Cat are a proven trendsetter and innovator when it comes to heavy duty construction and utility equipment. Cat’s range of heavy machinery has been at the heart of construction projects for decades. Some time ago, the company turned its attention to the waste management industry, particularly the recycling part of the process. Cat has provided the industry with a number of purpose built excavators specialty engineered for shifting, compacting and loading of different types of waste. Their latest creation is the waste handling grapple for hydraulic excavators able to lift anywhere between fifteen and twenty two tonnes of waste in one swing. The new grapple called G315 WH is the addition to Cat’s G3000 series and is specially engineered to handle large volumes of low density waste material such as plastic and foam products.
Company managers say that the G315 grapple is the logical and necessary expansion or continuation of their current work-tool range as there are more and more waste recycling and processing operations requiring high efficiency tools to help them maintain their processing rate. The new grapple is highly efficient and provides operators with a number of essential benefits. For instance, the G315 has an eight hundred litre capacity meaning operators have to do fewer loading passes thus they gain more fuel efficiency of their carriers (the excavator on which the grapple is fitted).
The G315 is also full of new and advanced technical features. The grapple is fitted with mounting adaptable bracket which allows is to be attached and used by different carriers which makes the grapple quite versatile. The grapple’s mounting bracket allows for super quick attachment or detachment and exchange with other Cat work tools. Unlike some other grapples on the market, Cat’s G315 is purpose built for waste handling. That means the tool has low height (for better balance) and its business parts are made of high strength, impact resistant steel. The hydraulic components of the grapple, which facilitate its movement and close/open its jaws are well protected and concealed from contact with the environment making the tool much more robust. The single cylinder hydraulic system also features a special cushioning system and provides powerful force for the grab shells.
The grapple has a fast cycle time (the time it takes to grab the load, transfer the load and release the load), this is made possible by using a load holding valve. As mentioned above, the grapple’s essential mechanics and hydraulics are concealed under protective plating, the machine also features new lubrication lines and hardened pins – greatly increasing its durability. The G315 has the ability to rotate (hydraulically) three hundred and sixty degrees. The full circle capacity means operators don’t have to move the carrier as much as the grapple is able to swivel and grab loads from virtually anywhere around it. The specific design of the closed, flat grapple shells (jaws) allows for maximum accessibility to material. Maintenance on the G315 is made quick and easy as Cat have placed maintenance panels in strategic spots, allowing quick access to key components of the machine.
