Case’s New Minotaur DL550 Compact Dozer Loader —A New Product Category
Case Construction Equipment is launching an all-new, industry-first equipment category with the introduction of the Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader. Weighing in at more than 18,000 pounds and working with 114 horsepower, the new first-of-its-kind machine delivers dozing and grading performance, as well as powerful site loading capabilities and compatibility with hundreds of attachments.
“The Minotaur is truly a fleet of one, that is second to none,” said Jeff Jacobsmeyer, product manager, Case. “Business owners and fleet managers looking for a compact solution that delivers countless benefits in a single footprint will immediately see the versatility this exciting new machine brings to their fleets and will quickly understand what a ‘compact dozer loader’ is capable of accomplishing.
“It’s what the industry has asked for. Customer input has been a major part of the design and engineering process since the first concepts were discussed, and the result is an entirely purpose-built, intentionally designed machine proudly built here in the United States.”
The advancement of the Case Minotaur DL550 is the chassis-integrated C-frame with six-way dozer blade. The C-frame hydraulically couples into both the chassis of the machine, as well as the attachment coupler. This design provides the stability and smooth operating plane of a small dozer while ensuring that all operating power is channeled through the whole body of the machine. This establishes greater performance and long-term reliability than the simple combination of a dozer blade attachment to a traditional compact track loader.
It also comes standard with Case Universal Machine Control, which makes the machine ready for any of the major three providers of machine control technology, which are sold separately. It’s also available with an optional, fully integrated ripper for tearing up tough terrain to simplify dozing and earthmoving operations. The C-frame is then detached to allow the operator to use it as a loader with a heavy-duty 1.25-cubic-yard bucket. The Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader holds 29 patents and has pushed through more than 10,000 hours of field tests, in addition to countless customer clinics and typical lab and engineering testing. “We’ve put this machine through hell and back — pound for pound, there’s no machine like it that delivers the dozing power and precision, as well as the dynamic loading performance,” said Jacobsmeyer. “This groundbreaking, all-new machine demonstrates Case’s commitment to delivering real-world innovation rooted in customer need.”
True Dozer Performance in a Compact Footprint
Built on a dozer-style undercarriage and pushing with more than 25,000 pounds of drawbar pull, the Case Minotaur DL550 delivers true dozing power and performance, the company said. The machine is available with three different track options to meet operator preference and jobsite profiles:
- 14-inch single-grouser steel tracks
- 18-inch triple-grouser steel tracks
- 17.7-inch rubber tracks
The 90- or 96-inch six-way blade connected to the integrated C-frame is the same blade featured on the Case 650M dozer and gives the operator a full range of dozer controls and movements. The machine’s electro-hydraulic controls also deliver responsiveness like full-sized Case dozers, with the ability to adjust blade, steering and shuttle sensitivity to smooth, moderate or aggressive to meet the operator’s preference. Blade responsiveness can be further dialed in to operator preference by independently setting the speed of the blade tilt, lift and angle.
The fully integrated rear ripper is controlled from within the cab — it comes standard with three shanks and can be expanded to five shanks for more aggressive ripping. The rear ripper feature must be selected when ordering as it cannot be added after the time of purchase.
“The Case Minotaur DL550 is built like a dozer with the full control and operator experience of a larger machine,” said Jacobsmeyer. “That includes the ability to deploy a full range of 2D and 3D machine control solutions that turn this machine into a compact fine grading solution that can get into areas and jobsites where it’s not practical to bring in a full-sized dozer.”
Case Universal Machine Control provides universal harnesses and brackets to integrate machine control solutions from any of the big three providers of precision construction solutions — Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble. This allows equipment owners to add the machine to their fleet with the confidence it can be integrated directly into preferred/existing machine control ecosystems. It also provides rental fleets the ability to switch between machine control brands, which allows for rental flexibility based on customer preference.
A Powerful Site Loader and Attachment Beast
In its loader configuration, the Case Minotaur DL550 features a 5,500-pound rated operating capacity (50 percent of tipping load) with 12,907 pounds of breakout force. It features a vertical lift pattern and operates in the ISO control pattern. It also features advanced electro-hydraulic control capabilities where operators can dial in total machine responsiveness to low, moderate or aggressive; or independently set tilt, lift and drive speed, as well as loader arm and drive control to best meet the demands of the work.
Case builds the machine standard from the factory with enhanced high-flow auxiliary hydraulics for running the most demanding and high-powered attachments — such as mulching heads and cold planers. Minotaur’s enhanced high-flow hydraulics can deliver up to 41.6 GPM at 4,100 psi via the ¾-inch hydraulic quick couplers.
The machine also allows operators to harness all that power with “Hydraulics on Demand”, where the operator can select the percentage of auxiliary hydraulic flow to the attachment via the machine’s multi-function display. This allows operators to dial in attachment performance to their preference or the recommendation of the attachment manufacturer — ensuring both effective and proper operation of the attachment.
“The front coupler featured on this machine is the same as you will find on most compact loaders — this opens the machine up to be used with hundreds of attachments,” said Jacobsmeyer. “We’ve given operators the ability to turn this compact dozer loader into one of the industry’s most versatile and powerful compact machines and deliver on the awesome capabilities that other manufacturers tried to emulate after the original concepts were announced.”
New Rockstar Machine Tours North America
In its 180th year in business, Case has proven to be a company on the move — and the development of the Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader is proof of that in both iron and technology. To celebrate the launch of this first-of-its-kind machine, Case is launching a tour of the United States and Canada with more than 30 stops where the machine will be showcased at Case dealer locations.
Stay tuned to Case social media, as well as CaseCE.com/Minotaur for the full schedule and more information.
“We are bringing the excitement of this industry-changing launch to every corner of North America,” said Terry Dolan, vice president — North America, Case Construction Equipment. “We have more than 180 years of experience in the field, but we’re making moves like a startup, dedicating more time and resources to the field, and spending more time where it counts — with the men and women who run businesses and operate this equipment every day. We can’t wait to see you on tour.”
