Two identical systems optimize series production

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Two identical systems optimize series production

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH invests in multifunctional plasma cutting technology from MicroStep

Published 23.09.2026 | Alexander Funk

Unternehmensprofil:

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbHLiebherrstraße 1288457 Kirchdorf/IllerGermany

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH, headquartered in Kirchdorf an der Iller, is part of the globally active Liebherr Group and at the same time its historical origins. Hans Liebherr founded the company there in 1949 on the basis of his parents' construction business. Today, wheeled excavators, rail-road excavators, material handling machines, articulated dump trucks as well as attachments and quick coupler systems are developed and manufactured at the site. Around 2,200 employees are employed in Kirchdorf. As a family-run technology company, Liebherr stands for a high level of vertical integration, quality and innovative strength. Almost all load-bearing steel components are produced in-house, resulting in durable and high-performance machines. To this day, the site is considered the technological heart of Liebherr's earthmoving division.

www.liebherr.com

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH investiert in multifunktionale Plasmaschneidtechnik
To meet the growing requirements for flexibility, quality and process reliability in series production in cutting, Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH invested in two identical, multifunctional CombiCut plasma cutting systems from MicroStep – a strategic step at the beginning of the value chain.

MACHINE PROFILE:

2x CombiCut series

Net processing area 13,500 x 3,000 mm
3D Cutting with the MicroStep plasma rotator for weld seam preparation
Kjellberg Q 4500 plasma power source
Fully automatic drilling spindle MG-40-P26 with 26.8 kW
BEUTING belt conveyor table with semi-integrated extraction channel on both sides
Powerful filter system BEUTING type PFM3-9 93 100 I with 11 kW

At the founding site of the Liebherr Group in Kirchdorf an der Iller, highly complex construction machines "Made in Germany" are produced every day. To meet the growing requirements for flexibility, quality and process reliability in series production also in the cutting process, Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH invested in two identical, multifunctional CombiCut plasma cutting systems from MicroStep – a strategic step at the beginning of the value chain.

Shortly after the start of the shift, the Liebherr Group’s headquarters in Kirchdorf an der Iller is a hive of activity. On the extensive factory premises, processes that have grown over decades are intertwined: tugger trains supply the halls with material, forklifts move sheets of metal weighing tons, while powerful machines take shape in the assembly halls. Here, in the south of Germany, the story of a company began in 1949 – a company that has evolved from a family business into a global technology group with around 55,000 employees—and whose heart still beats here today.

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH manufactures five core product lines at its Kirchdorf site: wheeled excavators, rail-road excavators, material handling machines, articulated dump trucks as well as attachments and quick coupler systems. Around 2,200 employees are employed here, around 160 of them in steel construction. Despite its size, the company has remained true to its stance: "As a family-run technology company, Liebherr stands above all for quality and innovation," says Julian Raphael, project engineer in steel construction at Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH. These values are reflected not only in Liebherr products, but also in state-of-the-art production that is constantly kept up to date: "Our high level of vertical integration, including in-house steel construction, is particularly noteworthy, resulting in construction machines that are extremely durable, powerful and precisely tailored to the needs of our customers."

Cutting plays a key role at Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH

Cutting plays a key role here: Anything that does not work precisely, stably and reliably at this point has a direct effect on all subsequent processes. "The cutting represents the beginning of the value chain and is therefore essential," emphasizes Raphael. In Kirchdorf, enormous quantities of material are processed every day: "We cut about 50 to 60 tons of steel here every day, mainly S 355." Until recently, the spectrum of sheet thicknesses ranged from about five millimeters to 110 millimeters – a range that placed high demands on technology and organization.

In the course of a strategic reorientation, Liebherr decided to restructure the cutting department against this background, according to Julian Raphael: The aim was to align internal processes more closely with series production. In the future, only series components were to be cut in-house, while special components with sheet thicknesses greater than 50 millimeters were to be purchased externally. This realignment necessitated a replacement investment and at the same time led to the abandonment of oxyfuel technology. From then on, the focus was on high-performance, flexible plasma and laser cutting processes that can be optimally integrated into existing production.

Trusting and close cooperation plays a key role

In the search for a suitable partner, in addition to technology, a trusting and close cooperation played a decisive role. "MicroStep convinced with its technical expertise and market presence in the various cutting technologies," explains Raphael, who was responsible for the project from A to Z. It was also particularly important that the two companies met at eye level from the very beginning, both technically and communicatively: "The project planning phase was characterized by a constructive exchange that was very transparent."

The result of this process is the investment in two identical plasma cutting systems of the CombiCut series. Both systems have a cutting area of 3 by 13.5 meters each and are identically equipped. They combine high-precision 3D plasma cutting with integrated drilling support, enabling multiple processing steps on one system. As Raphael describes, "the endless rotating 3D bevel unit ensures precise weld seam preparation even for unwieldy parts, and the drilling support makes the downstream machinery more accessible." This reduces throughput times and makes machining processes more efficient overall.

In daily operation, the systems cut sheet metal formats up to 2.5 by 6 meters. Both systems are equipped with belt conveyor tables from BEUTING, which facilitate the separation of small parts and slag and thus optimize the material flow. And BEUTING filter technology is also used for the efficient extraction of the resulting cutting dust. The necessary cutting performance is provided by two Q 4500 plasma power sources from Kjellberg. They make it possible to process sheet thicknesses of up to 50 millimeters with high precision with weld seam preparation and form the technological backbone of the new cutting solution.

"We are very satisfied with the performance and efficiency of the systems"

Today, the two CombiCut systems are firmly anchored in everyday production at Liebherr. They run reliably in multi-shift operation and form a stable starting point in the value chain. "We are very satisfied with the performance and efficiency of the systems, as they offer a high degree of flexibility and process reliability in daily operation," says Raphael, summarizing the experience. The combination of identical equipment, high availability and flexible multifunctional application options in particular pays off noticeably in the serial environment.

In retrospect, the entire investment process is also assessed positively. "We are thoroughly satisfied with the cooperation with MicroStep Europa," says Raphael. The decisive factor was that Liebherr was involved in the project planning at an early stage: "It is particularly noteworthy that our wishes and suggestions were always taken into account and that we were able to work together on solutions."

By investing in two identical CombiCut plasma cutting systems, Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH has consistently future-proofed the cutting processes at the Kirchdorf site. The technology fits seamlessly into existing production and impressively underlines the importance of cutting as the foundation of industrial value creation at Liebherr – precise, powerful and designed for sustainable process reliability.

"We are very satisfied with the performance and efficiency of the systems, as they offer a high degree of flexibility and process reliability in daily operation."

Julian Raphael

Project Engineer in Steel Construction | Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TWO IDENTICAL COMBICUT SYSTEMS AT A GLANCE:

Precise 3D plasma cutting combined with drilling, countersinking and threading

For precise and economical 3D cutting, Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH relies on two identical plasma cutting systems from the CombiCut series from MicroStep. Among other things, the machines are equipped with a bevel unit for automated weld seam application and high-performance support for drilling, countersinking and threading. For plasma cutting technology, Liebherr relies on the Q 4500 power source from Kjellberg Finsterwalde. The systems each have a processing area of 13,500 x 3,000 mm and are equipped with a belt conveyor table and extraction technology from BEUTING.