Off-Highway equipment is a broad term that is used to explain the machinery which spends most of its time off-road. The type of equipment can range from large trucks used in mining to small agricultural machines, and everything in between. Construction and mining equipment operate in conditions that are hard on the components. Just the nature of the work they do exposes the vehicles to large amounts of contamination and debris that can cause damage especially to the hydraulics and gears which are sensitive to particulate contamination. Continually monitoring the oil condition can prevent unexpected breakdowns. The Off-Highway and Agricultural segment needs specialized expertise to meet new challenges. Be it handling more load or free moving on the roads, the Off-highway segment is constantly evolving and Onward is geared up to support it with design as well as manufacturing solutions,
There are different types of off-highway equipment, which are discussed below.
Agricultural machinery
Agricultural machinery is machinery used in farming or other agriculture. There are many types of such equipment, from hand tools and power tools to tractors and the countless kinds of farm implements that they tow or operate. Diverse arrays of equipment are used in both organic and nonorganic farming. Especially since the advent of mechanised agriculture, agricultural machinery is an indispensable part of how the world is fed.
The basic technology of agricultural machines has changed little in the last century. Technology is changing the way that humans operate the machines, as computer monitoring systems, GPS locators and self-steer programs allow the most advanced tractors and implements to be more precise and less wasteful in the use of fuel, seed, or fertilizer. In the foreseeable future, there may be mass production of driverless tractors, which use GPS maps and electronic sensors.
Some of the most used agricultural machinery includes Tractor, Sprayer, Field cultivator, Shredders and cutters, cotton harvester, seeders and planters, wheel tractor scraper, plough baler, Automatic In row weeder, harvester and separator, to name a few.
Earthmoving equipment
Earthmoving equipment is heavy equipment, typically heavy-duty vehicles designed for construction operations which involve earthworks. They are used to move large amounts of earth, to dig foundations for landscaping and so on. Earthmoving equipment may also be referred to as; heavy trucks, heavy machines, construction equipment, engineering equipment, heavy vehicles and heavy hydraulics. Most earthmoving equipment uses hydraulic drives as the primary source of motion.
Some of the most used earthmoving equipment are, Excavators, Backhoe loader, Bulldozer, Skid-steer loader, Motor grader to name a few.
Heavy equipments
Heavy equipment or heavy machinery refers to heavy-duty vehicles, specially designed for executing construction tasks, most frequently ones involving earthwork operations or other large construction tasks. Heavy equipment usually comprises five equipment systems: implementation, traction, structure, power train, control and information. Heavy equipment functions through the mechanical advantage of a simple machine, the ratio between input force applied and force exerted is multiplied, making tasks which could take hundreds of people and weeks of labor without heavy equipment far less intensive in nature. Some equipment uses hydraulic drives as a primary source of motion. Some of the most used equipment are- backhoe loader, wheeled bulldozer, powered tractor etc.
Material handling equipment
Material handling equipment (MHE) is mechanical equipment used for the movement, storage, control and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption and disposal. Material handling equipment is any tool used to aid in the movement, protection, storage, and control of materials and products. The equipment used to do so can be broken down into four main categories. Each category has a wide variety of useful equipment that makes safely moving heavy materials or large volumes of materials easier. The different types of handling equipment can be classified into four major categories: transport equipment, positioning equipment, unit load formation equipment, and storage equipment.
Popular material handling equipment include, conveyors, cranes, industrial trucks, lift/tilt/turn tables, hoists, balancers, manipulators, industrial robots, pallets, skids, slip sheets, tote pans, bins/baskets, cartons, bags to name a few.
Mining equipment
Mining is one of the key growth drivers of most economies. Each type of mining equipment comes with its own set of mining activities. The most common types of mining equipment vary depending whether the work is being carried out above or below ground or mining for gold, metals, coal or crude oil. From drilling machines to excavators, crushing and grinding equipment – the mining industry comes complete with all the right tools. New to the job and want to find out what it all means? Here’s a few of the industry’s most common types of equipment and why they’re important for the job.
The more efficient a piece of equipment is, the more of an impact it will have on reducing operating time. This is hugely important for businesses who are looking to pump out increased levels of materials as a result of increasing demands on the industry, but without compromising on the quality of what they are producing. Finding the right equipment which takes this into account can help to ensure that mining companies are consistently operating at optimum levels.
Some of the common types of mining equipment are, Excavators, Draglines, Drills, Roof Bolters, Continuous Miners, Longwall Miners, Rock Duster, Shuttle Cars and Scoops to name a few.
Forestry equipment
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, using, conserving, and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. The science of forestry has elements that belong to the biological, physical, social, political and managerial sciences. Modern forestry generally embraces a broad range of concerns, in what is known as multiple-use management, including the provision of timber, fuel wood, wildlife habitat, natural water quality management, recreation, landscape and community protection, employment, aesthetically appealing landscapes, biodiversity management, watershed management, erosion control, and preserving forests as “sinks” for atmospheric carbon dioxide. A forestry practitioner of forestry is known as a forester. Other common terms are: a verderer, or a silviculturist. Silviculture is narrower than forestry, being concerned only with forest plants, but is often used synonymously with forestry.
Some of the commonly used forestry equipment are, Delimbers, Feller Bunchers, Stump Grinders, Mulchers, Yarders to name a few.
Conclusion
It is important to choose Off-Highway equipment design and components that could produce better results and productivity. Top-notch technologies help deliver the future ready engineering solutions which transform businesses.