Equipment World Digital Magazine
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reporter | continued machines, Cat dealers in lower regulated countries will take off the aftertreatment systems, since federal regulations prevent U.S. dealers from doing this procedure. The decertification process will be available from these non-U.S. Cat dealers next year; the cost of this process has not yet been announced. Because of the high integration of fuel management and electronics with the aftertreatment system, Cat says this process will have to be done by a Cat dealer. Buyers in lower regulated countries will need to be educated about the extra cost of taking off the aftertreatment system on used Tier 4 machines. Tier 4 Final SCR engine strategy Cat also reviewed its strategy for Tier 4 Final engines. "The Tier 4 Interim journey was the most challenging new product introduction in our history," says Doug Mihelick, commercial manager of Cat Machine Engine & Components. The challenges required by these engine emission regulations included developing and producing 350-plus products and meeting multiple emissions requirements that involved several new technologies. "Now we get to do it all over again with Tier 4 Final," Mihelick says, "and at a rate that matches our Tier 4 Interim pace of seven new models a month." Tier 4 Final regulations, aimed at reducing oxides of nitrogen coming out of the exhaust, start to go into effect this January. Despite the challenges, Mihelick calls the Tier 4 Interim implementation – which started three years ago – a "very successful new product introduction." Cat says its 82,000 Tier 4 Interim powered products in the field have 42 million-plus operating hours in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, as tracked by its ProductLink telematics system. "Customer reaction has ranged from between pleasantly surprised to delighted," Mihelick says. Reportedly Cat has invested $7 billion to get from Tier 4 Interim to Tier 4 Final. "Our dealers have stepped up with training investments for Tier 4 Final machines," Mihelick says, reporting that these machines are now in production and "dealers are ready right now." There are now more than 300 Tier 4 Final "field follow" machines – a term used by Cat for pre-production machines demo'ed in the dirt at customer sites. Using a Selective Catalytic Reduction aftertreatment exhaust system that requires the use of Diesel Emission Fluid, or DEF, these machines have logged more than 300,000 hours, some operating in minus 55 degree Fahrenheit temperatures at high altitudes plowing snow. The cold weather experiments are especially critical in learning how to deal with DEF, which is 67.5 percent de-ionized water, and freezes at -12 degrees Fahrenheit. The DEF tank contains a heating element and heated fuel lines. Emissions regulations require the DEF be converted from a solid block of ice to usable fluid within 70 minutes, which Cat says it can easily meet. Cat is recommending contractors make topping up the DEF tank – which they've located near the fuel tank fill on many machines – a regular part of fueling. To help prevent a fluid going into the wrong tank, the fill necks of the diesel fill and DEF fill are different sizes, and the DEF fill has a blue cap, plus carries a warning not to fill with anything other than DEF. If diesel does get into 03.04.14 See KOBELCO'S excavator line at Silver Lot Exhibit #4408 www.KOBELCOunleashed.com EquipmentWorld.com | December 2013 15