by What is it?
A Digging tool is a digging machinery used to dig trenches, especially for installing underground pipes, cables or utilities. Digging tools come in many varieties but their main purposes are excavating long and narrow ditches or trenches. The word “Digging tool” came from the French word “trenchoir” which means a cutting tool.
Types of Digging tools
There are different types of Digging tools available depending on the application and depth of Trencher required. Some common Digging tool types are.
Wheel Digging tools
Wheel Digging tools are compact and versatile machines that work well in tight spaces. They have a gasoline or diesel engine mounted on wheels with a cutting wheel attachment at the front that excavates trenches. Wheel Digging tools can dig trenches from 1 to 3 feet deep and 6 to 24 inches wide, making them useful for residential and light commercial jobs.
Mini Trencher
Mini Digging tools, also called compact Digging tools, are lightweight trenching machines weighing 800 lbs or less. They usually have widths between 10-18 inches and can dig trenches 1-2 feet deep. Mini Digging tools are easily transported and maneuvered which makes them suitable for digging in confined spaces.
Pipe Layer Digging tools
Pipe layer Digging tools are larger self-propelled machines designed to dig deeper Trencher for installing large pipelines or utility lines underground. They can dig trenches from 2-6 feet deep and 1-4 feet wide in a single pass. Pipe layer Digging tools have hydraulically powered digging wheels and can excavate at speeds of up to 100 feet per hour.
How Does it Work?
Digging tools work through a combination of various mechanical components to efficiently dig trenches. Here is a brief overview of how a basic Digging tool functions:
– The Digging tool is powered by a gasoline or diesel engine which provides power to hydraulic systems and digging components.
– Teeth or cutting wheels attached to the digging chains rotate horizontally to break up and loosen the soil as the Digging tool moves forward.
– Soil loosened by the cutting mechanism collects between the teeth around the perimeter of the wheel.
– As the teeth rotate, the loose soil is carried upward and out of the trench and deposited as a pile alongside the trench.
– Digging tools have tracks or wheels that help propel the machine forward through the ground as it digs, controlling the depth and width of the trench.
– The digging process continues until the trench reaches the desired depth and length specifications.
Advantages of Using a Trencher
There are several benefits to using a Digging tool over manual digging when excavating trenches:
Faster Excavation
Digging tools can dig trenches at much faster rates compared to digging by hand with shovels. They can excavate long trenches in a fraction of the time manual labor would take.
Consistency: Digging tools ensure trenches are dug to consistent depths and widths along their entire length. This provides uniform installation of pipes, cables or drainage systems.
Safety: Trenching machines reduce risks to worker safety from collapsing trench walls or cave-ins which are common issues with manual digging.
Versatility: Different types of Digging tools ranging from compact to large-scale pipe layers can be used in a variety of soil conditions and jobs from residential to heavy construction.
Cost Effectiveness:While Digging tools involve an initial capital investment, they prove far more economical than hiring additional labor for large trenching projects where time is a critical factor. The higher productivity of Digging tools compared to shovels offsets their purchase and operating costs.
Applications of Trencher
Digging tools have many applications where underground utilities like piping, cables or drainage systems need to be installed:
– Installing underground electrical cables and lines for power distribution.
– Laying natural gas distribution pipes from main lines to residential neighborhoods.
– Digging drainage or sewer lines for infrastructure projects.
– Excavating trenches for irrigation systems on farms and landscaping projects.
– Installing telecom cables for telephone lines and fiber optic networks.
– Bore site preparation for directional drills during pipeline construction.
– Demolition of old underground structures before replacement.
Trench Safety Considerations
While Digging tools increase safety compared to manual digging, certain precautions still need to be followed when trenching to prevent injuries:
– Inspect trench braces or shields and only use in trenches 5 feet or deeper.
– Do not enter an unbraced trench deeper than 4 feet.
– Provide adequately sloped excavation for trench walls if no bracing used.
– Do not operate heavy equipment too close to trench edges to avoid collapse.
– Inspect top edges regularly for signs of sloughing and address promptly.
– Provide safe means of entry/exit from trench such as ladders extending 3 feet above.
– Mark open trenches clearly during non-work hours to prevent falls.
With proper use and safety protocols, Trencher are invaluable machinery that allows rapid and consistent excavation of trenches compared to manual labor. Their versatility makes them indispensable tools for underground infrastructure installation and other construction jobs requiring trenching.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
