Cat has paired its D1 dozer with its redesigned HM518 mulching head to create the new Cat D1 Mulcher for clearing small to mid-size brush and trees.
The new mulching machine comes with a high-performance powertrain, closed-loop hydraulics and upgraded screening, the company says. It is able to clear a 72-inch-wide swath on each pass and can handle such tasks as right-of-way construction and maintenance, site development and tree management.
The new mulcher is powered by the 104-horsepower Cat C3.6 diesel engine, which meets Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V emission standards.
The lower sloping hood line improves visibility to the mulching head, allowing the operator to better assess the jobsite. The standard auto-reversing fan purges debris from the radiator and enclosures. The hinged grille requires no tools to access the radiator for cleaning.
The HM518 Mulcher is designed to isolate machine vibration from the operator to reduce fatigue. Its controls are mounted on the air-suspension seat. Inside the pressurized, heated and air-conditioned cab, a 10-inch color touchscreen monitor has a standard reversing camera display. An in-cab drum indicator shows drum speed and direction to help the operator manage ground speed and mulching productivity.
Featuring cladding material in high-wear areas, the new HM518 Mulcher frame offers increased service life. Bolt-on wear plates deliver long wear life and are quickly replaced. Offering a drum speed range of 2,150 to 2,450 rpm, the drum’s 38 fixed teeth feature a single-bolt carbide tooth retention design for simple replacement. Its closed-loop hydraulic circuit includes load-sensing hydraulics to prevent rotor damage when hitting an obstruction. The HM518 Mulcher has a 31-inch maximum lift height, 14.5-inch maximum tilt and 25-degree maximum angle to either side.
Standard sweeps, screens, windows plus rear guard help to protect both the operator and machine when mulching. With its specially designed tractor platform, the D1 Mulcher is balanced and rugged to increase efficiency when operating in challenging applications. Contractors can choose between the conventional (XL) or low-ground-pressure (LGP) undercarriage design, offering 16- or 25-inch track shoe widths, respectively, to increase flexibility and efficiency for working in soft underfoot conditions, on slopes and in rough terrain.
To increase machine versatility, the new D1 Mulcher can be equipped with an optional variable-pitch/angle/tilt (VPAT) blade in XL, LGP or Intermediate configuration.
