Cat debuts MH3040 material handler for scrap yard operations

Caterpillar, Peoria, Illinois, has plans to release a new wheeled material handler for North American scrap yard and mill operations in July. Cat’s new MH3040 wheeled material handler is an update on the company’s M325D L MH model, which debuted in 2015. 

Cat says the new material handler offers a maximum 50.8-foot reach, with multiple configurations available for customer needs. Customers can choose from a range of work tool attachments in different sizes to meet their site’s needs. The material handler’s boom sticks and other high-stress areas feature thick multiplate fabrications, castings and forgings to withstand applications in scrap yard and mill operations. Cat says specially designed mountings on the upper frame support the heavy-duty cab. 

Brent Uitermarkt, global product manager at Cat, says the MH3040 is very similar to the M325D L MH model.

Caterpillar

“[The M325D L MH] was known for its performance and productivity” in scrap yard and mill operation applications, he says. “We had continued to dialogue with that customer base with their M325D L MH machines. We wanted a new solution for them as their machines aged to help them continue to support operations.” 

The MH3040 model has a 151-kW Cat C7.1 engine that meets Tier 4 Final emission standards. Cat says its new MH3040 wheeled material handler features a fuel-efficient engine that can run up to B20 biodiesel and is about 25 percent more fuel efficient than its predecessor model. Additionally, Cat reports that the MH3040 features about 12 percent faster swing speed than the M325D L MH model, which helps to reduce cycle times. 

The machine’s advanced hydraulic system includes valve priority to direct pressure and flow where it’s needed to deliver a good balance of power, efficiency and load control. The handler also has a new heavy lift mode that boosts lifting capacities and improves controllability. Also, an auto warm-up feature helps to reduce the amount of time it takes for hydraulic oil warming in cold temperatures to prolong component life. 

Cat says the new MH3040 model was tested at Hitchcock Scrap Yard in Canton, Illinois, which has about 50 employees and handles about 10,000 tons of scrap in a month. Michael Hitchcock, owner of Hitchcock Scrap Yard, says the yard tested four MH3040 and also has operated the M325D L MH model. He says the new material handler is secure and steady as well as fuel efficient, adding that it can go two days without fueling. 

While the MH3040 model is currently geared toward scrap yard and mill operations, Cat says it plans to release related models for other markets in 2021.

Cab comfort

Cat says it designed the MH3040 cab to be comfortable and flexible. The MH3040 cab includes sound suppression to reduce operating noise. New joystick machine control removes the center steering wheel column to improve forward visibility. Also, rearview and right-side cameras come standard in the material handler. 

Caterpillar

The machine comes with a 10-inch high-resolution touchscreen monitor with jog-dial to offer easy navigation of operator controls, according to Cat. 

Additionally, a premium air suspension seat with headrest, heater and ventilator is designed to comfortably adjust to the operator’s size. 

Material handler maintenance

The MH3040 material handler service design changes reduce maintenance costs by about 20 percent when compared with the M325D L MH model. The machine’s fuel filters feature a synchronized 1,000-operating-hour change interval, and the new air intake filter with precleaner lasts up to 1,000 hours. New anti-drain valves on the machine keep the hydraulic oil clean during filter replacement to improve system longevity. Additionally, the model’s hydraulic oil filter change intervals are 3,000 operating hours, which is a 50 percent longer service life when compared with the M325D L MH model. 

The material handler comes with Cat Product Link 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.