New Cat 352 offers more power for bigger jobs

More power and heavier counterweight result in greater production and more profit potential

THE new Cat 352 hydraulic excavator is said to combine more power and a heavier counterweight to work with larger tools, resulting in greater production for more profit potential.

‘Built for big jobs, the 352 delivers unmatched performance in its size class,’ said Brian Abbott, Caterpillar global product manager for large hydraulic excavators. ‘It can be equipped with high-capacity buckets to dig and load tonnes of material in fewer passes or large hammers to work in demanding quarry applications.’

The 51-tonne 352 excavator offers a choice of fixed- or variable-gauge undercarriage. The latter retracts to a 2,390mm (7ft 10in) width, making it much easier to transport. When expanded, it is 150mm (6in) wider than the fixed-gauge undercarriage for greater stability.

Different cab trim level options are available. The Deluxe cab option comes with a heated air-suspension seat, whilst the Premium cab option comes with a heated and ventilated air-suspension seat. Both have a tilt-up left-hand console for easier access and egress. Optional Cat Stick Steer makes for easy excavator manoeuvring with one-hand operation and includes cruise control for even easier traveling.

The 352 features keyless pushbutton start with an available Bluetooth key fob. Engine ignition can also be accomplished through an Operator ID passcode. The unique Operator ID can quickly save and restore joystick button, response, and pattern preferences for individual operators. The high-resolution touchscreen monitor offers quick navigation through machine controls and provides easy access to the digital operator’s manual.

Providing real-time weight estimates without swinging the boom, Cat Payload on-board weighing helps achieve precise payload targets to improve operating efficiency. It can be combined with VisionLink to remotely manage production targets. Cat Swing Assist automatically stops excavator swing at operator-defined setpoints in truck loading, increasing safety and conserving fuel. When using a hammer, auto hammer stop warns operators after 15 seconds of continuous firing and then shuts off the hammer after 30 seconds to prevent unnecessary wear and tear.

The 330kW (443hp) Cat C13B engine and electrohydraulic system is sufficient to efficiently power through difficult materials, whilst auto dig boost increases bucket penetration by 8% when encountering resistance, and auto heavy lift increases lift capacity by 8% when picking up heavy loads. Auxiliary hydraulic options allow the use of a wide range of Cat attachments for greater versatility.

Three engine modes match excavator power to the demands of the job. Smart mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions to lower fuel consumption. Power mode delivers maximum power to meet the most demanding tasks. Eco mode reduces engine speed to a constant 1,500 rev/min to minimize fuel consumption.

The 352 offers reliable performance in virtually any environment. Remote troubleshooting and remote flash let dealers connect with the machine before traveling to a jobsite to diagnose fault codes and update operating software. Product Link automatically collects vital machine operating information such as location, hours, fuel usage, idle time, maintenance alerts, diagnostic codes, and machine health, and shares it through web and mobile applications.

The excavator offers high ambient temperature capability of 52C, cold-start capability at –18C and can work at up to 4,500m above sea level. Prolonging the life of machine components, auto hydraulic warm-up gets the machine to work faster in cold temperatures.

The air intake filter with pre-cleaner features high dust capacity, and a high-efficiency hydraulic fan cools the engine on demand to reduce fuel consumption. Long-life fuel, oil, and air filters combine with synchronized 1,000h oil and fuel filter service intervals to reduce downtime. The extended intervals eliminate labour costs for nine oil and fuel filter changes and parts costs for 27 oil and fuel filters over 10,000 machine operating hours, compared with many competitive models in the same class.