Initially, excavators were manually operated. From their invention to 2013, over 130 years ago, they have undergone a gradual development process, evolving from steam-powered bucket rotary excavators to electric and internal combustion engine-powered rotary excavators, and finally to fully automatic hydraulic excavators employing mechatronics technology. The first hydraulic excavator was successfully invented by the Poclain factory in France. Due to the application of hydraulic technology, in the 1940s, hydraulic backhoe excavators mounted on tractors were developed. In 1951, the first fully hydraulic backhoe excavator was launched by the Poclain factory in France, opening up entirely new possibilities in excavator technology development. In the early and mid-1950s, towed full-rotation hydraulic excavators and tracked full-hydraulic excavators were successively developed. Early prototype hydraulic excavators used hydraulic technology from aircraft and machine tools, lacking hydraulic components suitable for various excavator operating conditions, resulting in unstable manufacturing quality and incomplete parts. From the 1960s onwards, hydraulic excavators entered a stage of widespread adoption and rapid development, with a rapid increase in excavator manufacturers and product varieties worldwide, and a surge in production. Between 1968 and 1970, the production of hydraulic excavators accounted for 83% of the total excavator production, approaching 100% .
First-generation excavators: The emergence of electric motors and internal combustion engines provided excavators with advanced and suitable electric devices, leading to the development of various excavator products. The first electric excavator appeared in 1899. After World War I, diesel engines were also used in excavators; these diesel engine (or electric motor) driven mechanical excavators were the first generation of excavators.
Second-generation excavators: With the widespread use of hydraulic technology, excavators gained more scientific and suitable transmission devices. Hydraulic transmission replacing mechanical transmission was a major leap forward in excavator technology. The first hydraulic excavator was born in Germany in 1950. The hydraulicization of mechanical transmission is the second generation of excavators.
Third-generation excavators: The widespread application of electronic technology, especially computer technology, enabled excavators to have automated control systems, and also propelled excavators towards high performance, automation, and intelligence. The concept of mechatronics emerged around 1965, and its adoption in mass-produced hydraulic excavators began around 1985, primarily for energy conservation. The electrification of excavators is a hallmark of the third generation of excavators.
Excavator manufacturers can be broadly categorized into four groups. Foreign brands still dominate the domestic excavator market, accounting for over 70% of the market share. Domestic brands primarily focus on small and medium-sized excavators, but their market share is gradually increasing, rising by 3.6% year-on-year in 2012.
