Fun Fact
According to Guinness World Records, the largest object ever lifted by a crane is 44,485,667.25 pounds, at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard in China in April of 2008!
Plastics are increasingly being used in heavy equipment, such as cranes, excavators and backhoes, due to their advantages over more traditional materials such as metals. When compared to metals, plastics are lighter weight, are more durable in abrasive and corrosive environments, reduce wear on mated parts, reduce noise, and can eliminate the need for lubrication. This makes plastic an excellent choice for bushings and bearings, wear pads, sheaves, outrigger pads, and much more.
See-through plastics such as LEXAN™ polycarbonate are used in specialty glazing for heavy equipment to protect the operator with ROPS (Rollover Protective Structures), FOPS (Falling Object Protective Structures), and OPG (Operator Protective Guards).
Plastics are widely used in heavy equipment:
- Arm Rests
- Cab Lights
- Door Panels
- Drink Holders
- Headliners
- Instrument Panel Clusters
- Cab Doors
- ROPS/FOPS/OPG
- Rollers
- Sheaves and Pulleys
- Outrigger Pads
- Bumpers
- Deflector Shields
