42081 - Volvo Autonomous Loader

[Erik Leppen]

- Change ground clearance, so that it's low when transported on a truck (so that a trailer with the loader on it stays within height limits), yet it can be high for off-road conditions on building sites.

[Jim]

Just now, Erik Leppen said:

 Change ground clearance, so that it's low when transported on a truck (so that a trailer with the loader on it stays within height limits), yet it can be high for off-road conditions on building sites.

That makes a lot of sense.

[agrof]

1 hour ago, Erik Leppen said:

- Change ground clearance, so that it's low when transported on a truck (so that a trailer with the loader on it stays within height limits), yet it can be high for off-road conditions on building sites.

For me it doesn't - ground clearance is mostly effected by the axle itself, not by the midpoint of the chassis - axle height is constant. Also, raising the COG on rough terrain with higher load... not a clever idea.

Okay, let's say it is related to movement to counterweight and balancing the bucket at heavy loads, still questionable to me, as raising the counterweight makes the wheelbase shorter = worse support for heavier and higher weight = tipping danger is increased (think of mobile cranes with and without otriggers). Also, what is the situation / need for such solution in the dumper than?

As for LEGO set, I think it is a "cool" feature, I see children happy about it. As for real machine, I still don't see the point - maybe there will be a designer video, which explains the features in details.

p.s.: please note, it is not against the set, it is just engineering curiosity.

Edited June 20, 2018 by agrof

[Ngoc Nguyen]

I think this model serves as a prototype for Volvo. The fact that both codenames ZEUX and PEGAX aren't available as search results probably means these things haven't been unveiled officially.

[Maaboo the Witch]

28 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

I think this model serves as a prototype for Volvo. The fact that both codenames ZEUX and PEGAX aren't available as search results probably means these things haven't been unveiled officially.

The actual prototypes will probably be unveiled around the same time as the set is released, like the Mack Anthem.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

4 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

The actual prototypes will probably be unveiled around the same time as the set is released, like the Mack Anthem.

Nah I don't think so. If it is something that has not been released officially in the public and is going to be released near the release of the set, I think TLG would not give away the whole image in the catalog that easily. Recall that the Mack Anthem was totally blacked out in the catalog. I don't think TLG would be so discourteous that they would spoil the design before the actual premier.

 

Edited June 20, 2018 by Ngoc Nguyen

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 minute ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Nah I don't think so. If it is something that has not been released officially in the public and is going to be released near the release of the set, I think TLG would not give away the whole image in the catalog that easily. Recall that the Mack Anthem was totally blacked out in the catalog. I don't think TLG would be so discourteous that they would spoil the design before the actual premier.

 

Maybe it's the fact that Mack is a totally new license for Technic, despite that the fact that it's now part of Volvo.

It's also entirely possible that the ZEUX doesn't even exist at this point in time and it's merely something on which Volvo wanted to work with TLG. If you check out 'ZEUX' on Trademarkia, it's specified that the name is to be registered for 'toys and games' as well as construction equipment. The real thing might actually enter the prototype stage at a later date.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

@Maaboo35 Can you check for PEGAX as well?

[JimDude]

I totally don't understand the B-model either (I mean the actual thing from VOLVO, not LEGO's interpretation, which is most likely spot on).

When shortening the wheel-base, the bed tilts forward, thus reducing its' capacity, which is rather silly. It will also take longer to empty. Does it actually even tip far enough to properly empty itself when in 'short-wheelbase-mode'?

I also don't understand why something autonomous still has space for a cabin. That's a lot of wasted space that could have been taken by a bigger bed, or the total truck could have been smaller in itself. Maybe the real thing is supposed to have a removable cabin, so that non-auto mode is still an option. There's footage on Youtube of a futuristic excavator by VOLVO which does have a removable cabin (though in that case it is to protect the operator from hazardous materials being dug up, and not so much to let it operate autonomously).

All that said and done, I ~really~ like both models, especially when I channel my inner 7-year old self (which isn't hard; it's the pretending to be an adult which I find hard :lol: ). Won't be getting it though, since I already have 42030. Which I'll keep assembled for at least another year, just so the son - the actual 7-year old in the house - doesn't get the brilliant idea to ask Santa for 42081 :).

 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

4 minutes ago, JimDude said:

That's a lot of wasted space that could have been taken by a bigger bed

Maybe there aren't enough flat panels to make a longer bed.

[JimDude]

31 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Maybe there aren't enough flat panels to make a longer bed.

If so, they could have gone for a wire-frame bed as they did for the B-model of 42030. We must assume this is modeled after the real thing from VOLVO (well, in as far as a prototype can be real of course), so it's the real thing that'll be tooling around with all that wasted space.

Here's a Komatsu showing what I mean about wasted space: the bed spans the entire vehicle: https://www.franceroutes.fr/actualites/ne-manquerait-il-pas-quelque-chose/

Edited June 20, 2018 by JimDude
link added

[Aventador2004]

1 hour ago, agrof said:

Also, what is the situation / need for such solution in the dumper than?

For areas higher than the bed, it can raise then dump.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

3 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

For areas higher than the bed, it can raise then dump.

Take a dump on a high ground.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 hour ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

@Maaboo35 Can you check for PEGAX as well?

Got it! Filed in March for toys, games and land/air vehicles by Volvo, effective in the EU, China, Australia and Canada. It's ongoing at the moment.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Maaboo35

[Bartybum]

40 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Take a dump on a high ground.

Lol

[agrof]

53 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

For areas higher than the bed, it can raise then dump.

It seems too specific application to me - if there would be such an essential need, the current machines would have the same function already. Not to mention, by raising the back, the efficiency of dumping is decreased as the angle is being reduced.

[Aventador2004]

1 minute ago, agrof said:

It seems too specific application to me - if there would be such an essential need, the current machines would have the same function already. Not to mention, by raising the back, the efficiency of dumping is decreased as the angle is being reduced.

Hmm, that could have another purpose, but the higher dumping is possible

[Maaboo the Witch]

Just noticed the fan in the engine bay/counterweight and the 'DRONE' lettering on the docking port. Noice. 

[Aleh]

What's the part as antenna in the drone?

[AVCampos]

Most likely it's the same as the antenna on the Mine Loader: the "sword" (I don't know the correct name) of the Musketeer CMF.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 hour ago, AVCampos said:

Most likely it's the same as the antenna on the Mine Loader: the "sword" (I don't know the correct name) of the Musketeer CMF.

It is. In black.

[N-4K0]

Indeed, BrickLink names it as Minifig, Weapon Sword, Foil / Épée (Epee)

 

[valenciaeric]

 

 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

As much as I want to support TLG, I don't wanna end up with a spare bucket, because I'm gonna have to throw it away sooner or later, and throwing away new Lego pieces makes me feel guilty. So I'mma buy 1 for the A and bricklink for the B.

[valenciaeric]

I dunno, this set just looks like someone raided the parts bin and put a load of random things together to call it a set.