Caterpillar has introduced the latest model of its motor grader designed for small-to-medium-sized mining operations with improvements in just about every area of operation that count.
Built for building and repairing mine haulage roads where 150-ton trucks or smaller are run, the 71,454-pound 16M3 features a 16-foot moldboard and is powered by a Cat C13 ACERT engine. The Tier 4 Final power plant provides between 290 and 348 horsepower.
Fuel consumption is reduced through the use of a new standard ECO mode which optimizes engine speed up to 1,900 rpm in working gears. When selected by the operator, the mode is capable of reducing fuel usage between 4 and 5 percent. Also contributing to more fuel-efficient operation is an engine control system feature which “provides consistent power to the ground by continually adjusting the engine to compensate for power losses to the cooling fan,” Cat says.
The C13 is paired with a direct-drive power-shift transmission with eight forward and six reverse gears. Now standard is an automatic differential lock to the modular trans-axle which assists during manual control to ensure appropriate locking and unlocking to prevent damage and provide optimum traction and maneuvering.
The 16M3 also features nearly 15-percent greater dynamic braking torque at the rear tandems, achieved by enlarging both the brake disc diameter and the piston area. A new manual brake wear indicator simplifies disc wear measurement, eliminating having to remove the brake pods to check wear.
Cat also beefed up the machine’s structure. The highly-loaded, center-shift section is now a heavy-duty steel casting, the hitch plates are 50 percent thicker and the rear frame was lengthened, incorporating two bumper castings for added counterweight.
