A
grader, also commonly referred to as a
road grader, a
blade, a
maintainer, or a
motor grader, is a
construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface during the
grading process. Typical models have three
axles, with the
engine and
cab situated above the rear axles at one end of the vehicle and a third axle at the front end of the vehicle, with the
blade in between. In certain countries, for example in
Finland, almost every grader is equipped with a second blade that is placed in front of the front axle. Some construction personnel refer to the entire machine as "the blade". Capacities range from a blade width of 2.50 to 7.30 m and engines from 93–373
kW (125–500
hp). Certain graders can operate multiple attachments, or be used for separate tasks like underground mining.