Caterpillar unveil new 340 UHD excavator
Latest ultra-high demolition excavator offers higher vertical reach and configuration flexibility
BUILT to overcome difficult demolition of tall buildings, the new Cat 340 UHD (ultra-high demolition) excavator boasts a higher pin height (13% more) than the 340F UHD to reach up to eight-floor structures.
The 340 high-reach excavator also comes with more UHD and retrofit boom/stick configurations, along with a range of Cat demolition attachments, delivering increased machine flexibility and maximum machine utilization. This is further enhanced by the 340 unit’s unique coupling system which accommodates switching between two UHD fronts and retrofit booms and sticks, with no special tools, in 15min.
Design updates on the 340 UHD excavator have increased transportation simplicity of the machine. The hydraulically actuated variable-gauge undercarriage, for example, is built to deliver both exceptional stability and efficient transport by offering extended width at 4,000mm which retracts to only 3,000mm with 600mm tracked shoes for transportation.
The UHD machine also features a new one-piece cradle design (compared with the two-piece on the 340F UHD), reducing UHD boom transportation height to less than 3,000 mm. With its fixed undercarriage, the 340 UHD has a reduced transportation height of 3,403 mm – a 117mm reduction compared with the previous F-Series.
The new 340 UHD also allows for sticks configuration with either a Cat CW, S-type or pin grabber coupler to optimize machine versatility and productivity. With two UHD front options available, the 22m front offers a maximum 3.7-ton weight at stick pin and a maximum horizontal reach of 13.55m at stick nose over the front and side of the machine.
Working with a 3.3-ton maximum weight at stick pin, the 25m front offers a 13.33m maximum reach at stick nose over the front and side of the machine. The demolition-spec excavator also matches the line of Cat multi-processors – specifically the MP332 and MP324.
The Stage V-compliant 340 UHD is powered by a 232kW Cat C9.3B engine, which runs on either diesel or biodiesel fuel (up to B20) to meet jobsite requirements. It features three power modes – Power, Smart and Eco – to help operators match the machine performance to the task at hand, while a new efficient, hydraulic, reversing fan cools the engine on demand to help reduce fuel consumption.
For increased productivity and operator comfort, the 340 UHD excavator is equipped with a new premium heated and cooled seat, and a 30-degree tilt-up cab design that provides an optimum line of sight to the work tool when working on high structures.
For enhanced safety, the Cat demolition cab features a falling objects guard structure (FOGS) and includes front and roof laminated glass with a P5A impact rating, and an optional smart 360-degree camera system.
According to Caterpillar, the new 340 UHD comes with the highest level of standard factory-equipped technology for enhanced productivity in the industry. Offering guidance for depth, slope and horizontal distance to grade, the use of Cat Grade (with 2D system) helps operators reach desired grades quickly and accurately.
Utilizing the system’s E-fence feature allows the machine to work safely under structures or near traffic by preventing any part of the excavator from moving outside operator-defined set points.
Standard Cat Product Link technology connects the machine wirelessly to the office, allowing fleet managers to monitor operating data such as location, hours, fuel use, productivity, idle time and diagnostics codes through VisionLink.
Remote Troubleshoot analyses real-time machine data captured by Product Link for diagnostics without impacting machine productivity, whilst Remote Flash ensures the 340 UHD machine is working with the most up-to-date version of on-board software for increased efficiency and performance.
