Hydraulic hammers are versatile work tools that can extend the usefulness of skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders and excavators.
New hydraulic hammers H190S and H125S have been added to the Cat hammer line-up, offering many features and high levels of technology that delivers greater productivity on site.
The new hammers cover Cat 349-395 excavators with carrier weight ranging from 45t to 120t, fulfilling the hammer need for the large excavators like the 374 and 395.
These hammers are simple to operate and require less time on service which, in turn, boosts site productivity.
The hammer hits with consistent power and can be switched between blow frequency and power to best suit different applications and improve efficiency.
“Quarrying is very typical application for hydraulic hammers, it requires the hammer to work much longer than other demolition or construction work,” Caterpillar Australia work tools consultant, global construction and infrastructure, Asia Pacific Jason Zhang told Quarry.
“The hammers are required to perform primary or secondary breaking at a quarry site all day, every day. Therefore, hammer durability and performance is key,” he explained.
“CAT large performance series hammers tests showed 37 per cent more productivity than competitors.
“This keeps hammer operation costs low (and is) also vital for quarry customers – CAT large performance hammers lowered operation costs by 18 per cent lower versus our competitors,” Zhang added.
Key features and benefits
The power adjust feature on H190S and H215S hammers allows operators to manually adjust the power of the breaker for different materials and applications.
The long stroke has less piston frequency, resulting in higher impact power and productivity. This makes it ideal for harder materials and strenuous applications.
Alternatively, the short stroke has higher piston frequency which results in less impact power, making it is best for lighter applications.
This allows the operators to determine the desired piston speed based on the materials and applications to increase the productivity and efficiency while lowering the fuel consumption.
Specifically for quarrying operations, “this power adjust function will allow the customer to adjust the hammer breaking power to suit hard rock breaking (high power, low impact frequency) or soft rock like lime stone by low power high impact frequency – which will give customer the best productivity from hammering work,” Zhang said.
The hammers also offer an overflow protection function. This function is performed by the internal restrictor valve in the hammer, which detects the overflow of hydraulic oil from the excavator.
It limits and adjusts the oil flow to the hammer. This feature prevents the over speeding of the piston and avoids costly damages and rebuilds, reducing operating costs.
The automatic shut off (ASO) feature on H190S and H215S hammers offers protection against blank firing by stopping the piston from cycling internally when there is no material under the tool.
Eliminating blank firing helps protect the hammer from premature damage by reducing internal stresses and heat and this helps to lower overall hammer ownership and operating costs.
Additionally, ASO will protect rental fleet hammers where operator skill level and expertise can vary. This feature can be easily set to on or off in the field.
The hammers are also protected by the auto stop feature. This feature warns the operator when the hammer is hammering for too long in one spot.
A warning message will pop up on the screen after 15 seconds of permanent hammer activation and, after exceeding 30 seconds, the hammer will automatically stop. This prevents premature damage to the hammer and machine, even with an inexperienced operator.
A hammer mounted auto lube system is a standard offering in the hammers. This auto lube system provides continual greasing while the hammer runs.
The hammers are also configured with the oil-fired design to ensure less waste is generated in internal heat, providing more power to the tool which delivers efficient operating cycle and consistent production over time.
Effortless maintenance
The Cat H190S and H125S hammers offer easy maintenance. All the daily checks and routine service can be performed while the hammer is attached to the machine.
Easy and quick access to critical lubrication points and all other maintenance areas ensures the hammers are ready to operate at their peak and helps to reduce maintenance costs over the life of the tool.
Service of the lower bushing can be carried out in the field using simple hand tools and the bushing is rotatable to 90 degrees which doubles the life. This reduces the overall service time and lowers the cost of ownership and operating costs.
The hammers are designed to keep the gas pressure steady through the duration of the annual service interval, eliminating the need to constantly check the gas charge.
The gas charge of the hammer can also be verified without removing it from the carrier.
A buffer system is fitted inside the hammer housing to protect the carrier from potentially damaging reflective forces. The system also helps to reduce vibration to the machine, improves noise suppression, and aids hammer durability.
Overall, the Cat hammer portfolio is configured to ensure that they prioritise safety and offer best choices that are suited for all customer needs while delivering efficient productivity and durability.
For Zhang, the biggest stand out features of the H190S and 215S hammers is the “next generation Cat hammer, power adjust, and auto lube standard,” he said.
Likewise, the “PL161 attachment locator standard for these hammers (is a) perfect match with Cat next general excavators,” he added.
The “PL161 attachment locator will record the hammer running time and send back data through product link, which will give the customer clear information how the hammer is performing.”
For more information visit your local Cat dealer.
This feature first appeared in the July issue of Quarry.