On The Level: Cat Smart Attachments for Landscaping
On The Level: Cat Smart Attachments for Landscaping

Cat® Smart Attachments for Landscaping

Maximizing your time on the landscaping job site is important, and using the right tools is one way to help you get more done. I talked to Tharen Peterson, Caterpillar Product Application Specialist, about how Cat® Smart Attachments can help.

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Dani Watson | Construction Marketing Consultant

Having the right tools for your landscaping business can make a world of difference when it comes to your productivity. I sat down with Tharen Peterson, Caterpillar Product Application Specialist, to learn more about how Cat Smart Attachments are changing the game for landscapers and how they can help you get more done on the job.

What makes a Cat® Smart Attachment smart?

There are some features that set Smart Attachments apart from standard landscaping attachments:

  • Attachment recognition – When the attachment is plugged in, the machine knows what attachment is being used.
  • Display selection – Plugging in a Cat Smart Attachment unlocks extra display settings and options to help you better control your attachment.
  • Mode selection – You can choose from two control modes with a Smart Attachment – Machine Control or Attachment Control. With Attachment Control mode, you can use the cab’s joysticks to operate the attachment and your machine at the same time so you don’t have to switch which controls you’re using.

 

How ASSIST Can Make Your Smart Attachments More Efficient

One of the great advantages of Smart Attachments are their technological features. The Smart Grader Blade and Smart Dozer Blade both feature ASSIST. This technology allows you to set the slope for one side of the Smart Grader Blade and automatically adjusts the slope for the other side so you can maintain a cross-slope setting even as the blade is angled. The ASSIST feature also helps you make adjustments more easily to the Smart Dozer Blade.

The Smart Backhoe attachment in particular comes in handy for landscapers who may already own a skid steer loader. It allows you to use your machine like a backhoe for things like trenching, digging footings and more, rather than bringing out another machine to the job site or investing in a new machine if you don’t already have one to complete those jobs.

Smart Attachment Ease of Use

Probably the biggest advantage that Cat Smart Attachments have over standard attachments is their ease of use, especially for newer operators. Joystick controls can help less experienced operators more easily control the attachments and the Smart Technology features help make minute adjustments to the attachments automatically, saving time on the job.

And for landscapers who also do seasonal snow and ice removal, the Smart Dozer Blade can be used for those applications as well. Smart Attachments can open your business to the possibility of adding more seasonal work to your offerings if you don’t already work in the snow and ice industry.

“These attachments also give the operator more feedback and intuitive controls through the joysticks so they create less mental and physical fatigue,” says Tharen.

When you have the right tools for the job, a day on the job site gets a lot easier and Smart Attachments come with plenty of advantages that make them a benefit to any landscape business.

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We're advancing Cat Skid Steer and Compact Track Loaders, one Smart Attachment at a time. 

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Blog author Dani Watson
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Dani Watson

Construction Marketing Consultant

Certified in 6 Sigma Black Belt and Change Management, Dani Watson not only helps manage projects efficiently within Caterpillar, but is an expert communications strategist for Caterpillar’s marketing communications needs.

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