Pipeline Product Expo: Hydraulic Excavators
The November/December issue of North American Oil & Gas Pipelines took a look at the top hydraulic excavators for the oil and gas pipeline sector in North America.
CASE Construction Equipment CX350D Excavator
The CX350D is designed to provide significant operational gains over previous models, including cycle times up to 12 percent faster, improved responsiveness and multifunctional control, and up to 14 percent greater fuel efficiency. With an operating weight of 82,483 pounds, the CX350D features a 268 horsepower Tier 4 Final diesel engine and up to 56,157 foot-pounds of bucket digging force.
As part of the CASE D Series lineup, the CX350D offers more standard features than any previous CASE excavator, simplifying the buying process and making the machine extremely versatile and operator friendly. CASE D Series excavators meet Tier 4 Final emissions standards through an innovative combination of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (CEGR), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) technologies, which helps maximize uptime and performance — all with minimal maintenance.
The entire CASE D Series lineup is covered under CASE ProCare, a suite of product assurances that includes a three-year Advanced CASE SiteWatch telematics subscription, a three-year/3,000-hour full-machine factory warranty, and a three-year/3,000-hour planned maintenance contract. ProCare allows business owners to invest in new equipment while helping to make owning and operating costs predictable for the first three years of lease or ownership.
For more information, visit CaseCE.com.
Caterpillar 349F L, 336F L Excavators
The Cat 349F L and 336F L are the most common excavators used in mainline pipeline construction right now, due mainly to the large diameter pipe projects that have started this year and will continue for the next couple of years. These machines are built to keep production numbers up and owning and operating costs down.
The 349F L has a Cat C13 ACERT engine that meets U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards, giving you all the power, fuel efficiency and reliability you need to succeed. Where the real power comes in is through the hydraulic system. You can literally move tons of material all day long with a great deal of speed and precision. Controllability is one of the main attributes of Cat excavators and a core feature that differentiates from other brands.
The main control valve opens slowly when your range of joystick lever movement is small and opens rapidly when movement is high. It puts flow where you need it and when you need it, which leads to smoother operation, greater efficiency, and lower fuel consumption. Add in a quiet operator environment that keeps you comfortable and productive, ground-level service points that make your routine maintenance easy and multiple Cat work tools that help you take on a variety of jobs, you experience much more than just the engine power under the hood — it’s a core strength that differentiates Cat machines from other brands.
For more information, visit PLMcat.com.
Doosan DX350LC-5 Crawler Excavator
Doosan DX350LC-5 crawler excavators provide exceptional fuel efficiency to help owners reduce operating costs. For example, a Tier 4-compliant 318-hp DX350LC-5 crawler excavator has a 10 percent fuel savings from the equivalent Tier 3 model. For further fuel savings, auto shutdown helps owners save fuel during non-working conditions. When enabled, the feature will shut down the excavator’s engine after a preset idle time. For example, the operator can configure the idle time from 3 to 60 minutes.
In addition to auto shutdown and LCD screen updates, Doosan DX350LC-5 crawler excavators have the following features: Ease of maintenance for uptime protection, auto belt tensioner — fan and air conditioning, anti-skid plates for better traction on steps and other walking surfaces, easy access to the emergency engine stop, battery and alternator upgrades to minimize downtime and an angled floor pedal for improved operator comfort.
Doosan DX350LC-5 excavators are ideally suited for the pipeline industry with a maximum digging depth of 24 ft, 8 in. and a maximum reach of 35 ft, 11 in. at ground level. The machines come standard with Doosan Telematics to monitor the following: fleet status, machine location, operating hours, fuel usage and more.
For more information, visit DoosanEquipment.com.
John Deere 470G LC Excavator
The John Deere 470G LC Excavator is the latest member of the production-class equipment lineup to be updated to meet emissions standards and to incorporate a bevy of customer-inspired and productivity-boosting features. The 367-hp model now comes fully loaded with an EPA Final Tier 4 13.5L diesel engine, a comfortable and spacious cab, as well as an enhanced LCD monitor with simplified navigation. In addition, optional 2D/3D grade guidance sensor-mounting brackets enable customers to install an aftermarket grade-control system.
A stalwart in the John Deere line of G-Series excavators, the production-class model offers simplified maintenance options, with such features as a battery disconnect switch, spin-on fuel filters and two additional water separators to maintain long fuel filter life. The 470G LC’s DPF can go up to 15,000 hours before ash removal, and, like its counterparts, engine and hydraulic oil sample ports allow for quick and convenient, proactive maintenance checks.
The excavator includes smart features, such as an engine/hydraulic-management system with multiple productivity modes, enabling operators to balance engine performance and hydraulic flow for predictable operation. With Ultimate Uptime featuring John Deere WorkSight, owners receive predelivery and follow-up inspections and five years of JDLink telematics, machine health prognostics and remote diagnostics and programming capability.
For more information, visit JohnDeere.com.
Kobelco SK300LC-10
The revolutionary Kobelco SK300LC-10 establishes new standards in value, productivity and durability. This robust 68,100-lb model is powered by a 252-hp Tier 4 Final HINO engine, enabling it to easily tackle heavy-duty applications and remain as one of the most powerful and fuel efficient excavators in its class.
The SK300LC’s engine incorporates a Selective
Catalytic Reduction system with Diesel Particulate Filters, which converts NOx into harmless nitrogen and water emissions; the dual system ultimately minimizes Diesel Exhaust Fluid and decreases NOx emissions by
88 percent, while providing the lowest possible operation costs.
The trendsetting SK300LC delivers a dynamic bucket digging force of 37,300-lbf to achieve leading-class work volume, even while minimizing fuel consumption. Much of this boost in efficiency comes from a new hydraulic regeneration system, which aids the arm by reusing force generated by the boom, to further minimize energy loss and ensure outstanding performance.
The new unit provides ample power to lift the heaviest of loads and the rugged construction to stay safe while you follow through. A higher boom foot cross-section, thicker arm-foot base plate and stronger foot bases are provided for added reinforcement. Additionally, a redesigned boss shape and boom foot improve overall stability while evenly distributing digging forces for optimum durability.
For more information, visit Kobelco-USA.com.
Volvo PL4809E Rotating Pipelayer
The new PL4809E rotating pipelayer from Volvo is built upon a unique excavator-based platform that offers greater productivity and versatility as compared to traditional sideboom-dozer-type pipelayers. The PL4809E is equipped with the latest D13J Tier 4 Final engine, boasting higher horsepower, increased torque and hydraulic flow, and improved fuel efficiency for better performance at lower operating cost versus the preceding D-Series model.
The excavator-based platform provides 360-degree swing capacity, which reduces positioning time when laying pipe. This versatile machine can also be converted into a standard excavator in as little as 4.5 hours, and hydraulics are perfectly matched to both lifting and digging, ensuring no loss in power for either application. Able to work across rugged terrain and slopes up to 35 degrees, it can be easily transported around job sites without having to disassemble the boom or counterweight. The Load Management System also enables operators to monitor slope inclinations, boom angle, orientation and load to provide ensure safe working load.
With grouped filters and greasing points, as well as remote monitoring via CareTrack — Volvo’s telematics system — the PL4809E is incredibly easy to maintain and is supported by Volvo’s extensive global
dealer network.
For more information, visit VolvoCE.com/na.
Tags: Case, cat, Doosan, John Deere, Kobelco, November December 2016 Print Issue, Volvo
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