Have you ever

This article was published by Ben Hailes on 12 March, 2018

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes 'us' Aussies so innovative? Be it our isolation from the rest of the world, or simple willingness to roll-up our sleeves and get on with the job, we've a reputation for ingenuity.

Such is the solution pictured above, a purpose built 'stretched' Caterpillar D11R Dozer created specifically for the Australian agricultural industry. Alongside other inventions, this machine is not unlike other Aussie innovations such as the Black Box flight recorder or Cochlear implant, in that, it was born out of necessity, in the absence of a tangible solution.

Designed to pull a 10m, 40t blade plough, this Dozer's chassis has been extended 21.5 inches and is fitted with a 3512B engine (better known for driving 150t Caterpillar 785 dump trucks), upgraded torque converter with lockup control, the addition of a second cooling system (installed on top of the ROPS) to cool the transmission and hydraulics, modified precleaners and exhaust pipes as well as removal of all the electronics, thereby simplifying maintenance and addressing the many items that can render equipment unserviceable in the harsh and remote Australian outback. The fifth of such machines produced, this Dozer is set to hit the dirt next month and if it's anything like its siblings, will pull and pull hard all day, all without missing a beat!

As you might imagine, designing and manufacturing such a machine wasn't all smooth sailing and in the early days, it had its fair share of naysayers. Yet, here it is, another Aussie innovation and (I believe it safe to say) machine unique in Australia and the rest of the world. A true market leader and solution for the agricultural sector.

If you know of a machine that warrants attention, drop us a line, we'd love to know more.

This article was originally published by the ComponentsONLY team in the March - April 2018 issue of "@ The Coal Face" magazine.