7 Facts About Mini-Excavators
How much do you know about mini-excavators? #
Here are some interesting facts about them that just might come in handy!
Fact #1: They are a type of hydraulic excavator. #
You may already know that mini-excavators, also known as compact excavators, provide functionality in areas with limited work space. However, did you know that a typical mini-excavator is considered a type of hydraulic excavator?In the case of a mini-excavator, both the slew and travel functions along with the blade and work group functions are all hydraulically controlled.
Fact #2: Weight defines what it and is not a mini-excavator. #
Mini-excavators are officially defined as excavators with a weight of less than 10,000 pounds. This allows them to be used on more sensitive terrain, have a smaller footprint, worth within a tighter turning radius, and be easier to transport when compared to standard backhoes and excavators.
Fact #3: Mini-excavators are competing for market share with backhoes. #
It’s become more and more common to see a mini-excavator along with a skid steer or compact track loader taking the place of a backhoe loader. In fact, some experts say that the mini-excavator is actually taking some of the market share away from the backhoe.
Fact #4: The first mini-excavator was manufactured in 1968. #
Yanmar began manufacturing the first mini-excavator in 1968, followed in 1971 by Takeuchi. Mini-excavators were not introduced to America until the early 1980s by Bobcat. IHI also began producing these machines in the 1980s. Hitachi didn’t start producing them until the 1990s.
Fact #5: Very compact excavators have their uses. #
There are excavators designed to be small enough to fit through a doorway. While they may be rough for an operator to adjust to, the consensus is that “they sure beat a shovel and a wheelbarrow.” Even though the bucket size usually holds only about seven shovels of dirt, this can still be a significant time-saver on a project.
Fact #6: Only one company manufactures mini-excavators on US soil. #
There are quite a few companies that manufacture mini-excavators, including Bobcat, Caterpillar, Case, Doosan, Gehl, JCB, John Deere, Kubota, IJI, Takeuchi, Volvo, and Yanmar. Bobcat, however, is the only company that manufactures mini-excavators in the United States.
Fact #7: Mini-excavators can be very dangerous. #
The mini-excavator might be a smaller machine, but this doesn’t mean that injuries are any less likely. Consider the gentlemen whose mini-excavator fell into the trench his was digging, pinning him below. Another man was killed in 1999 when he was pinned between a mini-excavator bucket and an air compressor. They're also [not machines for amateurs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKoobkKzhIY>get stuck.
These are <a href=), as one unfortunate young man found out when he extended his head beyond the cab and accidentally hit the wrong lever.
Mini-Excavators Only Increase in Usefulness #
Mini-excavators have been around for over 45 years now, and their usefulness has only increased. Considered by many to be the Swiss army knife of a construction fleet, they can get to places that other machines cannot. And if you need a final drive for your mini-excavator, you've come to the right place!
