The R 9300 Generation 8, the newest excavator in the Liebherr Mining range, can now be purchased overseas.
Slated to enter serial production in 2024, with the backhoe configuration available from Q1 and the face shovel configuration from Q2, the R 9300 will replace the R 9250 within the company’s 250 metric ton excavator class.
This new machine was first presented to customers at Bauma 2022 in Munich.
As the second Generation 8 excavator in Liebherr’s product line, it comes with all the latest Liebherr Mining technology as standard.
According to Liebherr, the technological advances provide it with improved onsite performance, compatibility with Liebherr’s Assistance Systems, and future product enhancements such as automation, zero-emission technologies, and digital services.
Effective drivetrain
To decrease the machine’s fuel consumption while maintaining optimal productivity and performance, the R 9300 comes standard with Liebherr Power Efficiency (LPE), a proprietary engine and hydraulics management system.
According to Liebherr, the use of the system reduces fuel consumption by 15% compared to the previous 250 metric ton machine, the R 9250. The decrease in fuel consumption contributes to a 25% increase in fuel efficiency.
To further increase fuel efficiency, the company is developing an electric-drive version of the R 9300 which will be available in the near future.
Latest design
A range of design improvements have been implemented in the R 9300 to increase productivity and efficiency.
Liebherr says the R 9300 has an updated attachment design that is lighter and stronger than that of the R 9250. The new attachment comes with a new stick and boom design and aluminum covers, all installed as standard. This design has enabled an increase in bucket size in both the backhoe and face shovel configurations.
Standard bucket sizes of 16.5 cubic meters in backhoe configuration and 16 cubic meters in face shovel configuration (at 1.8t/m3 with the heavy-duty wear package) make the excavator an effective pass match for trucks with 100-, 130-, and 180-metric ton payloads.
In addition, the R 9300 shares parts commonality with Liebherr’s current excavators, reducing maintenance costs and streamlining inventory.
According to the company, the lifespan of the excavator has increased 33% from the R 9250’s 45,000 hours to 60,000 hours. Liebherr says this better aligns with the service life of some of the machine’s major components.
For operators, the company says the new cab offers an enhanced ergonomic design, larger touchscreens, a new control panel design, and optimal visibility.
Indonesian proving ground
Before unleashing the machine to customers, the R 9300 was put through its paces. As part of the validation phase for the new machine, Liebherr Mining partnered with Karunia, a mining contractor based in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The contractor began operating a pre-series unit of the R 9300 in September 2022 to remove and load overburden into 100- and 130-tonne trucks at the Tabang mine.
According to Liebherr, the R 9300 averaged 486 operational hours per month and 94% availability, surpassing Karunia’s KPIs for the machine.
An additional production study was conducted in March 2023. In that analysis, the R 9300 achieved a 26-second average cycle time, helping the excavator reach instantaneous productivity of 1,371 bank cubic meters (BCM) per hour (3,017 metric tons per hour) and a fuel efficiency ratio of 9.22 BCM per liter of fuel burned.
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