Volvo Building Tools was the primary to popularize the articulated hauler idea in 1966 with the start of the 10-ton payload DR631 – fondly often called ‘Gravel Charlie’. In the present day, the corporate remains to be transporting earth, gravel and a bunch of different supplies over tough, muddy, slippery, steep or in any other case impassable terrain.

In a case of artwork reflecting actuality, the LEGO Technic 6X6 articulated hauler Volvo A60H mannequin can be a piece of engineering. Inside its field are 2,193 items, together with six giant tires and heavy-duty motors. And identical to the true factor, it’s a technological tour-de-force, that includes app-controlled operation and a totally automated transmission – a primary for the LEGO Technic model.

The 55 tonne (60 ton) capability A60H (the true one, that’s) is designed for heavy hauling in extreme off-road operations, together with quarries, opencast mines and huge earth-moving operations. And the engineers from each LEGO Technic and Volvo CE needed the brand new mannequin to replicate the reliability and sturdiness of the true factor. The mannequin measures 200mm (7in.) excessive, 200mm (7in.) vast and 600mm (23in.) lengthy. Additionally it is filled with intelligent options, not least the complicated inside gear system – which is absolutely automated and motorized – identical to the true factor.

The motors are properly built-in and hidden underneath the hauler physique and the cab – and the Bluetooth for the management hub is turned on by rotating the A60’s cab-top beacon. Very similar to all of the digital machine management methods on the true machine, the mannequin’s Technic Management+ hub and the cell phone software that goes with it management the mannequin, permitting it to maneuver forwards and backwards, steer side-to-side and elevate and decrease the dumper’s hauler physique. Management+ additionally extends the play worth by setting customers quite a lot of challenges that spotlight options of the machine, comparable to shifting uphill, going by means of the gears and tipping the load.

“Greater than 50 years after we confirmed the world what an articulated hauler can do, we’re nonetheless innovating and creating the idea,” says Volvo CE’s Mats Bredborg. “LEGO Technic and Volvo CE engineers have achieved a tremendous job of replicating the A60H in miniature. It would not simply seem like our A60H, it additionally follows its philosophy of progressive engineering and intelligent design. The Management+ cell app and the automated transmission are each unbelievable. Even the security options – a key component of all Volvo machines – are all current and proper.”

“This is without doubt one of the extra complicated LEGO Technic units of current years,” says Niels Henrik Horsted, Advertising Director, Product & Advertising Improvement on the LEGO Group. “The intelligent design is a good problem in the course of the construct course of, and the brand new LEGO Technic Management+ app permits the machine’s features to be remotely managed – and the enjoyable continues lengthy after the construct is full, with the app challenges.”