Caterpillar announces new MH3050 material handler

According to Irving, Texas-based construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc., its new next generation MH3050 material handler provides superior performance, proven reliability and premium cab comfort. The company says the machine’s electrohydraulic system optimizes the balance of power and efficiency, improving cycle times to handle more material in the same amount of time and further expands the Cat material handler lineup and offerings for industrial applications.

The material handler is powered by the Cat C9.3B engine, capable of operating on up to B20 biodiesel. Meeting EU Stage V and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 Final emissions standards, the engine’s maintenance-free aftertreatment system is designed to lower operating costs and maximize machine uptime. Users can fine-tune power requirements to the task at hand with the choice between power, smart and economy modes, lowering fuel consumption without sacrificing performance.

Boom and stick offerings combine to provide up to 59 feet, 3 inches of reach, allowing operators to move more material without repositioning the machine. The MH3050 also offers high swing torque to quickly move material.

Allowing the boom to freely travel up and down without using pump flow, Cat’s standard SmartBoom allows the operator to focus on stick and grapple control for a more fuel-efficient cycle. The company says a range of attachments are available, increasing operating flexibility. An optional 25 kilowatt generator is available ex-factory for magnet applications.

The company says standard technologies on the MH3050 can elevate operating protection. E-fence prevents the machine from moving outside operator-defined envelopes, while a Cab Avoidance feature stops any potential contact between the attachment and cab. Cat Payload helps to achieve precise load targets to improve operating efficiency. Users can pick up a load of material with grapple and clamshell attachments and get a real-time weight estimate without swinging. The machine requires a PIN code to start the engine via Operator ID, inhibiting the machine from unauthorized operation.

For safe operation, the MH3050 features large tempered glass windows with small pillars on the reengineered cab design to enhance all-around visibility. Standard right-side and rearview cameras come with an option to upgrade to 360-degree vision, along with the ability to display video feed on the large in-cab touchscreen monitor to further enhance work area visibility. The machine’s thick, laminated high-impact and impact-resistant windshields and roof windows meet EN356, P8B and P5A standards. The machine is also equipped with 1800-lumen LED lights on the chassis, boom and stick, offering greater safety and full visibility while operating in the dark.

There also is a ground-level shutoff switch which stops all fuel to the engine and shuts down the machine. Standard boom and stick lowering check valves prevent reverse oil flow in the event of unexpected loss of hydraulic pressure, always keeping the front linkage in place.

Cat says the MH3050 comes standard with a premium cab, featuring joystick steering to eliminate the steering column and improve forward visibility, legroom and ease of cab entry. All controls are positioned in front of and within easy reach of the operator to avoid unnecessary movements. A large, 10-inch high-resolution touchscreen monitor with jog-dial offers easy navigation of the intuitive operator controls. The machine automatically recalls joystick settings based on the Operator ID, and the hydraulic cab riser with its new dampening system improves all-around visibility and provides cushion from external vibrations.

Cat’s Standard Product Link is designed to capture critical operating data such as location, hours, fuel usage, productivity, idle time, maintenance alerts and fault codes, which can be remotely accessed and tracked to boost fleet management efficiency.

The company says the MH3050 lasts 50 percent longer than previous designs, while the new hydraulic oil filter improves filtration and increases change intervals to 3,000 operating hours. New anti-drain valves keep the hydraulic oil clean during filter replacement, and all fuel filters feature a coordinated 1,000-operating-hour change interval to reduce maintenance requirements. Standard autolube can simplify maintenance by automatically keeping the machine greased from the swing bearing and cab riser to the stick end.

Operators can track filter life and maintenance intervals on the in-cab high-resolution monitor. The company says it is also eliminating the need for operator interaction with the machine’s high-efficiency cooling fan, which features a standard automatic reverse function to keep the cores clean and maximize uptime.

For more information about the new MH3050, contact your local Cat dealer or visit www.cat.com.