Caterpillar’s 6015 Mining Shovel: More Tons Per Year, Not More Cost Per Ton
Caterpillar is rolling out a redesigned 6015 hydraulic mining shovel that addresses the areas mine operators and dealers care about most—more uptime, more tons per year, and easier service—without driving up cost per ton.
“We’ve given the new 6015 class-leading tool-carrying capacity and heavy-duty undercarriage protection to deliver reliable and productive operation in the most demanding conditions,” says Ryan Mitchell, product value stream manager, hydraulic mining shovel for Caterpillar.
“With its 16.1-ton (14.6-metric-ton) bucket payload, the shovel provides proven pass match efficiency with Cat 773, 775, and 777 haul trucks operating in the 61- to 100-t-class (55- to 90-mt-class) range. It delivers flexible and productive loading efficiency across a full spectrum of applications, including mining, quarry and aggregate, heavy construction, and industrial.”
Cat 6015 Hydraulic Enhancements
A key component of the Cat 6015’s update is a new pilot pump system that replaces a “fixed-flow at high idle” approach with variable, on-demand hydraulic oil flow. As the operator moves the joystick, the hydraulic pump delivers only the necessary flow to perform the action.
With the new pilot pump system, hydraulic flow ramps up during simultaneous functions and backs off when the controls return to neutral. Caterpillar says the result is at least 5.5% fuel savings, along with lower heat generation and reduced wear on hydraulic components.
For greater productivity and smoother, more predictable response, the 6015 uses a Cat Proportional Priority Pressure Compensating (PPPC) hydraulic system, along with a 4-pump layout that dedicates one pump to swing and three to implement/travel.
Also, float valves allow gravity to lower the mining shovel’s boom rather than using pump power. The 6015’s closed-loop swing system captures kinetic energy during deceleration and feeds that power back to the main and auxiliary pumps to support other movements.
Cat Power Without DEF
An 824-horsepower (614-kilowatt) Cat C27 engine powers the new 6015. It uses a maintenance-free exhaust aftertreatment solution that meets U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V emissions standards without requiring diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) or selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
Cat 6015: Standard Autolube
Caterpillar also made uptime and serviceability improvements to the latest 6015. Its new, heavy-duty undercarriage protection package features more durable idlers, rollers, and track pads with adjusted tensioning and wear volume. The upgrade can be retrofitted to previous models, Cat says.
A standard bucket linkage automatic lubrication system eliminates the need to lube this area manually. Caterpillar also increased standard grease tank capacity to support 500-hour service intervals. Additionally, the 6015’s new triple-roller slew bearing is designed for greater durability.
The 6015 shares some parts with other Cat shovel platforms, which might help reduce the number of spare components to keep on hand. For faster hydraulic hose replacement, the shovel has improved routing, and dealers can cut and build new hoses to length.
The new 6015 is compatible with Cat MineStar Solutions via cellular or satellite Product Link Elite connectivity, as well as expanded monitoring through MineStar Health.
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