SPECIALIST DEVELOPMENTS

Eoghan Daly reports on some of the more specialist machines on display at the recent Bauma trade show

The bulk materials handling and opencast mining sectors of the industry are long-term users of machinery powered from an external electrical supply.

The giant gantry loaders from Sennebogen and Liebherr helped to showcase such zero-carbon emissions working methods at last years Bauma show.

The use of electric machines in such surface applications is driven by their significantly reduced long-term maintenance and energy costs, coupled with high availability rates, compared to an equivalent machine powered by a large diesel engine. Electric machines are also extensively used in the underground mining sector, where their lack of exhaust emissions reduces the demand on the air extraction system, saving time and money.

While much of the focus at Bauma was on the global full-line manufacturers launching batterypowered mini-excavators, elsewhere on the giant showground, less well-known firms had pushed the technology boundary even further. One example was HBM Nobas, which launched the world’s first full-sized, battery-powered motor graders.

As previously reported, Liebherr also showcased a tunnelling excavator powered by an external electrical source. It reflects a surge of new products for those involved in tunnelling applications, including Volvo excavators on the SSM stand configured with roof and sidewall scaling working equipment.