Liebherr unveils electric wheeled loader assembly hall designed using VR

A wheeled loader expert in Bischofshofen, Germany, designs the new Liebherr assembly line almost entirely through digital means using virtual reality applications. (Image: Liebherr)

Opened earlier this month, Liebherr’s first electric wheeled loader – the L 507 E – has already been produced at the site.

The facility, Liebherr said, is designed for a maximum yearly output of up to 500 battery-electric wheel loaders.

The company said it created the battery-electric specific locale to uphold “the most stringent safety standards” while moving it away from the “conventional wheel loader assembly.”

Peter Schachinger, director of production and operations at Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen, said, “This separate space is something we opted for because we wanted to fully adapt the new assembly hall to meet the work-safety measures required by the new high-voltage battery system. All employees involved in constructing the L 507 E receive specialised training, which means we are particularly well prepared to meet the demands of electrical technology.”

Liebherr says the building is close to generating all of its own power.

“We’re increasingly generating the electricity required for the hall ourselves, as we now operate several solar panels at our plant – which cover over 3,400m2 in total,” Schachinger explained.

Just before production start-up: The new assembly hall for Liebherr’s L 507 E battery-electric wheeled loader. (Image: Liebherr)

An assembly plant designed with virtual reality?

Liebherr gutted and restored one of the plant’s former workshop halls to make room for the L 507 E production. Including expansive windows, employee break rooms, and modern-standard heating and cooling systems, the company noted the space is unique, in that it was designed using virtual reality (VR) applications.

“This allowed us to test various layouts and, therefore, perfectly coordinate the pre-assembly stations and the main assembly line,” said Jonas Schwob, Liebherr project manager for the production of electric wheeled loaders.