[CentOS] John Rosatti, Excavators, 3D, NASA and Why Should I care?

Fri Jan 4 13:08:30 UTC 2008
Super Star <candyshop999 at gmail.com>

John Rosatti, Excavators, 3D, NASA and Why Should I care?


Well, because!    There are two definitions for excavator; one is any person
engaging in excavation is called an excavator.   The second definition of
excavator is, of course, the vehicles called excavators, which are sometimes
called diggers, trackhoes, fronthoes, and 360-degree excavators or just
360.  This is not to be confused with Microsoft's vertical technology and
news search engine called Excavator or xcavator, as one has nothing to do
with the other.   Here we're talking about heavy duty digging machines, even
though several manufacturers like John Deere, offer Compact, Midsize, and
Large Excavators ranging from 0-6 metric tons for the compact excavators, 6
to 40 metric tons for the midsize, and 40 to 85 for large John Deere
excavators. Additionally there exist mini-excavators, made by another
manufacturer, that will fit through a door.  In case you're now wondering
what 3D and VRML,  or actually x3D has to do with excavators, that is
something we will be getting to in other articles, for right now you'll just
have to trust that there is a fit.   For now, however, let's get back to
excavators, the digging machines used for, but not limited to: Digging,
demolition, minning, river dredging, heavy lifting, and with hydraulic
attachments, brush cutting.  It is these same hydraulic attachments that
have expanded the use of excavators, far beyond their original use of
excavation such as the Low-energy Planetary Excavator (LPE) proposed by
NASA.   The latest paper to be found on this Nasa proposal is for 2006, so
the current status can only be guessed at, nevertheless, the concept is
certainly intriguing as are the LPE's possible commercial applications.
Basically, The LPE would be a general-purpose machine with the ability to
mine ice, regolith, and rock; it would also support construction activities.
The purpose and application is meant for future manned and unmanned missions
to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.  .Additionally, adaptations could be made for
use in extreme-low gravity such as on asteroids. This idea of efficient and
reliable an excavator that has usage on differing planetary surfaces and
various materials has the goal of enabling exploration and bases from
outposts to self-sustaining complexes.  The LPE would be able to accommodate
the different materials that are encountered on planetary surfaces as the
LPE would sense geologic changes and respond to them by using the lowest
cutting energy possible. Moving on the to the possible non-NASA commercial
application it can be said that the same qualities of the LPE that apply to
space would also attract terrestrial users or said differently, us earth
bound creatures.  As both business and government markets rapidly expand, so
does the need for urban infrastructure.  Using NASA's own words on the
subject; "Urban construction settings restrict the use of explosives, to
minimize damaging vibrations, making mechanical methods attractive. In
addition, shallow tunnel construction is rapidly changing from cut-and-cover
to wholly underground, because excavations disrupt city traffic. Coupled
with increasing population, these factors enhance the market for
innovatively flexible systems such as the LPE".If I could have said it
better than NASA did, I would have.  But I couldn't, so I didn't.  Anyway,
there you have it, both the past of excavators and a look at their future
with the development of the Low-energy Planetary Excavator

 JC Curran owns and operates  Excavators Models
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