The use of heavy machinery in construction has been on the rise, but this is not always causing concern. The introduction of industrial building equipment has changed the industry and even affected home builders. Used equipment buyers are critical in this, as they can be a niche player or the icing on the cake for a small construction company.
Heavy machinery, like bulldozers and excavators, has improved safety in construction to a level never seen before.
The Beginning
In the 1940s and 1950s, asphalt-paving firms and concrete contractors began using heavy machinery on construction sites. The first excavators were used for clearing cement slurry to make way for the concrete paver. These early excavators did not pack the soil as well as a modern Caterpillar or John Deere do, and they required a lot more operator attention. As a result, they were used only in areas where it was necessary to speed up work with heavy equipment without sacrificing the quality of the finished product.
Heavy Machinery Innovation
Pressing forward, excavators were miniaturized and improved to the point where they could be used for many different applications. Modern equipment can lift and dig with the downward thrust of sixty psi. Dump trucks were also revolutionized by adding hydraulics and leverage to use a lever to lift loads as high as ten cubic yards of concrete. This innovation led bricklayers to construct brick walls with a level of precision that had never been seen before.
With the introduction of bulldozers, new foundation and retaining wall systems were designed. The use of heavy equipment in home building has become more popular in recent years.
Heavy Machinery Benefits
Heavy machinery made its way into the home building industry to make it more efficient. The machines increased construction speed because they could be operated by one person, whereas it took many people to do the same work. Construction with excavators and bulldozers also improved safety on site. Heavy machinery was also much more efficient than manual labor for grading land and clearing brush. Newly designed equipment has continued to improve since its introduction into construction.
The Future
Heavy machinery will always be an essential part of the construction process, whether used on a large or small scale. The future may hold further innovations in construction, like robots and drones, which will help with heavy lifting and digging. It will up the building pace and lead to quicker construction for many regions.
Conclusion
The use of heavy machinery in construction has changed the industry and even affected home builders. This article explains how and when heavy machinery entered the construction field and what benefits it brought with it.