Liebherr has announced the new TA 230 Litronic, its redeveloped-from-scratch articulated dump truck (ADT).
The robust, powerful and all-terrain machine is primarily designed for overburden transport and the mining industry. The articulated dump truck is also a useful tool for larger infrastructure projects.
To design the new ADT, Liebherr harnessed comprehensive market and customer analyses, and incorporated state-of-the-art technical advancements. The design was followed by extensive test phases.
“As part of our detailed demand analysis for customers, we decided in 2015 that we would no longer revise the previous TA230 Litronic and instead we would completely redesign it,” said Rudolf Arnold, sales director at Liebherr. “That means that Liebherr is now a full-liner in the earthmoving industry.”
The new TA 230 Litronic is built with an intelligent machine concept, which has been developed specifically for challenging off-road applications.
“The new truck features extraordinarily dynamic travel and drive performance on any terrain,” Arnold said.
New designs in the front-end create maximum ground clearance for off-road performance. For example, in the TA 230 Litronic the powershift transmission is positioned safely under the operator’s cab and the exhaust gas aftertreatment is installed behind the operator’s cab in a space-saving manner, that allows for a large slope angle to be created.
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As well, the newly designed, solid articulated swivel joint creates excellent off-road capability. It allows independent movements of front and rear end, ensuring maximum manoeuvrability. The robust and positive-locking swivel joint with tapered roller bearing is perfect for the shear stresses arising during use, withstands maximum loads and provides optimal force distribution.
“The off-road features are highly influenced by the connection between the front end and rear end, which is the tilt and pivot joint,” said Markus Phillip, a presenter with Liebherr. “It is a solid casting to withstand maximum stress, deliver perfect flux and provide good protection from external influences reducing downtime.”
The front and rear axles of the machine are secured via sturdy A-rods at the articulated swivel joint and at the rear end. Here, the focus was on maximum ground clearance in development. Both the front axle suspension with A-rods and shock absorbers at the articulated swivel joint and the position of the separate and oscillating A-rods of the rear axles provide maximum ground clearance.
The TA 230 Litronic is powered by a 6-cylinder engine with 12 l displacement and 360 hp, which meets Stage 5 exhaust emissions standards.
An efficient drivetrain with automatic 8-speed powershift transmission ensures optimal force distribution. With the actively controlled longitudinal differential locks, automatic traction control is also available for the TA 230 Litronic. This means as soon as slip occurs at an axle, the torque is transferred to the axle or axles with traction.
Increased productivity
The dump body of the new TA 230 Litronic is designed for the transport of a 28-tonne payload. Numerous improvements have been made for quick and efficient loading and unloading, as well as safe transport of the material. The front of the dump body is straight and the sills are low for easier loading of the ADT.
“It can be loaded easily by a wheel loader over its entire length because the front of the dump body is straight,” Phillip said.
As well, a standard, innovative weighing system shows the current payload during the loading process on the display in the operator’s cab. An optional loading light on both sides at the back of the operator’s cab shows the loading level outdoors.
In order to accelerate the release of the material during unloading, the inner edges of the new trough are tapered. Thanks to the optional trough heating with exhaust gas management, unloading can also be easily accomplished at cooler temperatures. The two tipping cylinders at the side give the TA 230 Litronic high tipping pressure. The load can be tipped against the slope easily and quickly. During transportation, the long chute at the end of the dump body ensures minimal material loss. The volume can be increased with the optional tailgate. Thanks to the large opening width, tipping of large and bulky transported material is simple.
“Even with the tailgate, the overall width of the TA230 is less than 3 metres, which means it can be transported quickly and easily. The extensive and time-consuming removal of the tailgate is not necessary,” Phillip said.
Redesigned cab
Thanks to the TA 230 Litronic’s panoramic windows without any struts, as well as the short, inclined hood, the operator always has an optimal view of the driving, working and articulating area of the machine.
A touch display with integrated rear camera also increases visibility. The soundproof cab also features ergonomically-arranged control elements to facilitate intuitive operation of the machine.
The offset steps, as well as the large driver’s door, provide convenient and safe access to the operator’s cab.
The new lighting concept with LED headlights ensures improved visibility and safety – both for the machine operator and everyone in the outdoor area.
For example, dipped-beam headlamps with integrated high beam illuminate the road and the extra powerful, optional LED headlights on the front of the cab illuminate the entire working area. The lighting at the rear of the trough and another light package at the mudguards light up the manoeuvring areas at night. The modern LED design light provides additional visibility of the Liebherr dump truck and thus increased safety on the construction site. The new Liebherr dump truck also has an optional LED access light which provides extra safety when getting into the operator’s cab.
The TA 230 Litronic is equipped with a hill start assist, and a speed assist is also available. With the hard stop function, the end position damping of the dump body lifting cylinders can be activated or deactivated at the touch of a button.
The adaptive steering system continuously adapts the ratio of the steering movements to the current speed. This allows accurate manoeuvring at low speeds, but also accurate steering at higher speeds, as well as fewer steering corrections when cornering or taking bends.
Maintenance-friendly
The Liebherr ADT automatically performs daily maintenance checks itself, thanks to its sensor technology.
The machine runs through an inspection catalogue at the start to diagnose engine oil, coolant and the central lubrication system, for example. Any deviations are shown on the display in the operator’s cab. As a result, daily set-up times can be reduced, costs can be saved and the durability of the components can be extended.
The electrohydraulic opening hood, as well as an integrated, folding ladder with non-slip steps, provide easy, safe and clear access to the entire engine compartment.
All relevant service points are visible and easily accessible. Maintenance work can be performed comfortably and safely from a platform.
“The TA 230 Litronic is a machine whose technology has been completely thought through, and which has been designed to meet the very highest customer requirements,” Arnold said. “Quite simply, everything about this truck is right.”
