Liebherr’s grand entrance into the ADT market

There is a new player in the local ADT market, following Liebherr-Africa’s official launch of the Liebherr TA 230 Litronic at an open day held on 24 June 2022. The new 30-tonne (t) class articulated hauler fits the bill for quarrying, coal mining and large infrastructure projects, confirms Tendayi Kudumba, General Manager: Earthmoving, at Liebherr-Africa.

Despite the fierce competition in the local ADT market, Kudumba is confident that the Liebherr TA 230 Litronic will immediately challenge for a sizeable share of the market. At the time of the launch, Liebherr-Africa had brought in the first five units. A prominent contractor operating in Zimbabwe had just taken delivery of the first three units, while the remaining two had been deployed at a reclamation project at a mine in South Africa.

Local customers have shown immense interest in the new ADT, says Kudumba, with pre-orders dating as far back as last year soon after its global launch. The Liebherr TA 230 Litronic made headlines after winning the coveted Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021 for its high design quality just a few months after the machine was first unveiled to the public. The award is widely considered to be one of the most important international accolades in the field of design.

New machine concept

A major talking point is the new machine concept, which has been developed especially for challenging off-road applications. Modern designs in the front-end area, says Kudumba, create maximum ground clearance for greater off-road performance.

The newly designed articulated swivel joint creates sound off-road capability; it allows independent movement of the front and rear ends, thus ensuring maximum manoeuvrability. The positive-locking swivel joint with tapered roller bearing is perfect for the shear stresses associated with tough underfoot conditions, while it also withstands maximum loads and provides optimal force distribution.

The front and rear axles of the machine are secured using sturdy A-rods at the articulated swivel joint and at the rear end. On front, the truck uses hydro-pneumatic suspension for maximum comfort, which is key to the smooth driving. The shock absorbers at the articulated swivel joint and the position of the separate and oscillating A-rods of the rear axles at the rear end, provide maximum ground clearance.

Performance

When developing the new ADT, Liebherr also paid particular attention to the performance of the machine. Powered by a 6-cylinder Liebherr engine with a 12-litre displacement, producing 265 kW of power, the TA 230 Litronic is driven by an automatic 8-speed powershift transmission which ensures optimal force distribution.

The new Liebherr dump truck impresses with great driving performance and massive pulling force, even in the most difficult ground conditions and on challenging gradients. “A combination of balanced weight distribution, permanent 6 x 6 all-wheel drive, solid, flexible mounting and large bank angle as well as the machine’s high ground clearance, enable the TA 230 Litronic to deliver unparalleled performance on uneven terrain,” says Kudumba.

The actively controlled inter-axle differential locks mean that the Liebherr TA 230 has automatic traction control. As soon as one axle experiences wheelspin, it is decelerated, and the traction is intelligently redistributed to the other axles. In addition to maximum forward drive, this reduces the power requirement and therefore translates into lower fuel consumption.

Efficiency is further enhanced by the smart gear selection, which enables the machine to adjust automatically to its current speed and load to ensure optimum torque and fuel consumption at all times. The machine therefore automatically reduces its fuel consumption per tonne of transported material.

In addition to hydraulic multi-disc brakes on all axles, the TA 230 comes with a zero-wear upstream braking system. This consists of an engine brake and a hydrodynamic primary retarder. The continuous operation brake is activated automatically as soon as the operator steps on the brake pedal. It is highly controllable, protects the components and provides additional safety due to the significant deceleration on gradients.

Productivity

As quarrying and mining companies work to rebuild profitability, improving productivity is high on the agenda. With that in mind, Liebherr focused its efforts on maximum productivity when designing the TA 230 Litronic.

The optimised trough ensures that more material can be moved in a short time. The front of the trough – designed for the effective transport of a 28-t payload – is straight and the sills are low so that loading with a wheel loader, for example, is easily possible across the entire length.

A standard Liebherr weighing system shows the current payload during loading on the display in the operator’s cab, helping eliminate guesswork in loadout processes. 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. 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 trough ensures minimal material loss. The trough volume can be increased with the optional tailgate,” explains Kudumba. “Thanks to the large opening width, tipping of large and bulky transported material is easily possible. Even with the tailgate the overall width of the TA 230 Litronic is still below three metres, which allows the machine to be easily and quickly transported on a lowbed truck.”

In a world where data is king, the TA 230 comes with LIDAT, Liebherr’s data transfer and location system, allowing fleet operators to manage, monitor and control their fleets efficiently. All the main machine parameters can be viewed at any time using a preferred web browser.

Focus on the operator

Apart from productivity and efficiency, the development of the TA 230 Litronic focused on operator comfort and safety. During the design of the machine, Liebherr paid specific attention to visibility, which is a critical aspect in boosting operator productivity and safety. In fact, the machine’s workstation was one of the key design aspects central to the Red Dot Award win.

“The newly developed driver’s cab features panoramic windows without any obstructing struts, and a short, inclined bonnet, giving the machine driver an optimal view of the driving, working and articulated joint area of the machine,” says Kudumba. “At the same time, the spaciously designed workstation impresses with its sophisticated interior equipment, including numerous stowage compartments, storage options, a mobile phone bracket, USB charging ports and an air-sprung driver’s seat as standard for maximum comfort.”

The operating concept of the TA 230 is well thought-out and impresses with its automobile-like feel. The logically and artfully arranged control elements and the numerous assistance systems such as hill-start assist, speed-retention assist, or automatic traction control, support the operator in everyday work.

Additional driving comfort is provided by the speed-dependent steering, which allows light and precise manoeuvring at low speeds and sensitive steering at high speeds. In addition, fewer steering corrections are needed when cornering.

The new lighting concept features LED headlights, ensuring improved visibility and safety, both for the machine operator and for everyone in the vicinity of the machine. LED dipped-beam headlamps with integrated high beam illuminate the haul road and the extra powerful, optional LED headlights on the front of the cab illuminate the entire working area. The L-shaped multifunction light with animated light functions is said to be a homage to the Liebherr brand name – a novelty in the construction machine sector.

Key specifications

Ease of maintenance

Ease of machine maintenance is a key factor in today’s buying decisions. With that in mind, the TA 230 employs a simplified maintenance concept, explains Kudumba. Thanks to the clever sensor technology, the machine automatically performs the daily check itself. The machine runs through an inspection catalogue at the start, where levels of engine oil, coolant and the central lubrication system, for example, are checked for the nominal state. Any deviations are shown on the display in the operator’s cab. As a result, the daily set-up times can be reduced, costs can be saved, and the durability of the components can be extended.

The machine also comes with an electro-hydraulic bonnet and an access ladder with non-slip steps, thus providing mechanics with safe, clear access to the entire engine compartment. All the service points are clearly visible as well as easy to reach, and all maintenance work can be conducted conveniently from a standing position.