|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/30/2003
Posts: 4,920
Location: Melbourne, Australia
|
Photos and information from BrianC.. Komatsu is discontinuing the D575 (Australia) As it is not a production line model and requires a hand built approach to build one. They probably sell 1, 575 for every 20, 475's and so it's not viable to continue taking personnel off the 375 and 475 lines to manufacture the odd one every now and then!!! From everything I've read and heard, the 575 is a flawless machine, shame to hear of it. RE: This is the last 575 to be manufactured globally...... It was delivered to Alcoa site in Pinjarra last week.   Himobo and even Kyosho pieces just went up. Rowan.
1:25th scale CAT 375L excavator
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 7/26/2007
Posts: 1,134
Location: Sweden
|
Aww that is really a sad thing to read. :( Although I have been waiting for it to be honest.
//Niklas Eriksson
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/27/2007
Posts: 2,647
Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta
|
RowanH wrote:From everything I've read and heard, the 575 is a flawless machine, shame to hear of it. I'd have to say, pretty much everything I have heard of them, would place them a fair distance from the flawless category. Nonetheless, it is a shame to see them discontinue the 575. I guess this may prove to some folks that there is no substantial market for that size of dozer, and that the D12 isn't very likely.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/15/2005
Posts: 1,010
Location: U.S.A.
|
Watching them at Princess Beverly more years ago than I can remember, they were staggered like combines in an Iowa cornfield and was a sight to see! Even when they would start to "carry" the overburden would still continue to increase. They were not fast, but they pushed a hell of a big pile over the edge every time! Personally; I wouldn't be surprised if the true reason for their discontinuation (although I can't find any sort of news or press release to confirm this), is simply lack of orders. I would also opine that the ratio of D575 to D475 was more like 50+ to one. Does anyone here know the total production or current population of D575s? I'll ask PG, but he may not answer. As previously mentioned, they certainly weren't flawless by any stretch of the imagination from what I've heard. In West Virginia, I was told stories of major repairs taking sometimes weeks to resolve because of parts having to be fabricated in Japan and then shipped. Dont' take this out of context as I was also informed that when they were working, there was nothing else remotely close when it came to material being moved in a shift. After 20+ years the technology is dated, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a new iteration of something beyond the D475 in 3-7 years and probably diesel-electric "hybrid" at that point.
Please use this before clicking "post"??? You may be surprised with what you see!
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/27/2003
Posts: 1,628
Location: Australia
|
Something that needs to be considered in the potential D12 vs D575 context is if Cat was to introduce a D12 would it be D575 size? Personally i think not and i think a D12 would be more in the 125 ton range and around 1000HP. With ultra class shovels and trucks now becoming the norm and tip heads not changing i see safety rules coming in where trucks will have to tip short of the edge and more dozer pushing being required, if you have ever seen the pile a 400 ton truck leaves in a block tipping or paddock dumping operation and the job a D11 has to knock it down you will know what i mean. The other side of it too is as more autonomous trucks come on line i see them mandating short tipping on dumps with everything having to be pushed over the edge.
I think it would be fair to say if Cat built a D12 it would sell very well and much better than the 575 has and for all the same reasons today the more expensive D11 outsells the D475 by 3 to 1, back up and support, simple as that.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 1/6/2006
Posts: 250
Location: Abingdon, Virginia
|
I was told by a Komatsu salesman three years ago or so that the D-575A had been discontinued. I would still love to see one in person. I have not seen one yet.  Is there many other places Besides West Virginia and Kentucky where these machines have been used? I know I talked to someone a few years back that said that there just wasn't much of a market for these big dozers - the places that could use them was basically places where dozing was the main way of moving material - thus places in WV and KY.  Would a D12 even be worth having/operating? What would such a monster cost? $3 million? $4 million? I'm just asking. I'm just an observer from outside (of the mining industry, etc.) I have learned things from reading and talking to the occasional person I cross paths with. Anybody care to see a life sized version of the giant dozers from the movie Avatar?  The Komatsu D-1675 
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/21/2003
Posts: 728
|
Ah if they are like a 475 which I work on then they won't be too shabby. The OP's don't like the 475 much but they make a decent dump dozer and the power plants is far tougher than a C32.
Certain design features stand out like tilt hose routing through the draft arm makes for a reliable front end.
Never seen a 575 and probably never will.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/27/2007
Posts: 2,647
Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta
|
Gav, the specs for the 575 list an operating weight of 126 tons, so that would place the dozer you suggest squarely into the same size class as a 575........but with 150 fewer ponies under the hood.
With the D11 running right around 115 tons right now, I don't think a 10 ton jump would be that great of an idea if you only propose jumping the HP by 150. That would make it the same weight as a 575, but leave it 150 ponies shy.
Also, a D11 doesn't really have much of an issue pushing 400 ton loads. Spreading a 400 ton load 1 meter thick only takes 5 relatively easy passes. So until they upsize the trucks from 400 tons, I don't see a real need for this size of dozer.
I'm sure they would sell better than the 575 did, but I'm not sure they would be a great seller in the grand scheme of things...........yet. Give it time, and I'm sure a market will develop, but we're not there yet.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/27/2003
Posts: 1,628
Location: Australia
|
From the info i have Brian the D11T CD is around 115 ton (incl SS ripper) and the D11T with U blade and SS ripper is 104, some wear plating no doubt adds to that but i am talking factory weights as they are easier to keep track of. The infamous white Coal & Allied machine that was on display at AIMEX 1991 boasted a weight of 138 tonnes (135 ton) with a SS ripper also.
Most of the 575 we see on the interweb are SD with operating weights a bit higher than that, in the 140 + i would say.
It,s the high dumps that are the issue with putting 650 ton trucks out on them that i see becoming the issue and they have to push those loads down to floor level not spreading a meter layer so it takes them more than 5 passes to achieve that, well the ones i watched last week did anyway.A larger machine than the D11 (D12) would need to be a lot more nimble than a 575 too if you can use the word nimble when it comes to 100 ton + iron!!
Cat would do there usual deal and come out a little conservative on HP & weight to give some room for the next series i reckon, we will see sooner rather than later i reckon.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/27/2007
Posts: 2,647
Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta
|
Gav, my bad! I am on my phone, and never scrolled over to look at the right hand side of the spec sheet page. I guess the 126 ton operating weight is for the bare tractor. The full dressed operating weight is 168 tons. So you're right, it's way heavier.
However, if you look at he Cat spec sheets, they list he D11T operating weight as 115 tons for the regular dozer, and 124 for the CarryDozer.
So I would say, they could split the difference, and run one about 140 tons, and make it about 1000 to 1050 HP, and they may have a machine that folks would have a use for. That may have a better reception like you say, than something as big as the 575. I just never realized they were quite that big.
As for the dumps, it doesn't take much more to shove the whole load across the floor to reach the edge. Trust me, I've pushed many hundreds of thousands of tons that way. As of now, there's no need for a big dozer, but as truck size increases, I can see it.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/13/2012
Posts: 766
|
thats sad, but hopefuly cat will come out with a d12, but i agree, not as many mines are going to spend the money on a dozer that big as often
Nothing runs like a deere with a cat on its back but the link belt ate both of them
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/27/2003
Posts: 1,628
Location: Australia
|
linkbelt290rb wrote:
thats sad, but hopefuly cat will come out with a d12, but i agree, not as many mines are going to spend the money on a dozer that big as often
The way ultra class trucks are selling it is only a matter of time now till Cat bring out a larger dozer. Everything else is moving up in production so the dozer needs to as well.
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/4/2008
Posts: 211
|
CAT would have to completely UPGRADE a SUPER Ultra D11.....(I doubt we will see it called a D12).
We would never fit a 1000 HP donk in that space and don't currently have a compact engine in that range. C140-8 or 3512.....????
|
|
|
Guest |
