Diesel engine makers don’t get the same attention as the construction equipment they power, so we thought we’d shine some light on the heart of off-road machinery by looking at what some of the top OEMs have been up to in recent years.
Many of the largest construction equipment OEMs also produce their own engines as well as supply other equipment companies. Over the past five or so years, alternative fuels have become more prominent but still have not made it to a large percentage of jobsites. The diesel engine remains – and seems to be for the foreseeable future – the dominant means of power for construction machines.
Our list contains the major engine OEMs most often mentioned in stories in recent years on equipmentworld.com as well as in online searches.
Here is the latest in engines from Caterpillar, Cummins, Deutz, FPT, Isuzu, JCB, John Deere, Kohler (now Rehlko), Komatsu, Kubota, Perkins, Volvo and Yanmar.
Caterpillar
The largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world is also one of the largest off-road equipment engine makers.
The company launched its new 1,200-horsepower C32B diesel engine for large off-highway equipment, with upgrades over its predecessor in power density, reliability and extended time between rebuilds. The Cat C32B is designed for such machines as large wheel loaders, haulers, cranes, paving equipment, trenchers, compressors, pumps and forestry equipment.
The company also released a new engine this year for its 308 CR, 309 CR and 310 mini excavators. The Cat C2.8 diesel engine replaces the Cat 3.3B in the models. The big difference is the new C2.8 engine has “fit for life” no-maintenance diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter, the company says.
Cummins
Cummins’ fuel-agnostic engines have nearly identical components below the headgasket. Components above the headgasket vary to accommodate different fuels, including hydrogen and natural gas.CumminsCummins diesel engines are a popular choice for many manufacturers of construction equipment, making it another top global engine producer.
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Its engines can be found in dozers from Dressta, Hyundai A-Series HX excavators, LiuGong wheel loaders and motor graders, LeeBoy and Sany motor graders, Dynapac’s CP28 pneumatic-tire compactor, Tadano crawler cranes, the Huddig 1370 Cable combination loader-excavator-lift – to name a small sample.
One of the company’s most recent advancements is its fuel-agnostic 15-liter engine platform – able to run on hydrogen, natural gas, diesel or biofuels – for heavy-duty, off-highway equipment.
Deutz
Manitous running on DeutzManitouGerman-based Deutz is another heavy hitter in the global off-highway construction engine market.
Construction equipment running on Deutz diesels include Manitou’s new higher-horsepower skid steers and compact track loaders, Takeuchi’s TB2150 excavator and TW95 wheel loader, Sany’s wheel loaders and backhoe, telehandlers from Manitou and Magni, Vögele’s Super 800-5 P-Tier mini class paver and MEC’s 141-foot-working-height 135-RJ Diesel Telescopic Boom – among others.
FPT
New Holland Construction EquipmentItaly-based FPT,