Bulldozers or ships: What's the difference?

This paper explains Caterpillar's approach to maintaining leadership position in designing and manufacturing fabricated structures, and highlights some of the technologies that are used to make welded steel components. Caterpillar's customers continue to look for maximum value from our machines and, to meet their increasing expectations, investment in new technology is a necessity. To build lightweight, high quality, long life structural components, Caterpillar uses state-of-the-art design tools, process simulation technologies and the latest manufacturing processes. It is the authors' perception that there are many synergisms between ship construction and the manufacture of earthmoving equipment. This paper debates networking between the two industries for cross-industry technology development and knowledge transfer. This can potentially improve the competitiveness of the United States in the ever-increasing global marketplace.