There Is A Lot More To A Bulldozer Than Meets The Eye

Most people view bulldozers as dirt pushers, and they are right. Essentially, that is all they are. They have a lot muscle and heavy blade and their role in life is to ‘push dirt’ and lots of it. What most people don’t realize is that a bulldozer has a variety of blades to do a variety of jobs. It is not a one blade fits all all situation.

Standard blades are high and wide with a slight curve forward at the top of the blade. The blades often have a slight inward camber on either side as well. Together, as the bulldozer works across the ground, the material being moved is takes on a rolling action. The inward curve at the top forces the material forward all the time. The side cambers keep the material inside the blades and not washing out to the sides.

Another popular blade is the slightly U shaped blade. This too rolls the material being moved in a forward action. These blades are often used in forestry since the U shape matches the shape of logs. The logs are basically rolled along by the bulldozer.

A third blade is much flatter and has a tough cutting blade. This is used to slice through the surface and is used for removing a lot of earth very quickly. It is also useful for clearing land as it cuts through everything it encounters.

Bulldozers are simple but very effective machines for moving large amounts of material. It does so pushing rather than carrying. The life of a bulldozer operator is interesting given the variety of job they can be asked to do.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools has courses that cover the operation of bulldozers. If a career as a bulldozer operator appeals to you, drop in and have a look, request a dvd or perhaps a free brochure on heavy equipment operations.