Liebherr LC 280
Key Specifications
Max Workpiece ⌀
max module
axial travel
shift distance
hob diameter
hob speed
How much does the Liebherr LC 280 cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a cnc gear cutting machine in this class — not a quote from Liebherr. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The Liebherr LC 280 is a gear hobbing machine for workpieces up to 280 mm in diameter. Line for line its table matches the LC 180 apart from that one figure, 280 mm against 180 mm on the LC 180: axial travel is 400 mm, the standard hob head has 13 kW and the maximum module is 6 mm.
Extra diameter without extra module shapes the kind of gear this machine suits. With module capped at 6 mm on the standard head and 4 mm on the direct-drive option, the added diameter goes into tooth count, not tooth size. That means larger wheels with many teeth of moderate pitch. Coarse-pitch work belongs on the LC 300, where the HH 240 head is listed with 27 kW and module 12 mm at 600 rpm.
Two hob heads are listed. The standard one runs the cutter spindle at 2,250 rpm and takes hobs up to 150 mm in diameter over a 200 mm shift distance. The optional direct-drive head raises drive power to 23 kW and spindle speed to 6,000 rpm, with a 90 mm maximum hob diameter, a 180 mm shift distance and module 4 mm. A wheel with many teeth turns slowly for a given hob speed, so on the larger gears this machine was sized for it is hob speed and power that set the cycle, not the table.
The table is listed at 800 / 250 rpm and shank cutters clamp up to 360 mm long. Software is LHGearTec. Check the length of the part as well as its diameter before settling on this size: the 400 mm axial travel is unchanged from the LC 180, so the LC 280 gains capacity in diameter only.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Workpiece Diameter | 280 mm |
| Max Module | 4.00 / 6.00 mm |
| Axial Travel | 400 mm |
| Shift Distance | 200 mm |
| Hob Diameter | 150 mm |
| Hob Speed | 6,000 / 2,250 rpm |
| Table Speed | 800 / 250 rpm |
| Max Tool Clamping Length Shank Cutter | 360 mm |
| Hob Head Standard | Drive power 13 kW; speed of cutter spindle 2,250 rpm; max. module 6 mm; shift distance 200 mm; max. hob diameter 150 mm |
| Hob Head Direct Drive | Drive power 23 kW; speed of cutter spindle 6000 rpm; max. module 4 mm; shift distance 180 mm; max. hob diameter 90 mm (option) |
| Software | LHGearTec |
Specifications sourced from liebherr.com — verified 2026-10-03
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- 280 mm maximum workpiece diameter with the same hob heads and 400 mm axial travel as the LC 180
- Optional direct-drive hob head with 23 kW and 6,000 rpm for small hobs at high speed
- Standard head carries hobs up to 150 mm in diameter and cuts to module 6 mm
- Table speeds of 800 / 250 rpm are listed for the workpiece axis
- Shank cutters up to 360 mm clamping length and LHGearTec software
Limitations
- Module stays at 6 mm despite the larger diameter; coarser gears need the LC 300 with its 27 kW HH 240 head
- Axial travel is 400 mm, no more than on the LC 180
- The 6,000 rpm direct-drive head is an option and restricts hobs to 90 mm in diameter and module 4 mm
- The 13 kW of the standard head is less than half the 27 kW of the LC 300
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Maximum workpiece diameter: 280 mm on the LC 280 against 180 mm on the LC 180. Liebherr lists the same 400 mm axial travel, the same two hob heads, the same 6 mm and 4 mm module limits and the same 800 / 250 rpm table speed for both.
02
No. Module 6 mm is the limit of the standard hob head, and the direct-drive option is limited to module 4 mm. For coarser teeth Liebherr lists the LC 300, whose HH 240 head has 27 kW and cuts up to module 12 mm at 600 rpm.
03
A standard head with 13 kW drive power, 2,250 rpm, a 150 mm maximum hob diameter and 200 mm of shift, and an optional direct-drive head with 23 kW, 6,000 rpm, a 90 mm maximum hob diameter and 180 mm of shift. The maximum module is 6 mm on the first and 4 mm on the second.
04
Axial travel is 400 mm, and shank cutters can be clamped up to 360 mm long. If the toothed length or the shaft needs more travel, the LC 300 is listed with 700 mm of axial travel and a 300 mm maximum workpiece diameter.
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