Drive technology that delivers on its promises

Baden (Switzerland) – April 3, 2025 – The experts in the drive technology division work tirelessly to deliver optimal solutions for every application. Key focus areas thereby are safety-critical aspects, such as lifting heavy loads or the precise positioning of crane booms, ladders and telescopic arms. Here, the advantages of our low-play, highly durable gearboxes shine through, making a true difference thanks to our extensive development and application expertise. “We are familiar with almost every application and can provide the matching product for each one,” says Thorsten Pohl, head of sales for the drive technology division. “Our drive technology is backed by unique expertise: The components are used in all Liebherr applications – the treasure trove of our vast experience, from which you and your applications can benefit, when working with us.”

Safe lifting, turning, positioning

Safety and reliability are central aspects of all our components – two factors that go hand in hand. When lifting multi-ton objects over long boom arms, the highest level of safety must be ensured. The same applies to rotating and positioning telescopic arms or ladders, where minimised backlash and smooth acceleration of the rotary drive prevent sway in loads or personnel. High-quality components also provide for a higher machine productivity, as they help maintain uptime. This is especially crucial, when components must withstand extreme stress, as with the exciter blocks and cutter wheel drives in Liebherr construction machines.

Expertise down to the last detail

Liebherr designs and assembles gearboxes and winches in-house to guarantee assurance and reliability. “We know that we can rely on our components and can lift up to 6,000 tons with our winches,” says Matthias Kiebler, innovation manager at the drive technology business unit. “Technical adjustments, such as dual motors for redundancy, secondary brakes and custom-designed gear systems are as essential for maximising the benefits in mobile applications, as are FEM analyses and load tests conducted in advance,” Kiebler explains further. “We also have a dedicated department for fundamental research and product testing. In-house development allows us to work closely and personally with you, providing high flexibility in project execution.”

Electrification and digitalisation: the next steps

Electric systems are currently in high demand. Liebherr’s travel drives for crawler and tracked vehicles have proven their worth in tough everyday construction work over the years. Compact design along with digital products and services also play an increasingly important role. “We’re currently working on a solution for hoisting applications that allows a compact planetary gearbox in a winch despite higher input speeds. Thereby, we use electric motors that run at a higher speed and can, therefore, be more compact at the same time,” explains Matthias Kiebler, innovation manager in the drives business unit. “We also leverage digital data to enhance machine longevity and reduce operating costs for users.” One example is the sensor technology in the SAT600 slewing drive, used in a mining excavator. We are already collecting data from active operations, aiming to plan maintenance intervals proactively and sustainably improve the availability of your machines.