Liebherr has introduced new machines from the deep foundation, lifting, and material handling product lines – among them are the LR 1200.1 unplugged and LR 1250.1 unplugged, believed to be the world’s first battery-powered crawler cranes. The machines can be operated without a cable, hence ‘unplugged’.
Manufactured at the Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH facility, the new electric crawler cranes have a maximum lifting capacity of 200 t (LR 1200.1 unplugged ) and 250 t (LR 1250.1 unplugged). Both are driven by electric engines with a system performance of 255 kW.
The cranes can be recharged on a conventional jobsite electric supply (32 A, 63 A) in 4.5 hours and optionally with 125 A in 2.25 hours. The capacity of the battery is designed for 4 hours of lifting operation. “There are no compromises regarding performance or availability when compared with the conventional versions,” asserted Liebherr.
The electric cranes are emission free and have a very low noise level. This is a major advantage for areas sensitive to noise and also for the people working on the jobsite.
On the machine design, the unplugged series has a blue accent in its colour composition, which symbolises the electric solution representing an advanced technology. “The unplugged cranes achieve the best possible combination of operator benefit, efficiency and environmental sustainability,” stated Liebherr.
“The year 2020 has shown that one must be open-minded and bold to break new ground. With our unplugged cranes, we offer our customers an alternative drive design. As we have already seen with the LB 16 unplugged, the first battery-powered drilling rig, the strategy is a complete success,” explained Gerhard Frainer, managing director for sales at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH.
“Strict requirements regarding environmental sustainability in tenders for construction projects increase the demand for advanced technologies. For us, it was clear that we extend and successfully establish the design in further product groups.”
The electric crawler cranes are now commercially available, with the first customers being Kynningsrud Nordic Crane AS in Norway and Select Plant Hire Company Ltd in the UK.
HS 8070.1 duty-cycle crawler crane
Liebherr has also revealed its latest generation of duty-cycle crawler cranes, the HS 8070.1. The machine offers a lifting capacity of 70 t and can perform a number of applications: material handling, deep foundation or lifting operations.
Using a new self-loading system (jack-up system) the crawlers can be easily disassembled for transportation, thus reducing the transport weight to less than 35 t. The platforms and railings must no longer be removed before transporting, said Liebherr.
Instead of a single counterweight, the HS 8070.1 now features a modular system. The crane can be individually equipped depending on the application. Plus, the boom of the HS 8070.1 is compatible with the HS 8100.1, so customers can use attachments such as the HSG 5-18 slurry wall grab on both machines and install thicker slurry walls with a more compact machine.
As opposed to the fixed system, the new floating A-frame system ensures higher performance in dynamic applications, according to Liebherr. It also simplifies and speeds up the assembly and transportation of the machine. The user-friendly design extends to the tank neck, which is easily accessible via a platform on the uppercarriage.
LRB 23 piling and drilling rig
Another new innovation is the Liebherr LRB 23 piling and drilling rig, which closes the gap between the LRB 16 and LRB 355. This latest model provides an engine output of 600 kW, making it suitable for common deep foundation works, such as drilling with a Kelly drill, double rotary drill, full displacement equipment and continuous flight auger, as well as soil mixing and applications with a vibrator or hydraulic hammer.
The compact design allows for transportation of the LRB 23 in one piece, resulting in easy mobilisation between jobsites. The remote control simplifies the loading process for transportation and also the assembly of the machine.
The advantages of the rigid leader are proven in operation. It can withstand high torques, even Kelly drilling is possible, claimed Liebherr. The rotary drive BAT 300 delivers a maximum torque of 300 kNm.
Locking of the Kelly bar’s telescopic sections is made easier with the aid of the Kelly visualisation system. Thanks to the real time display of the Kelly bar’s locking recesses on the cabin monitor, the operator is permanently informed about the actual distance to the next locking recess. Colour indications inform when the bar can be locked. Furthermore, false positioning of the Kelly bar during the shake-off process is indicated through a warning signal.
During continuous flight auger drilling the concreting process is automated, thanks to the drilling assistant. All assistance systems contribute towards time savings, higher availability of the machine, and a significant increase in safety during operation.
These new machines are targeted at the global market. Their cab has been designed for operator comfort, featuring reduced noise and panoramic view. It is also fitted with a modern air-conditioning system with improved airflow, an optimised field of vision and an orthopaedic operator’s seat with integrated heating and cooling. Additional safety is provided by the stone protection, even in the toughest of applications.
Click here to watch the unveiling of the products.
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