CE EQUIPMENT CONNECTION - Compact Equipment

Products
Komatsu Ltd. was fi rst established in 1921, manufacturing
mining equipment in Komatsu City, Japan. In the late 1980s,
Komatsu introduced its fi rst compact excavators to the United
States construction market. Today, Komatsu is marketing its fourth
generation of nine compact hydraulic excavators in the United
States — the PC09-1, PC18MR-2, PC20MR-2, PC27MR-2, PC35MR-2,
PC40 MR-2 and PC50MR-2 models, all of which are manufactured in
Kawagoe, Japan, and the PC78MR-6 and PC78US-6 are manufactured
in Komatsu City. All Komatsu compact hydraulic excavators are
minimum swing radius by design, allowing them to work in areas
where space is limited such as urban areas, streets and homes.
A retractable undercarriage is available on the PC09-1 and
PC18MR-2. The PC09-1 has an undercarriage that will expand from
2 ft, 4 in. to 2 ft, 10 in., allowing it to fi t through a standard 36-in.
doorway. The PC18MR-2 will expand from 3 ft, 3 in. to 4 ft, 3 in. and
both machines have retractable end bits on the dozer blade to
match the blade width to the undercarriage width.
Two backfi ll blade options are available on the PC20MR-2,
PC27MR-2, PC40MR-2, PC78MR-6 and PC78US-6, and the PC35MR-2
and PC50MR-2 have three backfi ll blade options, including the
power angle blade, which can angle 25 degrees left or right.
Although all of the Komatsu compact hydraulic excavators have
two travel speeds, the MR-2 series comes equipped with a load
sensing two speed travel. When high speed is engaged, the machine
will automatically shift from high speed travel to low speed travel
when under heavy travel load. Once the machine overcomes the
heavy travel load, it automatically shifts back to high speed travel.
Only the PC09-1 uses a tandem gear pump, while the PC18MR-2 to
the PC78 series machines utilize a combination of variable capacity
piston pumps and gear pumps.
44 Compact Equipment January 2008 compactequip.com