Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/933470
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2018 53 H ow cool is this: An excavator that you can start with an app on your smart phone. That's just a tiny fraction of the digital razzle-dazzle from Cat's most significant change to its excavator program in 25 years. The changes will eventually roll into most Cat excavators, but the company chose to start this Next Generation program with its popu- lar 20-ton excavator class, specifi- cally the new models designated the 320GC, 320 and 323. Brian Stellbrink, market profes- sional, global construction & infra- structure, calls this strategy, "The new platform for the future." Plans are underway to apply the same redesign to the 36-ton excavators next year and the 30-ton excavators a year after that. Cat is claiming up to 15-percent lower maintenance costs, 25-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and 45-percent improvement in pro- ductivity. But as with something so ambitious, there are a lot of details. Three versions The strategy behind the launch is to offer a low spec version and two high tech versions of the same machine. The GC model is a no-frills ex- cavator for contractors who don't intend to put a lot of hours on the machine day in and day out, or don't need digitally-guided or GPS automated digging controls. The latter two machines offer 2D and 3D machine control and a number of features to bolster performance in production environ- ments and high-load applications. Common mechanical platform The Next Generation excavators operate on what Zack Kauk, Cat's product report | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com New Cat excavator line features new hydraulic technology, automation and smart-phone start