Liebherr has launched the "Clear-Path" safety and trajectory prediction system for its R 960 High Reach demolition excavators. In congested urban demolition, the machine's long reach boom must swing rapidly between building structures, while falling concrete debris poses a lethal risk to the machine's cab and the surrounding public exclusion zone. Operators struggle to visually track debris paths while simultaneously managing the multi-articulated boom movements.
The Clear-Path system integrates a "77 GHz Millimeter-Wave Radar" array on the rear of the superstructure and a "Stereo Vision Camera" on the demolition boom's stick. The engineering innovation is the "Debris Trajectory Prediction Model." When the concrete crusher attachment shears a structural member, the stereo vision camera captures the initial break trajectory and rotational velocity of the falling concrete chunk. The ECU instantly calculates the ballistic arc of the debris. If the projected landing zone intersects with the machine's cab envelope or the site boundary fence, the system automatically intervenes.
It commands the "Proportional Slew Lock Valve" to instantly freeze the upper structure's rotation and retracts the boom to pull the machine out of the debris fall zone. Furthermore, the rear radar system provides "360-Degree Exclusion Zone Monitoring." If site personnel or unauthorized vehicles breach the digital geofence around the excavator, the system automatically limits the slew speed to 25% of maximum and triggers an audible alarm. This predictive trajectory and perimeter control has reduced demolition site near-miss incidents by 85% in pilot deployments.
