The Cat® 988 Wheel Loader has worked in global quarry, mining, industrial and construction applications since 1963, and the present 988H field population numbers nearly 4,000 units. Included in that tally are 600-plus machines with more than 20,000 hours, and more than 150 machines exceeding 30,000 hours-proof of the 988H’s strength in design.

Building on this 988 legacy, Caterpillar has now introduced an updated 988H, which blends the best of its predecessor’s qualities with up to 10 percent greater fuel-efficiency and new features that boost production, lower costs, enhance the operator’s environment and further advance the 988’s legendary durability and reliability. The refined design of the latest 988H, combined with the strength of the Cat dealer network, provides uncommon value for the customer.

Updates
Included in the updated 988H package is the new Positive Flow Control (PFC) implement hydraulic system, designed to boost loading performance and save fuel. Complementing the PFC system are redesigned buckets, which load easier and increase fill factors, plus loader-linkage changes that add breakout power.

Modifications in the braking system improve retarding capabilities and extend brake life, while new fuel-management features increase fuel-saving potential. To further refine loading efficiency, the optional Payload Control System has increased accuracy, is more robust in design and easier to calibrate.

For the operator’s comfort, convenience and safety, cab sound levels are significantly reduced and a new electro-hydraulic implement pod reduces operator effort and fatigue. Hinged mirrors allow safer access for windshield cleaning, and an optional heated seat and new radio options (Bluetooth, Auxiliary, MP3 and Satellite) mean greater operator comfort.

Loading power and fuel-efficiency
The Positive Flow Control hydraulic system uses a new electronically managed, variable-displacement pump that works with an integrated solenoid valve with force feedback to precisely manage oil flow. The PFC system assures that pump displacement is always precisely matched to loading conditions. The system regulates oil flow in proportion to lever stroke, improving hydraulic response and creating an overall hydraulic efficiency that results in less heat and decreased fuel use.

A 5,000-psi (34 500-kPa) pressure boost in the boom-lift circuit increases bucket-breakout force, and a regeneration valve on the linkage assures positive cylinder response. The 988H update also offers a new Performance Series bucket line that retains material more effectively and provides increased fill factors (volume loaded, versus rated capacity). The buckets have a wider throat, longer floor and improved setback angle.

The 988H update highlights three programmable fuel-saving features: the Fuel Management System (FMS); Auto Idle Kickdown (AIK); and Idle Shutdown.

The FMS, which has been standard on the 988H since June 2007, allows customers to set machine parameters to match production demands. This is accomplished through three modes of operation-Full Power mode (FMS not engaged), Balanced mode and Maximum Fuel Saving mode. By choosing either the Balanced or Maximum Fuel Saving mode, the operator can set the machine to automatically reduce engine speed and hydraulic flow when the 988H is outside its dig segment, adding to potential fuel savings by up to 15 percent.

New for the 988H update is the AIK feature. If the 988H is not being actively operated for a period of time, the AIK system will temporarily reduce engine speed to save fuel. The system automatically resumes engine speed to the previous setting when the operator engages the implement control pod or the F-N-R switch or the STIC Steer. The Idle Shutdown feature, also new for the 988H update, automatically shuts down the engine after the machine has been in a safe idling state for an extended time. The operator receives an in-cab audible/visual warning before the engine shuts down.

The optional Payload Control System (PCS) 3.0 is a new on-the-go weighing system that helps the 988H operator fill each truck with an accurate payload-typically to within ± 1 percent. The new system requires calibration only once per year and provides a simpler interface and an intuitive graphic display. PCS 3.0 can record details-material, date, time, number of passes and ticket number-for up to 1,000 truckloads and can identify up to 50 trucks.

Safety and operator amenities
In the cab of the new 988H, laminated glass is used in the rear window and both rear side windows. The laminated windows have two panes of glass separated by an air gap, which dampens window vibration caused by external noise sources, such as the engine and hydraulic pumps. The new windows complement a laminated windshield and laminated front side windows to reduce interior sound levels by a significant 1 dB(A), to 72 dB(A).

Loader controls for the 988H update are positioned in a new, low-effort, electro-hydraulic implement pod that features fingertip levers that improve both control and ergonomics for the operator. The new control levers also use “soft detents,” which replace conventional detent magnets with electronic sensors that provide easier lever control.

New operator-environment features build on traditional 988 safety features, including superior visibility (large glass areas, long-life LED lights, and optional rear-view camera); access and egress precautions (lighted primary/secondary stairwells, full-perimeter railings); maintenance provisions (ground-level/platform access, electrical-disconnect switch); and operator comfort and well-being (adjustable controls, air conditioning, optional ride-control, secondary steering system).

Solid foundations
The 988H update retains all the solid characteristics that have established the 988’s reputation for durable, reliable, efficient performance. The new machine’s massive box-section rear frame and box-shaped loader tower are designed to resist operating forces, and both use castings in critical areas of high stress. The distinctive fabricated box-boom has more torsional stiffness than boom arms used in conventional Z-bar linkages, and the boom works smoothly with dual bucket links to provide superior breakout forces and durable performance.

The power train likewise incorporates established 988H technology, including the Cat ACERT™ C18 engine with electronically controlled fuel injection and Next Generation Modular Radiator with 14 parallel-flow circuits for optimum cooling. The field-proven power shift transmission uses the Cat Impeller Clutch Torque Converter and Rimpull Control System to balance hydraulic power with tractive effort, and massive Cat built axles feature planetary-reduction final drives positioned at the wheel ends to reduce axle-shaft torque loads.

As proof of its outstanding ability to assure customer value, the newest 988H, as with its long line of predecessor models, has the design integrity to yield a life of productive service, then can be economically rebuilt to yield exceptionally low lifetime operating costs.

Source:http://deutschland.cat.com/cda/layout?m=343975&x=7

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