Excavators 101: Excavator components

What are the parts of an excavator called? Read on to find out!

Go back to basics with Orange Hire as we take a look at the different components of a standard excavator, what each part is called and what its function is. There are three main sections to an excavator: the boom/arm arrangement that provides the digging action, the house which contains the cab, engine and hydraulics, and the undercarriage that provides the travel.

Excavator parts and functions diagram

Excavator components

Cab

This is pretty self-explanatory!

An excavator’s cab is designed to include a ROPS or roll over protection system, which basically means in the event of the machine tipping over, the cab is structurally sound enough to protect the operator inside from getting seriously injured.

An international standard governs the design of excavators which must feature a ROPS where any risk of rollover exists. Generally, this covers smaller diggers from 6t up to big 50t earthmoving machines.

Excavators may also have a FOPS which stands for Falling Object Protective Structure – typically a cage or grille that prevents rocks, tools or debris from falling from above into the cab and potentially injuring the operator.

Hydraulic cylinders, Boom, Stick, Arm and Bucket

Smooth, controlled operation of the excavator’s boom and arm allows the driver to conduct precise movements, so keeping the hydraulics maintained is a must.

The boom provides up/down movements and is powered by one or two hydraulic cylinders, and in the case of knuckle booms, this can offer left/right movement as well.

The stick or dipper pulls the bucket or attachment towards the excavator body, allowing for scooping and digging movements.

The attachment has its own hydraulic system too, and by way of attachment to various couplings, it can be controlled to conduct precision movements.

Hitches for your attachments: H links and dog bones

Fitting an attachment to your excavator is done by coupling it to hitches at the end of the stick. These can be manual or automatic quick hitches, coming in a range of different styles depending on the machine.

Hitches allow the attachment to be easily coupled or uncoupled from the excavator so you can swap out attachments as necessary.

Safety Tip: Quick hitches can be used multiple times a day on construction or demo projects. It’s important to check after every attachment change that the quick hitch is safely engaged to the attachment.

Attachments

Excavators are truly multipurpose machines when you combine them with the vast array of attachments available on the market today.

Whether it’s digging, ripping, carrying, lifting, crushing or drilling that you need to get done, the right attachment can make light work of the toughest jobs.

Conversely, using the wrong attachment can slow down your job and drag the process out unnecessarily. It’s vital to get the right attachment for your project, which will often be a set of many different attachments for the various processes you want to get done.

The team at Orange Hire can help you figure out which attachments are going to help you get the job done right and get it done fast. Popular attachments include various types of buckets, augers, grabs and hammers. You can take a look at our selection of excavator attachments here or call the team for advice.

The business end: engine, hydraulic system and valve assembly

The house refers to the cab of the excavator, combined with other critical parts such as the counterweight, engine, slew ring and hydraulic system. This is your power centre that drives the excavator and keeps things running smoothly.

A diesel engine powers the machine, with many newer machines now offering much better fuel efficiency than in years past. The engine also powers the hydraulic system that is responsible for operating the arms/booms and swing or slew motor.

Tracks and rollers

The undercarriage keeps things on the move, housing the tracks, track frame, final drive and rollers. Caterpillar tracks make it easy to manoeuvre in muddy or rough terrain, so these steel continuous tracks need to be kept well maintained for safety and efficiency.

Tracks are positioned on the track frame, which is in turn connected to the house via a large steel pin. This pin attachment allows the house to rotate above the rollers.

The final drives are positioned on the tracks, allowing them to be individually powered for fine control over movement and precision turning.

Hire the right excavator for the job

Whether you’re in civil construction, demolition, recycling, excavation, council operations or any other field of work, we’ve got the right range of rental excavators for you!

Our team are experts in excavators, and our maintenance crew keep our earthmoving machines in tip-top condition to ensure you get a safe, reliable machine on site.

For more information about our complete range of shoring services and equipment, visit your nearest branch, email [email protected], or call our friendly team of experts at 1800 UR HIRE.