New Caterpillar Grading Beams Increase Attachment Versatility
New Cat grading beams for Cat tiltrotators allow contractors to take on dynamic and efficient grading and compaction work using excavators. Pairing with Cat tiltrotators enables 360˚ bidirectional and 40˚ left-and-right rotation of the grading beam to increase attachment versatility. The grading beams’ mechanically adjustable roller – from 10 mm (0.40 inches) below frame to 20 mm (0.79 inches) above – flexibly tailors the desired level of compaction based on material type. Preventing material from sticking to the roller, the adjustable roller scraper allows the attachment to be used with clay, silt and other sticky materials.
Available in five widths from 1250 to 3000 mm (49 to 118 inches), Cat grading beams quickly tackle a range of applications from grading sidewalks to larger site prep applications. The design’s large top opening with solid extended sides and side plates allow the beam to spread, compact, and grade materials quickly and effectively. Highly abrasion resistant, Hardox 500 wear protection at the bottom of the beam protects the frame for long-life operation. The beam’s welded frame increases structural rigidity, while additional support plates on the heavy-duty frame extend beam strength and overall service life.
Compatible with Cat grade technology via the Cat tiltrotator attachment, contractors can grade to plan using Cat grading beams, improving accuracy and saving time. Available tool recognition automatically confirms the identity of the attachment to ensure all settings – pressure, flow and dimensions – are correct.
Standard Cat PL161 attachment technology provides simple attachment tracking across all worksites, reducing the chance of a lost grading beam and assisting with maintenance and replacement. The PL161 integrates into VisionLink for fleet management from a single mobile device.
For more information about the new Cat grading beams, contact a Cat dealer or visit: www.cat.com.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.