For simplified setup of similar paving projects, Caterpillar has added a new pave start assistant on its large asphalt pavers.
The system, which debuted at World of Asphalt, is available on the new Cat AP600, AP655, AP1000 and AP1055 asphalt pavers. The upgraded pavers also feature Cat's new nomenclature, which drops the letter after the model number.
The pavers also get new screeds: SE50 V, SE50 VT, SE60 V, SE60 V XW or SE60 VT XW.
Pave start assistant records the functioning conditions of both the paver and screed, including paving width, paving speed and tow-point position. When moving to a similar jobsite, the operator activates a previously recorded profile from the display menu, and the system matches machine setup specifications.
“If I’m paving and I like how everything is going, I just press the button to save these settings and give it a name,” says Jon Anderson, global sales consultant, Cat. “When I come back the next day I can select that jobsite, press the go button and it sets everything up.”
Alternatively, operators can use the assistant to input settings at the beginning of a job, save them and recall them at any time, Anderson explains.
Building on the F-Series line, Cat says, the updated pavers offer better material retention and enhanced visibility with standard opposite side mirrors, offering contractors a high return on investment.
Front-mounted extenders on the SE47 FM and SE60 FM screeds can quickly retract when maneuvering around obstacles by drawing material back into the auger chamber.
The standard paving range for the SE47 FM is 8 feet to 20.5 feet, while the SE60 FM provides a 10-foot to 25.5-foot paving range. Optional extension packages, as well as berm attachments, are available.
The pavers can be equipped with an optional height sensor for material monitoring. An indicator light on the operating display allows operators to quickly determine when to continue paving or when to call for more material. When used in tandem with the optional temperature sensor and thermal imaging system, which includes an infrared camera and Global Navigation Satellite System, operators can achieve optimal paving quality, the company says.
A new flashing design on the front of the hopper offers increased temperature resiliency that helps provide better spill prevention, while scrapers on the backside of the hopper help prevent leaks between the hopper wings and engine compartment.
Standard mirrors enable the operator to see the opposite side of the machine, or operators can flip them around to see what's coming behind them.
As the AP600, AP655, AP1000 and AP1055 asphalt pavers don the new Cat trade dress and nomenclature, serial number recognition will be used for parts and service support.
