CT Logo

Motor graders have become one of the most popular equipment for industries, such as earthmoving, building construction, road construction, and mining sites, due to their increased versatility and technologically advanced features. The fervor with which there has been a steadfast development taking place in the infrastructure in the country alongside a significant boost in the government spending has only strengthened the growth of motor graders in the country and globally as well. Like other equipment, construction equipment manufacturing companies are fast capturing this segment by bringing advanced & sustainable machines in the market, equipping holistic growth of construction & mining sectors.

Traditionally, motor graders have been used for finish grading, leaving the preliminary rough grading to scrapers, bulldozers, and other heavy equipment. As a precise fine-grading tool, it’s designed for specific tasks. Commonly used for construction and maintenance of gravel and dirt roads, as well as preparation of the base of paved roads, graders have also prepared building foundations and drainage ditches, making them popular with construction contractors.

Motor graders come in different shapes and sizes, but they all have the same details and configuration. Generally, all grader models come with a long blade positioned between the back and front wheels. This long blade is usually made from stainless steel and is known as a ‘grader.’ These blades can be controlled mechanically or hydraulically. Modern graders come with a blade that can be extended from one side to another, and the blade can also be raised or lowered depending on the application.

Typical models have three axles, with the engine and cab situated above the rear axles at one end of the vehicle and a third axle at the front end of the vehicle, with the blade in between. Most motor graders drive the rear axles in tandem, but some also add front wheel drive to improve grading capability. Many graders also have optional attachments for the rear of the machine which can be ripper, scarifier, blade, or compactor.

Motor graders are classified depending on the arrangement of their frame. There are two types of categories graders can fall under: Rigid frame motor grader and Articulated frame motor grader.

Rigid frame motor grader has only one axle. Axle is unable to turn left or right about a point. Articulated frame motor grader has a hinge in between the front and the rear axle. Today, most graders manufactured are articulated frame graders. This is as they are more useful in smaller construction spaces where there is less room to move or turn around. Small motor graders are perfect for landscaping jobs, road maintenance and other tasks that need to be completed in a tight space, whereas large motor graders are typically used for larger scale projects, such as highways and motorway construction.

Graders are able to change their blade, which is perfect when different blade sizes and types are needed for different jobs. Blades are attached under the frame with a ring that swivels vertically to adjust the angle of the blade, meaning that graders can work sideways on jobs like creating banks and ditches. The proper functioning of any motor grader is dependent on its blade (the condition and positioning). If the motor grader blade is worn out, it will make this heavy machinery under-productive and less reliable. This will further lead the motor grader to utilize more power for its edge, eventually increasing fuel costs.

Application and Versatility

Graders are commonly used in the construction and maintenance of dirt roads and gravel roads. In the construction of paved roads they are used to prepare the base course to create a wide flat surface upon which to place the road surface. Graders are also used to set native soil or gravel foundation pads to finish grade prior to the construction of large buildings. Graders can produce inclined surfaces, to give cant (camber or side slope) to roads. In some countries they are used to produce drainage ditches with shallow V-shaped cross-sections on either side of highways.

They are also used for different applications in the mining and construction industry by operating with multiple attachments. A wide range of attachments converts the grader into an extremely versatile machine, capable of performing and doing different tasks on job sites. This versatility makes the motor grader an especially valuable tool for the contractor.

A motor grader bristling with attachments has the potential to solve many different problems for a construction contractor. In addition to the standard blade, the motor grader may carry a dozer blade on the front or the side for bulk levelling, a push block for pushing other equipment, a scarifier or ripper for tearing hard surfaces, a broom for cleaning up or a loader for lifting. In winter, the same grader can be fitted with a V-plow, snow wing, windrow eliminator or other attachments for clearing snow.

Technologically Advanced

Motor graders are using technology on jobs more than ever before—particularly laser, GPS, and Telematics systems. Using technology there is tremendous gains in efficiency by moving material one time, accurately versus the old manual ways that increased time and costs. Contouring of golf courses, landscaping, and super highways are all made possible with a motor grader because of advances in technology, including sophisticated three-dimensional (3D) complex design.

The technologically advanced motor graders with telematics offer a host of benefits to the operators as well as equipment owners. Telematics systems can make motor grader maintenance and management less costly and more intuitive through the ability to easily monitor machine usage rates and performance in real time. It also allows fleet managers and equipment owners to stay on top of scheduled maintenance, as well as to keep a close eye on idle times and productivity.

Machine and Grade Control

Machine control continues to evolve and offer new ways for contractors to operate more efficiently, and it helps contractors plan for the right materials and the right equipment to do the job. It also offers very specific benefits to motor graders—reduced rework through the ability to reach final grade in fewer passes, reduced maintenance and wear and tear, greater productivity, greater accuracy, improved planning, simplified training, and reduced cost and effort associated with re-staking job sites.

As the primary function of a motor grader is to create smooth/flat surfaces, a grader is generally concerned with elevation of the surface. The objective of machine control systems is to let the operator know the elevation and slope of their blade in relation to a given design. This information is obtained by the operator through combining measurements of the cutting blade from the total station or GNSS receiver with those taken from the sensors on the blade that measure slope and tilt. The system can be automatic or manual, whereby an automatic system will use the design level to adjust the blade itself to cut at the correct height, using the hydraulic system. A manual system will display the cut or fill to the operator, which allows the operator to adjust the blade manually.