Mining and tunnelling machines
NEO moves forward on site
Ten months after its „birth“ GHH´s latest LHD receives a remarkable acceptance in the market: A significant number of orders are in the books for the new LF-10 NEO, told the manufacturer. And there is more to come.
At 2.5 m, the loader offers the highest tipping height on the market, according to GHH. This means that every 30 ton dump truck currently available worldwide can be loaded in the field. The LF-10 NEO also offers the greatest operator ergonomics in the industry, with a large footbox, excellent visibility and superior comfort. The manufacturer attributes great importance to the human factor: a machine can only provide the prerequisites – its ultimate productivity is brought out by the performance of a satisfied operator in the cabin.
The NEO marks a turning point in the portfolio of the German manufacturer. Gradually, the other product lines are to be upgraded to the new performance standard. The LF-10 NEO made the start, as the class with a payload of 10 tonnes is said to be the most in demand in the industry worldwide. Some orders have already been delivered.
A considerable number of improvements, all of which can be measured in terms of increased performance and productivity, have gone into the NEO series, says GHH.
A lot of changes have also been made at the factory. For example, the improved models feature a more modular design. On the one hand, to be able to manufacture more cost-efficiently. On the other hand, the vehicles can now be assembled much faster at the site of operation if transport in one piece is not possible. Despite all the robustness and simplicity for maximum reliability and safety, telemetry solutions and technologies also go into the vehicles. For example, to be able to monitor the fleet remotely with the “GHH inSiTE” software. An important factor here is predictive maintenance in order to reduce costs for the customer.
We are not reinventing the wheel, told GHH, but the actions taken are so substantial that customers will receive a remarkable benefit when compared to what is currently in the market.
The LF-10 NEO is the newest version of the LF-10, one of the most requested product in the portfolio of GHH. “The high break out forces, efficient boom and bucket motion times as well as the strong power to weight ratio makes the LF-10 NEO one of the best in class”, says Ingo Rath, Product Line Manager Loaders at GHH in Germany. With a length of 9,6 m and an overall width of 2,6 m the LF-10 NEO is very compact and versatile for excellent manoeuvrability in a mid-seam underground mining environment.
The standard bucket holds 4,6 m3 or 10 tons, making loading and unloading easier and more cost-effective. Customized bucket size for different application is available. “GHH installs the water-cooled Mercedes OM936 diesel engine with 240 kW which is the best in the 10 ton loader size class”, says Rath. “The large fuel tank also allows for full shift operation with no worry for refuelling mid shift and losing valuable production time”. Exhaust gas emissions complies with EPA Tier 3 / EU Stage IIIA on the standard machine, while EU Stage V is also optionally available. The low fuel consumption, ease of maintainability and robust design as well as durability and reliability of the product all add to the low operating costs.
The LF-10 NEO has a great operators’ compartment which boasts excellent ergonomics, control layout and general arrangement within the cabin. The large footbox gives the operator significant space and comfort, while the excellent visibility rounds off an already well designed cabin. In general, the loader now comes standard with useful safety and maintainability features such as the Proximity Detection System (PDS) interface, which allows the integration of third-party equipment. And optionally the loader is also available with GHH inSiTE, a digital analytics system, and automation ready.