Dimensions of a Front Shovel

The front shovel is a machine used for moving earth. It belongs to the hydraulic excavator family. The machine performs its digs over the track level in an upward motion. The result is the material is crowded away from it. It is used for digging and smashing compacted rocks and dirt.

Caterpillar 385C Front Shovel Dimensions

This front shovel comes with an operating weight of 92,940 lbs (87,700 kg). The MMA model comes with a dig depth of 32.4 feet (9.89 m). Another variant, the WAW, has a square base frame. It weighs 202,400 lbs (92,000 kg).

The T2E, KGB, EDA and SBE have weights of 187,000 lbs (85,000 kg). They also have an undercarriage. The MNZ, KBC, KKK and JCM models come with a 182,600 lb (83,000 kg) operating weight.

Basic Design of Front Shovels

The machine is composed of a bucket, stick boom, cab, mount and crawler tracks. Whatever the front shovel dimensions are, they are always known for the generous bucket capacity. The material gathered here is loaded onto hauling or dump trucks.

The buckets can be bottom dumping or front models. With bottom dumping models, the shovel is split in the center so the material may be dropped to the bottom rather than tilting the bucket. This would cause the contents to be dumped out front.

Usage and Application

The machine is utilized mainly on surface mining excavations. It was developed alongside the backhoe excavator and may be used together. The front shovel functions a lot like the excavator. The major difference is the front shovel digs in a forward manner. In contrast, the excavator digs the dirt towards itself.

Types of Front Shovels

One of the biggest front shovels is the O&K RH400. It weighs 1,000 tons. The bucket has a capacity of 57 cubic yards (44 m3). The unit has 3,500 horsepower. The TRex Caterpillar 235 is equipped with a precision control system. This allows it to clear up nuclear waste.

The TRex was created by Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) specifically for cleaning up nuclear waste. As such, the unit is capable of working in dirty environments and at high temperatures. However, the unit is not made for precision work. The response time will also depend on the temperature and cleanliness of the cylinders.

The front shovel dimensions and design make it one of the most dependable earth moving equipment around. But continuing innovations are turning it into a multipurpose machine.