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, 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!