Innovation is the buzzword for attachments manufacturers, with many creating new ways to make their products as adaptable as possible while also improving the safety and comfort of operators. Daniele Paciotti, product manager at Bobcat Attachments Europe, Middle East & Asia (EMEA), said, "With the increasing versatility of excavators comes the increased frequency of changing attachments. "Switzerland is pioneering the trend for switching from mechanical couplers to hydraulic, with advanced control systems protecting bystanders from unintended release of attachments. This initiative will ultimately lead to the point where fully hydraulic solutions will become the industry standard in regulated countries." Caterpillar has recently launched three new multi-processor models - MP332, MP345 and MP365 - that accept multiple interchangeable jaws for taking on a variety of specialised demolition tasks. Compared with previous models, the new models can cycle 50% faster and generate up to 19% greater cutting/crushing forces, Caterpillar said. The locking system allows a single operator to change jaw types in about 15 minutes or less, using only standard hand tools. Jaw types include concrete cutter, demolition, pulveriser, shear, tank shear and universal for cutting steel and crushing concrete. Most cutting blades can be flipped in two ways, allowing four cutting edges to be used before a replacement is required.
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