A front loader is a piece of heavy-duty equipment that is widely used in many industry sectors like construction, forestry, agriculture, mining etc. The front loader is generally used for loading, unloading and moving various materials such as asphalt, dirt, snow, debris and rocks from one place to another. In fact, the front loader is a special type of tractor, either on wheels or tracks. It comes with a metal bucket mounted on the front end, used for lifting and moving various loose materials. Most commonly, the front loader is used for loading stockpiled materials from ground level and unloading them into a dump truck or into a trench excavation machine.
The front loader is a versatile machine, because the bucket can be a removable attachment (usually matched with a tractor), or permanently mounted on the front loader. For example, if the front loader is needed for completing different tasks like loading, digging etc., a front loader with a removable bucket is a better option. The bucket of the front loader can be replaced with other useful attachments, such as bale grappler for handling big bales of hay or straw. The front loader manufacturers design larger models only with a bucket at the front, while small-sized loader models come with a small backhoe attachment at the rear end, also known as backhoe loaders.
The largest front loader in the world is LeTourneau L-2350. It comes with a 2,300 horsepower engine, capable to lift loads of around 75,000 kg and can reach heights of about 15 meters. The loader bucket is as big as a studio apartment. This front loader is still manufactured in Longview, Texas. Due to its large size, each rubber-tire of the front loader is driven by its own independent electric motor, while the whole machine is powered by a diesel electric propulsion system.
As mentioned previously, the front loader is mainly used for loading and unloading materials into trucks, laying pipes, dig and clear rubble. But it cannot dig below the level of its tires or tracks. Because of this, the front loader is not efficient machine for digging. Although the tracked front loaders are very common machines, most front loader models are on wheels. Tracked front loaders are very efficient in the construction industry, where the surface is muddy and soft. The wheeled front loaders, on the other hand, offer better maneuverability and cause less damage on the pavement. At construction sites, the front loader is used for transporting various building materials, including pipes, bricks and different tools on short distances.
