Wind tunnels are used when designing cars. They
provide the engineers with the appropriate design
specifications they need to achieve to gain speed
and/or efficiency.
Similar principles are used in bucket design:
1. to achieve the maximum digging force for the
minimum amount of pressure exerted, increasing fuel
economy
2. to streamline the bucket flow through the cut,
reducing the power required, increasing fuel economy
3.
compact
design means a shorter pin to point (bucket pin to
end of tooth) so that 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 maintenance costs
5. that the bucket is designed for the geometry of
the excavator. That it digs correctly as the machine
was designed. It’s not just a case of changing
bucket hangers to fit all machines. All excavators
are designed to dig differently and fitting the
wrong bucket may result in the bucket either hitting
the inside of the dipper arm or not opening up
enough to dig efficiently
Why doesn’t 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. Many of them are just welders or
boiler makers who have been asked to copy a client’s
bucket. It’s 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
perform to the manufacturer’s or the owner’s
expectations, using more fuel, and requiring more
maintenanceOH&S - With more importance
being placed on workplace safety, the real
concerning 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 capacity to calculate the computations
necessary to work to the capacity of the machines.
Not only does this mean that the operator’s and
innocent bystander’s 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 efficiently or
effectively
Cost - Costs are a major reason why many
manufacturers don’t use technology. Some
manufacturers that have the technology don’t use it
because to weld a brace here or there takes extra
time and labour. Our efficient double radius bucket
design requires the entire back plate be rolled,
whereas in a single “d” design, only a small part of
the back plate needs to be rolled.
Effort - Labour costs and time are two reasons
manufacturers don’t 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 plate. This design
shows the teeth digging the material and the rest of
the bucket following the teeth through the cut
collecting the dug soil quickly and efficiently.
This puts less strain on the bucket as well as the
excavator and will save fuel and maintenance costs.
Fig. 2 on the right shows a flat bottomed bucket
moving in the arc of the excavator 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.
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