Starting in January, Liebherr will begin to roll out a completely new generation of crawler excavators.
The new Generation 8 excavators were announced during Liebherr’s 2018 Information Tour for international trade press, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
“In the development of this new generation, the goal was to propose a brand-new product that really fit our customer needs,” said Martin Schickel, managing director of sales for Liebherr-France SAS. “More performance, higher productivity, greater safety and comfort for the operator were the main focus for the engineering team at Liebherr-France SAS.”
For the initial launch, the Generation 8 lineup includes six models; the R 922, the R 924, the R 926, the R 930, the R 934 and the R 938.
The R 922 and R 924 are available for high-regulated countries whereas the following four models are available for lower-regulated countries, and equipped with the related engines.
With an operating weight between 22 and 45 tonnes, according to the different configurations, the new series of crawler excavators will cover an engine range of 163 hp to 299 hp.
“All models of the new generation are characterized in particular by enhanced performance, higher productivity and even greater safety and comfort for the operator,” Schickel said.
One of the new innovations on the excavators is a hollow molded piece at the top of the boom.
“This leads to better performance and equipment forces with reduced operating weight of the machine. An additional novelty is the optimized load curve, which yields reduced fuel consumption,” Schickel said. “For the maintenance-free travel gear and track rollers on the undercarriage, the reliability has also been significantly enhanced by applying a lifetime lubrication concept.”
The R 922 and R 924 crawler excavators, with an operating weight between 22 and 24 tonnes, will be the first Generation 8 excavators released. They replace the models of the same name launched in 2013 in stage IIIB.
The R 922 and R 924 crawler excavators are equipped with a Liebherr engine that conforms to Stage V, deliver power of 160 hp and 173 hp respectively, an increase of almost 10 per cent compared to the previous generation.
The engine does not have an EGR valve, but it is fitted with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), a SCR system and particulate filter for reduced consumption. “With such a system, there are no productivity constraints in case of malfunctioning exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR) or eventual overconsumption of gasoline caused by EGR,” Schickel said.
As well, a standard heavy counterweight, together with a higher bucket capacity, from 0.55 cubic metres to 1.65 cubic metres, improves efficiency on the jobsite.
The digging force, traction force of the undercarriage, as well as the swing torque of the uppercarriage, have been increased, between 5 per cent to 25 per cent compared to the previous generation.
“The overall performance of the R 922 and R 924 crawler excavators on the job site has been significantly improved,” Schickel said.
The Generation 8 excavators also make the switch to LED lighting.
“This solution allows longer life, reduced electrical consumption and obviously a more powerful lighting,” Schickel said. “This supports the overall performance of the machine as well as safety and comfort.”
Inside the cab, the machines are equipped with a pneumatic seat with vertical and longitudinal damping, as well as 15 cm high-resolution colour touchscreen monitor. In comparison with the previous generation, the display provides more information to the operator, such as current levels of engine oil, hydraulic oil and diesel exhaust fluid. Furthermore, machine movements are adjustable through the touchscreen. A fully retractable front window and standard LED lighting, complete the machine.
“The unobstructed panoramic view and the rear-view and lateral monitoring cameras enhance safety in the operator’s work environment,” Schickel said.