Capital Equipment News December 2020

HYDRAULIC HAMMERS

Caterpillar offers several hammer line-ups with product deliverables satisfying different customer requirements with different technologies.

hydraulic hammer field. For example, the tri-suspension system comprises the suspension jacket, the lower and upper buffers. Suspension aligns the power cell and gives manageable, smooth performance. The lower and upper buffers, at both ends of the power cell, absorb reflective forces, isolating them from the machine. The result is quiet, reliable operation and reduced operator fatigue. The suspension jacket, which dampens vibration and sound, allows the hammer to be used in urban and other noise sensitive areas. With the seal carrier, gas is retained in the power chamber by a series of five seals. These are engineered using technology developed for Cat engines, and provide maximum gas retention between scheduled service intervals. When service is needed, the seal carrier is easily removed. A pressure control valve (PCV) maintains maximum hydraulic pressure to ensure the hammer delivers all blows at full power. PCV can be easily checked and adjusted from outside the hammer in about 30 minutes. A check valve isolates harmful pulsation spikes from the carrier hydraulic circuit. The plug & perform feature is designed for convenient installation on Cat machines. There is no adjustment necessary for hydraulic pressures or flows. The hammer handles full auxiliary flow and pressure, automatically adjusting to match the Cat tool carrier. Hammer over-speeding and shortened service are prevented. The GC value hammer line based on gas-fired technology is ideal for 12

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is designed to increase the striking power of the hammer by transferring recoil energy to the tool’s next blow. “Energy recovery is using the bounce energy of the piston to help it cycle down in combination with the pressure of the accumulator,” says Ronnet. Speed control is yet another technological advancement that has come to the fore in recent years. This feature offers increased productivity and minimises backflow of harmful energy to the excavator. According to Ronnet, speed control adapts the speed and consequently the power of the hammer to the material being broken, resulting in optimum productivity. “This feature – with two manual turns on the side of the power cell – doubles the piston speed without reducing the power. The slower speed allows the hammer to hit at full power. This allows for maximum production and matches the hammer speed and power to the application,” says Ronnet. Caterpillar offers several hammer line-ups with product deliverables satisfying different customer requirements with different technologies. The E performance hammer line-up based on oil-fired technology matches carriers in the 11 to 52-tonne weight category. The silenced hammer line is recommended for high-time utilisation and high productivity. Caterpillar’s E Series is a good example of forward momentum in hydraulic hammer development. The range comes with a number of features that set the bar high in the

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS DECEMBER 2020 14