Caterpillar launched its PM620 and PM622 profilers in Melbourne this week, so we headed to the company’s Tullamarine HQ to get a close-up look at the machines whose every system and component has been refined.
The launch comes ahead of a broader plan to bring the F series of profilers and pavers to Australia next year — a move which Cat says shows its commitment to the local paving market.
The PM620 and PM622 are 33-tonne asphalt profilers (also known as cold planers in the US) driven by a 470kW Cat C18 ACERT Engine. The Australian version will be configured to US Tier 3 emissions standards.
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The Cat PM620 profiler on display at Cat HQ in Tullamarine
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The difference between the two models is in the width of the cutting drum: the PM620 has a cutting width of 2m and the PM622 has one of 2.2m. The PM620 is narrow enough to fit the Australian standard heavy vehicle width of 2.5m (once clearance is taken into account), making transport much easier.
At the launch TradeEarthmovers.com.au got to inspect the PM620, which sits on four leg posts with position sensors that automatically adjust their length to keep the machine level at the desired height.
The posts sit on four crawler tracks that can operate independently of one another to avoid slippage, and can also automatically adjust track tension based on the working surface.
In the belly of the beast is the 2.0/2.2m cutting drum. Housed within a wider chamber that Cat says is optimised for high material flow and minimal blockages, the drum’s 178 carbide-tipped cutting bits can reach a cutting depth of 330mm.
The PM620 has a flush side with an adjustable protective plate to allow operators to cut close to buildings and other obstacles.
But a profiler is only as good as its conveyor, says Cat Asia-Pacific sales manager Greg Mumford.
“Really the choke point on any cold planer is the conveyor; the mill can pump out more than the conveyor can,” Mumford says. “So what we’ve done is widened the width of the conveyor, so that we can increase our production.”
The 855mm-wide conveyor can be raised to a height of 5.37m and can swing 60 degrees from centre in either direction. The conveyor folds up to reduce total machine length for transport.
An optional dust abatement system vents dust away from the working area through hoses to keep the conveyor clear.
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The PM620’s engine is easily accessible from the operating platform
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The operator’s environment features a standard Cat LCD touchscreen that displays machine information and gauges, as well as the rear camera feed. The PM620 can also link to Cat’s Grade Control system, with this information displaying here too.
The engine bay is easily accessible via a large, powered engine hood which allows operators to get right in to the engine, simplifying and speeding up the maintenance process.