Earthmoving contractor Fechner Brothers has found Cat® FirstCut™ Cutting Edges to be a game changer for its dozer
Dozer operators are bound to come across tough-to-penetrate materials, such as compacted, rocky or frozen soils, so it’s important that when they do, they’re well equipped to push past them.
Cat FirstCut™ Cutting Edges, which slice through materials rather than using unnecessary force to break them up, is an ideal solution.
Compatible with D6-D8 dozers equipped with Semi-U (SU) blades, Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges are designed with a sharpened and forward-protruding digging angle, providing a cleaner cut.
Cat® dealer, Hastings Deering, adds that Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges reduce the need for ripping because they slice the materials as the blade passes through.
Made from DH-3 steel, Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges have an increased wear life and breakage resistance compared to standard Cat options.
This type of steel also eliminates the need for mid-life flips, resulting in reduced downtime and operating costs.
“As the standard cutting edges wear out, they need to be pulled off and flipped upside down,” Hastings Deering aftermarket solutions consultant Mitchell Vella says.
“However, Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges are made from a harder metal with a more aggressive cut, where there’s no need for mid-life flips.”
As an edge eventually wears, operators can identify when it needs replacing through the integrated wear-life indicator.
Specific grooves are designed on the side of the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges, notifying the operator how long is left before it starts wearing into the blade structure.
In addition to the productivity benefits, Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges are also suited for final trimming due to the level cut that they provide.
For earthmoving contractor Fechner Brothers this ground engaging tool has been a gamechanger on its Cat D6R XL dozer.
Fechner Brothers
Servicing the Scenic Rim Region of South-East Queensland, earthmoving contractor Fechner Brothers has been family-owned since 1962.
Run by Steven Fechner, the company specialises in a multitude of areas, including constructing and maintaining dams, drains, soil conservation works, excavations and levelling, as well as carparks and roads.
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Steven has been using the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges on his D6R XL dozer and has been blown away by the product – he couldn’t be a bigger endorser.
“My immediate thought was just wow,” he says.
“It blew me out of the water how productive and how easy it was to use.”
Working with hardened clay-based soil, the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges proved critical to slicing through the material.
“It’s the only edge that will carve out this hard clay, like butter,” he says.
“At this stage, there’s nothing that comes close to FirstCut in terms of its dig ability.”
Further emphasising its productivity capabilities, he says the dozer is now pushing approximately 11-15 per cent more dirt when using the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges.
“It’s ridiculous how productive it is, I feel like I’m doing the work of two dozers with the Cat FirstCut,” Steven says.
“It’s the first time in a long time that dozing has made me smile.”
Due the forward-protruding digging angle of Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges, Steven has been able to reduce his fuel consumption by nine per cent.
This is because the machine is slicing through the soil rather than pushing, which Hasting Deering’s Vella says is more beneficial for the dozer.
“With Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges, Steven’s dozer doesn’t have to push as hard, so it’s not overworking,” Vella says.
“The product also allows dirt to funnel in towards the blade, capturing more material with a reduced fuel burn – leading to increased productivity.”
Hastings Deering
When Steven first approached the Hastings Deering team, he had some initial queries about how Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges would be fitted onto his dozer.
This is because he already had a stick rake attachment, so the Hastings Deering team got to work and made some slight modifications to ensure that the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges would work well with the existing setup.
“At Hastings Deering, it’s not just about giving the customer a product,” Vella says.
“It’s about really supporting the customer to ensure the product is supporting their overall business.”
Steven can attest to this, having been a long-standing Hastings Deering customer.
“You can’t go wrong with Hastings Deering,” he says.
“I like the products, support and the people, it’s the whole package.”
For more information on the Cat FirstCut Cutting Edges, visit www.hastingsdeering.com.au