In the beginning, the excavator was manually operated. It has been more than 130 years since its invention until 2013. During this period, it has experienced a complete range of excavators from steam-driven bucket rotary excavators to electric drive and internal combustion engine driven rotary excavators, and the application of mechatronics and hydraulic integration The gradual development process of automatic hydraulic excavators. The first hydraulic excavator was successfully invented by the Poclain factory in France. Due to the application of hydraulic technology, a hydraulic backhoe mounted excavator was installed on the tractor in the 1940s. In 1951, the first fully hydraulic backhoe excavator was launched by the Poclain factory in France, which created a new space in the field of technological development of excavators. Trailers were developed in the early and mid-1950s. Full-rotation hydraulic excavator and crawler full hydraulic excavator. The initial trial-produced hydraulic excavator used the hydraulic technology of airplanes and machine tools, and lacked hydraulic components suitable for various working conditions of the excavator, the manufacturing quality was not stable enough, and the supporting parts were not complete. Since the 1960s, hydraulic excavators have entered a stage of promotion and vigorous development. Excavator manufacturers and varieties in various countries have increased rapidly, and output has soared. From 1968 to 1970, the output of hydraulic excavators accounted for 83% of the total output of excavators, which was close to 100% [2].
The first generation of excavators: the emergence of electric motors and internal combustion engines gave excavators advanced and suitable electric devices, so various excavator products were born. In 1899, the first electric excavator appeared. After the First World War, diesel engines were also used in excavators. This diesel engine (or electric motor) driven mechanical excavator was the first generation of excavators.
Second-generation excavators: With the widespread use of hydraulic technology, excavators have more scientific and applicable transmission devices. The replacement of mechanical transmission by hydraulic transmission is a great leap in excavator technology. In 1950, Germany's first hydraulic excavator was born. The hydraulic mechanical transmission is the second generation excavator.
The third generation of excavators: The wide application of electronic technology, especially computer technology, has enabled the excavator to have an automated control system, and also enabled the excavator to develop in the direction of high performance, automation and intelligence. The germination of mechatronics took place around 1965, and the use of mechatronics technology on mass-produced hydraulic excavators was around 1985, when the main purpose was to save energy. The electronic excavator is the symbol of the third-generation excavator.
Excavator manufacturers can be roughly divided into four categories. More than 70% of domestic excavators are occupied by foreign brands. Domestic brands are still dominated by small excavators and medium excavators, but the share of domestic excavators is gradually increasing, with a year-on-year increase of 3.6% in 2012.