Caterpillar has introduced new Grading Beams designed to be paired with its tiltrotators for efficient material compaction and grading at a variety of angles.
Available in five widths from 49 to 118 inches, the company says the attachment allows excavator operators to quickly grade anything from a sidewalk pad to a commercial building site.
The tiltrotator enables the grading beam to rotate 360 degrees bidirectionally and 40 degrees left and right. It also allows the beam to use the machine’s Grade technology to get to grade in less time.
Operators can tailor the level of compaction based on material type with the grading beam’s mechanically adjustable roller. The roller has bearings on both ends and adjusts from .40 inches below the frame to .79 inches above the frame. The adjustable roller scraper allows the attachment to be used with clay, silt and other sticky materials.
The beams are designed with a large top opening to cut through piles of material and solid extended sides and side plates with height extensions to retain material better. They are constructed with abrasion resistant, Hardox 500 wear protection at the bottom of the beam for protection from gravel and other abrasive materials. The beam’s welded frame increases structural rigidity, while additional support plates on the heavy-duty frame extend beam strength and overall service life.
Work tool recognition, available on select excavator models, automatically identifies the attachment with a shake of the tool. Once identified, the machine confirms all settings – pressure, flow and dimensions – are correct.
The Standard Cat PL161 Bluetooth device tracks the attachment to reduce the chance of it getting lost and assists with maintenance and replacement planning. The PL161 integrates into VisionLink for fleet management of machines and attachments from a single mobile device.
