By Jeff Keeling
For interior and top-down demolition, many contractors have come to rely on Brokk’s remote-controlled demolition robots—and with good reason. These innovative machines provide industry-leading power-to-weight ratios. Brokk designs their demolition robots starting from the tip of the breaker—the standard attachment for a Brokk robot—to ensure hydraulic flow and pressure are perfectly calibrated.
However, solely relying on the breaker sells these machines short. Brokk offers a range of attachments, allowing operators to tackle a variety of tasks, such as material handling, excavation, surface preparation, and more.
Selecting the right attachment is key to unlocking the full potential of your Brokk robot. Here are four attachments to consider for optimum efficiency.
CONCRETE CRUSHERS
Next to hydraulic breakers, crushers are probably the most common attachment for demolition contractors. These attachments reduce noise and vibrations, so they can be used in a number of sensitive environments.
Where breakers use force to knock down a wall, crushers simply chew up the concrete, leaving rebar exposed. To do this, crushers require access to an exposed edge of the structure being demolished—either the top, side, or end—in order to break it down. Imagine trying to take a bite from the middle of a piece of bread. It doesn’t work without bending the bread. Taking a bite from any side, on the other hand, doesn’t require any special maneuvering. For top-down applications where noise and vibration constraints are primary concerns, crushers allow contractors to work during the day—in some cases without the neighbors even noticing.
For maximum efficiency, Brokk concrete crusher attachments feature wear-resistant, replaceable steel alloy crusher tips and cutter blades. They also feature full 360-degree rotation. These concrete crushers can take on concrete slabs 17-22 inches (440-560 millimeters) thick with a crushing force of 44-54 tons.
METAL AND COMBI SHEARS
Shears are another attachment that, when paired with a Brokk, can significantly increase safety and productivity on a demolition jobsite. As with breakers, crushers, and grapples, Brokk optimizes their shear attachments by taking advantage of the maneuverability and precision of their machines, reducing the need for larger crews and handheld torches.
Because of floor load limits or other access restrictions for larger equipment, contractors traditionally relied on handheld torches for metal-cutting tasks on interior demolition projects. Using a Brokk with a shear attachment eliminates the risk of electrical shock, burns, fumes, fire hazards, and falling debris. Shears pierce or cut through material, rather than burn through it like a torch. By removing heat from the equation, operators eliminate sparks, flying embers, and fumes. Additionally, Brokk robots can access confined spaces and areas with low floor loads.
Brokk ensures optimal cutting power by offering the highest power-to-weight ratios in the industry with its demolition robots. The attachment is also connected to a hydraulic 360-degree rotary drive that provides pin-point accuracy.
MULTIPURPOSE GRAPPLES
The most underutilized Brokk attachment is the grapple. This versatile tool is ideal for soft demolition, separation, and sorting applications. It can also be used for support tasks before, during, and after the primary demolition.
Grapples function like a rudimentary hand with two fingers and a thumb for pinching, pulling, and sorting. When paired with a Brokk robot, the grapple can provide significant time and cost savings over manual demolition methods in tight, confined spaces. In many cases, it removes the need for harnessed workers on ladders or scaffolding.
But grapples aren’t just for demolition. Grapple attachments can also be used for lifting, moving, and support during construction. When paired with a Brokk, operators remain safely on the ground and out of the drop zone for a number of overhead tasks.
Additionally, once materials have been pulled down, the precision and flexibility of the Brokk paired with the grapple attachment make it easy to pick up and sort small debris.
BUCKETS
Finally, the Brokk attachment suite wouldn’t be complete without a bucket—or two. These multipurpose tools increase efficiency in several confined applications such as excavation, digging trenches, material handling, sorting, separating, and loading debris.
Brokk designs their demolition robots to optimize breakout forces for hammering above and in front of them. Their boom design provides ample power for digging in rocky soil and heavy clay. The innovative three-part arm of Brokk demolition robots allows the machine to work closer to its body, minimizing the need for repositioning.
A Brokk robot paired with a bucket attachment provides increased safety compared to an excavator by keeping employees safely on the ground and outside the immediate work zone, protecting them from dust and flying debris. It also eliminates the need to climb into or out of a cab, which is a leading cause of jobsite injury often resulting in sprains, strains, and other minor ailments.
Brokk also offers customized buckets to fit operators’ specific needs for maximum efficiency.
TACKLE ANY TASK
These tools are just a small representation of what Brokk offers—an ideal suite of tools for interior and top-down demolition. With more than 80 attachments to choose from, Brokk has a tool for every application. From planers and descalers to rock drills, saws, and shotcrete guns, a Brokk demolition robot can become a true multipurpose machine that opens up new revenue opportunities and speeds up ROI.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Keeling is the vice president of sales & marketing for Brokk Inc. He works closely with regional sales managers to develop and grow the Brokk brand in key segments across the United States and Canada. He is also responsible for educational initiatives aimed at helping customers maximize their Brokk machines’ potential.
ABOUT BROKK
Brokk has been the world’s leading manufacturer of electric remote-controlled demolition machines and attachments for more than 45 years. Through continuous innovation in engineering and design, Brokk is able to offer unique solutions to multiple industries worldwide, including construction, demolition, mining and tunneling, cement and metal processing, nuclear, and other specialty applications. For more, www.brokk.com.