, away from embankments, excavation and other dangerous obstructions. Also, they reduce congestion on the job site.
9. Increases speed and eliminate any project delays: By increasing the speed of work at any construction project, concrete pumps makes concrete pouring simple and fast as against the smaller equipment that have to be moved around to different spots to finish off one pour and this consumes a lot of time and hampers the speed of the project. In fact, concrete pumps easily transfer concrete vertically and horizontally, thereby, ensuring that less time is wasted in construction sites and the project costs reduce considerably.
10. Increases revenue and profit: Usage of concrete pumps also results in savings in equipment and cycle times, thereby, leading to increased productivity. The increased revenue thus earned can be reinvested in the business for buying more equipment and employing more labour as needed.
11. Complete projects in most adverse of terrains: Concrete pumps provide for easy and fast work commencement and conclusion even in the most adverse of terrains and regions. So, this makes it easy for the contractors to bid for any project regardless of the regional complications and terrain adversities that are associated with it.
12. Not impacted by weather conditions: Unlike the manual method employing labour force who are hugely impacted by the weather conditions, with concrete pumps, concrete placing is not at all affected by weather conditions. Concrete pumps allow a contractor to place floor slabs on upper floors before completing the concrete work on lower floors. This provides protection from weather when working on lower floors.
In a nutshell
So, whether you have a short-term or a long-term job, concrete pumps can come very handy to get the job done quickly, safely and with precision. Be it Boom or Truck-mounted Pumps and Trailer, Line or Stationary Pumps, concrete pumps can provide maximum productivity and increase your profits drastically and daily.
Important Construction Machines Used in the Demolition Tasks
Therefore, the demolition task requires careful consideration about the way the task has to be carried out and the machinery that should be used. Depending on the size, location and surrounding environment of a demolition project, the construction machinery is chosen.
Generally, demolition projects can be broadly classified into two categories i.e., low level demolitions which involve demolition of houses and other small buildings and high level demolitions which involves pushing down of multi-storey buildings, big dams and other bigger tasks. Different types of construction machines are used to carry out the two types of projects.
Let’s take a look at the list of construction machines that are put to use in the demolition tasks…
1. Excavators: These are the most commonly used construction equipment for demolition tasks. Typically, excavators are steady, powerful and extremely work-efficient machines. Excavators consist of a boom, dipper or stick, bucket and cab on a rotating platform known as the house. This house sits on the top of an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. Excavators are usually employed together with loaders and bulldozers.
From demolition of small buildings to multi-storey towers, excavators can be employed easily. They can be used on various building structures such as steel, concrete and mixed material. Essentially, Hydraulic Excavators are employed for demolition of small buildings and Long Reach Excavators are used to demolish bigger buildings. The best part is both the Hydraulic and Long Reach Excavators have the ability to perform a number of different tasks with the use of different attachments such as grapples, pulverisers, claws, hammers, shears, buckets, thumbs etc. If we talk about long reach excavators particularly, then having a long arm attachment and boom section, this strong equipment is usually used for the tough demolition tasks where breaking of tough walls and solid structures is required. This excavator’s long arms permits the machine’s operator to stay at a safe distance from the demolition site, yet perform the job successfully in minimum possible time.
2. Backhoe Loaders: They are generally used for small demolition purposes. They have a front bucket that allows them to work as a wheel loader and an excavator-style digging mechanism at the back. Consisting of three segments i.e., boom, stick and bucket, backhoe loaders come with extensive range of attachments like Hydraulic Breaker which can be used for breaking tough materials such as rock or concrete while demolition tasks.
While there are manufacturers which offer backhoe loaders, however, it is Mahindra Construction Equipment’s EarthMaster VX backhoe loader model that deserves a special mention. It exceeds expectation and boosts the overall performance to a very large extent. It features Banana Boom which offers 7 per cent more reach and 15 per cent higher dig depth at 4.22 meters as compared to other machines in the same segment. It offers various other advantages too like joystick controls which makes it easy for the operators to comfortably operate for longer hours. Also, it has the one-of-its-kind REMOTECARE feature.
3. Skid Steer Loaders: Considered to be one of the most versatile, compact, rigid and powerful equipment and best choice for smaller sites, they are used to perform demolition tasks easily. The front bucket of the machine can be replaced with various types of attachments like hydraulic breaker, pallet booms, auger, mower, snow blower etc., to execute different jobs. Unlike other machines, these do not have steering mechanism for wheels which are mechanically aligned with the side body of the equipment.
4. Wheel Loaders: They are like tractors and are used to move a pile of material from the ground and load it onto a dump truck or into an open pit. They are also known as front loaders or bucket loaders. They consist of a front-mounted square wide bucket joined to the end of two arms used to scoop up materials from the ground without spreading it out. They are great for loading scrap and debris. Wheel loaders come in various sizes and are designed for fast movement and demolition.
5. Crawler loaders: Not only these equipment can move heavy dirt piles and materials but they can be very helpful in the demolition field of the construction industry too. They can be extensively used to push down the heavy structures. Further, with the metal tracks, a crawler loader can track up onto the piles and clear out narrower areas easily.
6. Bulldozers: Referred to as only dozers sometimes, bulldozers are one of the most heavy-duty and powerful equipment and largely employed for shifting huge amount of dirt piles, cut roads and other demolition tasks. They are incredibly strong equipment and easily identified by the huge blade at the front which is controlled with the use of hydraulic pistons and ripper at the back. The machine comes in variants with tyres and tracks. They are also commonly employed for demolition tasks.
7. Cranes: Generally, for high level demolition projects, cranes are used. A heavy-weight wrecking ball is attached on a cable that is swung by a crane onto the side of the big buildings to push it down. In fact, it is the only single machine which as a single piece is capable of providing three-dimensional movement of a weight. It is generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains and sheaves that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. Cranes can be broadly classified as stationary or derrick cranes, mobile cranes, overhead or gantry cranes, traveller cranes and tower cranes.
In a nutshell
So, depending on the need of the demolition project, above mentioned are few machines that can be successfully employed for demolition tasks. Other than the above, there are few other machines as well which are used for demolition tasks like articulated trucks, multi-terrain loaders etc. So, decide upon your requirement and choose the equipment wisely.
Benefits of Owning a Concrete Pump
So, the need was felt for a machine which pumped concrete effectively. Thus, came into existence concrete pumps.
Today, the market of concrete pump has risen globally mainly due to the need for increased productivity, safety and quality at construction projects including real estate and infrastructural projects. In addition, the increasing labour costs and growing emphasis on minimum construction time has also given a boost to the demand and market share of concrete pumps.
What is a concrete pump?
Typically, concrete pumps are used for transferring/conveying liquid mixed concrete from the containers to where it needs to be filled at the construction site and thus, it is an important part of any construction project. It is a known fact that the concrete pumps deliver high volumes of premixed concrete very fast and this makes them ideal for large construction projects.
There are two basic types of concrete pumps. One is known as a Boom or Truck-mounted Pump which is bigger in size and used on larger sites and for huge road and highway projects. The other one is called a Trailer, Line or Stationary Pump which is used for smaller jobs like preparing ground slabs or sidewalks. At present, it is the Boom Pumps that are very much in demand.
Advantages offered by concrete pumps
Here is the list of advantages of owning a concrete pump…
1. Saves manpower, energy and over-head costs: Concrete pump is one equipment that has the ability to transfer concrete to the exact location using minimal labour and energy. While in the ordinary concrete transfer process, a lot of labour and time is involved, through concrete pumps, works becomes much easier as less handling is required since concrete can be placed directly at the desired location. This can save a lot of manpower, energy and over-head costs.
2. Increases speed: Usage of concrete pumps also increase the speed of work at any construction project. This is because with concrete pumps, concrete pouring becomes simpler and faster, resulting in no project delays.
3. Lays concrete at inaccessible sites easily: Using concrete pump is more convenient than the old mix and pour methods as the boom arms can actually reach over the top of structures to place the concrete in locations where other types of equipment can’t reach. Thus, concrete pumps ensure that the concrete is placed easily at inaccessible sites. So, whether you want to pour concrete on top of a high rise building or in a foundation slab, concrete pumps can deliver concrete mix to almost any area without leaving spills and lumps on the way.
4. Increases pouring accuracy: For complex locations like high-rise buildings or insulated concrete form walls, concrete pumps can increase pouring accuracy. This accurate concrete pumping can effectively result in little or zero material wastage.
5. Leads to less water consumption: Usage of concrete pump leads to less requirement of water as compared to other concrete pouring techniques. Thus, when the concrete is placed, it does not shrink and crack at all and this maintains its strength.
6. No affect of weather conditions: Last but not the least, with concrete pumps, concrete placing is not at all affected by weather conditions.
Thus, overall, concrete pumps are one of the most efficient and cost-effective equipment for concrete placement and offer many benefits to the contractors.
To buy or to rent concrete pumps?
The above question bothers many contractors as well as construction companies. Well the simple answer is if you wish to pump a lot of concrete, then renting cost of concrete pump can hurt your overall operational cost. So, in such a case, it is always better to make an investment and buy a new concrete pump which can be put to use anytime and for as many hours as needed.
Not only the cost of renting is an important factor that needs to be kept in mind but the usage pattern should also be considered. If the volume of work is more and you would often need a concrete pump, then it is better to buy rather than rent. This is because, in case of renting a concrete pump every time, you might have to face loss of time and other renting woes. So, buying can be a good deal and can make your company more efficient.
However, before buying a concrete pump, you have to think about few aspects like…
- Which one to buy—A new or used concrete pump?
- What should be the preference—Boom/truck-mounted pump or Trailer/ line/ stationary pump?
- How often the equipment will be used?
- The cost of maintaining the equipment
- The training cost of the operator of the concrete pump
In a nutshell
Usage of concrete pumps can lead to many advantages at any construction site, be it big or small. Particularly, placement of concrete in inaccessible areas on large construction site has necessitated the use of pumps in today’s construction activities. Hence, it only makes sense to own a concrete pump to reap benefits from it.
Attachments 101: Quick Coupler, CLS, Pole Erector, Sugar Cane Grabber
Quick Coupler: The quick coupler from the house of Mahindra is designed to couple and uncouple standard buckets with your earth master fast and easy. The quick coupler helps make your backhoe loader a multi tool carrier. The quick coupler is designed for high standards of safety and efficiency. It comes with a high visibility safety loo pin that helps prevent accidents due to loss of bucket or other attached attachment. the designs enables faster and easier interchanging of attachments. It is designed for durability and has a hardened steel jaw to minimise wear and tear over time and use. the coupler is operated mechanically with a spring loaded lock and can be released with a tommy bar.
The coupler is so easy and efficient to use that one can change attachments within a minute. It even extends the life of the pivot pins since the coupler doest require any hammering action for change of attachments. The coupler was designed to be fully integrated with Mahndra equipments. Weighing at 76kgs, the mechanically operated coupler comes with a 342mm mounting pin c.d and is used in the power distribution sector, at quarries and during construction of roads.
Centralised Lubrication System (CLS): The CLS comes with a 4kg capacity and a 2.8cc/minute grease output. The grease pump is driven with a 12V electric motor and also comes in a manual option. The CLS can be used with MCE lubricants upto grade NLGI II. Continuous and adequate greasing is a must for machines to make good time and to keep wear and tear at minimal possible. The continuous lubrication from the CLS keeps the machine and its working part in a good condition and supports maximum up time and smooth functioning. Regular greasing reduces the overall cost of maintenance and operation and makes it easier for the operator alone to run the machine,
The CLS is an efficient way of reducing wear and tear of moving and or rotating parts of the machine there by increasing the life of the machine. Additionally it even prevents breakdowns and failures due to poor practices. The CLS is usually used for greasing machine pins and bushings. The CLS is a simple way to keep the machine protected from any possible harm due to negligence and or poor practices of people handling the machine.
Pole Erector: This is another good attachment to have in one’s kitty. It is used to erect overhead electricity distribution poles, farm fencing,industrial fencing, moving wooden logs and putting street poles in place amongst other things. The pole erector very easily handles poles upto 8 inches wide,upto 17 meters tall and weights upto 650kgs. the pole erector form Mahindra Construction equipment has 30% better length and weight handling capacity than its competing counterparts.
As a matter of fact the pole erector saves upto 50% costs 20 times the time as compared to manual operations. The attachment added to the Earth master provides the operator with the comfort of a cabin, lesser fatigue, clutch free operations and last but not the least ergonomically optimised single lever operation for clamping and rotation. The attachment works 4 times faster than a tractor attachment and has better safety features too. The attachment’s feature’s mean increased profitability and productivity to the contractor.
The attachment comes with counter balance to protect the clamp and rotation circuit to prevent accidental dropping of the pole. For the hydraulic cylinders to maintain the pole working range,the rotation cycle has a built in mechanical stop. Additionally the machine stability meets international standards when using the attachment.
Sugarcane grabber: This attachment works well for grabbing and moving materials like sugar cane. The attachment has a solid 1 ton lifting capacity and a 2719 mm reach at ground and 1010 mm bucket opening length. Compared to competitors and tractor attachments the sugarcane grabber has a bigger working envelope and 9% better reach. The grabber has a higher reach and dump height of 5334 mm. The attachment saves 50% costs as compared to manual operations and works 16 times faster. This eventually amounts to better profitability and productivity to the farmer.
The attachment has clutch free operations due to torque convertor base operations. The attachment comes with a sturdy and durable front axle for rating up to load. The design and components of the grabber are optimised for better performance in addition to optimised hydraulics for trouble free performance. The hoses and pipes in the attachment are placed neatly to avoid clutter. The Earth Master provides for increased safety and comfort in addition to providing for clutch free fatigue free operations.
Attachments Every Backhoe Owner Should Have
We live in the day and age where machines are required to single handedly perform multiple tasks. Multi functional machines are the trend of the changing times. The backhoe loader while versatile will have to adhere to the trend if its market share has to be kept safe. Attachments for a backhoe loader are the answer to the multi function machine dilemma. Lets take a look at some attachments that anyone with a Mahindra backhoe loader should have in their corner to win at the game.
6 in 1 bucket: The bucket is call ed 6 in 1 for the reason that it can single handedly perform the six functions of digging, loading, grading, dozing, back filling and grabbing across various. This single attachments helps the backhoe loader be used for various functions across industrial applications, road construction, real estate, solid waste management for the municipality and even agricultural farm applications.
The 6 in 1 bucket has a capacity of 1.1 cum with a 2356mm width and 839mm max bucket opening. Weighing at 698 kg, the 6 in 1 bucket is easily the most coveted backhoe loader attachment in the Indian market today. The versatility and durability of this bucket lets the owner take up jobs across industries and that of varied difficulty levels without having to spend extra on allied equipments. This versatile attachment helps make the already versatile backhoe loader even more versatile.
The bucket is designed for optimum compatibility performance and durability and can operate by standard auxiliary circuit of the loader. Twin cylinder backed higher clamping force and teethed clamp assembly side plate helps to grasp large irregularly shaped objects suchas trees ,loose stumps, brushes, recyclingdebrisandpipes.
Jib crane: This attachments helps the backhoe loader become a material handling equipment with ease. The jib crane attachments ensure that the backhoe can be used on construction sites, for laying pipes and for lifting and moving material on the job site. The attachment is perfect to move goods that are non standard in shape and size from one part of the site to another. With a 1 ton capacity and 4750 mm lift height, the attachment boosts the work handling capacity of the backhoe loader, making it a multi- functional machine. The attachment comes with self levelling linkage mechanism to help keep the position the crane horizontal. The attachment is easily interchangeable with the standard loader bucket and very easy to mount on the loader too.
Pole Erector: A pole erector comes in handy for setting up overhead electricity distribution poles, farm fencing, industrial fencing, wooden log handling and street light pole handling amongst other things. This one attachments make the backhoe perfectly suited to both rural and urban india and its varied needs. The Pole rector from MCE can easily handle pole lengths upto 17 meters and weights upto 650 kgs. Erecting a pole with one of these attachments gets the work done upto 20 times faster than manual operations while saving 50% in costs as compared to maul operations. The backhoe attachments works 4 times faster as compared to the tractor attachment. Simply put the attachment means higher productivity and improved profitability for the contractor.
This attachment from the house of Mahindra Construction Equipment provides machine stability as per international norms while handling standard pole size. Additionally it gives 30% better pole length and weight handling capacity as compared to its competitors. Add to that the comfort, safety due to the cabin availability of the backhoe loader and minimal fatigue for operator due to clutch free operations. The attachment comes with ergonomically optimised single lever operation for rotation and clamping.
Ripper Teeth: This attachment comes in handy at road construction sites. The attachment works well for breaking top layer of road surfaces like concrete, asphalt etc. It even works well for loosening hard compacted surfaces. Weighing at 105 kgs, it has a fabricated body with replaceable teeth for a lasting life. The attachment is fabricated with wear resistant material to increase the life and reduce the wear and tear. It helps reduce the stress load on the digging component of the machine thereby giving longer service life to other parts as well. The ripper teeth attachments helps avoid damage to the hydraulic pump and prevents structural damage too. It is compatible with manual quick hitch coupler for faster changeover.
These four simple attachments can prove to be a boon to any backhoe loader owner. The attachments help increase the scope of work the backhoe can handle there by adding to the uptime and eventually the profits that the backhoe garners for its owner.
Attachments Make your Backhoe Loader Versatile
The attachments raise the machine’s versatility to an all new high, making it an almost all in one machine. Lets take a look at the various attachments from the house of Mahindra that will make you change the way you look at a backhoe loader and use it on your job sites.
Auger: An auger is Basically a drilling attachment for the backhoe loader. These can either be hydraulic or mechanical. However the hydraulic ones are better preferred across the industry. The auger has applications across construction, real estate, farming and agriculture and border road applications.
Dozer Blade: A dozer blade quintessentially lets you use a bull dozer without actually having to buy one. It can be used at mines and quarries in addition to being used for backfilling of foundations and trenches, land development exercises like land scrapping, levelling, dozing etc in addition to cleaning debris, clearing road blockages etc. It can help reduce the number of equipment used at a site and increase the life of tyres.
Fork Lift: A fork lift attachment for the Backhoe loader can easily add to its versatility by removing the actual forklifts out of the equation at job sites. The attachment lets the loader be used for stacking of palletised loads at industries and ports in addition to being used for moving cans and materials at a construction site.
Rock Breakers: These are by definition used to break rocks, but the attachment is versatile enough to cut roads, help with pipelines, footings, demolition and trenching etc. The Mahindra Augers are well adapted to tropical climates there by increasing life if the rock breakers. The breakers are easy to charge, maintain and store.
Jib Cranes: These are material handling equipment used at various job sites across industries. The jib crane attachment is best suited for handling goods that are of non-standard size and shape. It comes with a self levelling loader linkage mechanism to help keep the material in a horizontal position. The mountings are interchangeable with the standard loader buckets making it easier to mount on a loader
Standard Loader Bucket: The standard loader bucket is usually one of the default attachments with a backhoe loader. The bucket lets the backhoe be used for loading and unloading at quarries, waste management by municipalities and land scrapping in addition to the other applications.
Loader Coal Bucket: This type of bucket is created especially for quarry and coal mine applications. The bucket is best suited to handling light density material like coal. It consists of a combination of straight edge and told board shape allow the bucket to fill to its maximum capacity. Like its counterparts, the coal bucket too has easily replaceable wear parts that increase durability and working life of the bucket.
Six in one bucket: This is the most versatile of the bucket lot. This is a single bucket that performs digging, loading, dozing, grading, backfilling and grabbing tasks across industries like road construction, real estate, agriculture and various industries. The bucket is the perfect versatile partner for a versatile machine.
Square hole bucket: Named so due to the peculiarly squared shape of the bucket, it is used for tasks that require straight vertical walls and flat bottom like at a grave yard. The bucket has a cutting edge mating profile fit meant for side cutters for the bucket to easily handle heavy duty applications.
Ripper Tooth: The name comes from the shape and use of the bucket’s teeth used for ripping tasks. The ripper tooth bucket is used at road construction sites to break up hard surfaces like concrete, asphalt etc. Similarly it is used to loosen compacted earth and uproot trees.
V shaped- tapered ditch bucket: This is a variant of the regular ditch bucket and is called so due to its v type shape. Used to make ditches like the name suggests and for dredging applications like small waterbody management. In agriculture it is used to create irrigation water paths while municipalities use it for making muddy drains and clearing sewage.
The Mahindra Earth Master range of backhoe loaders are compatible with all the above listed attachments and more, making it a many in one machine. The various attachments help the Earth Masters do various jobs of a bull dozer, crane, auger, fork lifts etc single handedly at a much lesser cost. Simply put the various attachments help make the versatile Earth master even more versatile than it already is. It is safe to assume that on a small to medium sized job site, the Mahindra backhoe loader can single handedly manage an assortment of tasks that would generally require one to hire or buy at least 4-6 machines if not more at various points of time. The attachments help make the Earth master with attachments a must have for any job site.
Benefits of Earthmoving Equipment v/s Manual Labour
ving Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2017-2025, the global earthmoving equipment will witness 6.7% CAGR (in terms of volume) between 2017 and 2025 and is expected to grow 1.6x (in terms of volume) by 2025. Particularly, Backhoe Loaders (BHLs) is set to witness a CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period.
In tune with the global market, India is also expected to witness huge growth of EE on the back of rapid urbanisation, increased construction and mining activities and growing infrastructure development. Particularly, mini excavators, crawlers, BHLs and compact loaders are expected to see major demand in India. This is because there are clear advantages of using such EE over manual labour and low-end technology for construction applications. We list down these benefits for you…
1. Leads to quality improvement- Reliability and quality of construction are one of the most important parameters for judging efficiency of any construction company or its work. This could be easily enhanced by using EE as against manual labour. Through EE usage, the work can be completed with minimal quality defects, thereby, reducing the claims arising from poor workmanship. Since today, many construction contracts in India include a defects liability clause; it is to the construction companies’ advantage to increase their usage of EE for construction activities. For example, the BHLs from Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE) have the Banana Boom with 7 per cent more reach as compared to others. This longer travel ensures precise digging in congested or near the wall digging applications, thus, leading to less defects and greater productivity at all times.
2. Ensures project efficiency: By employing EE, you can ensure that many of the limitations associated with the manual labour like physical limits, socio-economic conditions and attendance issues and other problems such as weather conditions, health risks etc., that hamper the project’s efficiency and its completion on time are eliminated. Also, EE increases the speed and accuracy as against the manual labour. Particularly joystick operated effortless power controls that come in BHLs of companies like MCE can minimise fatigue, thus, allowing operators to work for long hours. Thus, usage of EE can reduce a project’s completion time significantly.
3. Helps in cost savings and achieving profitability- Increased productivity through EE ultimately translate into higher profitability and help avoid defect-related claims and delay penalties. In addition, using EE can significantly reduce the cost of large-scale projects. It also makes it easier for the companies to complete their projects within budget at a reduced overall cost. This is due to the fact that EE are highly versatile and can be put to many uses as against manual labour which might have expertise in doing one task only. Like BHLs can do a variety of tasks like moving dirt, backfill, digging trenches, crushing, lifting, grabbing objects, small demolitions, laying pipes, asphalt breaking, paving roads etc., when used with different attachments. So, after performing one task quickly, it can be used to carry out other activity. In fact, you can choose MCE’s backhoe as it is 6-in-1 bucket on the loader and can perform many tasks.
Profitability of a construction business is also determined by the usage of technologically-advanced EE that improves productivity. Again, you can look at the MCE’s BHL as it posses the REMOTECARE feature which makes it possible to get business information like daily vehicle usage or health reports and other updates through SMS on mobile phones.
4. Ensures safety of workers: Any construction site is the locus of multiple high-risk activities. There are obvious safety concerns associated with workers operating on the ground, particularly within confined spaces when heavy materials are being moved around. Using the EE for handling the material and moving the workers far away from the danger zone can help mitigate or even prevent many of these risks.
In a nutshell
When it comes to construction activities, EE seem to be a clear winner over manual labour. Any why not? There are clear benefits of using the construction and EE over manual labour and traditional methods. These include improved quality, timeliness, better project financials and safety. So, isn’t earth-moving equipment better than manual labour? Realising this fact, more and more companies in India are opting for renting or purchasing EE aggressively and the market in India alone is expected to see as much as a 25% growth.