Usage:
Reference: Engine News, July 1986, Page 4, "Service Parts Containing Asbestos Are Now Labeled."
The majority of materials that contain asbestos has historically been used in friction and gasket material applications in some Caterpillar products. In these applications, the asbestos fibers have been modified by a bonding agent, thus preventing an airborne concentration of fibers. All parts which contain asbestos are labeled as described in the reference article.
Caterpillar Inc. has been working for some time on the objective of having asbestos-free material for all such applications. The process requires a great deal of work testing performance, durability and other factors. Many parts with asbestos-free materials are now in production. Others will follow as testing and approval of new materials are completed.
In applications where friction material was changed from asbestos to asbestos-free material, a new part number was assigned to parts with asbestos-free material. In most gasket material applications the part number did not change. Instead, the asbestos-free material is identified by an "A/F" marking near the part number. This marking will be either on the part, on the package, or both. Some asbestos-free dry friction material also has the A/F marking.
Some, but not all, gasket and friction materials contained asbestos. Those parts that did, can be identified as shown in the chart.
Caterpillar expects to have only asbestos-free material in production on machines, engines, and attachments by January 1990. Parts distribution should be asbestos-free on all current and fast-moving parts (five or more demands per month) by January 1993. Slow-moving noncurrent parts (less than five demands per month) will be more difficult to change and Caterpillar will proceed as practical.