Liebherr Gets Involved in the Recycling Field Developing New Machines for Waste Management

The recycling industry is growing rapidly, and it is changing. In recent years, many waste disposal companies have developed from being generalists to being highly specialized recycling operations. This has brought about changes in requirements, and these have to be satisfied by the machines used in the recycling industry.

Liebherr is meeting this challenge by developing machines and equipment options, especially for the different operations in the field of recycling and waste management. Liebherr has presented a selection of this high-performance, economical, and yet reliable machines to the trade audience at the IFAT in Munich:

• Two wheel loaders: the L 538 (trade fair première) and the L 509 Tele
• Wired Liebherr LH 26 M Industry E electric material handling machine with recycling package
• New GMM 50-5 multi-shell grapple
• Liebherr booth 151/250 in Hall C5

New, medium-large wheel loader series from Liebherr with its German trade fair premiere

With the L 538, Liebherr has presented a representative of its new medium-large wheel loaders of the 8th generation for the first time at an exhibition in Germany. Liebherr has redeveloped and fundamentally revised this model series, which comprises three models. The machines are prepared for the tough requirements of the recycling industry. Their newly designed linkage provides for a maximum breakout, holding, and recoil forces. It features optimized Z kinematics and enhanced working hydraulics. The result is faster cycle times and dynamic and powerful working movements – even with heavy attachments like a high-dump bucket.

Besides the new linkage, optimizations in the hydrostatic travel drive contribute in particular to the improved productivity of the wheel loaders. The new, more powerful engines are characterized by greater maximum torque at a lower rated speed. This allows both output and efficiency to be improved with unchanged low fuel consumption. High-performance hydraulic components, for example, larger travel motors and pumps on all three wheel loaders of the medium-large model series provide for greater tractive force and thus powerful loading operations.

Besides the travel drive components, Liebherr has also reinforced the axles for greater reliability. Depending on the model concerned, all three wheel loaders have larger front or rear axles than their predecessors. Moreover, Liebherr has reinforced the steel construction at the front end of the new wheel loaders to prepare the machines for handling heavy loads. Constructional reinforcements on the new linkage increase robustness, for example on the bucket arms or the transverse tube. A modern design that can be seen, for example, in the comfortable operator’s cab and intelligent equipment are also part of the overall package of the new medium-large Liebherr wheel loaders.

Another wheel loader exhibit that Liebherr will be presenting in the outdoor area of the trade fair is the L 509 Tele telescopic wheel loader. This versatile special machine combines the lifting height and reach of a regular telescopic handler with the productive handling performance of a classic wheel loader. The L 509 Tele thus marries the advantages of two classes of machine in a single product. The Speeder variant of the Liebherr L 509 stereo wheel loader was used as the basis for development. That means, the telescopic wheel loader features the tried-and-tested stereo steering system and its powerful standard hydrostatic travel drive takes it to a top speed of 38 km/h. Instead of a classic wheel loader linkage, the L 509 Tele has an extending telescopic lifting arm that allows it to reach a lifting height of up to 4.8 m, for example with a loading fork.

The Liebherr LH 26 M Industry E electric material handler

Liebherr is presenting the LH 26 M Industry E at the IFAT as a representative of its electric material handling machines. The machine is predestined for operations in the field of recycling, for example material handling, unloading or sorting waste paper, waste wood and waste materials. Equipped with an extending, close-meshed protective grille and innovative recycling package, the machine scores with its high level of machine availability and reliability – even in extremely dusty conditions. The recycling package consists of a reversible, fold-out fan drive and an external air conditioning compressor.

The innovative drive concept of the material handling machine includes a 90 kW Liebherr electric motor that guarantees powerful and dynamic working movements with low maintenance costs and low noise emissions. Furthermore, the drive concept includes an additional electric motor for auxiliary consumers, guaranteeing purposeful power distribution and maximum energy efficiency. Sophisticated frequency converter technology allows the engine speed to be individually adjusted to the respective use of the machine. Besides the simple adjustment to all common power supply networks worldwide, the frequency converter is also characterised by a substantial reduction in operation costs. This is achieved by preventing switch-on current peaks with a gentle ramp-up when starting and the related conservation of the hydraulic drive components.

The machine at the IFAT is equipped with a 6.60 m long boom and a 4.50 m long stick with tilt geometry. The equipment also includes the Liebherr SG 25B sorter grab with a filling volume of 0.90 m³ and perforated tongs with a width of 1,200 mm. Another component of the machine configuration is the freely variable, height-adjustable hydraulic operator’s cab. It can be variably adjustable for different loading situations, and it ensures an optimum view over the working area. A 785 mm wide platform with sliding door gives the machine operator comfortable access and entry to the operator’s cab. The cable feed operates with a cable winding system that allows the machine to move safely within a working radius of 40 m, or more on request.

For efficient and economical goods handling: the new Liebherr GMM 50-5 multi-tine grapple

Liebherr will also be presenting the new GMM 50-5 multi-tine grapple on the booth. The intelligently designed five-tine grapple was not only developed for customers, it was also developed together with customers. It is available for material handling machines with an operating weight of 35 to 55 tonnes. The new grapple combines decades of Liebherr expertise in the field of developing and manufacturing high-performance, robust attachments with a valuable wealth of experience from the users themselves. Only high-quality materials are used in the production of the new grapple. The components are produced from solid cast steel and from low-wear, high-strength steel plates. The multi-tine grapple impresses in particular with its exceptional robustness, resilience and durability, which make it predestined for operations in the field of recycling and scrap management.

A comprehensive portfolio of buckets as well as a wide selection of optional equipment means that different materials can be handled efficiently and economically in recycling and scrap handling. The GMM 50-5 is designed specially for grabbing mixed and shredded waste as well as chippings or shavings with bulk of up to 1.10 m³. The arrangement and shape of the tines are optimised for perfect penetration and for holding bulky and at the same time loose material. There is a choice of three tine sizes for handling diverse materials: The version with open tines is perfect for handling large-size and bulky scrap objects. The version with semi-closed tines is ideal for medium-sized, mixed materials and shredding waste. Small, fine materials and chippings or shavings can be handled most effectively with the closed, heart-shaped tines.