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What to look for in an excavator when performing excavating, grading and site prep.

Dec 15th, 2015

Some industry experts estimate that a quality automated coupler on an excavator can save up to 25% of total machine operating time
compared to direct-mount attachments.

If excavating, grading and site preparation drive the demand for your construction business, then

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you know that your work could not be done without the right crawler or wheel excavator. You
depend on these machines, and attachments, to help you bid accurately and work on multiple
types of projects simultaneously.

Whether you subcontract your services to larger firms or specialize in a particular segment, having
the proper equipment can help form the basis for your personnel decisions. And well-chosen
equipment can give you the confidence to expand your services and even branch out to
surrounding communities.

Obviously, there are several factors that will influence your success in excavating, grading and site
preparation, but most of them typically point back to selecting the proper excavator. As activity
continues to pick up in nearly every construction application, Shane Reardon, Doosan excavator
product specialist, says there’s a growing sense of urgency to make sure that the machines you
choose can tackle your projects and stay within your equipment budget.

“Since the recession ended, we’re seeing more excavators being sold into construction year over
year, and each application area is growing,” Reardon says. “Regardless of the size of a
construction firm, there some key factors that apply to any acquisition to make sure you can
achieve profitability and keep your costs of ownership manageable.”

According to Reardon, the best approach to selecting a machine for excavating, grading and site
preparation includes the following five tips.

It seems that land clearing, excavation and grading is required on nearly every type of construction
project. The single most important factor to consider in the selection of an excavator for these
types of applications is what you want to accomplish with a machine. Selecting a machine to
perform excavating functions only can be very different than it is for site preparation.

For example, a reduced tailswing model — ideally suited for utility installations that require digging
and compacting trenches in tight spaces — is not the same solution needed for clearing and
grading a 25-acre tract of land for a housing development that also requires installation of a large
retaining wall. The need to perform in these applications requires a more versatile machine than
just an excavator with a bucket. Rather, you’ll need a machine that can perform multiple tasks to

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prep a piece of land for clearing, expansion, new construction and installation.

Generally, the most important step in selecting the right size of a machine for excavation is
determining daily digging production targets. Since the most common setup for an excavator is
being outfitted with a bucket, the next logical step is to match the size and capacity of a bucket to
the density of the heaviest material you expect to handle. Then, select the machine that can
properly accommodate the bucket to routinely excavate that load.

An excavator configured to fit its jobsite space is another key consideration. “We’re seeing reduced
tailswing configurations gaining popularity as more aging infrastructure needs replacement or
updating,” Reardon says. “Work space in some cities can be very limited vs. new construction and
you may not be able to close down lanes of traffic for a conventional tailswing machine.”

Like many construction machines, excavators are getting smarter. As the market expands with new
models, its gaining machines with the electronic intelligence, allowing fleet managers to remotely
monitor equipment using machine to machine communication, or telematics, some of which are
offered with complimentary subscriptions. These systems put more information in the hands of
owners and operators to help them efficiently manage maintenance scheduling and better monitor
operational data and make recommendations to operators to improve machine productivity.

Innovations are also aimed at improving the communication between the engine and hydraulics for
greater work group efficiencies and fuel economy. Machines designed with variable-speed control
technologies reduce engine rpm during low workload requirements such as the swing portion of a
dig cycle. This reduces the total energy required to perform a task and can measurably improve
fuel efficiency. With pump torque control, an operator can efficiently match a machine’s hydraulic
pump torque and engine response to the task, preventing engine overload and excess fuel
consumption.

Another key to proper selection of an excavator is the investment in a quality attachment

connection system, such as a quick coupler, which is optional on most manufacturers’ machines.

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Some industry experts estimate that a quality automated coupler on an excavator can save owners
up to 25% of their total machine operating time compared to direct-mount attachments.

Couplers make it handy to change attachments, such as swapping a regular ditching bucket for a
grading style bucket for grading applications, or changing buckets to match trench width
requirements. If you only think of an excavator performing heavy digging, you may be missing an
opportunity to fit it with attachments such as a breaker for demolishing existing structures and
material, a grapple for land clearing, a trenching bucket to dig foundation footings or a plate
compactor to finish trenches. If daily projects require the consistent use of two-way auxiliary
hydraulic flow attachments like hydraulic clamps and tilting buckets, it’s important to make sure a
machine can be fitted with the proper hydraulics to meet your needs.

Moving a machine from site to site may be the norm in some excavating, grading and site
preparation applications. If you anticipate that an excavator will need frequent transport, accurate
cost estimates should be included in your purchasing evaluation. Those considerations typically
involve a determination of whether a trailer needs to be upsized or downsized to match the
machine, or if there are more costly travel permits required for heavier excavators.

It’s also important to determine whether you have the proper hauling truck in your fleet.

“In mining applications, a machine is likely delivered to a work site and will live its whole life in one
location,” Reardon says. “But if you’re moving that machine around the countryside to various
construction sites, it needs to be matched to an appropriate-size trailer and be permitted to meet
the area’s hauling regulations, which vary widely by state.”

Reardon also points out that mobility within a jobsite or on finished surfaces such as concrete and
asphalt can be increased by operating wheel excavators that are designed to provide an alternative
when a machine needs to routinely travel between tasks.

Provided by Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment America.

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