Caterpillar adds VAB option to Cat 340 Hydraulic Excavator

• Caterpillar introduces the Variable Angle Boom (VAB) option for the Cat 340 Hydraulic Excavator, enhancing its application range and flexibility in tight spaces.

• Standard rear and side cameras display machine position and proximity on a hi-res in-cab touchscreen monitor, improving site safety.

• The VAB option retains the 340’s standard functionality, including its 8.2 m maximum digging depth, while adding flexibility for various job sites.

• Operator-oriented features include a user-friendly cab monitor interface, QR code access to instructional videos, and an automatic Operator Coaching system.

• Additional productivity tools include Cat Payload for real-time weight estimates and Cat Grade Assist for automated boom and stick movements.

• The 340 VAB is powered by the EU Stage V compliant Cat C9.3B engine, supporting lower-carbon intensity fuels and featuring proactive service reminders and OTA updates.

• Extra boom articulation increases application range while reducing space required to rotate.

• Rear and side cameras are standard, displaying a rear and right standard camera view of the machine’s position and proximity on the hi-res in-cab touchscreen monitor.

Unhindered operation in tight or restricted excavating and demolition jobsites is Caterpillar’s thinking behind the Variable Angle Boom (VAB) option now available for the Cat® 340 Hydraulic Excavator.

By providing one extra boom articulation, Caterpillar says the VAB maximises the machine’s application range while minimising the space required to rotate in tight earthmoving and demolition sites.

“By specifying the VAB, operators lose none of the standard functionality of the 340 – not least its 8.2 m maximum digging depth – but gain added flexibility to deploy the machine across a much wider range of jobsites, with improved ability to work closer to the tracks,” says Ana Pinzon, Caterpillar product application specialist for excavators in Europe.

The VAB option, continues Pinzon, adds even wider appeal to an already well-equipped heavy-duty machine.

Caterpillar has approached the design and functionality of the 340 VAB to help deliver both site safety and operator satisfaction. Rear and side cameras are standard equipment, displaying a rear and right standard camera view of the machine’s position and proximity on the hi-res in-cab touchscreen monitor, while Cat 2D Efence prevents the machine from moving outside operator-defined parameters. An optional demolition cab provides the added reassurance of P5A glazing and fitted Operator Protective Guards (OPG).

Operators who are fully engaged with their machine, in command of all its features, and relieved of repetitive or mundane tasks, help increase jobsite safety,” notes Pinzon. “We’ve released the latest operator-oriented user interface on the cab monitor, for example, to allow quick and easy identification of all apps and menu options. Scanning a QR code brings up a full suite of ‘how-to’ videos and information about machine technology.

“In addition, Operator Coaching – an in-cab, automatic system – recognises specific opportunities for operators to be more productive. Not only does that help reduce machine wear and tear but also helps reduce operator fatigue while improving skills development.”

Further measures to improve both site productivity and operator engagement include Cat Payload, allowing precise, real-time weight estimates ‘on the go,’ and Cat Grade Assist. The latter combines data from machine position sensors with operator-defined input―depth and slope parameters―to automate boom and stick movements to enable single-stick digging.

Powered by the EU Stage V compliant Cat C9.3B, developing 346 hp, the 340 VAB is engineered for rugged conditions with reinforced undercarriage and heavy counterweight, bringing operator confidence for payloads. Pro-active service reminders and an integrated vehicle health management system help to minimise unnecessary downtime, with over-the-air (OTA) machine updates reducing the need for onsite technicians.

“Bearing in mind the types of sites in which the 340 VAB is likely to operate, this choice of engine also allows operators to use lower-carbon intensity fuels such as biodiesel and hydrotreated vegetable oil either to meet local directives or customers’ own climate-related objectives,” points out Pinzon, “while Cat VisionLink® allows monitoring of daily fuel burn and CO2 emissions.”

The 340 VAB is available only in Europe.