Excavator Bucket Selection and Maintenance

This article discusses the importance of excavator buckets in mining machinery and their selection, maintenance, and operation tips. The following is the organized content:

The importance of the bucket

The bucket is the most widely used working device in an excavator, mainly used for digging, loading, and unloading materials. Due to its harsh working environment, it is susceptible to vibration, impact, and friction and often works in mud and water, resulting in easy corrosion and damage to weld seams and steel plates. Therefore, the correct selection and maintenance of the bucket are crucial.

Bucket selection

excavator buckets can be divided into various types according to the construction environment, such as earth buckets, Rock Buckets, gutter buckets, and loose soil buckets. Different types of buckets are suitable for different construction conditions, and choosing the right bucket will help improve efficiency and reduce costs. For example, earthmoving buckets are suitable for sand and gravel environments, while rock buckets are suitable for excavating rocks with higher wear resistance.

In the selection of buckets, according to the tonnage of the excavator and the specific working conditions for a reasonable choice, to avoid too large or too small bucket damage to the excavator components.

Bucket maintenance

Reinforcing the bucket

To prolong the service life of the bucket, it is very important to reinforce the bucket at the right time. However, excessive reinforcement should be avoided, arbitrary welding of steel plates may damage the internal stress of the bucket, accelerating its cracking and deformation. Reinforcement should be aimed at bucket localization, especially the parts that are easy to wear, such as tooth root, edge, and bottom plate.

Bucket Overhaul

Although localized reinforcement can extend the life of the bucket, when the base material (plates) of the bucket is fatigued or severely deformed, a complete overhaul is required, including the replacement of parts such as the tooth root mounting plate, bottom plate, and side plates.

Protection of pin bushings

Wear on the bucket pin bushing area affects efficiency, so the pin bushing should be replaced promptly before excessive wear occurs. The service life of the pin bushing can be prolonged by using a dust ring and high-quality grease to prevent dust and mud from entering.

Matching of bucket teeth

The wear degree of bucket teeth directly affects the working efficiency, so the suitable type of bucket teeth should be selected according to the construction environment and replaced in time to avoid root damage.

Operating Precautions

When operating the excavator, the operator should pay attention to the softness of the movement to avoid the bucket being violently impacted. Reasonable control of the digging angle to avoid damage to the bucket and teeth due to improper operation. At the same time, reduce lateral force, avoid knocking the bucket, and other operations to reduce wear and tear.

Conclusion

The correct selection and maintenance of a bucket can not only prolong its service life but also improve the working efficiency and economic benefits of the excavator. Therefore, operators should strengthen the daily inspection and reasonable operation of the bucket.