Caterpillar developing EU Stage V engines

New engines to set high standards for power density, fuel economy, reliability and flexible installation configurations

CATERPILLAR are currently developing productive, fuel-efficient, power-dense, EU Stage V-compliant engines across their industrial product line, from the two-cylinder C0.5 to the 12-cylinder, 32-litre C32.

The company’s goals for Cat Stage V engines include developing more efficient after-treatment systems, simplifying installation in OEM-customer machines, and providing added value for end-users of OEM machines – through increased productivity and fuel efficiency, and exceptional reliability.

The Cat C9.3B engine, for example, has been awarded EU Stage V emissions certification and is now in production – more than 10 months ahead of the industry’s newest and most stringent regulatory requirements.

‘The C9.3B’s certification is an exciting milestone for Caterpillar, and we’re confident that this engine will meet customer expectations for reliability and durability in a simpler, lighter package with more power and torque,’ said Jeff Moore, product director, research and development for 7.2- to 18-litre engines. ‘Caterpillar have proven the merits of the C9.3B by testing the engine to its limits, both in the lab environment and in actual customer applications.’

The six-cylinder, 9.3-litre C9.3B engine builds on the core engine that has been in production since 2011, logging more than 200 million hours in real-world, off-highway operation. With a proven, reliable core engine, coupled with extensive diesel particulate filter (DPF) experience, Caterpillar have focused EU Stage V engine development on simplifying design, improving performance and reducing installation complexity.

The C9.3B combines a new high-pressure/common-rail fuel system with simplified systems for air, electrics and after-treatment to produce up to 340kW (456hp) of power and 2,088Nm of torque, resulting in 18% more power, 21% more torque, and 12% less weight, compared with its predecessor.

‘End-users will see this refinement pay off with increased performance, up to 3% less fuel consumption and exceptional starting capability in cold climates,’ said Mr Moore.

‘Patented after-treatment technology provides a compact, lightweight design that is 39% smaller and 55% lighter than the EU Stage IV/Tier 4-Final configuration, and the new design provides transparent regeneration to ensure optimum machine performance and uptime.’

As with all Cat 9- to 18-litre engines, the C9.3B is available in various configurations, including those with factory-installed, engine-mounted after-treatment systems and radiators. In total, more than 2,000 unique configurations are available for the C9.3B.

‘We understand that not all customers have the resources to design, manufacture and validate on the same scale,’ continued Mr Moore. ‘For that reason, Caterpillar design their products with the flexibility to accommodate various OEM requirements, resulting in lower installation costs.’

In addition to the C9.3B, the Cat large-engine, EU Stage V line-up also includes the 12.5-litre C13B, incorporating technology similar to that of the C9.3B and with power ratings up to 430kW (577hp).

Caterpillar are also certifying their existing C13, C15, and C18 EU Stage IV/US EPA Tier 4-Final engines to meet EU Stage V emission standards. Stage V certification for these engines will be achieved with no changes to customer interface points and with only minimal changes to the DPF, allowing customers to focus on overall improvement of their products. Cat engines and DPF solutions in this range have nearly 170 million hours of proven field performance.

Caterpillar will accept EU Stage V orders for C13, C15 and C18 engines from this month [May] and plan to ship production engines in October. The C13B will be available in 2019.

Dual-label certification – EU Stage V/US EPA Tier 4-Final (and Japan 2014/Korea Tier 4-Final) – will be offered for the C9.3B and all other Cat products in the 250–597kW (335–800hp) power range, allowing customers to develop commonality in products, parts, and service across various regions.