Cat Invests $125 Million in ADTs

745C is one of biggest product development programs in recent Caterpillar history

Caterpillar invested $125 million and five years of R&D to develop their newest articulated trucks: the 735C, 740C EJ and 745C. They meet Tier 4 Final emission standards but that is just a part of the story. There are new transmissions with expanded electronic control, automatic traction control, automatic retarder control, hill assist and waiting brake systems, and an optional payload weighing system. The end result is lower cost per ton by reducing cycle times, saving fuel, and easing the operator’s work load.

Rated payload capacities for the new models are 36, 42 and 45.2 tons (32.7, 38, and 41 mt), respectively, for the 735C, 740C EJ and 745C.

At the recent launch of the trucks at Tinaja Hills – Cat’s Demonstration and Learning Center south of Tucson, Arizona – Scott Thomas, a Caterpillar application specialist, explained key aspects of the 745C. One point he emphasized was that while the truck may look very similar on the outside to its predecessor, the 740B, it is entirely new. For example, by reducing the weight of the truck, the 745C can carry an extra 1.7 tons (1.5 mt) compared to the 740B. Along with faster cycle times, this truck delivers a significant production increase. (Source: heavyequipmentguide.ca)