Liebherr Reduces Tire Wear in Reachstackers

Before the tire temperature of a Liebherr reachstacker reaches a critical level where tire wear would increase excessively, the new Smart Tyre Saving System automatically reduces the machine speed. Once the tires return to a low temperature level, the performance is increased again. This ensures maximum performance and protects the tires from excessive wear.

(Rostock) When considering the lifecycle costs of a reachstacker, tires play a significant role. It is also known that overheating of the tire is one of the main reasons for premature tire wear. Liebherr engineers have therefore taken on the challenge of developing an innovative countermeasure. Customers who operate their reachstacker for more than eight hours at a time typically experience high tire wear, regardless of which reachstacker manufacturer or tire brand is used. The tires tend to get very hot the longer they are used continuously. To prevent overheating, some customers typically reduce the speed of the reachstacker, which leads to a loss of handling performance and thus less efficiency.

The system estimates tire temperature

The newly developed Liebherr Smart Tyre Saving System estimates the increase in tire temperature based on the axle load and speed of the reachstacker and only reduces the speed when necessary. This allows the reachstacker to operate at full speed until the tires are at risk of becoming too hot. Once the Smart Tyre Saving System reaches the point of increased overheating, the machine is systematically throttled for a short time until the tires reach a temperature that does not cause increased wear. The driver can then continue at full speed.

How the system works

In several field trials, the correlation between the so-called TpKh value, which stands for tons times kilometers per hour, and tire temperature has been determined. The TpKh value relates tire load to the current speed of the reachstacker, thus showing the development of thermal tire load. Monitoring this value during operation allows for a meaningful reduction in speed to cool the tires before they reach a critical temperature. A significant advantage: no additional temperature sensors are needed for monitoring.

Reduced tire wear and increased efficiency

Until now, it was common to generally reduce the speed of the reachstacker to avoid thermal overload of the tire. This approach was associated with a general loss of handling performance. With the intelligent tire protection for Liebherr reachstackers, a suitable solution is now available to increase handling performance while saving tire wear. The benefits are clear. Tire wear is reduced, significantly extending the tire’s lifespan. This contribution to sustainability clearly benefits the environment and also saves downtime. Additionally, the temporary reduction in machine performance does not unnecessarily reduce the overall effectiveness of the reachstacker. Through higher efficiency and lower tire wear, the equipment operator saves a lot of money in the long run. Smart Tyre Saving System 3.

About Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH

Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH is one of the leading European manufacturers of maritime material handling solutions. The product range includes ship, port mobile, and offshore cranes. Reachstackers and components for container cranes are also included in the product portfolio.

About the Liebherr Group

The Liebherr Group is a family-owned technology company with a highly diversified product portfolio. The company is not only one of the largest construction machinery manufacturers in the world but also offers high-quality, user-oriented products and services in a variety of other areas. The Liebherr Group comprises over 140 companies on all continents, employs more than 48,000 people, and achieved total sales of over 11.7 billion euros in 2019. Since its founding in 1949 in Kirchdorf an der Iller in southern Germany, Liebherr has aimed to achieve continuous technological innovations and provide industry-leading solutions to its customers.

Photo: © Liebherr
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