Bucket chain excavators are durable, robust, powerful, and particularly energy-efficient. Bucket chain excavators were already being used for gravel extraction in the Roman Empire. At that time, however, they were still powered by horses, which is of course unimaginable today. Over the years, the concept of the machine has not changed much: an excavator that extracts gravel and sand from the depths of the water. Rohr Bagger GmbH has made it its mission to continuously improve and further develop these excavators for more than half a century.
Bucket chain excavators are available in both floating and land-based versions. Gravel and sand can be extracted to a depth of 24 m. The biggest advantage of such a system is that it lasts nearly forever. Several Rohr Bagger GmbH dredgers have been in operation for more than 30 years. Their longevity is supported by regular maintenance of wear parts. Rohr Bagger maintains the oldest bucket chain dredger still in operation in Alsace. It dates back to the 1950s and is still in use today thanks to good maintenance and, above all, optimal water conditions.
Available worldwide
More than 100 bucket chain excavators from Rohr Bagger have been put into operation worldwide. Hundreds of third-party devices are also maintained and supported. Whether in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Holland, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Lithuania, Canada, Egypt, or the USA—the manufacturer’s bucket chain excavators are floating all over the world. There are only a handful of manufacturers of such systems worldwide. Rohr Bagger GmbH is one of the few manufacturers to develop all controls and automation systems in-house. Today’s systems embody a lifetime of experience and innovative technology. With more than 70 years of industry experience, the company specializes in the continuous improvement and further development of its dredgers. So if you want to use an efficient machine for sand and gravel extraction, the experts at Rohr Bagger GmbH are the best people to turn to.
When you compare today’s excavators with the models from 30 years ago, it is striking that not much has changed in terms of the machinery itself, but there are many additional functional possibilities. The machines are operated slightly differently, the electrical systems have naturally evolved significantly, and automation and unmanned control with remote visualization are much more advanced. For example, whereas sound insulation technology was used in the past, frequency converter technology is now employed. The excavator systems are also equipped with digital systems for further optimization.
The Advantages
One of the biggest advantages is the energy efficiency of such systems. The energy recovery during operation is particularly noteworthy. “The land-based bucket chain excavator is an exceptionally efficient machine, especially in shallow waters. Energy recovery results in very high efficiency with low energy input. On average, only 50% of the connected load is used in normal operation, which naturally makes the operators of such systems extremely competitive,” explains Kay Völkner, technical director at Rohr Bagger GmbH with more than 23 years of service. The technical director has contributed his entire life to the development of the company and the further development of the dredging systems. There are no off-the-shelf mass-produced products, but rather machine solutions specially developed for each customer. “During an on-site inspection, the right components are identified in advance. If the water is salty, for example, a different coating must be selected. The optimal location is examined at the water body, core drilling is carried out, etc., so that the optimal basic configuration of the excavator can be planned,” says the technical manager. Depending on the size of the plant, the factory design takes several months. All specialists are brought together for this. A 3D model is then created. This is followed by the interaction of mechanical engineering, design, and production readiness. Rohr Bagger GmbH is in constant communication with the plant operator in order to provide its customers with efficient excavator solutions that will last a lifetime.