S365C and S385C Demolition and Scrap Shears Operation Caterpillar

Show/hide table

Do not operate the work tool unless you have read and understand the instructions and warnings in the Operation and Maintenance Manual. Failure to follow the instructions or heed the warnings could result in machine or work tool damage, serious injury or death.

Operation of Rotator

Illustration 1	g06115005
Locking device for rotator

Note: Before rotating the shear, ensure that rotation lock has been removed. The S3000 series shears are equipped with a plate that locks the rotator. Before you put the shear into operation, the device that locks the rotator must be removed.

Note: Work tool controls can vary by machine and region. Consult your machine documentation for configurations.

Safe Working Range

Show/hide table

Do not operate the shear overhead. Falling debris can result in serious injury or death.

Mounted on Stick

Illustration 2	g06100695
(A) 15° (B) 15° (C) Working Range (D) Full Range

Mounted on Boom

Illustration 3	g06100696
(A) 15° (B) 15° (C) Working Range (D) Full Range

Show/hide table

Do not operate the shear overhead. Falling debris can result in serious injury or death.

Operating Techniques

Show/hide table

Observe the following precautions when cutting material with the shear: Do not use the bucket cylinder Do not rotate the shear Do not use the swing function of the host machine Do not strike the object with the shear Abuse of the shear in this manner can cause structural failures, hydraulic cylinder damage, or can overstress the rotator head bolts. The rotator head bolts can fail, disengaging the shear from the host machine. A falling shear can result in serious injury or death.

Cutting Techniques

Cutting Cycle

Illustration 4	g06096578
(A) New Cutters (B) Cut Thin Materials First (C) Cutting Thicker Materials (D) Cut Abrasive Materials Last

New Cutters

1. Cut thin materials first

   1. Sheet less than ¼ in (6 mm) thick, white goods, mixed scrap

2. Cutting thicker materials

   1. Structural steel, beams, plate, farm equipment

3. Cutting abrasive materials

   1. Rebar is very abrasive to blades and may shorten the structural life of the shear

   2. Cable is abrasive to blades

4. Cutting specialty materials

   1. Stainless steel reduces the cutting capability of the shear by 50-80%

   2. Railroad rails should not be cut under any circumstances

   3. Concrete is very abrasive to jaws and blades depending on the strength

   4. Cast ferrous metals are very abrasive to blades

      • Thin walled cast is acceptable (for example, pipe)

      • Heavy cast is not recommended (for example, machining centers)

   5. Tires are dependent on cable size around bead, consult your Cat dealer for recommended shear size

5. Cutting hardened materials

   1. Materials above 42 Rockwell C are not recommended (for example, axle housings, axles, motor shafts, cylinder rods, etc.)

Cutting Techniques

1. When reducing scrap or demolishing a structure, place the fixed jaw against the object to shear. Cut the object by moving the cutting jaw.

2. Position the material as close to the throat as possible, without using the machine force. Cutting force increases closer to the throat.

3. Beams can best be cut when oriented as shown.

Illustration 5	g06114304

Piercing Material

When used properly, the bolt on piercing tip edge will have a service life which is comparable to the life of the cutting blade edges. Improper use of the piercing tip may result in catastrophic failure of the piercing tip and result in damage to the mating surfaces on the moveable jaw. Proper operation is critical to ensure maximum life of the piercing tip.

Show/hide table

Cutting of hardened material increases the risk of flying debris. Flying debris from the work tool could cause serious injury or death.

Illustration 6	g06100806

Position material so that the piercing tip makes complete and even contact with the material being pierced as shown in illustration 6.

Illustration 7	g06100807

Do not pierce with only a portion of the piercing tip engaged as shown in illustration 7. Piercing with only a portion of the piercing tip causes uneven loading and stress concentrations which can lead to piercing tip failure.

Material Handling

Illustration 8	g06100811

Ensure the piercing tip is captivated by the lower jaw before handling material with the shear.

Out-of-balance Loads

A load that is significantly out-of-balance can cause unwanted rotation of the shear. Keep loads centered at all times. Illustration 9 demonstrates a balanced load.

Illustration 9	g06114273

Lifting Objects

Standard machine load charts do not account for weight of the shear. Contact your Cat dealer representative for any lifting capacity questions.