CATERPILLAR has announced a range of new attachments for backhoe loaders and mini-excavators.
The new models span the range of demolition and sorting grapples, multi-purpose grapples for Cat tiltrotators, vibratory compactor plates, and cold planers.
Expanding the demolition and sorting grapple line, the new G306 and G308 models are designed for 5-6t and 7-10t mini-excavators respectively. The manufacturer said the attachments ‘excel’ in waste, recycling and heavy-duty material handling applications where precise material placement is required. With open and close functions controlled by the machine’s first auxiliary function and rotation head handled by the second, these grapples are said to deliver ‘fast and productive’ material handling with 360-degrees of bi-directional rotation.
Cat explained that a slim design makes it easier to get into tight spaces, while vertical perforated shelves offer ‘high wear resistance, positive penetration, good load visibility and easy positioning’. The oversized heavy-duty cylinder with load holding valve is described as delivering constant clamping force, even when manoeuvring the grapple or machine.
The swing bearing features a single-ball internally driven design. For longer life, the weld-on base edge design is made of HB500 Brinell equivalent material and bolt-on cutting edge from high-strength, abrasion-resistant steel.
The first hydraulic attachment expansion for the Cat Tiltrotator (TRS) product family, the new G206 and G208 multi-purpose grapples expands the grapple technology in combination with the TRS6 and TRS8 models for 5-10t mini-diggers. An integrated cylinder load holding valve is said to maintain grapple closing pressure with no leakage, while the hard-mounted piston accumulator maintains grapple arm closing forces with shifting loads.
To avoid bending torques in radial direction, these grapples feature a welded box structure. With grapple arms and arm edges built with AR450 steel, the arm is designed to offer high abrasion resistance for longer wear in extreme conditions.
Caterpillar has also increased its vibratory plate compactor line with the CVP28 and CVP55 models and relaunched its CVP16 and CVP40 compactors with new design enhancements. The CVP range is performance-matched to Cat machines, covering all backhoe loaders and excavators ranging from the 302.7 to the 313.
Rubber mounts isolate vibrations from the compactor attachment, minimising vibration feedback to the rest of the machine. The gear-type hydro motor is vibration driven, while the design’s access cutouts are laser cut to aid access to hardware when mounting the top bracket.
Designed for small paving jobs, new Cat cold planers deliver restoration of asphalt and concrete surfaces. Offering a working width of 350mm and 120mm maximum milling depth, the new PC35 is designed for operation with side-shift backhoe loaders and 5-6t mini-excavators. The new PC45 replaces the PC404 with its 450mm cutting width and 150mm cutting depth and is described as ‘ideal’ for use with backhoe loaders and extends the planer’s compatibility to 7-10t mini-diggers.
The cold planers come standard with a cut depth indicator, giving the operator a quick view of set depth. Milling depth is manually adjusted and locked in. A standard pressure gauge provides feedback to operators to allow for ground speed adjustments.
