Caterpillar Upgrades AP1000 and AP1055 Pavers, Debuts Smooth SDX Screed Plates

The updated AP1000 and AP1055 paver models move the engine oil filter and drain to the left side compartment near the DEF tank, keeping all regular checkpoints grouped and at ground level. 

Caterpillar says previous designs forced operators and technicians to access these items through swingout doors located at the back of the hopper. The new location lessens the complexities associated with hopper inserts and material build-up around the access doors. 

Relocation of the hydraulic charge pump to the propel pump stack also provides easier access and improved reliability compared to previous designs.

Optional Prefiltration System

While the standard machine is designed to accept fine airborne particles, Brian Downing, sales support consultant for Caterpillar Paving Products, says the new optional prefiltration system for the AP1000 and AP1055 helps reduce build-up on the cooling fins and simplify maintenance.

“The optional pre-filter is that first line of defense that collects some of the debris that's in the air — whether it be cotton dust from a tree, whether it's dust or maybe from the asphalt — that, combined with the heat of the radiators will lead to that system clogging up and the engine heating up and then needing to be cleaned out.”

The system, which includes four interchangeable filters, is located in the center housing on the top deck for easy access. 

Additionally, the fan drive motors are now located beneath the fan blades to further simplify cleaning from above. "With a few bolts, you can quickly remove the fan guards and the fans themselves to get in and do a proper clean out," he says.

Night Lighting Kit

A new night lighting kit is also available for better visibility in low-light conditions. The 120-volt blade light system plugs into the power generation panel on any of Caterpillar's screeds. 

"This gives nice, powerful lighting for night operation for street operators," says Anderson. "This enables them to perform high performance paving in the darkness of night."

Cat SDX Smooth and SDX Textured Screed Plate OptionsEquipment WorldNew Smooth SDX Screed Plate System

Caterpillar acquired the intellectual property rights of the textured Oxclaw screed plate and Bullox screed plate attachment system from Stuart and Michael Frost, owners of Mountain Construction in Wyoming and Axenox, in 2022, rebranding them as the SDX. 

The plate has a three-dimensional textured design instead of a flat bottom like conventional screed plates for achieving higher asphalt density and smoothness required for interstate paving, plus quick-change capability for a variety of mainline and commercial jobs.

Performing like traditional screed plates, Cat has now released a smooth version of its SDX plates, designed to deliver the added benefit of modular, quick-change capability.

"This modular street plate system, available at first as textured and now smooth, can be interchanged in as little as four hours, possibly up to eight hours, and allows contractors to have that versatility when their plans change and they're doing a highway job one week and they move into a parking lot for a day or two," says Downing.  

Reducing standard hardware needed, the SDX Screed Plates attach to the screed with integrated tapered blocks that fit over the front and rear of the adaptor plates and high-temperature silicone locking bans that apply tension to securely hold the screed plates in place. 

Built with chromium alloy materials, Cat says its SDX plates deliver "significantly more abrasion resistance than Cat standard and cladded extended-life screed plates."

"We used ASTM G65 Dry Sand Rubber Wheel test procedures to evaluate the longevity of our SDX plates. Based on testing performed by Caterpillar utilizing ASTM G65 Dry Sand Rubber Wheel Test Procedures, the chromium alloy materials in our SDX plates deliver 4.2 times more abrasion resistance compared to our standard-wear screed plates and 1.2 times more resistance when compared to the cladded material used in our extended-life screed plates," added Jon Anderson, Caterpillar senior sales support consultant.