Hydraulic Breakers: What Are They?

Various types of heavy machinery are essential for construction projects. One of the tools that are becoming popular in the construction industry is a hydraulic breaker or hammer. Excavator hydraulic breakers are available in many types and use pressurized oil. Here is what you need to know about hydraulic breakers. 

Define Hydraulic Hammer or Breaker

A hydraulic hammer, also known as a hydraulic breaker, is a construction machine that demolishes structures and breaks large materials into small pieces. The machine uses hydraulic principles by applying high pressure on a small canister that has pressurized hydraulic oil in it. The hydraulic hammer are composed of an outer valve or inner valve as well as a cylinder.

Hydraulic hammers use pistons to convert kinetic energy to hammering energy. The piston contains a front head that provides support to the machine and a back head with nitrogen gas. Most hydraulic breakers come in the form of attachments to mobile equipment such as diggers.

Discover the Benefits of a Hydraulic Breaker

Here are some of the many reasons you should try a hydraulic breaker for your next excavator project:

Protects Other Equipment

A hydraulic breaker can protect other parts of the excavator from damage. For instance, your excavator can stumble upon a hard surface in the ground. If the excavator is using a bucket, the bucket's teeth will likely become damaged. The solution is to replace the bucket with a hydraulic breaker attachment so that you can break the hard material without damaging the excavator.

Highly Efficient

If you were to use a hammer to break a hard surface, you would take several days or weeks to complete the job. An excavator with a hydraulic breaker can do the job in minutes or hours. You also have an easier time handling the mess the excavator leaves behind. High efficiency means that your projects are executed smoothly and without any delays.

Budget Savings

One way to reduce the time taken to break a hard surface using a hammer is to hire more manpower. But more workforce means more salary and increased strain on your budget. One hydraulic breaker can do the same job within a short time. The result will be massive savings of both money and time.

Low Fuel Consumption

Contrary to myth, hydraulic breakers don't use a lot of fuel. In fact, some hydraulic breakers can consume less fuel than other machines that do the same job. While the initial price of hydraulic breakers can be high, you will save much more money on fuel in the long term. 

Customization

The manufacturer of your hydraulic hammer can customize it to fit your specific needs. You will get a hydraulic breaker that has the appropriate backhoe and skid steer. As a result, you don't have to worry about any errors that may occur due to the use of equipment with the wrong specification. 

However, you can only get these benefits if you purchase the hydraulic breaker instead of renting one. When you rent a hydraulic breaker, you will only receive a unit that the renter has available instead of the one you want.

Learn the Types of Hydraulic Breakers

There are many hydraulic breakers, including side-mounted hydraulic breakers, top-mounted hydraulic breakers, and silenced-hydraulic breakers. Side-mounted hydraulic breakers have two thick steel springs on either side of the breaker. That makes the breaker ideal for demolition and construction jobs. Also, you can quickly dismantle the side-mounted hydraulic breaker for easier maintenance.

The splints on the top-mounted hydraulic breaker are mounted on the top. The design is prone to vibrations and noise but can deliver more downforce. On the other hand, the silenced hydraulic breaker has greater vibration and noise levels since the breaker has a fully closed box design. The silenced hydraulic breaker also has more versatility.

If you plan to use a hydraulic breaker, the team at Miller Hydraulics Service, Inc., can help you. We provide various hydraulic services such as construction hydraulics, excavator hydraulics, and hydraulic machinery for farming. Contact us today for more information.