Recently, the polar research icebreaker "Xuelong" arrived in Shanghai. The 4215D motor grader independently developed by Liugong has been boarded the ship in an orderly manner and will accompany the members of the 42nd Chinese Antarctic Scientific Expedition to participate in the construction tasks of multiple stations including Grove Mountain, Zhongshan Station and Great Wall Station. This is the largest number of technical experts and the most advanced equipment dispatched in a single polar support operation by Liugong and the Polar Research Institute of China in the 17 years since they joined hands.
The Liugong 4215D ice surface leveling and milling motor grader that has been dispatched this time is based on the Liugong D series 4125D motor grader and has undergone all-round extreme cold adaptability upgrades for the special working conditions in the polar regions. The D series is the fourth-generation motor grader independently developed by Liugong, and it has now applied for and obtained 51 patents.
This equipment not only enhances the reliability of the materials, hydraulic and power systems of the entire machine in ultra-low temperature environments, but also focuses its technical core on solving the important problem of polar working conditions - constructing functional pavements with extremely high strength, stability and flatness on deep ice sheets or compacted snow surfaces.
At that time, the equipment will mainly be used for tasks such as ice surface leveling, road laying at scientific research stations, and construction of heavy transportation channels, providing key equipment support for important projects of China's Antarctic infrastructure construction.
In the journey of polar scientific expeditions, there are too many imprints of Liugong. The deep connection between Liugong and the polar regions, which spans the ice fields, has long transcended simple equipment support.
Liugong and the Chinese Polar Research Institute signed their first strategic cooperation agreement in 2012 and renewed it for another five years at the end of 2024. The "olar Engineering Technology Innovation Center jointly established by the Polar Research Institute of China and multiple units including Liugong has developed a number of polar-specific equipment and released three group standards, filling the domestic gap in cold start technology for polar equipment.
Since the first dispatch of mechanics to participate in the 25th Antarctic scientific expedition in 2008, Liugong has sent a total of 17 batches and 43 technical experts. Eight major categories and 41 sets of construction machinery have landed in the Antarctic, including loaders, excavators, cranes, skid loaders, rollers, etc., comprehensively covering the construction scenarios in the polar regions.
In 2025, Liugong will once again dispatch 8 senior mechanics to key stations such as Grove Mountain, Zhongshan Station and Great Wall Station to provide full technical support and equipment guarantee. At that time, a total of 14 Liugong mechanics will be providing equipment maintenance support in Antarctica.
Marching out in the snow, with a mission on our shoulders. In the future, Liugong will continue to focus on the three major directions of intelligent advancement, green energy, and equipment system, deepen cooperation with the Polar Research Institute, promote the advancement of polar construction towards unmanned, electric, and domestic production, and continuously write a polar chapter for China.