Rating of the best rotary cutters for excavators for 2022

In many sectors of construction and industry, the use of the cold milling process is becoming popular. It is used in cases where it is not possible to perform various types of work using conventional methods. For example, if you can’t dig a ditch with a simple bucket, a rotary unit comes to the rescue. This tool is able to overcome even hard rocks or reinforced concrete. In this case, you no longer need to level the bottom or side walls of the resulting trench, and cleaning up the crushed material will take much less time than when using a hydraulic hammer.

What it is

A rotary cutter for an excavator is a mounted hydraulic tool for crushing and loosening rocks, dismantling and demolishing structures, laying trenches, profiling vaults, removing old coatings, dredging or other work.

For each task, a different solution method is selected, determining the type of cutters and equipment.

Design

The main elements of standard equipment are:

• drum with scoring (at the edges) and main tool holders;
• cutters with carbide tips;
• blades that collect cut material;
• high torque hydraulic motor;
• mounting frame;
• kit for wetting the surface to be treated (tank, electric pump);
• hydraulic cylinder for displacement in the horizontal plane.

The device allows for prompt replacement of worn-out cutters.

The drum with cutters is driven using a high-torque rotary piston hydraulic motor. Cutting force and torque are optimized by the gearbox. Operator comfort is enhanced by reducing vibration and noise by adjusting the speed of the mounted cutter.

How does a soil cutter work?

The device of a soil cutter is so simple that some farmers make similar devices for cultivating the land with their own hands. Essentially, it is a large metal frame on wheels. A horizontal shaft with blades is attached to it, which cuts the soil. The shaft is driven by the tractor engine through a gearbox, with the cardan being the connector. Some tillers (or rotovators) are powered by a chain drive.

To protect the shaft from lumps of dirt getting on it, a metal casing is installed on the frame. The maximum load during operation falls on the knives. To increase their wear resistance, the blades are made of hardened steel. The most popular knives are star-shaped or cross-shaped.

Areas of application

The use of rotary mechanisms is advisable when:

• laying trenches in rocks;
• digging pits in frozen soils or rocks;
• digging up soil or backfilling in difficult conditions;
• development of permafrost or rocks with rock crushing;
• tunneling;
• profiling of bridge supports, concrete walls;
• cutting reinforced concrete;
• removing the “hats”, dismantling the “goats”;
• processing vaults and leveling the surface;
• demolition of building structures with crushing of material;
• construction of berths.

Separation of cutters by purpose

Despite the fact that a tractor cutter can be universal, such devices are divided according to their purpose:

• Devices for continuous cultivation of land. These can be field, garden, swamp and cutters designed for uprooting stumps and preparing the soil for planting forest crops.
• Specialized milling devices for digging and cleaning trenches.
• Devices for processing the space between rows.
• Combined rototiller for tractor. This can be a milling-row-crop complex or a milling-seeding complex.

Features and benefits

Using a rotary unit allows you to obtain a number of significant advantages:

• compactness;
• manufacturability and increased production volume with simultaneous reduction of costs during rock mining and its transportation;
• high performance;
• high-speed penetration through cracked and frozen soils;
• precise positioning and stable operation;
• grinding materials to fractions of established sizes;
• good waterproofing with the ability to operate in aquatic environments for the construction of berths;
• simple convenient maintenance with easy access to the main structural elements;
• comfortable conditions for the operator with minimal noise and vibration levels;
• ensuring high reliability in difficult conditions thanks to the safety valve system;
• versatility for solving problems of excavation, grinding and filtration of soil;
• use in cramped conditions when installed on mini-excavators;
• reduction of electricity consumption.

Along with the advantages, there are disadvantages:

• service life depends on careful treatment, competent maintenance and care;
• The difficulty of replacing consumable components (cutters) depends on the type of equipment.

Advantages of milling

The main advantage of the soil cutter is its versatility combined with high energy efficiency. It is used for a wide range of agricultural work. A tillage machine can even replace a plow.

The cutter can be used on heavy, abandoned lands. Unlike a plow, its blades go to a shallow depth, which avoids the formation of ridge-like embankments that make it difficult to cultivate the field before planting. The rotovator provides high-quality loosening with uniform soil treatment. It can even be used to remove hummocks in wetlands. Soil cutting equipment is used to develop sloping areas.

If you need to cultivate a plot of land immediately after harvesting a crop from it, then no additional equipment other than a soil cutter will be needed. The advantage of using such equipment is loosening the top layers of soil while simultaneously fertilizing them. This allows you to reduce time, physical and financial costs.

Using a cutter on a tractor does not disrupt natural biological processes and significantly improves the condition of the soil.

Varieties

Universal

Equipped with replaceable drums and cutters. It is used to perform a large volume of diverse tasks, incl. removing old asphalt or concrete pavement, milling soil in permafrost zones, grinding wood or rock.

Transverse

Equipped with a 360 degree swivel mechanism. Designed for tunneling and trenching, quarrying, dismantling of structures, as well as excavation work.

Longitudinal

Used for cleaning piles and digging ditches.

Disk

Better efficiency when solving specialized problems, incl. laying communication trenches, dismantling and recycling of building structures.

Chain

Designed for making narrow trenches with smooth contours without the need for expansion in soft soil.

Planning

It is used when removing road surfaces or dirt, as well as when grading areas with the ability to adjust the depth.

Principle of operation

The rotovator is attached to the tractor and connected to its PTO. Power is transmitted to the gearbox through the cardan. Milling cutters for mini and medium machines operate at 540 rpm. Before you start moving, you need to lower the knives to the desired depth. To reduce the load on the rotovator, the tractor should move at a speed of 0.4 km/h. In this mode, the blades cope not only with loosening, but also with removing weeds, crushing roots and small stones.

It is important to remember that the cutters or hammers of the earth cutter are stationary, so it is sometimes impossible to replace them with knives of a different shape. When purchasing a soil cutter, you must immediately purchase an additional set of cutters of the same brand, checking their compatibility with the main shaft. To protect themselves from competitors, each manufacturer receives a patent for their developments, so modern tillers cannot be called universal.

Criterias of choice

In order not to make mistakes when choosing, experts advise paying attention to the goals of upcoming events, taking into account the technical characteristics of the base machine - the excavator.

1. Type of excavator for installing attachments: weight, dimensions, load capacity, hydraulic characteristics, level of clamping force.
2. Volume and productivity to perform calculations of the required cutters and the number of teeth.
3. Analysis of the class and strength of the processed material or soil in megapascals (MPa).
4. The need to install a separate rotary hydraulic line.

Why customers turn to ROCK.ZONE

Our company sells German-made attachments; the equipment is excellent for all climatic conditions, which are very diverse in Russia. Attachments are supplied throughout the Russian Federation. We offer functional solutions for all categories of customers, control the delivery of equipment, and provide connection and maintenance of devices. At your request, it is possible to supply additional components for mounted rotary cutters (cutter teeth, cutter drums, ripper teeth, water spray, rotator, quick-release couplings).

Where can I buy

Popular models and new items of attachments for excavators can be purchased directly from the manufacturers of these products or from the warehouses of dealers of such large-sized goods. Consultants will provide assistance with competent recommendations and valuable advice - how to choose, which ones are available, which company is better to buy, how much it costs.

In addition, a suitable unit is available for ordering online in the online store, where you can always get acquainted with customer reviews, read the description, study technical specifications, parameters, and look at photos. Typically, trade aggregators present products in different categories - from inexpensive budget to premium class, for which you will have to pay many thousands of rubles.

The price of the offered “mounts” is influenced by various factors, which include:

• purpose and material being processed - structures are cheaper for soft soil;
• dimensions - the smaller, the cheaper;
• brand - products from well-known manufacturers are much more expensive.

How to choose and what to pay attention to?

The rotary cutter should be selected taking into account the goals set and based on the technical characteristics of the base machine.

1. Base – the carrier on which the cutter will be installed. Since the “hitch” is not an independent piece of equipment, such parameters of the carrier as the carrying capacity and dimensions of the equipment, its weight, hydraulic characteristics and the degree of clamping force are important.
2. Soil - ideally, an analysis of the material with which you plan to interact should be done. But most often it is enough to determine the strength of the soil in megapascals (MPa), because knowledge of the rock class alone is not enough to understand whether the cutter can cope with it or not. The same soil can be in different strength ranges. To summarize, we can say that the dimensions and power of attachments should be directly proportional to the strength of the material.
3. Productivity and volume of work are necessary for the optimal calculation of the number of cutters and the passability of the teeth.
4. Hydraulic line for rotation in hydraulic excavators - there are situations when it is needed, in which case it is necessary to separately install a rotary hydraulic line, but sometimes it is not necessary.

Where to buy and how much does it cost?

Attachments for excavators are purchased at a specialized equipment store. As a rule, they either work directly with the concerns that produce them, or are opened in warehouses, since the products are large-sized and require significant retail space.

In order not to waste time searching, you can order the desired product online in the online store. This option is good because there is no need to travel anywhere. On the site you can get advice and advice from a specialist, read descriptions and recommendations for this or that equipment, study reviews and view new products. As a rule, various categories of “weights” are presented on trading platforms - both budget ones, that is, relatively inexpensive compared to premium goods, and those for which you will need to pay several million rubles.

The cost of equipment depends on certain factors that influence the final price tag. These include the size of the cutters (the larger, the more expensive), the purpose (units for hard materials are more expensive), and the manufacturer (the more famous the brand, the higher the cost).

Advantages and disadvantages of a rotary cutter

Advantages:

• Compactness;
• Manufacturability;
• Performance;
• No problems inherent in bucket technology, for example, no rock sticking and vibration;
• Low noise level;
• Waterproofing system, thanks to which the rotary cutter can be used in conditions of high humidity, for example, during the construction of berths;
• The ability to simultaneously perform three tasks - remove soil, crush and filter;
• Obtaining material in fractions of the required size;
• The use of a cutter in some cases allows you to reduce the number of technological steps;
• Suitable for difficult conditions, permafrost and mountains;
• Helps reduce the amount of electricity consumed;
• Rotary cutters can be installed on mini-excavators, making it possible to work in cramped conditions;
• In terms of price, organizing and carrying out blasting operations is more expensive than purchasing attachments.

Flaws:

• It requires maintenance and careful handling, only in this case the unit will last a long time;
• The main consumable element of a cutter is the cutters, the difficulty of replacing which depends on the model.

TOP 7 best cross-type rotary cutters for excavators

The rating of quality units is based on customer reviews who left reviews on the Internet. The popularity of models is due to technical characteristics, functionality, performance, service life, and cost.

The set includes a line of rotary units from the world's best manufacturers, presented on the domestic market of special machinery and equipment.

ROCKWHEEL

Brand – ROCKWHEEL.

Manufacturer: Rokla GmbH.

Rokla GmbH, headquartered in Germany, is the developer of the first rotary cutter, this happened more than 25 years ago. Today the company's product range includes universal attachments mounted on excavators, loaders, and robots. ROCKWHEEL mounted rotary cutters are characterized by a wide range of applications, the ability to combine operations, as well as high productivity and long service life. At the same time, maintenance costs are minimal. It is worth noting that the key elements of the equipment are made of high-strength alloy HARDOX, which is a guarantee of durability.

ROCKWHEEL mounted cutters for excavators are available in various models. There are road mounted milling machines, trenching milling units, vertical models, as well as chain and cross cutters.

Characteristics of the brand’s transverse rotary cutters are in the table:

Advantages:

• Easy to connect to excavators and robots;
• Moderate dimensions of the equipment;
• Balanced weight;
• Wear-resistant drive with safety valve;
• In operation, the equipment has a low noise level and low vibration;
• Bearings and seals are durable;
• Some cutters can be used for underwater work;
• The equipment is convenient to store and transport;
• Extensive modernization options are provided;
• Possibility to use equipment in different climatic zones thanks to well-thought-out engineering solutions.

Flaws:

• No.

Epiroc ER/ERC series

Brand – Epiroc (Sweden). Manufacturer – Epiroc GmbH (Germany).

A wide range of more than 30 hydraulic models of different sizes and types, with a transverse cutting head for construction, road, mining and other work. Attachments are placed on the boom of a crawler excavator having the appropriate mass.

The ER series is typically used in soft rock mining, trenching, tunnel construction, and profiling of stone or concrete surfaces. In cramped conditions, small products can be used on mini-excavators. Units with a curb weight of up to seven tons for installation on excavators weighing 70-125 tons are excellent for laying road or railway tunnels. In this case, you should regularly change the oil and cutters in the gearbox, which quickly wear out during active use.

Technical characteristics of the ER series:

The ERC series has a built-in hydraulic rotation mechanism to improve productivity, reliability and accuracy of the work performed.

Technical characteristics of the ERC series:

Price on request.

Advantages:

• versatility of use;
• high performance;
• strength of the structure covered with wear-resistant material;
• reliable torque transmission by durable spur gears of the gearbox;
• optimal positioning in difficult conditions;
• resistance to heavy loads;
• equipped with a dust removal casing;
• precise spraying of water onto the cutting head area;
• Possibility of use for underwater work.

Flaws:

• the need to coordinate with the manufacturer of any modifications.

Extraction of gypsum ER 2000:

Brand – Delta (Republic of Korea). Manufacturer – Delta Engineering Group, Co, Ltd (Republic of Korea).

A range of universal cross-type units for continuous work with concrete or rocks both on land and under water. They demonstrate good results when laying trenches, profiling surfaces, and mining operations using shaft or open pit methods. Indispensable in confined spaces, mines, trenches or in water. They have high productivity when processing materials of medium complexity - asphalt, concrete, gypsum, limestone, permafrost.

The power of manufactured products varies from 18 to 140 kW, depending on installation on mini-excavators or powerful tracked vehicles weighing from two to 60 tons. Thanks to their modular design, they are well adapted to perform highly specialized tasks.

Specifications:

Price – as agreed.

Advantages:

• universal functionality;
• high performance;
• recycling of materials after excavation;
• low vibration level;
• good tightness during underwater work;
• simple maintenance with minimal costs;
• Possibility of use in case of collapse threats.

Flaws:

• not detected.

Simex TF series

Brand – Simex (Italy). Manufacturer – Simex Engineering srl. (Italy).

Universal models for performing excavation and dredging work, laying tunnels or trenches, profiling concrete and stone walls, and demolishing various structures. They show good results where conventional methods are not effective enough, and the use of impact or explosive means is impractical. Low noise level allows their use in close proximity to residential areas, hospitals, schools, bridges and other sensitive infrastructure. The heavy-duty transfer shaft is not subject to stress from the cylinders, supported by wear-resistant bearings.

Specifications:

Price – subject to agreement upon order.

Advantages:

• increased performance in extreme conditions of low or high temperatures, with 100% dust, in mud, up to 30 meters under water;
• wide matrix of cutters, drums;
• noiselessness;
• high accuracy;
• sealed hydraulic motor capsule;
• balanced design eliminating vibration, shock and without causing damage to the seats of the base machine handle;
• proprietary rotation mechanism for rotary cutters;
• Possibility of use for longitudinal or transverse modes when laying ditches or processing complex coatings.

Flaws:

• not identified.

Simex TF rotary cutters:

Brand – LST (Germany). Manufacturer – LST Group (Germany).

Classic models for performing a wide range of excavation work, uprooting trees, laying trenches, and dismantling buildings. The strength of the structure is enhanced through the use of Hardox steel. The drive is performed by a low-speed hydraulic motor. Thanks to replaceable tips, you can adjust the cutting force depending on the hardness of the materials. All products can be equipped with various hydraulic motors based on the installed power of the excavator. For dismantling, profiling and breaking, installation of different nozzles is provided.

Specifications:

Price – to be agreed upon request.

Advantages:

• versatility of use;
• high performance;
• structural strength;
• resistance to external influences;
• long service life;
• equipping with various types of cutting heads;
• low vibration and noise levels.

Flaws:

• not detected.

MB Crusher

Brand – MB (Italy). Manufacturer – MB SpA (Italy).

Universal products made in Italy are suitable for excavation and dredging, profiling concrete walls and surfaces, dismantling buildings, digging ditches and trenches in urban areas and mining. It is easy to use and facilitates construction work that requires high precision. To reduce the lateral load on the excavator boom, it is equipped with the NoTorsion system. If necessary, the power of the milling head can be increased by the Power Boost amplifier. The high oil temperature in the system is reduced by a special proprietary device.

Specifications:

Price – as agreed upon ordering.

Advantages:

• versatility of use
• high performance;
• positioning accuracy;
• adjustable power;
• Possibility of use in water;
• reduced noise and vibration levels;
• simple controls;
• increased comfort for the operator.

Flaws:

• the choice is limited to four models.

Operation of MB-R900:

Brand – KINSHOFER (Germany). Manufacturer – KINSHOFER GmbH (Germany).

A universal model range from a leading German manufacturer for placement on excavators when performing excavation and dredging work, digging trenches, profiling walls and surfaces, demolishing structures and buildings. The units have durable spur gears driven by high-torque motors. To increase the cutting force, they are equipped with gearboxes. High productivity is guaranteed by the optimal choice of cutters and drum. Reliable tightness allows the equipment to be used at depths of up to 25 meters. It is possible to use three versions of the drum - for excavation, profiling surfaces and demolition of structures.

Specifications:

Price on request.

Advantages:

• high performance;
• wear resistance;
• low noise level;
• reliable tightness with the ability to perform work at a depth of up to 25 meters;
• ease of management and maintenance;
• comfortable conditions for the operator;
• a large assortment of cutters and drums;
• precise positioning.

Flaws:

• difficult to find on sale;

The guarantee is issued after submitting a report to the manufacturer within a month on the commissioning of the unit.

Demonstration of Kinshofer KDC:

Installation

The “hitch” is installed on the excavator boom. It is best to order this service at a service center. There they will be able to do it efficiently, quickly and professionally. You should also contact the service center for consultation, for example, to find out which model would be more preferable for a particular excavator and where to purchase it.

The best manufacturers

When deciding which company is better to purchase a unit, you should familiarize yourself with the best manufacturers of attachments for construction equipment, which include:

• Caterpillar is a large American company that has been a leader in the production of construction and road equipment for many years. It supplies popular models of mechanisms in more than thirty varieties to the Russian market;
• Komatsu is a Japanese engineering holding company that produces machinery and equipment for it. The holding includes companies such as Hensley, KMAX/XS, KVX. Komatsu is known for its own high-tech developments, which makes their models popular in the market;
• Liebherr is a German manufacturer that has developed a system for quick replacement of attachments for construction equipment, the variety of which currently includes three positions - mechanical, hydraulic and special (combined);
• John Deere is another American company specializing in the production of agricultural, construction and forestry equipment. Their best products are additional devices that make the work of operators easier; the holding’s engineers have been creating them for several years now;
• JCB is an English company that creates snow removal, agricultural and waste recycling equipment.