What machines are used for earth-moving?
In summary, yes, there are other machines used in the construction, mining and agriculture industries that do the same job as a scraper machine, however, some are nowhere near as efficient.
Scrapers are used within the construction, mining and agriculture industries for bulk earth moving. Scraper machines are used to excavate layers of earth when the scraper machine and its attached trailer pass over an area of dirt to be removed. The scraper machine then drops its blade and the dirt beneath is lifted (scraped) into the trailer “bowl”. When the bowl has become full, it is removed from the site and emptied or a new trailer is attached and the job continues and is completed.
Other construction machines that are also used for earth-moving include:
These machines above are all classified as earth moving machines however all have a more specific use when it comes to earth moving and are a little more versatile than the scraper machine. For example, the excavator is mainly used to dig holes. While the excavator can be used to remove large spans of earth, it does take time depending on the size of the excavator and the bucket.
Skid steer loaders are used to push dirt from one area to another as well as load dirt into dump trucks and tippers to be removed and taken to a dump site.
Backhoe loaders are quite a versatile machine and while they are used on multiple projects and earth moving applications, this machine mostly digs holes and removes the dirt through the loader bucket or excavation bucket.
Bulldozers are a tracked machine that has the capability to push large amounts of earth, soil, dirt etc from one place to another. Whether that be moving the dirt to be reused somewhere else on your project site or moved to a section of the project where an excavator awaits for the soil to be collected and placed into a dump truck.
Graders are able to flatten or smooth out large quantities of gravel, soil, earth or dirt in preparation for development such as a new road. Trenchers are used to create tunnels for pipes and other underground utilities housing.
The scraper machine is unique as it allows operators to remove vast layers of soil with a simple pass over that area. Applications the scraper machine is normally used for includes land preparation for:
- Residential development
- Business development
- Construction of warehousing
- Building of a new road
- Farming
How does a Scraper machine work?
The scraper machine's method of earth-moving can be described as something similar to peeling a potato. With each pass of the trailer, the dirt below is lifted and removed and the new roadway or path drops to the required level.
The rear, vertically moving hopper has a sharp horizontal front edge that, when dropped, scrapes up the soil and deposits it into the “bowl” at the back. This makes for easy collection and removal of soil without the need for intense labour and machine hours.
Some scrapers require more traction as the location of their project may involve soft sand or wet soil. In these instances, a scraper machine is really your only option for earth moving. In this case, a tandem scraper, with separate tractor and scraper engines provides better traction on slippery or wet surfaces.
While excavators, skid steers and backhoes are used for earth moving when it comes to needing to dig holes or push and pull dirt, scraper machines fill the void of needing to move large quantities of dirt, over a vast area with ease and simplicity.
Looking to hire a scraper across Australia?
Look no further than iseekplant with scraper suppliers located in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, and regional areas. Contact us on projects@iseekplant.com.au or use our get a quote tool for the best scraper rates.