There are more and more multi-functional application scenarios of excavators, and the demand for corresponding accessories is also increasing. How to efficiently, simply, safely and reliably realize the rapid replacement of excavator attachments depends on: quick-change connectors, referred to as excavator quick-change, quick-change joints, etc.

Divided from product structure and functional characteristics, quick-change connectors can be divided into two categories, one is a single degree of freedom, only has quick-change connection function, for ordinary excavator quick-change; the other type not only has quick-connect function, but also increases The degree of freedom of the attachment is obtained, which is called universal quick change.

In the excavator quick-change market, there are many brands, but they are also mixed, and there is no shortage of swindlers. A small quick-change seems to be simple, but in fact it has a long history. For medium and large-scale high-end quick-change products, it still relies on imports from Europe and the United States.

Today, Hite will talk with you about the quick-change rivers and lakes in the European and American markets. Focus on discussing, analyzing, and recommending single-degree-of-freedom quick-change fittings, especially medium and large-sized quick-change fittings. As for the universal quick change, we will discuss it later. According to Haite’s understanding, among the quick-change manufacturers in developed countries such as Europe and the United States, there are no more than five companies that can produce shaft diameters above 80 mm.

British Miller MILLER, is the oldest brand in the UK. More than 30 years ago, a New Zealand designer with the original excavator quick hitch design found the British Miller and was purchased by KEITH Miller at a very low price.

Miller himself describes it this way: When we combine fresh ideas from New Zealand with our innovative engineering and manufacturing expertise, the result is our Pin Pick-Up quick connector – the Mag 7. Why is it called Mag 7? Because it reduces bucket and other attachment changeover time to just 7 seconds.

British STRICKLAND is still in the process of product modification and trial and error. Although the envisaged design concept is relatively advanced, it is still unstable and the materials are low. In the European and American markets, it can only obtain a small part of the market for mini excavators.

DROMONE, as Volvo’s Queen’s quick-change joint, has no doubts about product safety, but there are too many internal parts, and it is the only quick-change joint that uses double cylinders, which is not easy to maintain.

The founder of HILL was originally the owner of an excavator rental company. When HILL was founded in 1994, he independently developed a simple and practical active locking alarm system based on various problems in the use of quick-change brands of various brands. As the global standard quick change for Hitachi excavators, its safety has also been endorsed. At present, HILL has the largest market share in the British mainland.

Other brands
British WHITES is widely used on mini excavators, but there are no excavator quick-change products for medium and large excavators.

Ireland’s ORIEL is a copy of Doosan’s GEITH. The company has not been established for a long time and the scale is very small.

The German quick-change front-lock and rear-pin quick-change joints are favored by very few customer groups, but have not been widely promoted. Although there are many brands of hydraulic attachments in Italy, there is no big company specializing in quick-change joints.

Several hydraulic mechanical wrist brands of the Nordic series pay little attention to the quick-change joint of a single degree of freedom and do not recommend it.

There are many excavator quick-change brands in the United States, but they are basically small companies. The only accessory giant, Palatine Group, is still looking for British Miller to do OEM.

Russian quick-change connectors are rare and rough.

Although New Zealand is the birthplace of the concept of quick couplings, at present Wedgelock, Calibre, Attach2 and Doherty are only small regional brands in Oceania with low output and have not been recognized by the global market.

New Zealand’s excavator quick-change companies are not large in scale. Haight believes that New Zealand’s quick-change companies are technical houses, or even over-designed. For example, the following:

In fact, the simpler the design of the quick-change joint, the better, the fewer parts, the better, and the lower the total weight, the better, so that it is easy to maintain and durable. This is basic common sense.

Another fundamental reason is that the capital, bucket, quick change and other accessories, customers all require the spot, these small companies do not have the financial strength to distribute the goods. If the accessories industry can expand, it must have strong financial strength, or be acquired by a large consortium.