Three Liebherr R 920 crawler excavators deployed in South African mine

The three Liebherr R 920 crawler excavators are used for trenching, pipe laying and for the feeding of a screener in a chromium mine. With an operating weight of 21 tonnes and equipped with a Stage IIIA / Tier 3 / CHINA III engine with an output of 110 kW / 150 HP, the R 920 crawler excavator was developed specifically for these types of applications. For KEDASE, the machines have been configured with a 5.7 m boom, a 2 m stick and a 1.15 m3 bucket.

The R 920 concept is based on the standard European models with high levels of reliability and increased productivity combined with low fuel consumption. Launched onto the market at bauma 2016, the R 920 is accompanied by a revamp of the range of 20 to 25 tonne crawler excavators. In addition to the R 920 are the R 922 and R 924. The R 922 weighs 22 tonnes and has an output of 110 kW / 150 HP and the R 924 weighs 24 tonnes and has an output of 125 kW / 170 HP. These machines are aimed at less regulated markets like South Africa, South East Asia, Russia, China and India.

Performance meets expectations

Since their arrival in 2016, the R 920 crawler excavators have met all expectations. After more than 1,000 operating hours, these machines are currently used for 9 to 12 hours every day with an average fuel consumption of only 15 litres/hour. The manoeuvrability and hydraulic performance in particular make the machines efficient on site. From the operator's point of view, the R 920 is characterised by its speed, comfort, stability and performance: ‘I feel like I'm in a pickup’, said the operator with pride.

For Ofentse Sekano, KEDASE’s Managing Director, the partnership with Liebherr is certainly on the right track. With the expectation that these machines will keep performing over time and reach 15,000 operating hours, he will certainly be choosing Liebherr again in the future.