Top 5 Giant Excavators

The evolution of industrialization and construction has always been fueled by increasingly sophisticated machinery. Along with this advancement grew excavators in both complexity and size. Let’s look at five of the largest excavators in the world. 

The Caterpillar 6020B offers class-leading visibility and a comfortable cab with ease of use. With an operating weight of around 254 tons and a bucket payload of 23.8 tons, this massive excavator delivers on promises made to customers with its safe, simple, and reliable design. It may not be the biggest on this list, but it outweighs the world’s heaviest plane, the Stratolaunch, weighing a “mere” 250 tons. 

The Komatsu PC2000-11 is a surface mining hydraulic excavator with an operating weight of 228.5 tons. Equipped with selectable working nodes that cater to different applications with tailored performance, this machine draws the attention of many, and its 45-degree, hydraulically actuated boarding ladder makes it a favorite among operators. A simplified power module, cooling package, and hydraulic pumps provide easy access to major components, reducing labor hours when maintenance is scheduled.

Next up is the NSW Mining Outstanding Supplier award winner of 2019, the Hitachi EX5600-7. This zero-emission, zero-compromise mining excavator provides durability, performance, and comfort with an operating weight of up to 605 tons. The Hitachi exclusive center track frame provides optimal stress dispersion through specially designed parts made of forged steel. Specially designed track shoes and advanced computer modeling ensure longevity. 

Powered by a Cummins engine that produces up to 4001 horsepower, the Liebherr R 9800 stakes claim as the fourth-largest hydraulic excavator in the world. This 800-ton behemoth belongs to the largest machine segment among crawler excavators and can be procured with either backhoe or shovel attachments. The R 9800 is so huge that it requires 28 trucks to ship one R 9800, with 12 weeks needed to assemble the full-sized R 9800.

The Caterpillar 6090 FS holds the title of the largest excavator in the world. At an incredible 1000 tons, this hydraulic shovel weighs almost the same as three Boeing 747 Jets! With a payload of 93.6 tons, the Caterpillar 6090 FS can fill Caterpillar 797, the biggest dump truck, in just four passes! Two Cummins QSK engines totaling 4500 horsepower provide the power to maneuver this beast around, ensuring paramount performance.

These giants work tirelessly, taunting us humans to come up with challenges to test their limits, developing infrastructure as they go around.