It can be hard to decide between CAT315 vs CAT320 excavators as both are powerful machines and suitable for different types of projects. If you are struggling to decide, here are some key differences to help with your decision.
The CAT315 VS CAT320 are both reliable excavators, but they serve distinct purposes. The CAT315 excels in compact spaces and light-duty tasks, offering excellent fuel efficiency and maneuverability. In contrast, the CAT320 is designed for heavy-duty projects, offering superior lifting capacity and digging depth. This comparison will guide you in choosing the right machine for your project.
Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s dig into the key differences between these machines.

Overview of CAT315 VS CAT320

Let’s start by taking a closer look at the general specifications and differences between a CAT315 VS CAT320 excavator. Understanding these specifications can help you determine which model will best fit your project needs.

CAT315 Overview:

The CAT315 is a compact, nimble machine, and is meant to be a lighter piece of equipment. This is primarily a grading machine, a trenching machine or a digging machine for use in light applications. Think of it being your machine to go into urban areas where you need good reach and you need to swing around and put dirt somewhere. You’ll find this is the most popular machine with those guys that work in residential areas or with other contractors who only have a little small area to work in.

CAT320 Overview:

The CAT320 is the big brother to the 315. This is your heavy-duty machine, your deep-hole excavation machine, your lifting machine, and your road-building machine. This is the machine you want if you’re going after large excavation projects. This machine is what you want for either civil earthwork, commercial work, mining work, or when anyone has a very large project. When you need to move a lot of earth, this is the machine to do it.

Size and Weight Differences

Size and weight are two of the most important factors with an excavator that affect its performance. The smaller machines, like the 315, are great for urban areas or small little sites where it needs to be a little small machine. It needs to be lifted up over things and that kind of stuff, or maybe it’s in somebody’s backyard or they need to build a small building in a small area. The smaller equipment is perfect because it’s very nimble and you can move it all around very easily. The big equipment, the 320, is what you need when you have big jobs. That’s what you need to handle and manage all of the daily “work.”

CAT315 Size and Weight:

The 315 is a small, compact size class, extremely maneuverable and compact overall. It’s an excellent fit for most applications where space is tight. Generally falls in the 15,000 to 16,000 kilogram weight class. It’s also easy to get in and out of places with a compact footprint because it’s so light. The 315 can do everything the bigger machines do, but it just won’t burn as much fuel doing so.

CAT320 Size and Weight:

The 320 is heavier: the operating weight usually falls in the 19,000 to 22,000 kilogram range. The weight makes this machine fantastic for larger, more substantial work. It’s a bit more challenging to get around because it is heavier, and it doesn’t fit into some places a 315 would. Because the 320 weighs more, it also has more lifting and digging capacity, making it the clear winner for larger jobs where having that extra muscle really comes in handy

Engine Power and Performance

The biggest piece is engine horsepower, and that’s the engine power available to do the work. With more horsepower, the excavator can work more efficiently, move more dirt in a shorter amount of time, and possibly work in tougher conditions. For example, the 320 has a lot more power than the 315 and can handle itself in conditions the 315 couldn’t. The 315 has plenty of power for the majority of tasks but will get the work done using less fuel and with less cost to maintain.

CAT315 Engine and Performance:

The next model, the CAT315, has an engine that produces 97 kW of power. This is good for work where you want a moderate amount of power. It won’t be as powerful as the CAT320, but this engine is designed to be more fuel efficient and have a well-rounded performance for light to medium jobs. This is the perfect machine for things like grading, trenching, and light excavation – especially for jobs in the city or when you have limited access.

CAT320 Engine and Performance:

On the other hand, the next machine, the CAT320, has a 130 kW engine. This machine will give you all the power you need for those heavier jobs. This engine is designed to give you power all the time while keeping your fuel consumption down and your bottom line up. This machine is perfect for those big excavation jobs, building roads, and doing those heavy-duty rips in that frozen rock or anything else you want to do. With this increased power, you’ll be able to really bring the machine to life and those cycle times will get shorter. This allows you to
move more dirt faster, and when you’re talking dirt work, productivity equals profit!

Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Fuel efficiency is super important when you’re running a machine 12 hours a day. You need to make sure you’re not blowing smoke and fire out the exhaust system all day long, and when you’re burning less fuel, it’s obviously better for your bottom line. That’s why, if you’re doing a small project where you don’t want to be pouring fuel to these machines all day long, you’ll get a lot more work done, and make a lot more profit, with an excavator that’s more fuel efficient.

CAT315 Fuel Efficiency:

The CAT315, in particular, is known for being extremely fuel efficient, given the amount of horsepower and the size of the machine. When you’re burning less fuel, it means your checkbook will grow fatter, and your bank
account won’t grow quite so thin. That makes the 315 the perfect machine when you’re trying to save money, especially on fuel. Also, because of its small size, it uses less fuel if you’re working in tight areas where you can’t
run like a scalded dog in the wind all day long.

CAT320 Fuel Efficiency:

To be fair, the CAT320 is going to drink more fuel. It has a bigger engine, and it’s going to burn more fuel every hour. But, in the end, you’re going to move more material in less time so, for your overall operation, you’re getting more work done. The fuel costs will become a smaller portion of your overall expenses because the excavator allows you to work faster and more efficiently than anyone else around you.

Lifting Capacity and Digging Depth

An excavator’s lift and dig capacities are important. The CAT320 has a much bigger lift and dig capacity than a 315. The 320 is the way to go if you need to lift more, or if you need to dig deeper. But, trust me, the CAT315 is a really strong machine for a company like yours. The average ditch or everything you need to dig, you don’t need a CAT320 to dig. The 315 is more than enough machine to take care of your needs!

CAT315 Lifting and Digging:

The next thing we need to talk about is how deep you need to dig and how much weight you need to pick up every day. The CAT315 has a bucket capacity that ranges from 1.2 to 1.8 cubic meters, and can dig to a maximum of 5.7 meters. For these sizes and depths, the 315 is your baby. You can trench, grade, or dig out a small foundation. You’re not going to dig out an underground storage tank with a CAT315, but you can sure get plenty of work done!

CAT320 Lifting and Digging:

The powerhouse of the Mini’s is the CAT320 having the ability to lift anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 meters of cubed earth and dig as deep as 6.7 meters. You can use this digger for mass excavation, deep foundations, and material handling. This mini digger is designed for working in tough conditions and doing heavy lifting and digging.

Hydraulic System Differences

The mini excavators have an advanced hydraulic system, which controls the lifting and digging power of the equipment. A more advanced hydraulic system will provide faster response times and more power, which will increase the performance, especially when you are dealing with large-scale or heavy-duty jobs.

CAT315 Hydraulic System:

The standard hydraulic system is well-matched for light to medium-duty work. It is efficient and provides good response for trenching, grading and tasks like that. The system is designed to give you the best fuel economy while still having the hydraulic power you need.

CAT320 Hydraulic System:

In comparison, the CAT320 hydraulic system is top of the line. It provides faster cycle times and better control, especially for heavy-duty applications. This system is designed to support the increased power and efficiency of the CAT320, allowing the machine to handle tough materials with no problem. The advanced hydraulics make this digger ideal for heavy lifting and big excavation jobs.

Operator Comfort and Cab Features

Operator comfort is important if you want to keep your crew working hard and not complaining. The CAT315 and CAT320 cabs are both comfortable, but the CAT320 has all the comforts of home and the convenience of an office—more than you would expect in a piece of heavy equipment. Once you’ve operated a miniexcavator with high-tech features such as these, it’s tough to get back in a basic machine.

CAT315 Operator Comfort:

The CAT315 comes with a basic, comfortable cab that is designed for a short to medium shift. The controls are easy to reach, and the visibility is excellent. You can do a lot of work in this thing in a small area.

CAT320 Operator Comfort:

The CAT320 comes with a larger cab, better visibility, and is tuned to be more comfortable. It has a larger high-def screen, climate control, and really nice seats. That means a lot when you’re sitting in a machine all day or all week.

Maintenance and Durability

Both machines are built to last, but their design requirements and applications are a little different. The CAT320 is designed for use in severe applications. As a result, a CAT320 will have a longer life than a CAT315.

CAT315 Maintenance:

Less maintenance. This is ideal for a little three-man crew or somebody whose life isn’t in demolition or some kind of crazy tough job every day. You really don’t need more than a CAT315. Keep up with its maintenance, and it will last forever.

CAT320 Maintenance:

Your service intervals will be longer, but when you do service it, it takes a little bit more time because it’s more complicated. However, if all you’re doing is moving dirt and will outsell all of your other machines three to one, buy the one that’s a little harder to maintain. Because at the end of the day, you’re still making more money with less iron sitting still than the other way around.

Conclusion

What Is The Difference Between The Cat315 Machine And The Cat320 Machine Performance With These Machines? The big difference between the two machines is that the Cat315 is a more compact machine with smaller and more fuel-efficient engines. The cat315 is perfect for smaller to mid-size jobs. The machines are lighter and more maneuverable, hence cost-effective on smaller jobs.

The cat320 is a much heaver built machine with larger engines, more power, and lifting capacity than the cat315. The cat315 is designed for smaller jobs like new pools, swimming pool repairs, and pond building. The cat320 is a massive machine and designed for massive jobs such as ponds at horse farms, building roads, lakes, and buildings. Overall, the decision between the Cat315 and Cat320 will primarily depend on the scale of your job.

However, for smaller excavation, handling, and material moving, you’re most likely going to be more profitable using cat315 than running a cat320, especially if your travel time to the job is significant. Compare engine power, weight, fuel consumption, and lifting ability, and then make the best decision for your specific situation.

Follow us on :YouTube.