Dump Truck

Dump Truck

Dump trucks or production trucks are those that are
used for transporting loose material such as sand,
dirt, and gravel for construction.  The typical dump
truck is equipped with a hydraulically operated open
box bed hinged at the rear, with the front being
able to be lifted up to allow the contents to fall
out on the ground at the site of delivery.

Dump trucks come in many different configurations
with each one specified to accomplish a specific
task in the construction chain.

Standard dump truck
The standard dump truck is a full truck chassis with
the dump body mounted onto the frame.  The dump body
is raised by a hydraulic ram lift that is mounted
forward of the front bulkhead, normally between the
truck cab and the dump body. 

The standard dump truck also has one front axle,
and one or more rear axles which normally has dual
wheels on each side.  The common configurations for
standard dump trucks include the six wheeler and
ten wheeler. 

Transfer dump truck
For the amount of noise made when transferring, the
transfer dump truck is easy to recognize.  It's a
standard dump truck that pulls a separate trailer
which can be loaded with sand, asphalt, gravel,
dirt, etc.

The B box or aggregate container on the trailer is
powered by an electric motor and rides on wheels
and rolls off of the trailer and into the main dump
box.  The biggest advantage with this configuration
is to maximize payload capacity without having to
sacrifice the maneuverability of the short and
nimble dump truck standards. 

Semi trailer end dump truck
The semi end dump truck is a tractor trailer
combination where the trailer itself contains the
hydraulic hoist.  The average semi end dump truck
has a 3 axle tractor that pulls a 2 axle semi
trailer.  The advantage to having a semi end
dump truck is rapid unloading.

Semi trailer bottom dump truck
A bottom dump truck is a 3 axle tractor that pulls
a 2 axle trailer with a clam shell type dump
gate in the belly of the trailer.  The biggest
advantage of a semi bottom dump truck is the
ability to lay material in a wind row.  This
type of truck is also maneuverable in reverse as
well, unlike the double and triple trailer
configurations.

Double and triple trailer
The double and triple bottom dump trucks consist
of a 2 axle tractor pulling a semi axle semi
trailer and an additional trailer.  These types of
dump trucks allow the driver to lay material in
wind rows without having to leave the cab or stop
the truck.  The biggest disadvantage is the
difficulty in going in reverse.

Side dump trucks
Side dump trucks consist of a 3 axle trailer pulling
a 2 axle semi trailer. It offers hydraulic rams
that tilt the dump body onto the side, which spills
the material to the left or right side of the
trailer.  The biggest advantages with these types
of dump trucks are that they allow rapid unloading
and carry more weight than other dump trucks.

In addition to this, side dump trucks are almost
impossible to tip over while dumping, unlike the
semi end dump trucks which are very prone to being
upset or tipped over.  The length of these trucks
impede maneuverability and limit versatility.

Off road dump trucks
Off road trucks resemble heavy construction equipment
more than they do highway dump trucks.  They are
used strictly for off road mining and heavy dirt
hauling jobs, such as excavation work.  They are
very big in size, and perfect for those time when
you need to dig out roads and need something to
haul the massive amounts of dirt to another
location.

Excavation

Excavation

Excavation is most commonly and best known for a
technique within the science of archaeology.  The
individual types of excavation are known simply
as digs to those who participate, with this being
an over literal description of the process.  An
excavation concerns itself with a specific
archaeological site or connected series of sites,
and may be carried on over a number of years, since
the work is normally seasonal.

Within the industry of excavation, many more
techniques may be utilized, with each dig having
its own particular features that may necessitate
differences of approach.  Resources and other
practical issues don't allow archaeologists to carry
out excavations whenever and wherever they choose,
as many known sites have been deliberately left
alone and non excavated.

Initially, excavation involves the removal of any
topsoil that is uncovered by machine.  What is
dug up may be examined by a metal detector for stray
finds but unless the excavation site has remained
untouched for a long period of time, there is a
small layer of modern material on the surface that
is of limited archaeological interest.

In rural areas, any type of archaeological features
should be visible beneath the surface.  With
urban areas, they may be thick layers of human
deposits and only the uppermost will be visible to
the naked eye.  With either case, the first task
is drawing a scaled site plan that will show the
edges of the excavation.

This plan can be composed using tape measures, or
as it is more common these days, an electronic
total station.  A grid is normally set up, to
divide the site.

Excavation is also useful for digging out houses
and trenches.  When clearing dirt out for roads
or sub divisions, excavation is what takes care of
things.  Even though there are a few means, the
term excavation is used anytime that the earth or
dirt is disturbed.

Heavy machinery is also very common with excavation,
such as excavators or backhoes.  Excavating crews
run the equipment and dig up soil and rocks for
whatever the purpose may be.  Excavators are the
most used machinery, as they can move a lot of dirt
in a little bit of time.

Anytime you are taking part in excavation, you should
always use common sense and be safe.  If you plan
to get down into a hole or trench, you should always
use a trench box.  Even though the hole may not
be that deep, excavation sites can always cave in
and at that point - things are very dangerous and
possibly even deadly.

For digging up rare artifacts or putting in houses
or roads, excavation is something that has been around
for years and years.  There is a lot to learn with
excavation, as you'll need to know how to run
machinery, shoot grade, and how to properly dig
holes and trenches so they won't cave in.

Forklift

Forklift

Sometimes called a forklift truck, the forklift is
a powerful industrial truck that is used to lift
and transport material by steel forks that are
inserted under the load.  Forklifts are commonly
used to move loads and equipment that is stored on
pallets.  The forklift was developed in 1920, and
has since become a valuable piece of equipment in
many manufacturing and warehousing operations.

Types
The most common type of design with forklifts is
the counter balance.  Other types of designs
include the reach truck and side loader, both of
which are used in environments where the space is
at a minimum.

Control and capability
Forklifts are available in many types and different
load capacities.  In the average warehouse setting,
most forklifts have load capacities of around
five tons.

Along with the control to raise and lower the
forks, you can also tilt the mast to compensate
for the tendency of the load to angle the blades
towards the ground and risk slipping it off the
forks.  The tilt will also provide a limited
ability to operate on ground that isn't level.

There are some variations that allow you to move
the forks and backrest laterally, which allows
easier placement of a load.  In addition to this,
there are some machines that offer hydraulic
control to move the forks together or further
apart, which removes the need for you to get out
of the cab to manually adjust for a different size
load.

Another forklift variation that is sometimes
used in manufacturing facilities, will utilize
forklifts with a clamp attachment that you can
open and close around a load, instead of having
to use forks.  Products such as boxes, cartons,
etc., can be moved with the clamp attachment.

Safety
Forklifts are rated for loads at a specified
maximum weight and a specified forward type center
of gravity.  All of this information is located
on a nameplate that is provided by the manufacturer
and the loads cannot exceed these specifications.

One of the most important aspects of operating a
forklift is the rear wheel steering.  Even though
this helps to increase maneuverability in tight
cornering situations, it differs from the
traditional experience of a driver with other
wheeled vehicles as there is no caster action.

Another critical aspect of the forklift is the
instability.  Both the forklift and the load must
be considered a unit, with a varying center of
gravity with every movement of the load.  You
must never negotiate a turn with a forklift at
full speed with a raised load, as this can easily
tip the forklift over.

Normally, to drive a forklift, you'll need to
pass a basic test.  They aren't difficult to
operate, although you'll need to be safe when you
operate them.  Once you have operated one for a
while, you'll have no problems being safe.

Bulldozer

Bulldozer

The bulldozer is a very powerful crawler that is
equipped with a blade.  The term bulldozer is often
used to mean any type of heavy machinery, although
the term actually refers to a tractor that is fitted
with a dozer blade.

Often times, bulldozers are large and extremely
powerful tracked vehicles.  The tracks give them
amazing ground mobility and hold through very rough
terrain.  Wide tracks on the other hand, help to
distribute the weight of the dozer over large areas,
therefore preventing it from sinking into sandy or
muddy ground. 

Bulldozers have great ground hold and a torque
divider that's designed to convert the power of the
engine into dragging ability, which allows it to
use its own weight to push heavy objects and even
remove things from the ground.  Take the Caterpillar
D9 for example, it can easily tow tanks that weight
more than 70 tons.  Due to these attributes,
bulldozers are used to clear obstacles, shrubbery,
and remains of structures and buildings.

The blade
The blade on a bulldozer is the heavy piece of
metal plate that is installed on the front.  The
blade pushes things around.  Normally, the blade
comes in 3 varieties:
    1.  A straight blade that is short and has
no lateral curve, no side wings, and can be used
only for fine grading.
    2.  A universal blade, or U blade, which is
tall and very curved, and features large side wings
to carry more material around.
    3.  A combination blade that is shorter,
offers less curvature, and smaller side wings.

Modifications
Over time, bulldozers have been modified to evolve
into new machines that are capable of things the
original bulldozers weren't.  A good example is
that loader tractors were created by removing the
blade and substituting a large volume bucket
and hydraulic arms which will raise and lower the
bucket, therefore making it useful for scooping
up the earth and loading it into trucks.

Other modifications to the original bulldozer
include making it smaller to where it can operate
in small working areas where movement is very
limited, such as mining caves and tunnels.  Very
small bulldozers are known as calfdozers.

History
The first types of bulldozers were adapted from
farm tractors that were used to plough fields. In
order to dig canals, raise earth dams, and partake
in earthmoving jobs, the tractors were equipped
with a thick metal plate in the front.  Later
on, this thick metal plate earned the name blade.

The blade of the bulldozer peels layers of soil
and pushes it forward as the tractor advances. 
The blade is the heart and soul of the bulldozer,
as it was the first accessory to make full use
for excavation type jobs.

As the years went by, when engineers needed
equipment to complete larger jobs, companies such
as CAT, Komatsu, John Deere, Case, and JCB started
to manufacture large tracked earthmoving equipment.
They were very loud, very large, and very powerful
and therefore earned the nickname "bulldozer".

Over the years, the bulldozers got bigger, more
powerful, and even more sophisticated.  The
important improvements include better engines,
more reliable drive trains, better tracks, and
even hydraulic arms that will enable more precise
manipulation of the blade and automated controls.
As an added option, bulldozers can come equipped
with a rear ripping claw to break up pavement or
loosen rocky soil.

The best known manufacturer of bulldozer is CAT,
which has earned a vast reputation for making
tough and durable, yet reliable machines.  Even
though the bulldozer started off a modified farm
tractor, it rapidly became one of the most useful
pieces of equipment with excavating and construction.

Backhoe Loader

Backhoe Loader

Also referred to as a loader backhoe, the backhoe
loader is an engineering and excavation vehicle that
consists of a tractor, front shovel and bucket and
a small backhoe in the rear end.  Due to the small
size and versatility, backhoe loaders are common
with small construction projects and excavation type
work.

Originally invented in Burlington Iowa back in 1857,
the backhoe loader is the most common variation of
the classic farm tractor.  As the name implies, it
has a loader assembly on the front and a backhoe
attachment on the back. 

Anytime the loader and backhoe are attached it is
never referred to as a tractor, as it is not normally
used for towing and doesn't normally have a PTO.
When the backhoe is permanently attached, the
machine will normally have a seat that can swivel
to the rear to face the backhoe controls.  Any type
of removable backhoe attachments will normally have
a seperate seat on the attachment itself.

Backhoe loaders are common and can be used for many
tasks, which include construction, light transportation
of materials, powering building equipment, digging
holes and excavating, breaking asphalt, and even
paving roads.

You can often replace the backhoe bucket with
other tools such as a breaker for breaking and
smashing concrete and rock.  There are some loader
buckets that offer a retractable bottom, which
enable it to empty the load more quickly and
efficiently.

The retractable bottom loader buckets are often
times used for grading and scratching off sand.
The front assembly on a backhoe may be either
removable or permanently attached.  Often times,
the bucket can be replaced with other tools or
devices.  In order to mount different attachments
to the loader, it must be equipped with a tool
coupler.  The coupler consists of two hydraulic
cylinders on the end of the arm assembly, which
can expand and retract to allow different tools to
be attached to the unit.

There are several types of backhoe loader brands,
including New Holland, John Deere, and Case.  Some
will offer you cabs, while others won't.  The
newer types of backhoe loaders even offer you air
conditioning, radios, and other accessories that
make you feel like you are working with luxury.

Common with excavating jobs, the backhoe can serve
many purposes.  It can haul equipment and supplies
in the loader bucket.  Another great use is to cover
up dirt when filling in trench lines or covering
up pipe that was just put in the ground.  The
backhoe attachment at the rear is ideal for digging
water pipes and sewer pipes.

The best thing about the backhoe loader is the
fact that they are easy to operate.  You don't
need to be a rocket scientist to fully operate this
nifty piece of equipment.