Machine Design asked Tana Utley, former vice president, Caterpillar Inc., to describe something that stood out as “revolutionary” during her 37-year tenure with the leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. Revolutionary, said Utley, means that there is an innovation both in the architecture of how the machine is put together, as well as in the technology elements. She pointed out that revolutionary technologies come about because of a series of evolutions, and electrification is an example.
But “revolutionary” could just as easily be the term applied to Utley’s work on diesel engine emissions reduction. One of her greatest wins, she recalled, started while she worked as a mechanical engineer in the engine division. The EPA had promulgated laws that required engine emissions to be reduced every four years to near-zero levels. Over the span of Utley’s career leading the advancement of Caterpillar’s world-renowned engines, Caterpillar reduced the regulated constituents by 96%. This achievement is a source of pride and is humbling, she said.
