A new range of Cat® tilt buckets is set to increase excavator versatility and productivity. Designed to enhance digging, grading and finishing tasks, the tilt bucket line is competitively priced and fits a range of models including the latest next generation excavators.
The new line offers precision control and increased flexibility to a range of both tracked and wheeled excavators including the 311F to the 325F and M314F through to the M322F and are also suitable for the 320GC, 320 and 323 next generation line-up.
Hydraulically operated, tilt buckets add to the machine’s capability to do contour grading while the machine remains stationary by being able to angle 45 degrees from vertical to the right and left sides.
This adds greater versatility on jobs requiring slope cutting or precision in final grading and in some cases can reduce the need for a finish pass by a motor grader or track type tractor.
Designed to work in various tasks including conventional excavation in low impact environments including top soils, loams and clay, tilt buckets are ideal for irrigation or ditch construction and cleaning tasks, and civil construction or landscaping tasks.
Tilt buckets can also add flexibility on confined space job sites.
The new Cat range has also seen durability, sizing and functionality design improvements add to productivity, and are offered at an extremely competitive price range making them an attractive proposition compared to aftermarket equipment.
The design means there is seamless, ready for work, integration with technologies offered on the Next Generation excavator line.
With the optional tilt sensor installed the buckets work seamlessly with Cat Grade Control technology – 2D, 2D Advanced or 3D systems.
Grade Control provides visual positioning guidance for the operator on the cabin monitor adding efficiency to digging and grading tasks and improving speed and accuracy.
The operator can see the machine pitch and roll and can set a target cross slope and see the actual bucket angle with an optional tilt sensor fitted.
All models in the range are tilt sensor ready with drilled and tapped mounting holes allowing easy bolt-on installation of the sensor with clips provided to mount the wiring harness.
An exclusive feature of the new design for the Cat Next Generation excavator range, or the 323F, is the Tilt Assist feature which will automatically adjust the tilt on the bucket to match the required target design surface when the operator is using either 2D or 3D designs.
Tilt Assist works seamlessly with the semi-autonomous control offered by Cat GRADE with Assist to improve productivity and help to reduce operator fatigue.
Combined with other technology and machine design features, applicable Cat excavators fitted with tilt buckets, electro hydraulics, and grade control offer protection with precision – ‘smart iron’ in what is a very competitive environment.
The Cat tilt bucket design offers durability for an extended service life.
Tilt articulation left or right is delivered by two hydraulic cylinders specified to match the carrier machine’s capacity allowing operators to maintain bucket position and grade.
The cylinders are fully serviceable to extend their service life.
The cylinders maintain forces and are matched to the machine’s performance characteristics allowing operators to maintain grade in a range of soil and site conditions.
The cylinders are serviceable through Cat Dealers at the full cylinder level or component level, including the rod, barrel and seals.
The horizontal cylinder design provides a low profile bucket and protects the cylinders from material flows.
The buckets are also equipped with a bolt-on cutting edge – the same bolt-on cutting edge as used on other Cat buckets, including the ditch cleaning model, which can assist in controlling an owner’s wear parts inventory.
High abrasion 400 BHN steel weld-on bucket corner wear inserts are fully replaceable and offer secure performance in areas subject to heavy wear.
The hardened bearings and (chromed) pins are greased to extend working life, while the bucket design features a back grading edge adding to final trim capability.
This back grading edge also allows the bucket to be stored upright which makes for easy engagement and disengagement from the carrier.
OPERATIONAL GAINS
Designed to offer peak efficiency on a range of job-sites, significant productivity improvements can be made when the ditch cleaning tilt bucket is combined with the tilt sensor and Cat GRADE with 2D system and fitted to a Cat next generation excavator.
The combination can significantly reduce re-work, lessen operator fatigue and achieve grade results faster boosting an operator’s efficiency by up to 35 per cent when compared to traditional grading.
A Cat next generation excavator utilizing a ditch cleaning tilt bucket, tilt sensor and fitted with a standard GRADE with Assist system, can increase operator efficiency by even more – up to 45 per cent.
Further efficiency gains and job-site control is available with the addition of a Cat Payload system to the tilt bucket helping to ensure precision truck pay loads every time.