Bobcat 418 Excavator

Published:02/11/2016
Media Type:Article

Tags: Bobcat, In the news

The evolution of earthmoving equipment has seen technological advancements and safety initiatives that the majority of us couldn’t have fathomed a decade ago. As mining equipment got bigger and construction equipment got smarter, the compact equipment end of the market subtly re-invented itself. Of course this evolution was driven by market leaders – Bobcat Company.

As the industry evolved, traditionally labour intensive tasks became less arduous due to a combination of increased domestic labour costs, changes in legislation and the lowered cost of manufacturing and/or importing mechanical aids. A prime example of the result of this is the Bobcat 418 compact excavator, which ticks the boxes in more ways than one.

The Bobcat 418 brings the unparalleled focus and expertise of the market leading manufacturer, and enables owner-operators and small businesses to access the level of engineering excellence, reliability and efficiency usually reserved for assets of a far higher capital outlay.

SPECIFICATIONS

The Bobcat 418 boasts true zero-swing geometry with an operating weight of just 1,176 kilograms. Engine performance of 10 horsepower comes by way of a Kubota diesel engine. Once in the dirt, all of the engineering excellence culminates in 8,300 newtons of bucket breakout force, with a dig depth of 1.8 metres. Auxiliary hydraulic circuit flows 20 litres per minute and high speed travel propels the Bobcat 418 at 2.8 km/h. That’s impressive when you consider you can drive this thing through a standard doorway.

FEATURES

For a minimalistic market sector, the Bobcat 418 compact excavator actually has some enviable features. Selectable control pattern capabilities provide real efficiency gains at this end of the market due to the differing control configurations that exist. With the ability to cater to the operator’s personal preference, you can be assured of optimal productivity. With all of this versatility, accessibility and performance you can imagine that the Bobcat 418 would find itself in some unique locations.

Stability is therefore important as it is compromised somewhat by design in that it needs to fit through narrow access ways. The Bobcat 418 overcomes this by way of a retractable undercarriage system that enables the machine to spread its track frame between 710mm and 1,100mm in width. The push blade also has two configurations to match the machine track width. The hydraulically operated blade, which doubles as a stabiliser, is robust and manually changed in configuration.

If all this wasn’t enough to comfortably put your bucket wherever you please, the Bobcat 418 also features boom swing functionality and rubber tracks to minimise ground disturbance and damage. If you can’t get it done with the Bobcat 418 compact excavator, you should probably re-think your plan.

OPERATOR ENVIRONMENT

Obviously in a machine such as this, functionality takes precedence over a bells and whistles approach. The operator’s station is compact by design in line with the requirements of the intended application. That said, from an operational perspective, the machine is fast, powerful and refined in its response.

Safety of the operator environment is maintained by way of a ROPS/TOPS/FOPS compliant canopy that can be folded down for transport or in transit to the work area. Vision to the work tool is unparalleled, giving the operator an added element of control and safety. The seat, while limited in its range of adjustment, is weatherproof and comfortable.

SERVICEABILITY

The Bobcat 418 is easily maintained in comparison to other compact machines on the market, due largely to the accessibility of all service items from ground level. The Bobcat product is backed by the only wholly Australian owned OEM dealership with one national footprint, that is of course the compact construction equipment specialists at Clark Equipment. You can be assured that genuine parts and factory trained technicians will be available to keep your investment performing at its optimum efficiency.

The Bobcat 418 compact excavator is a prime example of one of the various extremities the earthmoving equipment industry has segmented into. For tradies, hire companies and landscapers that are looking to reduce their labour costs and achieve a competitive edge, the Bobcat 418 is positioned to deliver exactly this.

As the only top tier equipment manufacturer competing exclusively in the compact equipment market, it’s not surprising that the Bobcat® brand has become synonymous with compact equipment.

 Featured in Earthmoving Equipment Magazine, December 2016/January 2017 Edition