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How to Set Up Cat® Mini Excavator
Ease of Use Features
New technologies make it easier than ever to get the results you want on the job. Learn more about how to set up Cat® mini excavator Ease of Use features.
CAITLIN MADDOCK-BAHR | Social Media & Digital Strategy Manager
Caterpillar designed the Ease of Use suite of features for mini excavators to make the machines easier to use, more accurate and more efficient. If you’re considering upgrading the technology on your construction, landscaping or agriculture equipment, you should know that setting up Ease of Use is easy. I sat down with Caterpillar Senior Product Engineer Gregory Worley to get the scoop on how to set up these features on your mini excavator.
What are the Cat mini excavator Ease of Use features?
There are two features in the Ease of Use suite — Indicate and E-fence. Indicate is an entry-level grade control system that sets boundaries for grading, digging footage, drainage and other tasks. E-fence allows operators to work safely in tighter areas by limiting the range of motion of the swing boom on a mini excavator. While these features currently come standard for the Cat 306 CR, 308 CR and 309 models, more Cat mini excavators will soon be adaptable to the technology.
How do you set up Ease of Use on a mini excavator?
If your mini excavator is compatible with the Ease of Use suite, it takes less than four hours to have the hardware installed on your machine at your Cat dealership. That’s an important point for anyone concerned about being without an essential piece of equipment for a long period of time. The system is designed to be as straightforward as possible, so you can upgrade the technological capabilities of your machine with minimal downtime.
Once installed, operating Ease of Use features is easy, even for operators with little experience using them. Both E-fence and Indicate are operated from the cab with a Next Generation Advanced Monitor touchscreen menu, which is about the size of a tablet. For example, if you’re digging for drainage, you can reach grade faster using Indicate by setting your required length, depth, grade and offset. The touchscreen features a color-coded display to show your bucket position relative to the project design.
“You can pay $30,000 to get water to flow in a different direction, or you can use this system and get water to flow in the correct direction for a fraction of the cost,” says Greg. “The system is as accurate as you want to be.”
Setting up Ease of Use for agriculture applications
When it comes to farming, your mini excavator is basically a maintenance machine that helps manage drainage. When it’s time to build bridges and dig ditches, you have the tool to finish the task. Ease of Use technology is an affordable way to better prepare sites and use fewer people to do it.
Finding laborers to work on a farm can be difficult. With Indicate, you can grade land and measure without having to get out of your machine or have the help of a second person to hold a grade rod.
“It’s the best tape measure you’ll ever have in your toolbox,” Greg notes.
Getting a return on your investment
Grade control and zone protection are critical features for jobsite efficiency. The faster you can complete jobs and meet deadlines while also minimizing accidents and expensive damage, the more successful your operation will be.
Want more info on Ease of Use features? Check out our handy guide to all things Ease of Use.
CAITLIN MADDOCK-BAHR
Social Media & Digital Strategy Manager
Caitlin Maddock-Bahr exercises her storytelling expertise as a social media & digital strategy manager. In this role, she not only helps Caterpillar connect with their audience, but helps customers connect with the brand.
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