Caterpillar is aiming to deliver a productivity boost to the mining, quarry and heavy construction industries with its new 6015B face shovel which is designed to move more material at a lower cost than any other in its class.
Building on the standards set by the 5110B, the 140-tonne Cat 6015B hydraulic shovel has an 8.1-cubic-metre bucket with a payload of 14.5 tonnes as standard.
Currently only available in a backhoe configuration, the 6015B is capable of a dig depth of over 7 metres and has a reach of over 13 metres.
The shovel is powered by a single Tier 4 Final-compliant Cat C27 ACERT engine pushing out 813 horsepower (606kW). This increased engine power and the bucket size mean more digging cycles, more often, Cat says.
Along with the increase in power, fuel efficiency has received a boost as well. A boom float feature regenerates boom oil, and the oil cooling system is independent from engine cooling, meaning reduced wear on the engine and more efficient use of oil.
The boom also regenerates swing energy via its closed-loop swing system.
Cat says its automatic flow proportioning technology creates more efficient use of hydraulic pumps by ensuring hydraulic flow is proportional to the task being performed. Individual functions such as boom, stick and bucket are automatically prioritised during simultaneous operations, reducing heat build-up and component wear.
Safety and operator comfort have also been prioritised in the 6015B’s design. The face shovel has numerous walkways for safe movement around the machine and an optional 45-degree powered stairway.
All daily maintenance and service points are accessible from ground level, and the machine has quick couplings for grease and diesel fuel lines.
The pressurised operator’s cab is fitted with large windows, automatic climate control and a joystick which is fully adjustable and independent of the seat height controls.
High-powered lights and a heavy-duty wiper ensure visibility can be maintained when working at night or in bad weather.
As with other Caterpillar machinery, the 6015B connects to many of Cat’s proprietary site management technology solutions such as MineStar and VIMS.