Cat Trials roundup: excavator JENGA, skid steer PAC-MAN, and life-sized Hot Wheels

Caterpillar has made a name for itself over the past 100 years as a leader in the heavy construction equipment industry. 

The company began with Benjamin Holt, who invented the track-type tractor, better known today as the dozer, to work on booming Californian farms. The machine had large wheels that pulled it through crops but were soon replaced by tracks to pass over the soil with ease. Caterpillar was officially founded when Holt teamed up with C.L. Best, who brought in his innovative gasoline technology to replace steam-powered engines. 

Caterpillar has now branched out into mining, construction, resource extraction, energy creation, and transportation. 

Bringing creativity and innovative machines to industries across the globe, Cat Trials were introduced as a way for the company to showcase new equipment, often through unique games and exciting challenges. Since the induction of Cat Trials, the company has created larger-than-life displays and games, involving heavy equipment operators, technicians, and even professional athletes.

Cat Trials 14: After Hours

As Caterpillar marks 100 years of innovation in heavy equipment, the most recent installment of Cat Trials showcased a century of cutting-edge machines and technology.

Cat Trials 14: After Hours highlights the spirit of Cat equipment from both the past and present in a nighttime spectacle. Featured machines include: the Holt T-35, a precursor tractor released in 1921; the Cat 797B, the company's first 400-ton truck; the versatile Cat TH1255 telehandler; and the one-of-a-kind power loader, an exoskeleton made on the base of a small tracked skid-steer loader to recreate the infamous machine from the Aliens movie franchise. 

You can watch the After Hours video here.

Cat Trial 13: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site 

For the 13th installment of the Cat Trials, the company was inspired by the best-selling children's book Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld, which tells the story of a series of construction equipment that come to life and spend the day in the dirt. 

In Caterpillar's retelling of the story, some of their favourite machines come to life on the construction site: including the Cat TL642 telehandler, the D6 track-type tractor, the 745 articulated dump truck, and the 349 hydraulic excavator. 

Click the link to read the full story of Cat Trial 13: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. 

Cat Trial 12: No Hands

As the needs of the construction industry have advanced, so have the abilities and power of Cat machines. The company has gone from pioneering the use of tracks and diesel-powered engines to fully autonomous heavy machines that take care of dangerous jobs on remote sites to keep operators safe. 

For the No Hands trial, Cat brought in four-time FIFA World Cup player DaMarcus Beasley to perform a run through the Cat-themed obstacle course while a Cat 794AC autonomous mining truck did the same. 

This trial drew inspiration from the third Cat Trial: China Shop, where a Caterpillar mini excavator had to navigate through tens of thousands of dollars worth of glassware. Cat Trial 12 showed the world  how nimble their autonomous technology can be in delicate workspaces. 

Watch the video for the No Hands trial with DaMarcus Beasley here.

Cat Trial 11: Hot Wheels

This special installment of the trial built a life-sized track with the next-generation Cat wheel loaders and other Cat machines, incorporating life-sized versions of Hot Wheels cars. Professional stunt drivers, truck designers, and equipment operators nationwide were brought together to bring the Cat technology to life. 

Follow the link to learn more about the life-sized Hot Wheels with Cat equipment. 

Cat Trial 10: Tech Test 

Technicians are the forgotten heroes of the heavy machinery industry — their dedication and technical knowledge are integral to the success and longevity of Cat machines. The Tech Test was inspired by the women and men working in the technical field and Cat's commitment to hiring skilled workers to meet growing demands. 

The test brought in Cat technicians to complete a skilled obstacle course to test their skills, troubleshooting abilities, and safety mindset. 

Follow the link to learn more about Cat Trial 10: Tech Test. 

Cat Trial 9: PAC-MAN

The PAC-MAN trial was one of the most whimsical shows that Cat put their machines through. The iconic video game was played with Cat Grade 3D mini excavators controlled by players using remote controls to autonomously complete the course. 

The PAC-MAN trial video is available to watch here.

Cat Trial 8: Dominoes 

This trial featured 3,700 handmade domino tiles set up by two local domino enthusiasts. Several integral cat parts — including engine oil filters, a Reman cylinder pack, and engine air filter elements — were set up in the course. The dominoes were meant to be a symbol of the cohesion needed for each Cat machine to work seamlessly. 

Cat Trial 7: Tug of War 

You might recognize Hafþór "Thor" Björnsson from the Game of Thrones TV series where he played a character named The Mountain. The real-life power-lifter and strongman competitor was invited by Caterpillar to take on a Cat D10T dozer in a near-impossible game of tug of war. 

Knowing that Cat machines can be used to move mountains, Cat wanted to answer the question: can a mountain of a man move heavy-duty Cat equipment? The super-strong earthmoving machine was met by Björnsson who stands at an impressive 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs close to 400 pounds. As the winner of Europe's Strongest Man competition in 2015, he was put to the test in front of an entire village in Iceland in a spectacle that only Cat could coordinate. 

Check out the video here to watch this impressive trial. 

Cat Trial 6: Driving Range 

Professional Japanese golfers — twin sisters Erimo and Marimo Ikeuchi — were invited to take shots on a one-of-a-kind course built at the Caterpillar Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning Center near Tucson, Arizona.

The Driving Range trial demonstrated that a 793F off-highway truck can carry a full capacity, 250 tons, and still maneuver safely and quickly around other pieces of equipment. Carrying a truck-load of earth with a professional golf green, members of the Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan took shots at the moving trucks. 

Watch the full Driving Range trial here. 

Cat Trial 5: Lantern Festival 

This trial took place in a small village on the side of a mountain in China. The Lantern Festival is a super popular celebration in China that dates back more than 2,000 years. Lanterns symbolize prosperity and good fortune; every year, people throughout the country join together and release lanterns into the night. The small Yuhu Village is remote and isolated, so the lantern celebration is a stunning sight nestled into the side of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. 

Cat Electric Power was brought in for this unique experience to use their power generator systems to power the lanterns. The challenge was brought in the form of the super high altitude and low air temperature, putting electrification to the test. 

Lantern Festival by the numbers: 

• 8,840 lanterns 
• 7.5 miles (12,000 meters) of wire
• 7,900 feet (2,408 meters) elevation
• 252,000-watt generator

Learn more about Cat Trial 5: Lantern Festival here.

Cat Trial 4: Sand Castle 

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Caterpillar brought in more than 50 truck loads of sand to the site for equipment operators on two Cat 320D hydraulic excavators, a 336D wheel loader, and two mini excavators to transform 734 cubic metres of sand into the world's tallest sand castle. 

The power of these machines was on full display to not only stack and build the sand but to expertly carve out the intricate castle.  

Follow the link here to see Caterpillar create a massive sand castle. 

Cat Trial 3: China Shop

The original China Shop trial brought in a Cat mini excavator to show how these machines can maneuver in tight work-spaces with delicacy and grace. Cat shares that the China inside of the shop was very real and breakable and valued at more than $40,000 USD. 

Due to the accuracy of the machines and surgery-like precision of the operator, no pieces on the set were broken during the actual trial. However, three pieces were broken during the packing and unpacking by the art department involved in the shoot. As well, during the trial run of the video, the operator suggested that the crew put the tables and aisles a little bit closer together to make the test more challenging for him. 

Cat Trial 2: Gravity

A Cat Phone was dropped from more than 30 feet to prove that this piece of equipment can withstand the usual pressures on a fast-paced construction site. 

The trial then had a multi-terrain loader, weighing in at 4.6 tons, run over 600 Cat Phones. At the end of the challenge, all of the B15 Smartphones were still operational, and none of them even had a cracked screen. 

Cat Trial 1: JENGA 

The original Cat Trial featuring larger-than-life JENGA blocks was a feat of innovation. Some of the biggest Cat machines had the opportunity to play with blocks weighing more than 600 pounds each. 

The challenge required operators to position the blocks, one at a time, making sure not to topple the stack. From large and medium excavators like the 349E and the 320E to wheel excavators like the M316D, telehandlers like the TH514C, and compact equipment like the 277D. The attachments on the machines were tailored to the task and provided the highest level of execution. Click here to watch the first excavators stack Jenga blocks in the first Cat trial.