Hydraulic shovel moves more material at lower costs

Paul Boughton

Building on the Cat 5110B, the new 6015B Hydraulic Shovel delivers a productivity advantage over other 100-tonne shovels thanks to the most powerful engine in its class, a large standard bucket and payload capacity of 14.6 tonnes. The design translates to fast cycles and a pass match advantage over leading standard-equipped shovels in its class when loading trucks of 55, 65 and 90 tonne capacities.

The 6015B is equipped with a single Cat C27 ACERT engine that provides 606 kW of rated power. As with all hydraulic shovels, the greater the engine power, the greater the digging power and the faster the digging cycles. The large, 8.1-cubic-metre standard bucket, outfitted with Cat C70 hammerless GET, further boosts production capability. With the standard bucket, the 6015B is optimised to fill a Cat 773 truck in four passes, a 775 in five passes, and a 777 in seven passes. These truck models are commonly found in heavy construction, quarry/aggregate and small to mid-size mining operations across the globe.

The 6015B is currently available only in a backhoe configuration.

The 6015B is both powerful and efficient. Caterpillar’s integrated engine control technologies, a boom float feature that regenerates boom oil for reduced engine demand, an oil cooling system that’s independent of engine cooling, and regeneration of swing energy via its closed-loop swing system, all increase fuel efficiency.

Cat automatic flow proportioning technology creates more efficient hydraulic pump utilisation, reduced energy losses and increased fuel savings. Exclusive Cat Proportional Priority Pressure Compensating technology ensures that hydraulic flow is proportional, according to demands, so individual functions—boom, stick, and bucket—are automatically prioritised during simultaneous operations. This aids smooth, efficient operation and controllability. Pressure and flow compensation deliver only as much flow as needed. The result is reduced heat build-up and component wear.  

The operator cab offers large, wide windows, which provide excellent all-around visibility of the work environment, contributing to the operator’s situational awareness during digging, loading and travel. Combined with multiple strategically positioned high-powered lights, and a heavy-duty wiper, good visibility is maintained in both dark and inclement weather conditions.

The cab is pressurised to keep dust out, and the climate control system is fully automatic, allowing for consistent in-cab temperature and operator comfort in any weather conditions. The controls are ergonomic with adjustable joystick console height, independent of the seat, to suit operator preference. And the electro-hydraulic controls provide sure, precise maneuvering.

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