According to the recent increase of demands for multi-function and economics on hydraulic excavator, it is required that excavator should have simple operation, higher and operational efficiency, however the modeling of engine/pump system of excavator is not prescribed by the paper. So, in this paper the modeling of engine/pump system of excavator is suggested by identification method from step response and verified effectiveness of identification system by comparing with experimental results which was conducted using PID controller. To improve the problem of parameter variation and modeling error in the system, sliding mode control was introduced and new switching surface was designed. This control algorithm was applied to a hydraulic excavator by simulation, and its effectiveness was verified, and the results of variable structure system for the excavator system using a output component was compared with that of full state feedback when load disturbances and system paramenter variation exist.