Customised options, reduced fuel consumption: Mid-sized and large wheel loaders at Intermat 2015

At Intermat 2015, Liebherr is presenting the L 576 wheel loader with Z-bar linkage and a 5.0 m³ HD version rehandling bucket which is particularly suitable for the loading and handling of heavy bulk materials. As an additional exhibit, Liebherr is presenting the L 542 all-round wheel loader with parallel kinematics, a 3.5 m³ high-dump bucket and LIKUFIX hydraulic quick-hitch system. This design is particularly suited to use in the industrial sector and recycling industry. Powerful Stage IIIB / Tier 4i diesel engines drive the L 576 (205 kW / 279 HP) and the L 542 (120 kW / 163 HP).

Engineers developed a clever solution during the installation of the engine: Liebherr installed the engines in the rear of the machine – crosswise in the L 542, and lengthways in the L 576 with the output shaft facing backwards. In these unique ways, the compact design means that the diesel engine and the variable displacement pump counterbalance each other. The centre of gravity shifts to the rear of the machine. Liebherr does away with any ballast and can achieve lower operating weights and higher tipping load potential.

The tipping load of the L 576 shown at Intermat 2015 with an operating weight of 24,575 kg amounts to a formidable 17,230 kg. The 15,600 kg heavy L 542 has a tipping load of 8,560 kg. Businesses can benefit from this balance of operating weight and tipping load as handling capacity increases per operating hour. Productivity increases with usage. Furthermore, the mounting position of the diesel engines means that all maintenance points are readily accessible. Due to the compact design, the operator of the machine can better survey his surroundings.

The high window of the comfort cab facilitates a better all-round view too, as well as increasing safety in operating the wheel loader. The comfort cabs offer a pleasant and modern working environment. The operator can work productively, as the signs, controls, the comfortable driving seat and the Liebherr control lever all make for an ergonomic unit. With the Liebherr control lever, all working and travel functions can be operated with one-hand precision. Furthermore, the newly developed mounting system specifically reduces noise and vibration on the inside.

Efficient drive technology from Liebherr

Like all Liebherr wheel loaders, the L 576 is hydrostatically powered. Under the same working conditions, Liebherr wheel loaders consume up to 25 percent less fuel per operating hour. The hydraulic braking action of the drive reduces brake wear to a minimum. Continuous tractive force regulation decreases tyre wear by up to 25 percent. The hydrostatic driveline helps decrease business, service and maintenance costs.

The Liebherr Power Efficiency (LPE) system developed by Liebherr lowers fuel consumption. LPE ensures that all work and travel processes of the machine interact in an ideal fashion. The system achieves the highest possible efficiency level from all elements, in which it proactively engages in engine control, enhances engine speed and adjusts the pivot angle of the hydraulic pump. As a result, handling capacity and economic efficiency is enhanced – operating efficiency increases.

As a medium-sized producer of quality construction material, industrial aggregates, concrete and asphalt, and fertilisers, Großtagebau Kamsdorf GmbH in Thüringen, Germany is involved in large-scale open-cast mining, working with two Liebherr L 576 wheel loaders. The machines are equipped in a similar way to the exhibit at Intermat 2015. Each wheel loader handles between 350 and 400 tons of material per hour. In order to be able to work at this efficient handling capacity, the mining company Großtagebau Kamsdorf GmbH chose Liebherr. “With diesel consumption of approx. 15.5 litres per hour, the Liebherr wheel loader requires 25 to 30 percent less fuel in rehandling and machine feeding than a comparable competing model” managing director Andreas Kastner commends the high fuel efficiency of the Liebherr wheel loader.

All-round power for industry use

Liebherr customers can configure the wheel loaders in the mid-sized design series: Without additional costs, one can choose between Z-bar linkage for standard operations and parallel kinematics for industrial use. For customer-specific requirements, there is a multitude of equipment options available.

The Intermat exhibit, the Liebherr L 542 wheel loader, is equipped with a fluff trap, reversible fan drive and large-mesh radiator. These options protect the wheel loader in dust-filled environments. The fluff trap eliminates coarse dust particles and helps preserve the radiator fins from rapidly becoming blocked. The large-mesh radiator reduces blockage with fluff, wood pulp or other dirt particles. Due to the direction of rotation, the reversible fan blows dirt particles out of the radiator and cleans the cooling system. This safety measure reduces cleaning and maintenance costs and increases the availability of the machine.

A further equipment option for the L 542 exhibit is the LIKUFIX hydraulic quick-hitch system. This practical system has already proven its worth with Liebherr hydraulic excavators and is optionally available for wheel loaders in the mid-sized design series. Through these Liebherr developments, the operator no longer needs to leave the cab to change the equipment on his wheel loader. He can change the equipment in a matter of seconds at the press of a button from the cab – fully automatic, secure and oil-leakage free. With LIKUFIX, the contractor can save valuable time with each equipment change and the operator can work productively.