The new MH3040 material handler features a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and 20 per cent less maintenance costs
Building upon the successful legacy of the M325D L MH model, Caterpillar has unveiled the new Cat MH3040 material handler.
The new machine boasts a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption as well as a 20 per cent reduction in maintenance costs.
With an aging population of M325D L MH machines in scrap and mill yard operations, Cat set out to design its successor for their roster of material handlers.
“There was a gap in our product portfolio where that M325D L MH used to be,” said Brent Uitermarkt, Caterpillar’s worldwide product manager for material handling products.
“That machine was clearly a known machine in the industry for its performance and productivity.”
While the new MH3040 is the successor to the popular M325D L MH, the machine also draws influence from Cat’s recent Next Generation excavators.
“We’re very excited about this machine. It’s built off our trusted new Next Generation excavator platform and comes with all the features and benefits that we have been introduction with those new excavation products,” Uitermarkt said.
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The material handler’s new 202 hp Cat C7.1 engine meets Tier 4 Final emission standards with an aftertreatment system that requires no maintenance or downtime. The MH3040 has a maximum operating weight of 38,529 kg and a maximum reach of 15.5 metres and max height of 17.5 metres.
“You can see from those specs this is a clear replacement of our M325D L MH,” Uitermarkt said.
The MH3040’s boom, sticks and other high-stress areas feature thick, multi-plate fabrications, castings and forgings to withstand wear for years of durable operation. As well, specially designed mountings on the upper frame support the new heavy-duty cab.
“We’ve made some geometry improvements there. Customers can actual load this and haul this without taking the stick off. That saves them significant time and money,” said Matt Santee, Cat’s north American product specialist for material handlers.
Next Gen cab
The MH3040’s larger premium cab design includes sound suppression to reduce operating noise levels inside the cab.
“We’re utilizing our Next Generation excavator cab. We’re taking some of those core designs and improving and building upon that for material handler applications,” Santee said.
“Operators are going to spend 10 to 12 hours a day in this cab, we wanted to make sure it’s going to be as comfortable as possible for them.”
Smaller cab pillars combined with large tempered windows deliver all-around visibility. As well, rearview and right-side cameras are standard, keeping operators aware of their surroundings.
The new joystick machine control also removes the steering wheel column to further improve forward visibility. A tip-up left console allows operators to enter and exit the cab much easier.
The MH3040’s cab also features a 25-cm high-resolution touchscreen monitor with jog-dial for easy navigation of the intuitive operator controls.
Joystick controls are ergonomically located within easy reach to reduce operator fatigue, while joystick settings and preferred power mode are quickly set to a specific user ID via the monitor.
The air suspension seat with headrest, heater and ventilator is designed to comfortably adjust to operators of all sizes.
Smart Mode
The new Smart Mode operation automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to the working conditions, which helps to reduce fuel consumption. Power Mode constantly provides maximum power to optimize productivity. The fuel-efficient engine can run up to B20 biodiesel and offers up to 25 per cent lower fuel consumption than the M325D L MH.
Offering a 12 per cent faster swing speed, the MH3040 reduces cycle times and allows operators to move more material in the same amount of time.
The advanced hydraulic system features valve priority to direct pressure and flow to where it’s needed and delivers a balance of power, efficiency and load control. The handler’s new heavy lift mode boosts lifting capacities and improves controllability. The auto warm-up feature also reduces the time it takes for hydraulic oil warming in cold temperatures to prolong component life.
The flexible MH3040
Offering a maximum 15.5-metre reach, The MH304 is available in multiple configurations.
Customers can choose from a range of work tool attachments in different sizes to meet the site’s material handling and production needs.
The standard 1,800 lumen LED lights on the boom, stick, and cab also allow work in low light conditions. The optional 20 kW generator with wiring to stick nose helps to efficiently power magnet attachments for handling fine ferrous material.
Less maintenance
MH3040 material handler service design changes reduce maintenance costs by up to 20 per cent.
All fuel filters feature a synchronized for 1,000-operating-hour change intervals, and the new air intake filter with pre-cleaner lasts up to 1,000 hours to reduce maintenance requirements.
The MH3040’s new hydraulic oil filter improves filtration and increases change intervals to 3,000 operating hours, a 50 per cent longer service life over the M325D L MH. Furthermore, new anti-drain valves keep the hydraulic oil clean during filter replacement to improve system longevity.
Filter life and maintenance intervals are tracked via the in-cab monitor. Featuring electric drive to operate only when necessary, the high-efficiency cooling fans can be programmed to automatically reverse at set intervals to keep the cores clean without work interruptions. The new right-hand-side service access provides easy access for refueling and engine oil checks.
New to the MH3040 material handler is Cat Product Link, a standard feature that captures 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.
New Remote Flash works around the production schedule to conveniently assure the machine is operating with the most current version of on-board software, so it delivers high performance, maximum efficiency and minimum downtime.
Caterpillar will begin shipping the MH3040 in Canada and the United States in July.
