Two new developments by Liebherr have been nominated for the 2010 ‘Bauma’ Innovation Award. The new Liebherr material handler LH 120 C is among the three nominees chosen in the “Design” category. The new Liebherr energy storage cylinder has been selected by the jury as a finalist in the “Components” section. Every three years the leading trade associations in the German construction industry award an innovation prize to developments considered to have great future promise. More than 200 entries were received for the current competition from within Germany and abroad.

Specially designed for bulk material movement, the LH 120 C is the first purpose-designed material handler to be added to Liebherr’s extensive range. Based on an innovative concept and weighing approximately 135 metric tons, the new machine is the result of a development process that takes practical material handling requirements into account. Special attention has been devoted to the machine’s design in order to optimise its functions while retaining well-defined, brand-specific styling features. The LH 120 C represents a new standard in the user-oriented design of large machines, and with its strong brand attributes sets itself apart effectively from competitors.

The new development of an energy storage cylinder designed specifically for Liebherr material handlers was mainly focused on overall efficiency of the hydraulic system and the machine’s operating economy. Each time a load is lifted and moved, energy has to be exerted by the hydraulic rams. Some of this energy can be stored in a separate gas cylinder when the power hydraulic equipment is lowered. Together with the load lifting rams, this forms an energy regenerating system that significantly increases the machine’s efficiency. The principle is straightforward: lowering the power hydraulic equipment compresses the gas in the storage cylinder. When the equipment is lifted again, this stored energy assists the action of the two lifting rams, so that less force has to be exerted. This in turn enables smaller diesel engines and hydraulic rams to be specified, with a corresponding reduction in fuel consumption and therefore in pollutant and noise emissions.