HIGH-TECH Vision

What does the future look like for Caterpillar and its customers? How and where will Cat^® products work in 2030? What technologies will customers need to be successful? The Caterpillar product development community is thinking about these questions today in order to meet customer needs well into the future.

The enterprise product and technology strategy is the foundation of Caterpillar's future vision. The strategy, conceived in 2011 and introduced in 2012, defines the key technologies and areas of research and development investment necessary to meet customer needs and sustain Caterpillar's competitive advantage for the long term.

It is focused on three themes — Energy & Power Systems, Machines & Machine Systems and Automation & Enterprise Solutions. Each theme has bold goals serving as targets against which development progress can be measured. Research and advanced engineering activities currently under way within these areas include opportunities to reduce customer owning and operating costs; improve productivity and safety; and improve the environment.

In 2012 the technology strategy came to life in the form of several innovative technologies and products with customer value outcomes.

Energy & Power Systems: For some customer applications, natural gas can represent a breakthrough opportunity for fuel-cost savings when compared to diesel power alone. Efforts to expand natural gas-fueled power system products are well under way with the acquisition of MWM and an agreement with Westport Innovations to develop dual-fuel (diesel and gas) injectors for large mining trucks and EMD locomotives. "Dual-fuel and natural-gas engines can bring a significant cost advantage to many customers' bottom line. We are introducing a complete lineup of gas-capable power systems across the market segments — electric power, petroleum, mining, rail and marine — to provide this value," said Joel Feucht, general manager for Gas/Medium Speed Engines in Caterpillar's Large Power Systems and Growth Markets Division.

Machines & Machine Systems: A suite of advanced machine system technologies brings innovations in hydraulics and transmissions together to enable unprecedented efficiency and productivity. The Cat^® 336E H, Caterpillar's first hydraulic hybrid excavator, uses up to 25 percent less fuel than the standard Cat^® 336E excavator, while delivering equal or better performance. "We are applying technologies which reduce our customers' owning and operating costs to ensure they make more money when they choose Cat products and the Cat^® dealer network than they can with any competitive alternative. This new generation of machines uses far less fuel, which translates to lower cost for customers and lower emissions for the environment," said Ken Gray, global product manager for Large Hydraulic Excavators in Caterpillar's Excavation Division.

Automation & Enterprise Solutions: The autonomous mine site of the future is becoming a reality with the development of Cat Command for Hauling. Since March of 2011, Caterpillar, in alliance with BHP Billiton, has commissioned Billiton's Navajo mine site in New Mexico to trial a small fleet of autonomous Cat^® 793 Mining Trucks, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

"The technology that we use in these unmanned machines will revolutionize the way we approach mining in the future. These trucks are able to operate in hazardous conditions, on continual shifts without putting our operators in harm's way," explained Jim Humphrey, the program's first project manager and member of the mining solutions team. "It's been a very successful trial program to date."

The world of the future holds many challenges for Caterpillar customers. Caterpillar's product development community is working now to bring innovation to bear on those future challenges and turn them into opportunities for long-term success.