I have worked in the road construction industry for 23 years, participating in cutting projects ranging from New York highways to main roads in Dubai. Whenever clients ask about how to choose a road cutting machine, I always start by asking three key questions: What material are you cutting? What is the cutting depth? How much work needs to be completed each day?
The type of material determines the equipment configuration. Last year, in the urban renovation project in Munich, Germany, we needed to cut 150mm thick reinforced concrete pavement. I chose a heavy-duty cutting machine equipped with diamond blades and a hydraulic propulsion system. I controlled the blade speed at 2800 revolutions per minute, which not only ensured cutting efficiency but also maximized the lifespan of the blades. In contrast, in the asphalt pavement cutting project in Bangkok, Thailand, I used blades with a rotational speed of 3200 revolutions per minute, combined with a water spray cooling system, and the cutting speed increased by 35%.
The cutting depth directly affects the equipment selection. For deep cuts exceeding 200mm, I always use a rail-mounted cutting machine. In the underground pipeline project in Singapore, I verified that the rail system can control the straightness error of the cutting line within 1mm per meter, which is an accuracy that handheld devices cannot achieve. For shallow cuts within 100mm, I recommend a self-propelled cutting machine, which is more flexible and has shorter transfer time.
The workload determines the equipment specifications. In the Qatar World Cup supporting road project, we needed to complete 50 kilometers of cutting tasks within three months. I configured five large self-propelled cutting machines, each equipped with two blade positions, which can work continuously for 8 hours without changing the blades. By optimizing the operation process, we completed all the cutting tasks two weeks ahead of schedule, saving 15% of labor costs for the client.
Environmental factors cannot be ignored. During winter construction in Norway, I specially chose a diesel engine with a preheating device to ensure normal startup in a temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius. I used a blade of a low-temperature-specific model, which still maintained good toughness and resilience in cold conditions. In the summer engineering in Saudi Arabia, I strengthened the cooling system and increased the water tank capacity to ensure that the equipment could work continuously at 50 degrees Celsius without overheating.
Power availability affects the power selection. In European cities with stable power supply, I recommend electric cutting machines, with operating costs 40% lower than fuel-powered equipment. However, in remote areas in Africa, I insist on using diesel power, although the fuel cost is higher, it ensures the continuity of the construction. I designed a dual-fuel filtration system for the diesel model, which can adapt to different qualities of diesel.
The true professional selection is not to recommend the most expensive equipment, but to provide the most economical solution. I have established a database containing 2000 engineering cases, each of which records the equipment configuration, working conditions data, and final results in detail. These data allow me to provide precise selection suggestions to global clients, with a matching accuracy rate of over 95%.
