Cat said its new 16M3 motor grader features engineering enhancements that boost fuel economy, increase structural durability, simplify maintenance, add operator convenience, and promote the safety of both the operator and those around the machine. The 16M3 has a 16-ft (4.9-m) moldboard and an average operating weight of 71,454 lb (32,411 kg). The motor grader is optimally sized for mining operations using 150-ton (136-mt) or smaller trucks.
The 16M3 features a Cat C13 ACERT engine with Optimized Variable-Horsepower system, which provides net power ratings from 290 to 348 hp (216 to 259 kW). The engine is available in three configurations: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 Final/European Union Stage IV/Japan 2014 (Tier 4 Final); Tier 3/Stage IIIA/Japan 2006 (Tier 3) equivalent; and Tier 2/Stage II/Japan 2001 (Tier 2) equivalent. A new ECO mode, standard for Tier 2 equivalent and Tier 4 engines, is designed to improve fuel economy by optimizing engine speed to 1,900 rpm in working gears when possible with no compromise in performance. This operator-selected feature delivers fuel savings estimated to be as much as 4%–5%. An additional engine control system feature provides consistent power to the ground by continually adjusting the engine to compensate for power losses to the cooling fan.
The Cat direct-drive, power-shift transmission, with eight forward and six reverse gears, incorporates the Cat Advanced Productivity Electronic Control Strategy (APECS) system, designed to smooth gear changes and promote productivity. The modular trans-axle now has a standard automatic differential lock, which ensures appropriate locking/unlocking for optimum traction and maneuvering, thus averting possible damage from ill-timed manual control.
The 16M3 front frame, hitch area and rear frame have been designed to ensure durability. The center-shift section is now a heavy-duty steel casting, and the rear frame is lengthened, incorporating two bumper castings for added counterweight, with hitch plates (at the articulation joint) 50% thicker than those of the 16M. The longer frame improves machine balance and steering control and provides easier access for routine maintenance.
Advanced Control joysticks (a retrofit option) enhance control of the Cat Grade Control Cross Slope or AccuGrade systems and also have provision for auxiliary-hydraulic control. Also standard for the 16M3 is the Caterpillar Vital Information Management System (VIMS), which provides vital machine information to support production and planning.
Key service intervals have been extended for the 16M3: engine air filter and pre-cleaners have twice the life, compared with the 16M, and service intervals for the main hydraulic, pilot and transmission filters have doubled from 500 hours to 1,000 hours when SOSSM sampling and Cat filters are used. In addition, transmission/rear-axle fluid-change intervals are extended from 1,000 hours to 2,000 hours with SOS sampling.
The 16M3 also uses a new modular cooling package, which facilitates removal and installation of components in the cooling system, providing an estimated time saving of 20% compared with the 16M. A durable metallic fuel tank is modular in design and can be serviced with fast-fill fuel systems delivering up to 150 gpm (567.8 liters per minute).
