While visitors to the Caterpillar exhibit at bauma 2016 in Munich, Germany, in April likely came to see the latest Cat® equipment, they also got an up-close look at the most recent additions to the “business end” of those machines: the new lineup of Cat Work Tools.
“We look at the application, the tool that’s needed to complete that task and then the size of machine that goes with that tool to complete that job,” says Caterpillar Product Portfolio Manager Chris Key, explaining Caterpillar’s task-tool-machine philosophy when it comes to attachments. “We look at things like what productivity does the customer want, what type of material is he working in, and from that we can work out the size of tool needed.”
Cat hydraulic hammers, for example, make short work of demolition, construction, quarry and production breaking needs. The new H80E S features a simplified design, with 40% fewer parts inside.
“It’s a lot lighter in weight, and it has a wider flow range to match more carrier machines,” Key says. “It’s an ideal hammer for backhoe loader or mini-excavator machines.”
Another versatile demolition tool is the multi-processor, which comes with interchangeable jaw sets for various jobs. The newest Cat designs make switching out those jaws for different tasks even easier.
“It’s got a clever, quick-coupler-type system,” Key says. “The different jaw sets can be changed very easily by one person on their own within 15 minutes.”
Finally, new Cat shears are ideal for scrap or demolition applications where metal needs to be cut.
“A passenger ship that’s out of service and needs to be dismantled—a shear is the perfect tool for that,” Key says. “It can cut into the sides and floors of the ship and break them down into smaller pieces.”
Watch the video to hear more of Key’s insights into the new lineup of Cat Work Tools.
