Top marks and high grades

New High-Performance Circle features for Cat® 140, 150 and 160 Motor Graders increases performance, lowers total cost of ownership and improves drawbar durability.

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Through the years, Caterpillar has revolutionised the operation of motor graders with the introduction of joystick controls and a suite of advanced machine control and technology solutions delivering enhanced operability and boosting productivity.

One of the features, Cat's new High-Performance Circle (HPC) option, has owners and operators around the world excited.

Caterpillar Product Specialist, Darren Hodge, looks back at traditional Motor Grader design and past developments that has led to this new innovation.

“As we know, Motor Graders spread and shape materials to a curvature and elevation design typically in road construction and maintenance,” he said.

“The drawbar, circle and moldboard (DCM) is the prime work tool to complete these works.”

The DCM has many linkages and moving parts to position the DCM in a multitude of positions for precision grading to design.

The DCM can be lifted and lowered to control blade finish elevation, the blade can slide left to right for greater reach, and it also can be tilted fore and aft to assist the material rolling action for easier spreading.

The main drawbar pivots within the main frame for greater reach in cutting ditches and side, high bank slopes.

The circle can be rotated to maintain desired blade angle up to 360 degrees but typically 0 to 50 degrees depending on blade loads.

“In all, there are up to 10 linkages, ball joints, couplings, sliding surfaces and gears to complete these operations that all require wear tolerance maintenance, consuming expensive time, labour and parts to maintain,” Darren said.

“A well-maintained DCM structure will ensure long life and durability of the components and ensure wear between parts is kept to a minimum; this ensures blade elevation position remains stable for accurate surface elevation finish.