by Nick Drew | Fri 19 Apr 2013
The sun shines on the biggest Bauma ever
I have just returned from the most amazing 3 days at the 30th Bauma trade fair in Munich. The sun was shining gloriously for much of our time out there, and by the sound of things, they are well on their way to a record breaking attendance, which is expected to exceed one and a half million people passing through the turnstiles.
Bauma, is without doubt the greatest plant and machinery exhibition in the world, easily eclipsing any other event, and making many look like the local garden fete. The show is always dominated by the massive Liebherr stand, assembly of which started in earnest in November 2012! For me, it’s a focal point at the show, and a good starting place for one to get their bearings for navigating around the enormous showground.
I make no excuse for posting more shots of the star attractions on the stand, which regularly draw the crowds during the day, even more so when they are fired up and put on a little display for the assembled machinery fans. This year’s dumptruck was the pre-series T264 mining truck. This 240 ton class truck marks a return to the sector from Liebherr, and the first model is currently undergoing field tests in the Asarco ray mine in Arizona, USA. These trucks are designed to be matched with the company’s R 966B and R 9800 hydraulic mining excavators, and feature the efficient Litronic Plus AC drive system, and a high power 2,700 hp/ 2,013kw engine.
Adjacent to the T264 was the R 9400 hydraulic mining excavator, which was displayed in face shovel configuration. Designed to load trucks in the 150 to 190 ton class bracket, the R 9400 has an engine power output rating of 1,675hp/1,250kw. This machine features a 22.00m3 bucket capacity.
However, the R 9400’s bucket capacity is totally eclipsed by another star attraction on the stand, in the shape of the enormous 47.5m3 bucket from a R 9800 model. Sadly on this occasion, Liebherr didn’t bring the entire machine out to play, but it was a very popular attraction, with a constant queue of people waiting to have their photo taken stood inside the bucket!
At the other end of the scale, Liebherr chose Bauma for the world premiere of its latest compact excavator model, the R 914, which is a 15 tonne class excavator and looked like a cracking piece of kit to me. Based around the successful A 914 and A 918 compact wheeled excavators, the machine features an innovative servicing concept with the fitment of a bonnet cover that raises to expose the entire right hand side of the machine, allowing superb access to all components, and regular service points.
Powered by a 109hp/80kw Deutz engine, the machine complies with stage IIIB exhaust emissions regulations, without the need for a diesel particulate filter. The machine would be a great addition to any groundworks fleet, working in tight areas as it features a tailswing radius of just 1,550 millimetres. I can honestly say I haven’t operated a Liebherr excavator since the old R 921 models back in the 1970s, but I would love to get my hands on one of these for a test drive.
For Liebherr, this show is one of the most important events globally, and rightly so when it’s held in their “own back yard”. We will take another look at more Liebherr machines in upcoming posts over the next few days.