2001/03/19 Caterpillar

Agricultural Tractor:

All

Articulated Truck:

All

Asphalt Paver:

All

Backhoe Loader:

All

Challenger:

All

Cold Planer:

All

Combine:

All

Compact Wheel Loader:

ALL

Earthmoving Compactor:

All

Excavator:

All

Forest Products:

All

Integrated Toolcarrier:

All

Landfill Compactor:

All

Mini Hydraulic Excavator:

All

Motor Grader:

All

Off-Highway Truck/Tractor:

All

Paving Compactor:

All

Pipelayer:

All

Road Reclaimer/Soil Stabilizer:

All

Skid Steer Loader:

All

Soil Compactor:

All

Telehandler:

All

Track-Type Loader:

All

Track-Type Skidder:

All

Track-Type Tractor:

All

Underground Articulated Truck:

All

Wheel Loader:

All

Wheel Skidder:

All

Wheel Tractor:

All

Wheel Tractor-Scraper:

All

Effective First Quarter 2001, the Caterpillar Product Identification Number (PIN) will change from 8 characters to 17 characters. In an effort to provide uniform equipment identification, Caterpillar and other construction equipment manufacturers are moving to comply with the latest version of the product identification numbering standard. Non-road machine PINs are defined by ISO 10261. This new PIN format will apply to all Caterpillar machines and generator sets. Machines and generator sets that were produced prior to First Quarter 2001 will maintain the eight character PIN format. The following components will continue to use the familiar eight character Serial Number.

• engines

• transmissions, axles, etc.

• work tools

The 17 character PIN will appear on the product identification plate as shown in Illustration 1. In addition to the identification plate, the 17 character PIN will be stamped on the product for permanent identification.

Illustration 1	g00782940
(1) Caterpillar's World Manufacturing Code (characters 1 - 3) (2) Machine descriptor (characters 4 - 8) (3) Check character (character 9) (4) Machine Indicator Section (MIS) or Product Sequence Number (characters 10 - 17). These characters were previously referred to as the Serial Number.

The Effect the New 17 Character PIN Will Have on Caterpillar Publications

Caterpillar publications will not refer to the 17 character PIN. For effectivity purposes, Caterpillar publications will only refer to the last 8 digits of the 17 character PIN. These last eight digits of the 17 character PIN will be referred to as the Product Sequence Number (4) .

The Effect the New 17 Character PIN Will Have on Caterpillar Legal Documentation

Legal documentation on any machine or generator set will require the entire 17 digit PIN for a complete description. Caterpillar will provide the 17 digit PIN as a legal description in the following documents: Government Shipping, Financial, Insurance and Customer Documentation.

The Effect the New 17 Character PIN Will Have on Caterpillar Product Security

The new 17 Character PIN will provide additional security for Caterpillar products. This additional security will assist in the prevention of stolen products. The 17 Character PIN will provide authorities another critical element in identifying a product. With the previous 8 character Serial Number, there was no easy way to determine if the Serial Number had been altered. With the additional 9 characters in the 17 character PIN, Caterpillar will be able to determine if a serial number is correct by validating the Check Character (3) .