RBS’s sand and gravel plant in Hamburg operates under wet conditions and has an output of up to 3000 tonnes of sand and gravel per day.
A suction dredge extracts the sand and gravel mixture from a lake and wheel loaders then transport it to stockpiles for interim storage. Three new L 566 XPower wheel loaders will now perform this task.
Even before RBS acquired the new XPower large wheel loaders, it was already testing a prototype of the L 576 XPower.
“During more than 5500 hours of testing, we did not experience a single failure”, RBS’s owner and managing director Andreas Buhk said.
“The essential main components, such as the power-split driveline and the larger axles, have proved to be particularly robust.”
Indeed, Buhk has trusted Liebherr products for more than 30 years.
Just like the Liebherr group of companies, RBS is a traditional family-run company. Established in 1912, and now in its fourth generation, the company operates across five sites in the greater Hamburg area, providing specialist materials and services.
Drawing on its own know-how, RBS focuses on a high level of in-house production. This strategy also connects the two companies, as Liebherr has always developed and built components itself or in co-operation with premium manufacturers.
Components used in the XPower wheel loaders are no exception, with Liebherr ensuring their consistently high quality.
{{image2-a:r-w:200}}For Buhk, the positive test phase with the L 576 XPower was the deciding factor in the purchase of three new L 566 XPower wheel loaders. Further, he appreciated the direct, ongoing contact with Liebherr.
“This makes it possible to have the machines adapted to meet our precise requirements and preferences”, he said.
At the RBS plant, the wheel loaders cover long driving distances. This is where the advantages of the Stage IV/Tier 4f emission-compliant, power-split Liebherr XPower driveline come into effect.
The power-split driveline combines a hydrostatic drive, which is ideal for short loading cycles, with a mechanical drive, which comes into its own on long routes and uphill. The combination of these types of drive ensures maximum efficiency, whatever the operating requirements, and offers exceptional fuel savings.
“Even under the tough conditions in our sand and gravel plant, our new wheel loaders use up to 30 per cent less fuel per operating hour at full capacity than the previous models,” Buhk said.
With an annual output of 1.2 million tonnes of material, productivity is a top priority for RBS.
The wheel loaders are in operation for 240 days per year, 12 hours per day, turning over wet and very dense bulk material. To meet this demand, Liebherr has reinforced the Z-bar linkage and optimised the lever ratio, to further increase productivity during operation.
As a result, the revised Z-bar linkage delivers up to 20 per cent more breakout force compared with the previous generation.
Alongside the lift arm improvements, Liebherr has also revised the bucket design. The optimised buckets improve material penetration and allow for faster and more efficient loading.
The high loading capacity of the L 566 XPower is also enhanced by the positioning of the components. Liebherr installs heavy components, such as the motor, at the very rear. This means the centre of gravity is moved to the back of the wheel loader and the use of additional counterweights becomes unnecessary. This ideal weight distribution results in high tipping loads and an increased handling capacity per operating hour.
Source: Liebherr Australia