Capital Equipment News September 2018

EXCAVATORS

TALKING POINTS

Referring to fuel burn data collected over the past five years across Europe, Africa, Middle East and Russia, Naidu says the new 320, for example, consumes about 10,1 ℓ /hour, compared with 14,3 ℓ /hour on the 320 DL; 13,7 ℓ /hour on the 320 EL; and 13,5 ℓ /hour on the 320 FL, representing up to 25% less fuel consumption. “Compared with predecessor machines, engine rpm has been reduced from 1 700 to 1 650 rpm, without sacrificing power,” explains Naidu. More efficient than single-fan systems, the new cooling system employs five electric fans, which independently monitor hydrau- lic oil, radiator and air-to-air aftercooler temperatures to deliver the exact airflow required. “With a new hydraulic system built for responsiveness and efficiency, all three models come with a new main control valve that eliminates the need for pilot lines, reduces pressure losses and lowers fuel consumption. Fewer hydraulic lines on the excavators result in 20% less oil required, lowering long-term operating costs,” says Naidu. Reduced maintenance costs According to Naidu, maintenance and repair costs constitute about 30% of an excavator’s operating costs. Offering extended and more synchronised maintenance intervals, the new Cat excavators do more work at a lower cost and reduce maintenance costs by up to 15% over their predecessors. Featuring higher dirt capacity, the new Cat hydraulic return filter boasts a 3 000- hour service life, translating into a 50% increase over previous filters. A new Cat air filter with integrated pre-cleaner and primary and secondary filters extends service life to 1 000 hours, a 100% increase over previous designs, while a new fuel tank cap filter extends service life to 2 000 hours. The three fuel system filters each offer a 500-hour service interval. “The new hydraulic tank oil return filter offers improved filtration, increasing service intervals from 2 000 to 3 000 hours. The anti-drain valve prevents contamination, while the de-aeration grid breaks bubbles and enables a smaller hydraulic tank,” says Naidu. All daily maintenance checks for engine oil, fuel water separator, fuel tank water and sediment, and cooling system level are performed from ground level, making the routine faster, easier and safer. Consolidated filter locations reduce service time and increase uptime. Operator in mind Gone are the days when machine designs paid little attention to operator comfort. Forward-thinking OEMs such as Caterpillar

“With increased efficiency of up to 45%, coupled with 15% reduced maintenance costs, it means that operators can now move more for less.”

Sivu Potelwa, GCI product specialist at Barloworld Equipment

“The construction industry is one of the sectors that still grapples with low productivity. Having listened to our customers, we have developed excavators that come with a full suite of technologies that used to be on the wish list but are now standard.”

Giacomo Bottone, global director – Excavation at Caterpillar

“The range sets a new benchmark with its keyless push-button engine start. This ensures security for the machine by using Operator ID codes to limit and track machine access.”

Adriaan Pretorius, Regional construction & key accounts manager at Barloworld Equipment

increases. “Excavators burn 3 ℓ /hour of fuel when idling, which also equates to 8 kg of carbon emissions per hour. Additionally, idling hours impact warranty time, translate into additional service intervals, reduce re- sale value of used equipment and unneces- sarily increase runtime hours,” says Naidu. The fuel consumption evolution is also made possible by the Cat C4.4 ACERT engine that provides a 107 kW power rating for the 320GC, while the C7.1 ACERT engine gives the 320 and 320 models 117 kW of power. The machines consume up to 25% less fuel than previous models with new Smart Mode operation which automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging condi- tions at hand, optimising both fuel consump- tion and performance. Eco Mode is said to offer up to 15% fuel efficiency, while Power Mode ensures maximum performance.

is a major focus area in the new range, with the Cat 320 and 323 being the first machines in the Cat excavator range to employ fuel efficiency technology. “Fuel represents up to 30% of an excavator’s operating costs. With that in mind, Cat’s Next Generation excavators come with a range of features that, combined, constitute up to 25% reduction in fuel consumption,” says Naidu. There are five pillars driving fuel efficien- cy, namely idle time, operator technique, equipment selection, technology and jobsite setup. A range of features, such as Auto- matic Engine Control, Engine Idle Shutdown and Eco Mode (which reduces engine rpm), address the issue of idle time. Naidu says the cost of machine idling translates into money down the drain, especially considering the current fuel price

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 16