2018 Caterpillar 320C

Before the amphibious excavator, developing industrial projects required workers to build canals, roads or platforms before operating heavy equipment in swamps and marshes. This additional point of adapting the equipment to the working conditions is not only very extensive and difficult, but also very expensive and really harmful to the local environment, since they are often ecologically fragile wetlands and swamps. On the other hand, these roads and channels are necessary to support the load of large machinery in soft or wet terrain, so sometimes they are not unnecessary work, but very limited. The procedure with an amphibious excavator is much simpler, and many steps can be saved by driving the machine directly to the work site.

Features of amphibious excavators
The most significant feature of the amphibious undercarriage that distinguishes the equipment from ordinary excavators is that it can provide buoyancy through sealed pontoons. If there is no different uneven terrain that presents an operational risk, the expandable pontoons allow the excavator to float in the water and optionally install a vertical pallet. The movement is carried out by chains using a multi-synchronous hydraulic drive system. Crawler chains are used to support flotation, providing a higher level of traction efficiency and a wider range of stability for all types of operations (i.e. according to ground conditions). Excavators can use different attachments for each application. Due to this capability, operators can perform a wide range of tasks for different industrial applications.

Industrial Applications
It is well known that using amphibious equipment is useful around wetlands and swamps, however, there are many other scenarios and conditions where using amphibious equipment can make the work easier. For projects carried out on ocean coasts, riverbeds, and especially in areas that have recently flooded, using amphibious excavators is the best choice to save costs and optimize operating time. Amphibious excavators can operate efficiently in a wide range of applications, including flood and disaster recovery work, dredging, environmental remediation, and various construction projects such as pipelines, levees or highway paving.

Using an amphibious excavator is also the best choice for environmentally friendly dredging, so its use is not limited to construction areas. Dredging tasks are sometimes hampered by shallow water depths, as the excavator can easily get stuck or have limited range. Due to the versatility of amphibious equipment, which can float on water or operate on land, operators do not have to worry about operating too close or too far from the water's edge. The wide tracks and convenient operating weight mean that there is no excessive pressure on the ground, on the other hand, heavier equipment will cause deep trenches. Additionally, the ability to mount the dredge pump directly to the excavator allows for optimal movement and productivity.