The DRS series is a very frequently chosen drive solution for cranes and other heavy-duty applications worldwide, as demonstrated by the hundreds of thousands of DRS wheel blocks produced.

The DRS-M wheel blocks are available in four sizes with wheel sizes from 112 to 200 and, together with four other DRS sizes, form a finely graduated portfolio with a load capacity of up to 40 t per wheel.

The Demag design engineers have succeeded in integrating additional functions into the wheel block while maintaining the same load capacity and power density and further improving usability from the perspective of planners and users. The symmetrically designed housing, which can be divided along the longitudinal axis, is equipped with versatile mounting options for drives and brackets on five sides. In contrast to the previous series, the holes on the front sides are already provided with internal threads ex works. Attachment parts such as buffers or horizontal roller guides can therefore be fitted easily and without further processing of the housing.

Thanks to its modular design - as indicated by the "M" in the designation DRS-M - the new DRS-M wheel block system can be adapted to individual applications in the best possible way thanks to various options. These options include the alignment fixation, which can be mounted in the head connection as an assembly aid. It creates the conditions for very simple and at the same time highly precise alignment of the wheel blocks - even when replacing a wheel block. Demag has applied for a patent for this innovation.

With the improved mounting of the roller guide, an even higher absorption of the occurring horizontal forces has been achieved. In the DRS-M 200, for example, these now absorb 20 % of the existing wheel load. They therefore make a key contribution to permanently high tracking stability, even under high loads and stresses, and to low-wear use of the wheel and track.

Another practical innovation is the patented wear indicator. With the help of a knurled nut and a measuring scale, the user can very easily read the circumference of the travel wheel and identify the current condition of a wheel on a color scale. Christoph Greger, Product Manager Demag Drive Technology: "With this system, the intelligence lies in the perfect implementation of a very simple idea - and the planners and users can take a 'look inside the system' with little effort and recognize the wear of the wheel and its tread. This increases the availability of the wheel blocks and makes maintenance and replacement easier to plan - without the need for complex electronics."