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Cat Grade for Excavators (2D & 3D)

Cat Grade for Excavators (2D & 3D)

Overview

Digging a foundation. Trenching for a water line. Working on a slope. These jobs demand the precision and speed you get from Cat® Grade technologies. Combining advanced guidance with optional automated machine control, Grade helps operators hit grading targets right on the money in fewer passes.

Benefits & Features

Simple to Use

          
    • Cat Grade technolgies and the excavator work together as one integrated system using on-board processors and sensors.
      •     
    • Integrated components are protected from damage, ensuring long life.
      •     
    • Select your desired target depth and target slope and the system will give you real-time guidance on depth, slope, and horizontal distance to grade, with height and depth alerts that indicate target grade or obstacles.
      •     
    • Easily adjust target depth and slope with joystick commands, the touchscreen interface, or the jog dial.
      •     
    • Start digging and simply check grade from inside the cab.
      •     
    • The optional laser catcher with laser transmitter compatibility allows the excavator to move—bench once, reference the laser, and continue digging to grade across the jobsite.

Increase Operator Efficiency

          
    • Reduce passes and speed time to complete cuts.
      •     
    • Easy-to-use controls and the ability to quickly adjust depth and grade while keeping your hands on the joysticks allows you to make accurate cuts faster.
      •     
    • Enhance accuracy and productivity when using the in-cab display that indicates bucket position and depth-to-grade.
      •     
    • Use height and depth audio alerts to indicate when the desired grade has been reached to protect from over or undercutting.
      •     
    • Cat Grade technology improves quality and consistency for operators at all experience levels.
      •     
    • Works with Grade with Assist, adding semi-autonomous digging capability and simple-to-use single-lever digging to boost operator efficiency.

Lower Costs and Improve Safety

          
    • Minimize costs by reaching target grade quickly and save costs associated with time, labor, fuel, and material consumption.
      •     
    • Integrated components that are protected from damage ensure long life, reliable control, and cost-saving results.
      •     
    • Work confidently without guesswork while cutting and filling to exact specifications without under or overcutting.
      •     
    • Receive height and depth alerts when working near obstacles that could damage your excavator and cost you money (E-fence).
      •     
    • Work safer with fewer ground personnel checking grade in the trench or around your excavator.
      •     
    • Reduce operator fatigue by utilizing semi-autonomous digging - Grade with Assist. 

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  March 14, 2025

Specifications

Units: 

Benefits & Features

Simple to Use

          
    • Cat Grade technolgies and the excavator work together as one integrated system using on-board processors and sensors.
      •     
    • Integrated components are protected from damage, ensuring long life.
      •     
    • Select your desired target depth and target slope and the system will give you real-time guidance on depth, slope, and horizontal distance to grade, with height and depth alerts that indicate target grade or obstacles.
      •     
    • Easily adjust target depth and slope with joystick commands, the touchscreen interface, or the jog dial.
      •     
    • Start digging and simply check grade from inside the cab.
      •     
    • The optional laser catcher with laser transmitter compatibility allows the excavator to move—bench once, reference the laser, and continue digging to grade across the jobsite.

Increase Operator Efficiency

          
    • Reduce passes and speed time to complete cuts.
      •     
    • Easy-to-use controls and the ability to quickly adjust depth and grade while keeping your hands on the joysticks allows you to make accurate cuts faster.
      •     
    • Enhance accuracy and productivity when using the in-cab display that indicates bucket position and depth-to-grade.
      •     
    • Use height and depth audio alerts to indicate when the desired grade has been reached to protect from over or undercutting.
      •     
    • Cat Grade technology improves quality and consistency for operators at all experience levels.
      •     
    • Works with Grade with Assist, adding semi-autonomous digging capability and simple-to-use single-lever digging to boost operator efficiency.

Lower Costs and Improve Safety

          
    • Minimize costs by reaching target grade quickly and save costs associated with time, labor, fuel, and material consumption.
      •     
    • Integrated components that are protected from damage ensure long life, reliable control, and cost-saving results.
      •     
    • Work confidently without guesswork while cutting and filling to exact specifications without under or overcutting.
      •     
    • Receive height and depth alerts when working near obstacles that could damage your excavator and cost you money (E-fence).
      •     
    • Work safer with fewer ground personnel checking grade in the trench or around your excavator.
      •     
    • Reduce operator fatigue by utilizing semi-autonomous digging - Grade with Assist. 

Cat Grade with Assist

          
    • Cat Grade Assist for excavators automates boom and stick movements for more accurate cuts with less effort.
      •     
    • Grade Assist uses machine position sensors and operator defined depth and slope parameters to activate single-lever digging.
      •     
    • Types of automated assistance available:
          
    1. Grade Assist – Takes over boom and bucket functions to maintain desired depth and slope. The operator sets the target grade and controls stick speed with one hand.
      2.     
    2. Bucket Assist – Maintains bucket angle and keeps the cut accurate in sloping, leveling, fine grading and trenching applications.
      3.     
    3. Boom Assist – Automatically raises the boom to keep the excavator from lifting off the ground when digging, lifting or rotating under load.
      4.     
    4. Swing Assist – Automatically stops excavator swing at defined points when truck loading and trenching, reducing fuel usage and improving cycle times.
      5.     
    5. Tilt Assist – Takes over bucket angle movements to automatically maintain the desired slope.

Cat Grade with 2D

          
    • Cat Grade with 2D is an indicate-only system that provides elevation and slope guidance to the operator.
      •     
    • Informs the operator of the distance above, below or on-grade between the bucket cutting edge and the benchmark point.
      •     
    • Increases operator efficiency and productivity when digging and grading basements, footings, foundations, utility trenches, slopes, drainage ditches, and other applications.

Cat Grade with 3D

          
    • Grade with 3D allows operators to grade complex designs on multiple machines across a jobsite using real-time satellite positioning guidance.
      •     
    • GNSS receivers on the excavator and Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning provide the accuracy needed to grade three dimensional designs.
      •     
    • An additional high-resolution touchscreen monitor enables operators to easily view, input, and edit grade plans from the operator’s seat.
      •     
    • Grade with 3D is compatible with radios and base stations from Trimble, Topcon, and Leica.

Upgrade Your Capabilities

          
    • Cat Grade Connectivity* is an upgrade subscription for Cat Grade with 3D that effectively eliminates the need for additional base stations on any job site within a cellular network.
      •     
    • A Grade Connectivity subscription adds internet access via cellular connectivity to individual machines for easy connection to Virtual Reference Station (VRS) networks for correction services.

    *Cat Grade Connectivity is available in select countries and optimal for use in areas with cellular coverage. Additional base stations may be required for areas with low coverage. Consult your Cat dealer for more information.

VisionLink® Integration

          
    • VisionLink® helps you measure, monitor, and manage your assets to maximize productivity - on or off the jobsite.
      •     
    • VisionLink is a scalable, cloud-based application that collects and summarizes machine telematics and jobsite data from all your equipment - regardless of the manufacturer.*
      •     
    • The platform provides users with actionable information, including idle time, fuel burn, location, material moved, and more. 
      •     
    • Users can access information using a smartphone, tablet, or desktop device.

    NOTE: A VisionLink® subscription for each asset is required. Machines must be equipped with Cat Grade to provide more advanced productivity data. Availability may vary by region and model. Consult your Cat dealer for details. *Data field availability can vary by equipment manufacturer.

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