Our customer approached Ceres with a specialized paving concept that required more than conventional equipment selection. The work involved converting an operating idea into a mechanical system, building the equipment, supporting field use, and returning to the design when customer feedback identified new performance goals.
A customer needed controlled pulling power that could travel with its equipment. The attachment needed to provide 4,500 pounds of lift capacity while remaining compact, transportable, and easy to deploy. The customer also needed a robust mounting structure, protected hydraulic components, and an interface that made the winch useful across real field conditions.
Rail operations often need a compact and controlled way to reposition maintenance equipment without dedicating a larger locomotive or prime mover to the task. A Class 1 railroad required a purpose-built rail equipment mover that could support its operating environment and equipment-handling needs. The customer needed a machine designed specifically for moving rail equipment, with the required traction, control, visibility, and coupling interfaces integrated into a practical package.
A US Railroad had an innovative idea to replace expensive purpose-built equipment for clearing snow. Rather than millions of dollars spent on a seasonal blower-only machine, a request was made to convert a Vancer CHX35 into a heavy-duty snow-remover in the winter, and a capable hi-rail excavator in milder months.
A city in Nebraska needed a high-capacity bucket suited to transfer-station material handling and compatible with its large wheel loader. The project required balancing capacity, loader geometry, weight, visibility, dumping performance, and the operating realities of moving bulky waste.
Metro and transit maintenance operations often require specialized equipment interfaces that are not available as standard products. For this project, Ceres worked between RAKA and their customer to develop a custom coupler solution to allow a ShuttleWagon to be used to move Metro Transit cars while on rail.
A Ceres customer had successfully bid a project where a significant amount of the work performed required the use of an excavator outfitted with a very large and heavy attachment.
Our customer needed a Hi-Rail excavator that had increased ground clearance, could operate high powered attachments, and was able to transport heavy rail car loads. The Ceres team of engineers rose to the challenge and designed and built a product based upon the Caterpillar 541 Feller Buncher.
This Ceres customer was having repeat issues with an electrical system on an OEM skid steer. This particular system component enabled a skid steer to couple up to multiple attachments. The component was failing in harsh environments, thus disabling the automated connection to a work tool. In some cases, the failed connection would stop the entire machine from using any work tools.
This Ceres customer had an existing product that was drawing increased demand both domestically and abroad. Delivery lead-times were becoming an issue with the customer’s sales objectives because the existing design required a full-body weldment.
Ballast is a vital part of the track structure bearing the load of railroad ties, allowing for drainage and preventing vegetation. Millions of tons of ballast are replaced every single year, whether that’s replacing miles of track or spot treating problem areas.
The Ceres team designed a new custom control system for a customer’s Hi-Rail Excavator, the 13 Ton Hi-Rail Excavator. The control system allows the customer to control the rail gear and functionality dependent on operator input.
There are thousands of culverts protecting railroad ballast integrity in the US requiring railroad maintenance of way teams to spend countless hours ensuring culverts and clear thus allowing for safe and efficient rail travel.
Rail switches capture snow and can obstruct or limit the ability to perform track changes during harsh conditions. A Class 1 railroad customer needed a blower to attach to field machines to clear tracks quickly without heat (preventing the melting of snow).
