Cat’s 40-tonner Gets More Flexibility

More commonly known in Europe as the TAB boom, the two-piece digging equipment is especially popular in the Central European region. It comes as no surprise then to see that Caterpillar has made its own option available for its 40-tonne class 340 hydraulic excavator.

Anyone who has operated a machine with a two-piece boom will appreciate the benefits that they can offer you as an operator. Being able to adjust the geometry to suit the site conditions you are facing is more often than not a complete blessing in so many ways, even more so if the set up is completed by a tiltrotator or rotation attachment.

Caterpillar refer to it as the Variable Angle Boom (VAB) and by providing it on a 40-tonne machine, it enables the excavator to work in cramped demolition zones or congested construction sites, offering big machine power with manoeuvrability.

Ana Pinzon, Caterpillar product application specialist for excavators in Europe, says, “By specifying the VAB, operators lose none of the standard functionality of the 340, but gain added flexibility to deploy the machine across a much wider range of jobsites.”

For those in demolition, urban excavation, or tight earthmoving environments, the Cat 340 VAB is shaping up to be a machine that can do more with less space.

At the heart of the 340 VAB is the well proven EU Stage V Cat C9.3B engine, punching out 346hp and engineered to run reliably on lower-carbon fuels like biodiesel or HVO—ideal for contractors working under stricter emissions directives or pursuing their own sustainability goals. With a reinforced undercarriage and heavy-duty counterweight, this excavator brings the stability and confidence needed for large payloads in demanding environments.

The VAB is designed to bring an extra articulation point to the excavator’s boom, allowing it to operate with more finesse in tight spaces, all while retaining the machine’s core capabilities, including its 8.2-metre maximum digging depth.

Find out more in the promotional video below presented by Ana Pinzon and Caterpillar colleague Marta Gutierrez.

Filmed in Malaga, where it looks like there has been a lot of changes to the landscape at the Demonstration and Learning centre since I was last there way back in 2019, back in the days when I was a regular visitor, often at least once a year, great memories of the place!