Mud Cat^® E-Series - Electric Powered Dredges

All Mud Cat® E-Series electric dredges utilize high powered horizontal auger cutterheads with the replaceable teeth. The cutterhead is set at the desired depth and moves from one side of the dredging zone to the other creating an even bottom profile for the entire distance up to 1,200 ft. (365m). The operator is always aware of the depth since the Radio Sense™ radio remote control has a standard digital depth gauge. As the dredge progresses with its parallel and precise cuts across the dredging zone the bottom can be regulated using the depth gauge. At the end of the project the bottom should be flat and even. This is an extremely important feature of an auger dredge as it ensures the bottom is not uneven or has larger craters in some places and hills of material in others. This is why an auger dredge is superior to a hanging pump dredge which can only cut holes and move around using 4-deck mounted winches in an unorganized pattern. The operator has a hard time tracking the cuts even if there is a GPS system installed because there is no methodology to material removal.

Radio Sense™

All Mud Cat E-Series models come standard with the Radio Sense™ radio remote control with shoulder harness that operates the dredge from a distance of up to 1,200 ft. (365m). RMS controls the following functions: power on/off, travel direction and speed, slurry pump on/off and speed (if equipped with VFD), auger on/off and dredging depth. Current operating functions of the dredge will be indicated via a dredge mounted five color light tree.

Auto Sense™

All Mud Cat E-Series models come standard with the Auto Sense™ feature which incorporates yellow steel target plates at the beginning and end of the travel line to set distance limited along the dredging area. When the operator enables the Auto Sense function on the Radio Sense radio remote control the dredge travels the length of the pond without further operator commands at the same even profile cutting depth noted on the remote-control screen. Once the dredge reaches the target stop at the end of the pond it is programmed to move back to the original start position target stop and wait for the next operator command.

Solids Sense™

If your downstream operation needs a consistent slurry density for maximum productivity, Mud Cat’s optional Solids Sense™ is your answer. Adding Solids Sense to your dredging process will allow the system to automatically adjust the dredging functions to maintain a constant delivery of desired solids density. Solids Sense utilizes a density meter to monitor the slurry and react to composition changes faster than the operator, thereby increasing system efficiency and maintaining the desired slurry characteristic.

Lateral Sense™

When your project requires automated later movement, Lateral Sense™ is the perfect optional compliment to the standard Auto Sense system. Shore mounted I-beams can be mounted on both shorelines and Mud Cat’s Lateral Sense trolly system will shift the dredge over to the next parallel cut. The utilization of Auto Sense and Lateral Sense together allows the dredge to clean an entire pond down to the liner without requiring an operator to stand by. This is ideal in wastewater treatment plants, industrial ponds, and mine tailings ponds that need constant maintenance where it does not make sense to have an operator constantly monitoring the dredge controls or re-setting shore anchors and anchor cables.

Liner Protection Wheels

All Mud Cat E-Series remote controlled dredges come standard with four (4) wheels (2 on each side of the cutterhead) that press the liner down as the dredge moves along the bottom of the lagoon / pond keeping the liner from getting sucked up into the slurry pump. Mud Cat E-Series dredges with liner protection wheels are used in wastewater treatment plant lagoons, industrial lagoons, and mine tailings ponds where liner integrity is paramount and any breach of the liner can lead to contamination of ground water and expensive fines from environmental agencies.

Cutterhead Cage

When it is unclear if an old lagoon has a liner with folds or large wrinkles, Mud Cat can provide an additional layer prevention with Mud Cat’s auger cutterhead cage. The auger cutterhead cage is a steel cage that is mounted to the cutterhead shroud that provides both horizontal and vertical steel cage guards that fit the profile of the cutterhead while allowing material to go in-between the guards to help prevent damage to uneven polyethylene and pvc pond liners.

Bottom Sense™

Mud Cat’s optional Bottom Sense™ technology is designed to protect a pond’s subsurface or liner. This feature allows the dredge to automatically raise the auger when the bottom is contacted and lower the auger when the bottom is not present, thereby maximizing production rates while preserving the subsurface integrity by following the bottom contours of the pond.

The Mud Cat E-Series includes several standard models with production ranges of 600gpm (136m3/hr.) – 3,000gpm (680m3/hr.) allowing customers to select the appropriate dredge for their dewatering process capacity or project production requirements. All Mud Cat E-Series dredges have the option to be outfitted with a flow meter and density meter to measure productivity.

The Mud Cat E-Series models are designed for maximum productivity and simplicity in terms of design and operation. E-Series models have four moving parts including the dredge pump, dredge cutterhead, ladder winch, and traversing winch. Mud Cat units don’t use drive shafts like other supplier which can bend or become warped and be costly to repair in the field. Additionally, all Mud Cat E-Series models come standard with a variable frequency drive (VFD) to allow speed control of the slurry pump. All dredge functions are controlled with a handheld remote control with a rechargeable battery. While tablets may look cool they can easily be damaged in unforgiving environments where dredges are used. This is why Mud Cat uses heavy duty remote controls that are not subject to easily breaking, cracking, glare from the sun, or any of the other tough elements on job sites. The Mud Cat E-Series keeps things simple, reliable, and productive. Additionally, Mud Cat E-Series standard models are fast moving products and parts availability is the best in the industry. When uptime is critical you can count on Mud Cat to be your reliable spare parts supplier and be on the other end of the phone when you need them. Mud Cat is located 45 minutes East of Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport and can typically ship standard parts overnight in many cases.

All Mud Cat E-Series models are one-truck transportable when fully assembled, which means they are launched with a single crane. There are two lifting points on port and two lifting points on starboard which allow an appropriately sized crane with a 4-point spreader to launch and retrieve the dredge safely to and from the water.

The Mud Cat MC 40E and MC 50E all fit in a single 40 ft. ocean container while the MC 100E ships fully assembled on a single flat rack.