IN-DEPTH REPORT: WHEEL LOADERS
CAT 938M AGGREGATE HANDLER
It is a control scale that works automatically and provides the machine operator with valuable information on the loading operation.” Depending on the application, the ideal weight range is set automatically and weighing takes place during the regular loading cycle, allowing the operator to weigh without reaching a specific lifting height. All data and recommendations from the system’s Truck Payload Assist are displayed in real time through a user-friendly device, and data can be evaluated through Liebherr’s LIDAT system to analyze production processes. Mechanical improvements are also part of the technological updates to many machines, including Hyundai’s; Parker pointed to the company’s locking front differentials and rear limited-slip axles, which allow operators to stay focused on their task in a variety of ground conditions while the machine provides positive tractive effort and limited tire slippage. Hyundai also has multiple performance modes to give operators an opportunity to maximize engine performance. Some of Doosan’s mid-sized loaders can be equipped with a hydrostatic drive rather than the traditional torque converter transmission, noted marketing manager Aaron Kleingartner. “A hydrostatic drive system offers several advantages over the torque converter system; advantages include improved fuel efficiency because of higher performance at lower RPMs, enhanced machine positional control, and reduce wear on the brakes as dynamic braking automatically slows the wheel loader,” he explained. For operators who switch back and forth among attachments frequently, John Deere’s L-Series loaders have a system allowing them to program and save multiple settings, letting them change and go quickly, said Chris Kline, product marketing manager. “Also, the new L-Series loaders have two new exclusive programmable multi-function buttons,” he noted. “These buttons allow the operator to program them to one of ten different options to best match their application and individual preference, which again makes the operator more productive.”
Multiple uses for versatility
LIEBHERR L538
“AN OPERATOR CAN EASILY SWITCH BETWEEN ATTACHMENTS WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON, AND THEN JUST AS EASILY RECALL THE SAVED HYDRAULIC SETTINGS FOR THAT ATTACHMENT ON THE MONITOR IN JUST SECONDS.” CHRIS KLINE, PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, JOHN DEERE 14
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As mid-sized wheel loaders are often considered all-rounders on the jobsite, they need to handle multiple tasks, and there are a variety of ways in which they’ve been designed to do just that. For Liebherr, customers are given the option of two different lift arm designs, Feneberger noted. “For their specific applications and challenges, customers can choose between Z-bar linkage for standard applications and parallel lift arms for industrial applications. Both lift arm variants offer rapid response characteristics and allow efficient working,” he said. Z-bar linkage offers high torque in lower arm positions for breaking material out of a pile, while industrial applications often require higher lift and need the additional power for raising material to load trucks or containers. Doosan’s DL200-5 and DL200TC-5 allow for traction force to be adjusted easily by the operators to meet jobsite conditions, Kleingartner noted, cutting down on slipping wheels and increasing efficiency when digging, stockpiling and loading. Settings include Max, which offers the most traction, Traction Control, which gives the operator three levels of reduced traction forces, and S-Mode, which aids in slippery road conditions. Attachments extend the versatility of wheel loaders, and numerous different ways to make attachment use easier have been used by manufacturers. Quick couplers make changing attachments faster while keeping the operator in the cab for better productivity. Hyundai’s quick coupler accommodates multiple attachments, Parker noted. “The coupler is precision designed for safe oper-