Next-generation Doosan DL-7 Wheel Loader Range
First published in the November 2021 issue of Quarry Management as Redesigned from the ground up
Doosan complete the introduction of their next-generation DL-7 wheel loader range
Doosan Infracore Europe have recently completed the launch of the company’s new ‘DL-7’ wheel loader range, introducing a complete line of next-generation machines with an award-winning design, driven by powerful new Stage V-compliant engines, and said to provide higher productivity, increased fuel efficiency and a low cost of ownership, coupled with a superior environment and experience for the operator. In total, 11 new models have been introduced over the last 18 months – the DL200-7, DL220-7, DL250-7, DL280-7, DL320-7, DL380-7, DL420-7, DL420CVT-7, DL480-7, DL550-7, and DL580-7.
Charlie Park, former chief executive officer of Doosan Infracore Europe, said: ‘Doosan rolled out their first wheel loaders in 1989. Over the intervening 33 years, the company has continuously invested to maintain its position as a leading global brand within the wheel loader industry. During that time, Doosan engineers have never stopped innovating and developing our wheel loader range.
‘Our new DL-7 models are the result of this endeavour and have been redesigned from the ground up. We listened closely to the needs of our European customers and revisited every single aspect of our existing wheel loader product design to provide the solutions they wanted. As a result, the new DL-7 wheel loaders will take customer satisfaction to the next level in the industry in terms of market-leading operator comfort, fuel economy, productivity, and durability.’
New award-winning design
The new DL-7 range is the culmination of the first complete redesign of the Doosan wheel loader range in 10 years, with the exterior, in particular, undergoing a complete transformation. The new external design has been applied to all models in the DL-7 series as a family look, creating a three-dimensional effect with an innovative cover shape and a vibrant, dynamic image for the range. It has already received great acclaim globally, winning Germany’s 2020 iF Design Award, one of the world’s top three design awards.
Redesigned buckets offering up to 7% more capacity ensure the new Doosan DL-7 wheel loaders provide easier and faster loading with maximum bucket capacities from 2.8m3 to 6.4m3, offering increased productivity for a very wide range of material-handling applications, including the transport and delivery of soil, sand, aggregates and other materials in recycling, demolition, mining, and quarrying.
The Z-kinematic lift arm delivers high breakout forces and lifting capacities, especially for heavy materials, and a large dump angle for efficiently unloading sticky materials. An optional high-lift arm is available where higher dump heights and increased versatility are required.
The DL-7 loaders also have smooth and responsive hydraulics and auxiliary hydraulic connections. All the new DL-7 wheel loaders are equipped as standard with a third spool valve with settable flow and detent function, providing a constant flow for hydraulically driven attachments. Operators can easily and comfortably control hydraulic attachments via the proportional switch on the joystick. Various bias and radial tyre options are also available from leading global manufacturers, to cover the widest possible range of conditions and applications.
In addition, the new wheel loaders can be ordered with a choice of different counterweights – options include 300kg, 400kg or 500kg, depending on the application.
The new cab offers a greatly improved field of vision for the operator, with blind spots around the cab minimized and a 14% larger glass window area compared with the previous DL-5 models. The DL-7 wheel loaders also offer the option of electrically adjustable rear-view mirrors for added safety. Full LED working lights are installed on the cab (four on both the front and rear as standard, with the option of six each at the front and rear). For greater pedestrian safety, the LED lights on the rear bonnet have an automatic strobe function to indicate when the wheel loader is reversing.
Inside the cab, the DL-7 wheel loaders offer significantly enhanced operating comfort, an enhanced steering system and advanced electronic controls. Using the new Doosan Smart Key system on the control panel in the cab, the operator can start the machine using a keyless device, helping to prevent machine theft. The Smart Key system provides remote door control, door lock and unlock, door release, searching, and other functions.
The new cab has a Grammer Actimo XXL seat with fully adjustable horizontal and vertical suspension settings, a pneumatic lumbar function and seat heating as standard. There is a three-point safety belt with alarm icons on the new Doosan Smart Touch 8in touchscreen monitor and on the gauge panel, which features a new layout and anti-reflective glass.
The new EMCV (Electric Main Control Valve) joystick fully integrated in the armrest is another standard feature in the cab, providing the operator with smoother and precise controllability of the lift arm and attachments. Features available via the EMCV system include Automatic Return-to-Dig, Bucket Tilt Kick-out and the Bucket crowd stop position and shock prevention for higher operator comfort.
Designed to give the operator more precise control with a shorter lever stroke, resulting in less fatigue, the sensitivity of the ergonomic joystick control can be set and altered according to operator preferences using the new Doosan Smart Touch touchscreen monitor. User-friendly and easy to read in all conditions, the new touchscreen provides all the important settings and information the operator needs in one place.
Included in the information at the operator’s fingertips on the touchscreen is the feed from the rear-view camera, the weighing system, the HVAC controls (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), radio and Bluetooth devices, and the operator help function.
Overall, the redesigned interior offers a much larger, quieter, and more comfortable operator environment with increased leg room, an enlarged storage area and cool-box position, and an improved air-conditioning system with optimized air circulation.
Higher performance
The LIS (Load Isolation System) provides a smoother ride and greater comfort for the operator, as well as higher productivity due to improved stability when the wheel loader is moving. The lift arm is cushioned by a hydro-pneumatic accumulator linked to the lift hydraulic system, acting as a shock absorber. The benefits include reduced cycle times, higher performance and better fuel efficiency while carrying out load and carry applications.
With automatic five-speed powershift transmission, heavy duty HDL axles as standard and enhanced traction with Differential Hydraulic Lock (DHL), the DL-7 wheel loaders are designed to operate exceptionally, especially in high-load environments. The differential hydraulic 100% lock can be engaged at full torque automatically without any action from the operator.
Optional independent oil-cooler circuits for the front and rear axle ensure low oil temperatures, provide oil filtration, and extend the lifetime of axle components, especially for demanding applications, such as long-distance load and carry in high ambient temperature conditions.
Improvements have been made throughout the powertrain, to provide operators with best-in-class driveability and faster driving, reaching the 40km/h maximum speed quickly and safely.
The upgraded hydraulic system and major parts on the new DL-7 wheel loaders ensure greatly improved durability and maintainability, backed up by a standard full three-year/5,000h warranty.
Increased fuel efficiency
With power provided by new Doosan and Scania Stage V six-cylinder engines, the DL-7 wheel loaders provide up to 5% greater fuel efficiency than the previous generation machines, whilst delivering high levels of output and torque.
The new engines meet Stage V emission regulations without the need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), using selective catalyst reduction, diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter (DPF) after-treatment technologies. The soot-cleaning cycle on the DPF has been improved to more than 6,000h and the operator is fully informed about the status of the DPF via a soot-level indicator on the new touchscreen display in the cab.
With no EGR needed and a new selection of power modes available – SAT2, Standard or Power – the new generation Situation Awareness Technology (SAT2) power-management system automatically scans the machine’s activity and adjusts the engine’s output according to real-time analysis of the boom pressure, pump pressure, and output shaft.
The Doosan Smart Guidance System (DSGS) is a new feature which analyses the driving habits and behaviour of the operator and helps them to achieve the most fuel-efficient operation. The DSGS provides a score and guide (the Score-Graph) of the operator’s driving pattern to show fuel economy, efficiency, and durability by category.
The Score-Graph shows the following levels of efficiency: Orange, 0–50% = improvement in settings highly recommended;
Yellow, 50–70% = improvements in settings recommended; and Green, 70–100% = good operation and settings.
The DL-7 wheel loaders are factory-installed with the latest DoosanCONNECT TMS2.0 state-of-the-art wireless fleet-monitoring system – a tool designed specifically for the Doosan range, providing comprehensive information about machine performance in a dual mode (satellite/mobile network). The system offers a web-based fleet- and asset-management solution that is useful for managing the performance and security of machines and promoting preventative maintenance.
