grader

thumb|Caterpillar, Inc.|Caterpillar 140 grader thumb|Caterpillar, Inc.|Caterpillar CAT 12G grader

A grader, also commonly referred to as a road grader, motor grader, or simply blade, is a form of heavy equipment with a long blade used to create a flat surface during grading. Although the earliest models were towed behind horses, and later tractors, most modern graders are self-propelled and thus technically "motor graders".