Motor Graders are a must have machine in making roads, agriculture, mining and construction. The modern Motor Grader as we like to call it the King of the Philippine Road just like our very own Jeepney is due to the fact that all major roads are made by these marvelous machines since they were invented in the late 1900’s, and it’s difficult to imagine how our Nation would progress without it. Here we take a trip in its history.
Horse-drawn graders
The first know graders were made from steel frames fitted with wheels and a fixed-angle blade drawn by horses. The first commercial grader with this type was invented by Joseph D. Adams in 1885, in Indianapolis, USA. It was called the “Little Wonder”, as it uses two wooden wheels that leans and can be angled to the side much like its’ modern counterpart.
In the early 1890s, Joseph’s company was already manufacturing a range of construction machinery and in 1896 his company has introduced a four-wheel, horse-drawn motor grader with an 8-foot blade called the “Road King”. Little did Joseph know that his Road King will be the inspiration of a world-class and leading brand for construction equipment in the coming future?
The Dawn of Motorized graders
In 1920, the first self-propelled motor graders were manufactured by the Russell Grader Manufacturing Company that resembled like tractors called the “Motor Hi-way Patrol No,1”, a grader that is made from a modified Allis-Chalmers tractor.
Other tractor manufacturers such as McCormick Deering, Fordson and Cleveland Tractor Company at the same period followed and started selling modified tractors with a built-in grader.
In 1928, the Caterpillar Company, bought Russel Grader Manufacturing and three years after, secured its place in the motor grader industry with the “Caterpillar Auto Patrol”, later renamed “No.9 Auto Patrol” that has revolutionized the machine industry. The No. 9 Auto Patrol is the first dedicated motor grader equipped with a drivetrain and grader designed as a single unit. The No.9 Auto Patrol also offers superior balance and visibility thanks to its rear mounted engine and uses rubber tires instead of crawler tracks. It was clear that Caterpillar Auto Patrol laid the foundation of today’s modern Motor Graders.
In the 1960s, Caterpillar introduced the “No16 Motor Grader” the first large grader that weights 21,092 kilograms with a 4.3 meters blade due to high demands in the construction of super highways. The model was replaced a decade later with the 16G that featured hydraulic controls, a 4.9 meter blade and an articulated body.
1995 was the year turbocharged graders and all-wheel drive made head turns as Caterpillar launched its H series. A year later, Caterpillar released the largest grader that measures 16 meters long and weights 61,995 kilograms.
In the Philippines, Caterpillar motor graders have long since been a staple brand in Nation-building and as the economy leaps towards its quest for progress so is the demand for heavy machineries that offers reliable performance, impeccable dealership support and low cost of ownership. To address these demands, SEM a Caterpillar Brand was introduced in the Philippines in 2007. SEM a Caterpillar Brand offers a range of dozers, wheel loaders, motor graders and soil compactors perfect for the country’s nation builders.
The King is here!
The rise of the “King of the Road” SEM MG 915 and 917 are gaining popularity due to its high performance, high reliability, easy operation and very competitive pricing.
To elaborate further, the SEM MG 915 and 917 uses Load sensing variable pistons pump and unique designed PPPC valves for superior control and high performance. Both SEM motor graders has excellent reliability and durability thanks to its unique SEM tandem axle, A-shape drawbar frame with box section and a flanged large box section front frame. Operators are always delighted on how easy it is to operate courtesy of its matching operating levers and specially designed hydraulic system.
SEM a Caterpillar brand is the perfect fit to any fleet and industry. Being a pedigree brand of Caterpillar with very attractive and competitive pricing the nation can be assured that the path in making better roads has never been so bright, hail the “King of the Road”.