Material Handling Equipment Focus - Coming to Terms

ARM – Also known as the "dipper," it is the structure that connects the material handler’s attachment to the boom.

BUCKET BREAKOUT FORCE – An excavator’s ability to produce a prying force using the bucket hydraulic circuit.

COMPACT EXCAVATOR – Also called a mini. Generally have operating weights less than 14,000 and dig depths less than 14 feet.

CONTROL LOCKOUT – Safety system that requires operators to place a console in "operational" position to activate hydraulics. Prevents unintended movement of components.

COUNTER WEIGHT – Weight added to the rear of the house structure to improve lifting characteristics. Also used to accommodate variations in arm configurations.

CYCLE TIME – Number of seconds that a particular function can be cycled (i.e., "boom up").

EXPANDABLE UNDERCARRIAGE – Provides a wider machine stance, allowing increased performance when working over the side of the machine. Can be retracted to allow movement in narrow spots.

EXTENDABLE ARM – Telescoping arm that increases reach for truck loading or other applications. When extra reach is not required, the dipper can be retracted to provided maximum arm-digging force.

FLOTATION – Ability to traverse soils with little load-bearing capability.

GEAR PUMP SYSTEM – Oil supply mechanism that produces oil flow from rotating gear assemblies within a pump housing. It has a fixed displacement and requires changing pump shaft speed to affect pump volume.

HORSEPOWER (HP) – Indicated hp is mainly of interest to the engine’s designer and gives the theoretical hp of an engine. Rated hp is the power an engine should be expected to produce under normal operating conditions (not necessarily the best for fuel consumption).

INDPENDENT BOOM SWING – Boom swing is for offset working around obstacles or along walls. Allows cycling where it’s too narrow to rotate the cab.

PISTON PUMP SYSTEM – Produces oil flow from a rotating assembly of small pistons within a pump housing. Unlike gear pumps, it can vary oil flow independent of pump shaft speed.

REACH AT GROUND LEVEL – Measured from the material handler’s center rotational axis to the tip of the standard bucket tooth at ground level.

REPOSITIONING – Moving the material handler to the next position.

SPOOL METERING – Ability of the valve assembly to control oil flow to a given function in a consistent, predictable manner.

TAIL SWING – Rear overhang of the material handler as it rotates on the undercarriage.

TOPS/ROPS – TOPS is Tip Over Protective Structure. ROPS is Roll Over Protective Structure. Both protect the operator if the machine rolls or tips. To be compliant, they must be ISO or SAE certified.

VARIABLE FLOW AUXILIARY HYDRAULICS – Allows infinite control of oil flow to the auxiliary hydraulic circuit.

WEAR COMPENSATION – Mechanical means of accounting for predictable wear of mating surfaces.