Untitled - Rolls-Royce Power Systems

Content
3|09
December 2009
4-21
4-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
Corporate development
Remanufacturing in Magdeburg
Investing in the future
Changing corporate culture
MTU brand profile raised
22-25
MTU centenary
Review and DVD
26-35
Global news
Company / Sales / Staff
36-43
Series 1600
Presenting the subprojects
44-45
Side glance
Pallet store control system
46-47
Sales
Armored vehicles
48-53
Production
New genset production line
54-57
54-55
56-57
Training
90 years of training
Training in practice
58
Work & Social
Ghost festival
59
One of us
Remanufacturing
4-15
As a pilot remanufacturing
center, the Magdeburg
factory reconditions Series
2000 and Series 4000
(pictured) components
and engines.
36-43
Big numbers
Volume production of gensets is
being expanded in Mankato (pictured),
Magdeburg und Suzhou.
Building bridges
59
Emel Coban helps promote understanding
between German and Turkish communities
in her spare time.
MASTHEAD
Tognum Insight – Magazine for Tognum Group associates and partners Publisher: Tognum Group management board For the publisher: Wolfgang Boller (wob),
Tel.: +49 (0) 7541/90-21 59, E-Mail: [email protected] Editor-in-chief: Wolfgang Stolba (sto), Tel.: +49 (0) 7541/90-37 03, E-Mail: [email protected]
Other writers on this issue: Detlef Becker (db), Benjamin Brechtel, Lucie Dammann (ld), Mirko Gutemann (mgu), Anika Kannler (aka), Markus Keiper, Jenifer Riley (jr),
Melanie Staudacher, Alina Welsen (aw), Benjamin Wulle, Photographer and designer: Michael Bober, Michael Drews, Eidesvik, Robert Hack, Florin Heering, Magne Langaker,
MTU Asia, MTU Onsite Energy, Elma Riley, Stefan Söll Editorial assistant and dispatch: Sabine Ruderer, Tel.: +49 (0) 7541/90-21 49, E-Mail:[email protected]
Editorial adress: Tognum AG, Abt. VCC, D-88040 Friedrichshafen Design and layout: Designbüro Klaus Schmieder, Vogt Litho: Wagner digitale Medien, Meersburg Printing: Holzer Druck &
Medien, Weiler ISSN-Nr. 1867-0997
2
Editorial
“We should remain confident and continue to shape the future
ourselves – irrespective of whether that means dealing with
more crisis situations, developing new products, driving our
business forward or even increasing production output.“
Volker Heuer, Tognum CEO
New
Series 1600
Volume production of the new
Series 1600 started in October.
Planning of the subprojects broke
new ground in many respects.
48-53
just as at the beginning of the year we tend to think about what the future might bring, at the end
of the year we look back and consider whether it has matched our expectations. The year 2009 held a
number of surprises that went beyond what we expected. The financial and economic crisis exceeded
everything we had reckoned with about a year ago. At the end of this year, our turnover will be 15 to
20 percent less than the year before. The sometimes painful decisions we have had to take as a result
have affected all our locations. We have had to slim down staffing levels, for instance by saying goodbye to temporary employees. Members of the core workforce have had to allow their flexitime accounts
to go into deficit, which has enabled us to avoid short-time working. Company and staff have made
sacrifices to do so – it has been and continues to be a great effort.
We are placing our trust in that proven team for the future of the business, which we expect to improve again in the medium term. It includes the Rotorion employees in Friedrichshafen who will not
be relocating to the new production centers following the sale of the subsidiary to IFA Holding. Our
desire to find a solution for everyone affected shows that we do not treat our workforce indifferently.
What a great community the employees of a company can be has been illustrated by our MTU
centenary year. All three main events far exceeded the guests’ expectations. Who would have thought
that Wilhelm Maybach would appear ‘in person’ at the official ceremony or that German Chancellor,
Angela Merkel, would attend the gala evening? And the staff centenary party attended by over 16,000
people still managed to go beyond anything we could have imagined. The DVD enclosed with this issue
contains a film and photos of the event as a memento for those who were there and to provide an impression of the proceedings for those for whom the trip to Friedrichshafen was too far.
So what about 2010? Of course, we are hoping that economically things will improve. But at this
moment in time, nobody can say whether that will be possible on a lasting basis within the next twelve
months. The earliest we can expect to have a better idea will be in the spring of 2010. But we should
remain confident and continue to shape the future ourselves – irrespective of whether that means
dealing with more crisis situations, developing new products, driving our business forward or even increasing production output. We have shown confidence by spending more on development in the year
of the global crisis, starting production of the Series 1600, launching our new range of standard gensets
and preparing for the construction of a large materials planning center.
I wish you all a happy Christmas, a restorative holiday period and optimism for 2010.
Best regards, Volker Heuer
3
Corporate
development
4
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
Reawakening
New Magdeburg location integrating into
Tognum Group as remanufacturing center
Remanufacturing a
crankshaft at the
Magdeburg facility:
Jens Drewes operates
a modern CNC machine tool recently
purchased for reconditioning Series 2000
and Series 4000
crankshafts.
Tognum is breathing new life into old engines at its new subsidiary in Magdeburg
which, as the pilot remanufacturing center for Europe, is restoring Series 2000 and
4000 units to as-new condition. For the Magdeburg location it represents a reawakening. Other seeds of future growth such as the installation of the new genset production
line have also been planted.
5
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
M
AGDEBURG. When Tognum took over
SKL Motor GmbH of Magdeburg at
the beginning of 2008, the aim was
already clearly defined – integration into the
Tognum Group as a pilot remanufacturing center for the European region. Remanufacturing
involves reconditioning engines and components so that they are as good as new. They can
then be sold at prices substantially cheaper than
the equivalent new products. A total of 16 key
components of the Series 2000 and 4000 have be
identified for remanufacturing including the
crankcase, con rods, pistons, crankshafts and
intercooler. “It might sound easy at first, but it
isn’t at all,” emphasizes Martin Wendel, Head of
Global After sales at Tognum and the man in
charge of the global remanufacturing project.
Magdeburg plant:
The factory has been
undergoing development into the pilot
remanufacturing center
for Europe since 2008.
The compact building
complex (top) comprises
six factory sheds and
an office area.
6
Reconditioning components and engines requires equally demanding manufacturing and
testing standards and equipment as normal production – from working with CNC machining
centers to high-precision metrology. The fundamental requirements for such a technologically
and logistically sophisticated process (see article
starting on p. 13) were already in place at the
time of the takeover – a workforce with excellent
diesel engine production skills, a healthy apprenticeship program in the training department and expandable infrastructure in the areas
of development, production, assembly and
bench-testing. Not to mention plenty of space
for new machinery and plant in a total of six
factory sheds.
The road to the pilot remanufacturing center
The first contacts with the new Tognum subsidiary date back to the late 1990s. In those days,
MTU Friedrichshafen worked with Magdeburg
on the development of Series 4000 gas engines
and on combustion process advancement for
the Series 8000. Although the basic conditions
for integration of the plant into the Tognum
Group were thus good, a large amount of human
and technical resource capacity for a remanufacturing process still had to be established in
2008. “One of the most urgent tasks, which we
Corporate
development
Interview…
… with Karl-Thomas Klingebiel, the man in charge of the Tognum
facility in Magdeburg.
“Nine engines
in the space of a month”
Karl-Thomas Klingebiel is the
man in charge in Magdeburg
He has been general manager of the
Magdeburg plant since 2008. Born in Berlin, he
was in charge of production at Rotorion from
2000 to 2006 and subsequently manager of the
Rotorion factory in Charleston, USA. “After a
number of years in foreign-language situations
in southern Germany and America, I am now
back in the comfort of my linguistic homeland
as a Berliner,” Klingebiel quips.
managed to complete in only six months with
the assistance of the HR Department in Friedrichshafen, was to expand the existing workforce of about 70 people by a further 60 staff,” reports Reinhard Märsch, general manager of the
facility in the early months. Both sides were very
cooperative in their approach to the job because
it was a case of reorganizing all structures, procedures, roles and work stations, and ultimately
adapting them to the group-wide processes. “We
were received with open arms,” recalls Martin
Hatzelmann, who was dispatched from the HR
Department in Friedrichshafen to Magdeburg.
His successor, HR manager Sandy Eisenreich, is
currently in the process of setting up a series of
welfare and training services ranging from a
new canteen to a continuing education program
A remanufacturing process is a demanding project.
What are the strengths that make Magdeburg particularly suited to it?
The team is highly proficient in the technology, i.e.
making diesel engines. The company also offers substantial
plant and machinery infrastructure.
How far are you with the project?
There is a master timetable with which we are completely on schedule. In total, we will remanufacture 16 different components. So far
there have been no delays with any of the components. Three quarters
of the components had been certified by September 2009. We will start
on the final part of the list at the end of 2009. From that you can see
how far we are with the remanufacturing of engines.
New from old
(top):
Series 2000 and
Series 4000 engines that have
been restored to
as-new condition
by the remanufacturing process
wait here for their
next assignment.
What does that mean?
So far we have produced roughly 60 remanufactured engines. As
time progresses, they are made up increasingly of components that we
have reconditioned here. As we have not yet received clearance for remanufacturing all components, we fit new parts to the engines instead
at this point. The basic rule is that new parts are always fitted if there
is no remanufactured part available. That means that customers have
been supplied with entirely as-new engines right from the start regardless of the stage of progress of the project.
How successful has the startup been with engines so far?
We have created the fundamental conditions for operating a successful remanufacturing business in components and engines. You can
see that from the fact that we placed the first engine on the test bench
on 26th June 2008 and in August 2009 completed nine engines in the
space of a month.
7
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
Dismantling a Series 4000:
One of the facilities set up for the remanufacturing process is a shed in which engines
are dismantled and components examined,
assessed and cleaned.
including computer and English courses. “Due
to the close contacts with HR boss, Matthias
Jobmann, and others, we are getting closer to
reaching the Tognum standards every week,”
Sandy Eisenreich relates.
Tight integration in the Group
The reasons for that close assimilation are primarily to be found in
the nature of the complex,
cross-location remanufacturing process itself. It can only
Sandy Eisenreich,
be made economically viable
HR manager
if it is practiced on a large
Even after taking
scale, in other words in large
charge of the HR Departnumbers. With that aim in
ment she continues to live in
her home town of Berlin, 170 kilometers away. Her duties
mind, the worldwide Togextend from initial and continuing training through to welnum organization is being
fare services. The Training Department has traditionally
utilized and new remanuplayed an important role in Magdeburg. At present there
facturing facilities being
are a total of 28 youth trainees completing an apprenticeestablished in all three sales
ship. In the area of ongoing in-service training, by contrast,
she is reconstructing some areas to Tognum standards
regions. Among them, of
with language and computer courses and a new canteen.
course, is the Magdeburg site
which is playing the vanguard role. The plant performs two functions for Europe: it is a collection
center where used parts and engines are returned by distributors or customers. And it is a remanufacturing center. The reconditioned com-
8
ponents are sent to the parts center in Überlingen while the reman engines are held in stock
on site ready for resale.
Many of the remanufacturing processes have
to be coordinated in detail and globally standardized. From the start, the development of
Magdeburg into a remanufacturing specialist involved not only colleagues from Friedrichshafen
but also from the Duisburg center. “The Duisburg staff helped us a lot with the establishment
of the remanufacturing center in Magdeburg
and passed on their expertise,” Martin Wendel
expands. In contrast with Magdeburg, Duisburg
concentrates more on diverse and complex repair projects and overhauls on classic series such
as the 396.
Integration of Series 2000 and 4000
components into production
A particular strength which recommended
the Magdeburg plant for the remanufacturing
process is the availability of a whole series of
machines capable of producing not only the
components of the products previously made
but also remanufactured Series 2000 and 4000
parts. Modern CNC machine tools for making
crankcases and con rods are an example. While
substantial increases in unit production figures
are being targeted in the remanufacturing pro-
Corporate
development
cesses, output of the SKL Series 29/24 engines
previously produced and of emergency backup
gensets is being scaled down. At the same time,
development work in Magdeburg under the direction of Karl-Ernst Schwarze is being focused
increasingly on the remanufacturing process.
The requirements for it are being drawn up by
the remanufacturing subproject headed by Dr.
Martin Kurreck. “At least 60 percent of our work
is now closely coordinated with Dr. Kurreck’s
design team,” Karl-Ernst Schwarze elucidates.
Remanufacturing is also a permanent part of
work on the test benches. Two of the four test
benches are used for the Series 2000 and 4000,
one single-cylinder test bench for the Series
8000 and one for the SKL VD 29/24 engine.
Hans-Jörg Kohrt,
Exhange Part Assemblies
Hans-Jörg Kohrt, who previously
worked at the Hamburg center, has
moved to Magdeburg due to the
relocation of exchange part assembly repairs for the German
Navy to Magdeburg and has inducted his new colleagues into the
job. “On the one hand, the move
wasn’t easy but on the other it allowed
me to continue doing my familiar job.”
Investment largely completed
The majority of the investment in new plant
and machinery for reconditioning the Series
2000 and 4000 has already been made. It
includes an ultrasound tester for intercoolers,
a crankshaft machining station, a balancing
machine and a crack testing system. Still required are equipment such as a penetrating
agent system by which, in contrast to the existing crack testing system, cracks can be identified in non-magnetic components such as the
piston crown or valve rockers. Investment in a
recooling plant and more test bench equipment
is also planned.
Systematic inspection
The first stage of the classic re-manufacturing
process is the examination of used parts.
“There are various criteria for assessment, which are also set down by
the development departments in
Friedrichshafen and Magdeburg,”
explains Michael Kunze, mechanical production manager. Visual
inspections, complete dimensional
checks and crack tests are some of the
methods used to determine, for example, whether a cylinder liner is damaged
and whether the dimensions are within the allo-
Testing a con rod for cracks (top):
Thomas Hagedorn has sprayed a Series
8000 con rod sent in for repair with a
fluorescent liquid that shows up green
in UV light.
Remanufacturing con rods:
Denis Willberg can set up several used
con rods at a time on the CNC machining
center.
9
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
Reman Series 2000 engine:
By having some of its components reconditioned and others replaced with new
parts, an engine is restored to as-new
condition in the remanufacturing process.
The picture shows Stefan Imgrund who
was dispatched from Friedrichshafen to
Magdeburg.
Integration at
shop-floor level:
In order to adapt the
processes in Magdeburg
to the Tognum standards, around 20 staff
were dispatched there
from Friedrichshafen,
among them Rene
Hoffmann (right) seen
here with apprentice
Tom Kolodziej.
10
wable tolerances. For highly stressed components such as con rods and crankcases, the criteria are more numerous than for components not
subject to such high loads. According to Michael
Kunze, roughly 80 percent of components can
be remanufactured overall. The remaining 20
percent are replaced with new parts.
Of central importance among the technologies used in the remanufacturing process is
grinding. It provides parts with a symmetrical
geometry, such as perfect circularity in the case
of bearings. Crankcase bores are remachined to
a defined dimension from a series of set increments depending on wear. Here too, the principle of precise and consistent standardization
applies. Cylinders, for example, are rebored
Michael Hoffmann (left), designer,
and Karl-Ernst Schwarze, head of
Development in Magdeburg
The Development team headed by KarlErnst Schwarze has been strengthened for the
remanufacturing process. Michael Hoffmann
joined the Magdeburg remanufacturing team in
2009. His diploma thesis qualified him especially for the work. He examined the technical and
economic potential of the concept using the turbocharger as his example. He also visited the
Detroit Diesel facility in Tooele near Salt Lake
City where S60 engines are remanufactured.
to 162 mm from their original dimension of
160 mm when new in order to remove surface
damage. There are then precisely matched, oversized cylinder liners that can be ordered using
the SAP system in Überlingen Parts Logistics
Center. So the reconditioned part and its design
counterpart always fit together perfectly.
One of the highlights of high-precision machining is the grinding of crank-shafts on a new
machine and the cleaning of intercoolers in a
chemical ultrasound bath. As long as the specified criteria are satisfied, the parts can even be
reconditioned a second time for a third life.
After remanufacturing, the component is given
a unique reman number and entered into stock
ready for sale in Überlingen Parts Logistics
Center.
Corporate
development
Well defined interfaces,
clear allocation of roles
An important factor for successful integration of the Magdeburg facility is that there are
clearly defined interfaces between it and the
units in Friedrichshafen that are responsible for
the group-wide specifications. Karl-Thomas
Klingebiel elucidates: “To make sure we meet
the Tognum standards, there are initial sample
approvals and process audits. The key technical
data are specified by the development subproject. Magdeburg, on the other hand, is responsible for the physical implementation.” That
includes the production of drawings by a fivestrong development team headed by Karl-Ernst
Schwarze and definition of the manufacturing
processes, as well as which technologies are to be
used and in what order.
The fact that the Magdeburg center can do
much more than remanufacturing is demonstrated by the assembly of the new generation of
MTU Onsite Energy-branded standard gensets
based on the Series 1600, 2000 and 4000 engines. Alongside Tognum’s US facility in Mankato, and before long the Chinese plant in Suzhou,
Magdeburg is to supply the new product line to
the European market from 2010. Within a week
of the decision being taken by the executive
board, the main components such as engines,
generators and radiators for the first three gensets were waiting to be assembled in Hall 3. It’s
hard to imagine a new Tognum plant being able
to integrate and mesh with a large-scale project
within the global Tognum Group any faster or
more flexibly. “That is where we benefited from
the system engineering expertise that we have
established over many years with our previous
gensets,” points out assembly manager Bernd
Gründel.
In addition, component sets known as “exchange part assemblies” are currently being reconditioned for German Navy frigates and
high-speed patrol boats, and will also be
supplied for corvettes in the future.
Among the frigates are those involved in
Test benches for Series 2000 and 4000:
Two of the four test benches in Magdeburg
are used for the Series 2000 and 4000, and
a third for the Series 8000. Frank Berlin is
one of the test bench staff.
Daniel Müller, Assembly Planning
and Work Preparation
The qualified model builder has worked in
the Series 4000 assembly section in Friedrichshafen for three and a half years and was sent to
Magdeburg from April to the end of the year. He has been
working there with colleagues from Magdeburg on bringing the processes and specifications up to a uniform
Tognum standard right through to documentation. His impression is that, “Overall, cooperation runs very smoothly.
I was received with open arms.”
11
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
counter-piracy in Somali waters at present.
These components were previously reconditioned in Hamburg but the work has now been
transferred to Magdeburg and represents a small but high-potential
growth sector. “In 2009 we made
four times as many exchange part
assemblies as in 2008,” Michael
Kunze expands.
Detlef Koch, Quality Inspector
He works in a precision testing lab performing quality checks on reman parts. The
dimensions and tolerances are measured to within a thousandth of a
millimeter. As a long-serving employee, he performed checks on
SKL engines for many years.
“The changeover to MTU engines
wasn’t a problem.” Detlef is one
of many employees who completed an apprenticeship at the company and have remained loyal to the
firm since. “Because of the difficult times
after reunification, I was made redundant in
1996, but was able to return twelve years later
in 2008 as part of another company.”
Remanufacturing cylinder heads (left):
Ulrich Malolepsy reconditions Series 956
cylinder heads for a German frigate.
History …
171 years of engine-making tradition
The history of the Tognum factory in Magdeburg goes all
the way back to the early days of steam shipping.
Magdeburg is a center of cultural as well as industrial
history. The present-day SKL Motor GmbH can be traced
back to the Magdeburger Dampfschifffahrt Compagnie
founded in 1838, which subsequently changed its name to
Maschinenfabrik Buckau and then merged with Maschinenfabrik Wolf in 1928. Both companies made steam engines. The production of diesel engines goes back to the
takeover of Grade-Motorenwerke and Ascherslebener
Maschinenbau AG in the early 20th century. After the
Second World War, with the creation of the German
Democratic Republic, the company became a stateowned combine known as Schwermaschinenbaukombinat Karl Liebknecht or SKL. It employed 9,000 people and
was the leading diesel engine manufacturer, supplying as
many as 3,600 engines a year to eastern bloc countries.
Around 90,000 engines were supplied worldwide for
powering ships and emergency gensets. Roughly 20,000
of them are still in operation. The end of the GDR brought
down the curtain on SKL’s successful years.
12
Traction engines
circa 1900:
In the early days
the company was
involved not only
in steam ships and
engines but traction engines as well.
Two-stroke Type
DK diesel engine
1930:
This static singlecylinder unit produced 30 hp.
Marine diesel
1998:
This Type 9VDS
29/24AL engine
develops 2,100 kW.
Corporate
development
Remanufacturing of rail PowerPacks in
Friedrichshafen: At the beginning of the
process, the traction module is thoroughly
steam-cleaned.
Reincarnation a technical possibility
Remanufacturing processes restore MTU products to as-new condition
This year, Tognum Global After Sales launched a remanufacturing service marketed
under the new name of Value_Exchange. It involves standardized complete overhauls
by which used components, engines and systems are transformed back into as-new
products that can be purchased at economical prices. The Magdeburg location provides
one of the pieces in a worldwide jigsaw.
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN. MeIt is well known
that some human cultures believe people
are reincarnated after death. Not so widely
appreciated is that it is definitely the case with
MTU diesel engines and components. This
technical kind of reincarnation is referred to as
remanufacturing. Since 2008, the process has
been undergoing systematic expansion and
standardization as a strategic project on a major,
global scale and has recently been made available as an After-Sales product under the name
‘Value_Exchange’.
Customers opting for the service obtain a replacement part with the properties, qualities and
the warranty of a new part at a substantially
lower price. In that way, MTU is helping them to
considerably reduce the life-cycle costs of their
power units. Now, instead of waiting for repairs
to be completed, a ferry or train operator can
fit a remanufactured unit immediately. And
Tognum is able to control the grey market in
components more effectively. In contrast with
third-party components, the manufacturerreconditioned parts come with the MTU warranty and the quality of a new product.
The idea of remanufacturing is not new. Fuel
injectors and high-pressure pumps for the Series
4000 are reconditioned by Tognum subsidiary
L’Orange in Glatten, rail PowerPacks are restored in Friedrichshafen and Series 4000 cylinder heads are refurbished at MTU Turkey. In
addition, S40, S50 and S60 units and 2-cycle
engines are reconditioned in the USA.
Assembly of a rail PowerPack in Friedrichshafen: The components are reassembled to
make an as-new rail traction module.
How to renew used parts
The remanufacturing process goes further
13
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
dictable and efficient and can be offered at standardized prices worldwide.
The process has been managed for around a
year by the Global Remanufacturing project
team headed by Martin Wendel, Head of Global
After-Sales. The main focus is on expansion and
marketing of the standardized complete overhauls for the Series 2000 and Series 4000 engines
as the product MTU_ValueExchange. The development and logistics subprojects provide
further interesting insights into the special features of remanufacturing.
Materials flow
in remanufacturing
process:
The Logistics subproject ensures the
flow of materials is
smooth and efficient.
Pictured, from left,
are Barbara Amann,
subproject manager,
Bernd Maurer, Logistics Center manager
and Denise Kurtulus,
reman project
coordinator.
Rail PowerPack 1800 project team:
The concept for the remanufacturing
process for the rail PowerPack 1800 was
developed by a team led by Oliver Moll.
Seen here, from left, are Martin Walser,
Patrik Tulburean, Oliver Moll, Eugen Wilhelm, Alexander Coronini, Rudolf Reich and
Adrian Bessler.
than a conventional complete overhaul (QL4),
which re-equips an engine for a specific period
of service within a maintenance schedule, or a
repair, which replaces only specific, faulty components. By contrast, remanufacturing reinstates major component, an engine or a system to a
condition whereby quality is equivalent without
qualification to a new product. Used parts are
generally re-usable.
The process sequence is basically the same
in all cases – the engine or component is completely dismantled, cleaned and examined. Then
a decision is taken as to whether the unit can be
reconditioned or needs to be replaced with a
new one. The reconditioning requires various
technologies depending on the component, ranging from re-grinding a bearing to treatment in
a chemical bath. But there is a fundamental difference from a regular repair or complete overhaul. All processes are standardized down to the
very last detail, offered at fixed prices in defined
completion times, and are fully documented to
unified standards. And finally, they are given a
quality management approval certificate. The
advantage is that the processes are more pre-
Development of remanufactured parts
In order to guarantee the properties, quality
and dimensional accuracy of remanufactured
parts for refitting to engines, they undergo computer analysis by the Development Department.
Specimen parts are examined on the test bench.
“We specify the dimensions to which the parts
are to be remanufactured in our design drawings, for example,” explains Dr. Martin Kurreck,
Development subproject manager.
Overview …
Global process
Remanufacturing is a worldwide process. Several sites
work together as part of a network. Used parts are
collected at various centers, reconditioned at others
and stored for resale at yet other locations.
Magdeburg (SKL)
Canton
Tooele
(Detroit Diesel
Reman West)
14
Glatten (L’Orange)
Überlingen
Friedrichshafen
Istanbul
(MTU Turkey)
Corporate
development
Logistics network
Another essential difference between remanufacturing and overhauling or repairing is in
the complex, worldwide logistics. “For remanufacturing of engines to be economically viable,
an adequate supply of remanufacturing components is required,” emphasizes Barbara Amann,
Logistics subproject manager. A standardized
deposit system is designed to incentivize customers to return their used parts. All components from S40-S60 models, Mercedes-Benz
off-highway engines and 2-cycle units can be
returned to the collection centers. Components
of the S40/60 Series models, the 2-stroke range
and Mercedes-Benz off-highway engines can
also be returned to the collection centers. External suppliers then restore those parts to a condition such that they can be purchased as newquality products from the Tognum sales team.
All fully overhauled products then find their
way via the After Sales logistics centers in Überlingen, Canton or Singapore back to distributors
or end users all over the world, and can be put to
full use again until the next complete overhaul
by Tognum.
Words: Anika Kannler, Wolfgang Stolba,
Pictures: Robert Hack
Con rod on the test bench in Friedrichshafen: The Development subproject tests
reman parts before they are approved for
use in production. Pictured here are Dr. Reiner Böschen (left) and Dr. Martin Kurreck.
The remanufacturing cycle
Reman HQ/ /
Powerpack Reman Center
Reman Center Europe
Reman Center Asia
The product is resold as a reman
engine/component.
Core Collection Center
A customer buys a new or
ValueExchange product from
MTU.
Reman Component
Injector/High-pressure pump
(Series 4000)
Global remanufacturing team:
From left, Dr. Martin Kurreck,
Denise Kurtulus, Wilfried Probian, Barbara Amann, Wilfried
Baur, Hubert Ammedick, Lutz
Schütte, Werner Hussal, Henner Wolf, Reinhard Märsch,
Martin Wendel and Alexander
Tesch. Not present for the
photo were Harald Rudolf,
Karl-Thomas Klingebiel and
Otto Fröhlich.
Reman Component
Cylinder head (Series 4000)
Spare Parts Center
Cores
(used products)
Reman parts
(reconditioned products)
Enginges and components are
reconditioned at remanufacturing centers using standardized
processes.
)
Singapore
Rawang
(MTI)
Used engines or components
are returned to the MTU reman
center. The core collection center checks that the items meet
the acceptance criteria and
reimburses any outstanding
deposit. The customer gets an
exchange or reman engine/
component.
15
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
Investment in the future
The global financial and economic crisis isn’t
over yet. Even producers of short-lived goods
who react quickly to economic changes are
cautiously optimistic at best. Manufacturers of
high-value durables such as are made by Tognum
usually feel the effects of changes in the economy
with something of a delay. Nevertheless, Tognum
has prepared itself at its centers across the globe
to utilize the opportunities of the future and is
investing in new products, production plant and
branch offices.
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN. „In years
gone by, the Friedrichshafen engine makers were wont to call the
frantic business of the last three
months of a year the “winter battle“.
And Friedrichshafen has certainly
had plenty to do in production in the
last quarter of 2009 – apart from anything else, to make sure the Tognum
Group reaches its financial targets.
After all, the crisis has left deep scars.
It is true that large-scale engine production in terms of the Series 8000
and the classic models has been well
up to capacity throughout the year.
But nevertheless, the demand for the
normally high-volume Series 2000
and 4000 has contracted considerably.
As a consequence, staff have had to
stay at home due to lack of orders.
Their flexitime accounts have gone
into deficit, holiday owing has been
used up and temporary staff have
stopped being employed. In the last
three months of 2009, Production
and Assembly have, by contrast, been
working three shifts a day some of the
time so that the engines can be sent
out and the receipts booked before
the end of 2009. Production manager
Hans-Peter Wehrle cites an example:
“In November we will be producing
twice as many Series 4000 units as our
16
Capacity utilization
at the individual
Tognum Group plants
varies considerably.
Pictured: the production
section in Friedrichshafen last summer with
finished gensets for
the new Berlin airport
awaiting dispatch.
average monthly output over the rest
of the year“. But he adds a cautionary
note against premature optimism:
“Whether that is a first sign of a
recovery that will continue into the
new year, I can’t say. Customers are
ordering at much shorter notice. And
that makes reliable predictions impossible.“
The assembly plant in Suzhou/
China is continuing to produce “at a
relatively high level“, Wehrle reports.
It makes Series 2000 engines for
power generation applications. The
consequences of the crisis have been
more severe at MTU Detroit Diesel
where unit output has dropped significantly. “We have relocated assembly
of the Series 2000 and 4000 engines,
which are normally produced at both
sites, to Friedrichshafen for the time
being. It is more economical at the
moment,“ Wehrle relates. Detroit is
continuing to build variants that are
not made in Friedrichshafen.
Fewer Series 4000 engines also
means fewer orders for Tognum subsidiary L’Orange, which manufactures
fuel injection systems. “The effect on
us is directly proportional,“ reveals
Olav Altmann, sales manager at
L’Orange. Orders for injection systems for medium-fast running engines made by other manufacturers
have not seen such a marked
downturn, as they are ordered longer
in advance. With those products, the
effects of the crisis may not show until later on.
The development trend is clear
from the sales figures. Turnover will
probably be 15 to 20 percent below
the 2008 figure. Tognum remains
Corporate
development
How Tognum is preparing for when the economic crisis is over
ROTORION
profitable but the operating result
shrank by 65 percent in the first 9
months. The crisis has not hit so hard
everywhere, however. The subsidiaries in the UK and South Africa report respectable revenues despite the
crisis. And in Asia business continues
to grow – just not as quickly as before.
to rise again and is, therefore, investing in the future. It has been well reported that substantially more money
was made available for research and
development in 2009 than in previous
years. Following the start of volume
production of the 12-cylinder Series
1600 in Überlingen in October, the
10-cylinder version will follow suit in
January. And money is also being
invested in the important Chinese
market. The new factory in Datong
in northern China, where the joint
venture between Tognum and the
Chinese Norinco Group will assemble
emergency backup gensets for Chinese nuclear power plants, is almost
complete. Proximity to the market is
the reason for a new sales office in
Dalian in the industrial north-east of
China. Five staff handle the sales of
MTU and MTU Onsite Energy products and after sales services in the region. In Pune, the industrial center in
India’s west, MTU India has taken up
residence in a new building housing
office and workshop space. And finally, preparations are well advanced for
the construction of a new materials
planning center in Kluftern near
Friedrichshafen.
Words: Wolfgang Boller
Pictures: Robert Hack, MTU Asia, MTU-Archiv
In the medium term, after the crisis, the Tognum Group expects sales
A new branch of MTU India
is shortly due to open in
new premises providing
workshop and office space
in Pune on the western side
of the country.
Tognum sells Rotorion to IFA
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (wob). Tognum AG has sold
its driveshafts division to the IFA Group in Haldensleben near Magdeburg. The prop shaft operations of the two groups will be merged to form
IFA Maschinenbau Verwaltungsgesellschaft.
Tognum will take a 25-percent stake in that
holding company but will withdraw from it in five
years’ time. While the factory in Charleston, where
around 140 staff are employed, will be retained, the
Friedrichshafen production facility, which employs
a workforce of 490, will be relocated to Haldensleben and Gardelegen in eastern Germany by the
end of 2011. The first machines are to be moved at
the turn of the year 2009/2010.
The Human Resources Department has set up
the „Future Active“ program, by which it aims to offer all Rotorion staff future prospects. Although it is
foreseeable that only some of the workforce will relocate, employees are not to be left jobless. „We will help
wherever we can,“ promises Tognum HR director,
Matthias Jobmann. Enforced redundancies are to be
avoided. „Future Active“ offers a broad span of possibilities. Because the Tognum Group expects business to grow in the medium term, more staff will be
required for the production of engines, propulsion
systems and energy plants in Friedrichshafen and other locations as well. Present employees of Rotorion
will be given preference in the recruitment process
for those positions, provided they have the appropriate qualifications or can acquire them. In addition,
part-time and early retirement and voluntary redundancies with severance payments will be offered.
There are five HR professionals assigned specifically
to looking after the future of the workforce.
17
Corporate
development
TOGNUM
More than smoke and mirrors
A change of culture in a company can alter the way people interact
and their use of language – and vice versa. Even the meaning of
such simple and clear terms as staff, management and team spirit
is not set in stone. And so the cultural shift at Tognum, especially
since becoming stock-market listed, has changed much in the way
words are used, as can be illustrated by a few examples.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN. Who hasn’t occasionally been
enchanted by tasteful interior decor immersed in
atmospherically indirect lighting? But what on
Earth has indirect lighting to do with a cultural change in
the Tognum Group? At first sight, nothing at all. But didn’t
the company jargon used to refer to “directly productive“
and “indirectly productive“ staff? The latter presumably
don’t tend to hide their light any more under bushel or
even behind a stylish stained-wood screen
than the “directly productive“ employees.
Although they are modern terms, that
does not make them any more comprehensible. And whatever they mean, the unintended
associations are a problem. Why is someone on the shop
floor or in a technical department “directly productive“
and an office worker only “indirectly productive“ when
everyone contributes directly to the success of the business. One thing is certain – the terms have gained a foothold in the German-speaking parts of the Tognum Group,
even though the new General Remuneration Agreement
(ERA) in Germany in 2008 ended the decades of distinction between waged and salaried employees. The linguistic
transition to a new corporate culture envisaged by
the parties to that agreement and
in which everyone would be
measured by the same standards does not appear to have
been fully realized as yet.
Internal company communication, on the other hand,
has already overcome a number of obstacles. Fifteen
years ago, a printed A6 form headed “Memo“ on which
the message normally started
with the words “Dear
Mr./Mrs./Miss ...“ and
with a header section offering check-boxes for indicating a total of twelve
options including
whether the missive was for infor-
mation, acknowledgement, approval or to be actioned, was
the least to be expected in terms of formality. The notification was sent by internal post and reached the recipient the
same or next day. Today’s e-mails are much quicker and
easier. The standard salutation is a simple “Hi ...“ even
across hierarchical and departmental boundaries. That
progress has been somewhat inhibited in more recent
times by the deluge of electronic epistles in which we are
now in danger of drowning. A new set of regulations – the
rules of e-mail etiquette – have had to be instigated.
Corporate culture as success factor
If we understand culture as meaning the
entirety of attitudes, modes of behavior,
standards, values and aims – both individual and collective – then it is clear that
corporate culture is something fundamental that is expressed in every word, every
gesture and, ultimately, every executive board decision,
and so is decisive to the wellbeing or otherwise of the company. “That is why we should not be indifferent about the
way we use many terms,“ stresses Matthias Jobmann,
Tognum HR director.
18
Corporate
development
How words can promote or inhibit a change of culture in the Tognum Group
Terms that have positive connotations, are not too long
and are well understood can be brought out of the
shadows of a former existence to convey and promote present new ways of thinking. Examples cited by Matthias Jobmann are the terms project work and teamwork. These
days, a project is a meticulously planned process in which
the opportunities, risks and costs are systematically identified from the outset. Whereas in the past, project
team members largely remained within the
strictly defined boundaries of their departmental line management func-tions, today
their tasks and responsibilities are
focused on the project objectives. If necessary,
previously accepted norms and standards are re-examined.
And the concept of teamwork enjoys a position of high
standing. It places the emphasis on partnership rather than
a specific organizational unit. In the same vein, the travel
and expenses unit has been replaced by travel management
and the vehicle fleet by the car pool. The focus is on the
service, the customer-supplier relationship, and not the
organizational unit. Using the term “manager“ places the
emphasis on the function rather than referring to a “superior“, which focuses on the hierarchical position.
Cultural change in its broadest sense has always gone
on at this company. Processes have been made more flexible and less constrained by freeing them from the corsets
of pedantic terminology. When MTU engines were named
strictly according to the cylinder capacity, they ended up
with clumsy designations such as 396, 595 or 1163. But
there is a more elegant alternative. Much more effective in
marketing and outward image terms are the name tags
2000, 4000, 8000 and 1600. But one thing is also clear,
“You only create a distinct profile outwardly and internally at the price of a certain degree of uniformity on
the part of everyone concerned,“ Matthias Jobmann
points out.
That is something that is experienced anywhere where
people, groups and businesses join together to form a larger
entity. The creation of the Tognum Group is the best
example. Tognum is the name of a new, larger and more independent corporate unit. The associated cross-location
and cross-company orientation has shaped a far-reaching
cultural transformation since the Group’s public listing in
2007. In view of the ever advancing globalization, terms
such as service center or agent, which carry connotations
of dependence on the head office, have been superseded by
the more active and independent concept of the distributor. The Compass project explicitly underpinned the principle of decentralization. That may sound abstract but has
a profoundly practical effect in terms of greater proximity
to the customer – worldwide.
The new self-image is also expressed in the Tognum
vision. Terms such as “preferred partner“ and
“best solutions“ convey a new and more
acute awareness of the customer-supplier
relation-ships, including in internal
dealings. Tognum represents the
unifying link between all employees.
Tognum is also the “home of power
brands“. “Effective brand communication with the markets is the decisive factor for the success
of the corporation, whereas the old company names are
not, even if it is painful in the beginning to lose them,“
Matthias Jobmann assures.
Is the internal identity of the company lagging behind
its external image? A listed-stock company should also
strive towards a fresh appearance on the inside believes
HR boss, Matthias Jobmann. But he also emphasizes that it
should not miss the target altogether and get lost in empty
jargon and marketing speak.
Words: Wolfgang Stolba, Pictures: Robert Hack
19
Corporate
development
MTU
Advertising with peligators
and stagfishes
New corporate design sharpens image of Tognum brand MTU
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN (aka/sto). The MTU brand is to have a higher profile in the marketplace, reach a broader
audience and distinguish itself more sharply from other brands. For this reason MTU brand valves have been
further developed this year and a new corporate design has been introduced to match these valves. First of all, an
unusual image campaign was launched to familiarize the market with these valves. The campaign used ‘hybrid’
animal motifs to symbolize specific product strengths.
“The three brand values of partnership, power and passion express more emphatically and precisely what makes MTU
stand out and differentiates it from others than has been the case in the past,“ explains Walter Scherg, Head of Marketing
Communication and Distribution Development. Before now there have been too many different messages about the
brand circulating around the market. Based on the brand values, VMD first of all created a new corporate design. Everything that is definitive in the visual appearance of advertisements, calendars, trade show stands, websites and other media
was redefined in the process. The new cornerstones of the corporate design (CD) first appeared in an image campaign
launched in August featuring fantastical animal motifs such as peligators (cross between pelican and alligator). They
graphically express the strengths that MTU products combine. The central message is that MTU is your best partner for
the perfect propulsion solution irrespective of how specialized and demanding your requirements may be.
20
Corporate
development
Daring image campaign:
The MTU core values are symbolized by imaginary animals.
A rhinoceros with kangaroo’s legs
represents engines in the C&I
sector. It combines the power to
move a substantial mass with
speed, strength and endurance.
An armadillo with leopard’s legs
(Defense) combines the aspects of
protection and compactness with
speed and power. A pelican with a
crocodile’s torso (Oil & Gas) is
equally at home on land and in the
water, and is tough and strong
enough to cope with extreme conditions. A sheep with horse’s legs
(Agriculture) combines the benefits of a domesticated animal with
strength, speed and stamina.
Competition …
Ten MTU T-shirts featuring current advertising motifs to be won!
Simply complete the coupon, cut it out or photocopy it, and mail or fax it
(+7541-90-3918) to Department VCC by 30th January 2010. There is no
recourse to legal action. Winners will be notified in writing.
Please answer the following question:
What are the three brand values of the MTU brand?
Answer
First name, last name
New brand design:
The core values of the MTU brand have
been encapsulated in a new corporate design. It includes the use of specific colors
(see illustration) and layout and formatting
rules for communication media.
Tognum company, department
E-mail address (business or personal)
21
History and celebrations
Important politicians make speeches on big
occasions. So was it any surprise that German
Chancellor, Angela Merkel, was a guest at the
gala event in May to celebrate the MTU centenary in Friedrichshafen? On 23rd March, the
Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Günther
Oettinger, had been present at the official anniversary cere-mony. The three big celebratory
events were as unique as the company itself.
22
Karl Maybach in gold and silver
Karl Maybach, founder of the company that
became MTU Friedrichshafen, was such an unusual inventor that the Baden-Württemberg
Mint has honored his achievements with a
series of gold and silver medals. “It is a great
accolade for Karl Maybach,” attested Tognum
COO, Christof von Branconi (right). The presentation was also attended by Karl Maybach’s
daughter Irmgard Schmid-Maybach and BadenWürttemberg permanent secretary Gundolf
Fleischer (left).
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Centenary year
2009 should not be remembered only as the year of the global financial and economic crisis.
For many Tognum Group employees and their families it was also a year of great celebration.
The centenary of Tognum subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen will remain in the memories of
many as a time when the company’s great history was given due recognition.
MTU Detroit Diesel celebrates centenary picnic
Over 400 MTU Detroit Diesel employees and
their families celebrated the company’s 100
years of existence with a picnic on 30th August.
Those attending the Sunday event enjoyed
food, drink, music and games of football and
volleyball. Face-painting, a bouncy castle and
an inflatable obstacle course also provided
plenty of entertainment for kids. And every
guest received an MTU centenary T-shirt as
a memento of the occasion.
Ferris-wheel festival
The grounds of the “Singapore Flyer“ giant
Ferris wheel were the venue for a centenary
celebration attended by 470 MTU Asia staff and
their families. With balloon sculptures, a juggler, an “amazing“ race and lots of family games,
it was an entertaining event for MTU’s Asian
relations. “We are proud to work in a centuryold company that is playing such a healthy part
in the economy,“ related MTU Asia employee,
Chua Kee Yat.
23
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
DVD of the century
For many Tognum staff it was an unforgettable experience – the centenary party celebrating 100 years of
Tognum subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen on 11th July. Thousands of employees and their families enjoyed a
fantastic all-day festival. For them, and also for all those who could not be present because of the distance,
we have made a souvenir DVD of photos and video footage.
Successful program
Many visitors though the centenary party was
so good that they even took the trouble to express their thanks in writing. Here are a few
excerpts: “We were able to enjoy a celebratory
event that meant more than free food and
drink.“ – the Wietzel family. “It was a great
success all round. I am certain MTU Plant 2
has never experienced anything like it before.“
– Heike Fleisch. “We just had a great time –
and hopefully you could tell that from our performance.“ – Sven Claussen of “Celebration“.
24
Film and photos on DVD
What was the best thing about the MTU centenary party? The games for all the family? The
summertime setting on the banks of Lake Constance? The exhibition of engines and applications? The concert with Nena? Was it simply the
pleasure of relaxing with workmates and former
colleagues? Or was it all of those things together? The film and photos on the DVD attached
on the right will hopefully keep the memories of
a unique social event in the company’s history
alive, as well as offering some unusual perspectives and a peek behind the scenes.
25
Global news
MTU
The MTU IRIS project team at Friedrichshafen
railway station: The interdepartmental team
has designed new processes and adapted and
precisely defined a large number of existing
ones. Pictured, from left, are Rudolf Sievers,
Thomas Bierwagen, Hans Wiemer, Carmen
Dienel, Erhan Agamola (back), Harald
Gottschalch and
Stefan Jochum
(back).
MTU meets strictest rail standard
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (sto). Being a good and reliable system supplier for railway stock means coordinating an
array of interfaces and components with the client beyond the engine on its own and providing generally
effective and efficient business procedures. How important the subject is to the European Rail Industry Association, UNIFE, is illustrated by a highly detailed international industrial standard that came into force this
year and which UNIFE is keen to promote. MTU Friedrichshafen was awarded accreditation to that standard
in May. It is known as the International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS).
IRIS is based on the requirements of ISO 9001:2000,
which MTU already complied with, and includes a number
of additional rail-specific specifications. So IRIS guarantees clients the highest recognized standard in Europe and
the strictest anywhere in the world for efficient planning
and project management of traction system installation.
“Everything that makes cooperation better, easier, speedier,
more efficient and more economical we have comprehensively optimized – from quality management through documentation to process stability – a total of 260 requirements,“ points out Stefan Jochum, leader of the IRIS project team. For example, the role of key account manager as
26
contact point for customers has been more clearly defined.
The availability of spare parts over the entire lifecycle of
products and the effective control of component modifications throughout the added-value process right through to
the customer have been guaranteed. Other examples are
contingency plans for machine failures, a new, centralized
documentation system for all calibrated measurement and
testing equipment and new processes for project-based
system supply business.
Global news
MTU
MTU
Twin MTU units
for unusual locomotive
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (db). The first two MTU PowerModules fitted with Type 12V 4000 R43L rail engines
were recently installed in the new 120-kph BITRAC 3600
heavy-duty locomotive made by Spanish rolling stock
manufacturer CAF. A further eight BITRAC locomotives
each driven by twin MTU traction systems have been
ordered from CAF by the Spanish freight train operator
FESUR in Seville.
With a total power output of 3,600 kW, the CAF
BITRAC is one of the most powerful hybrid locomotives
currently in use on goods and mainline passenger services.
The electricity to power the traction motors can either be
supplied by the diesel-driven PowerModules or, on electrified routes, drawn directly from the overhead power lines.
The dual power supply capability allows fuel savings of up
to 40 percent on some routes. When the diesel engines are
not running, a new crankshaft lock developed by MTU
prevents damage to the crankshaft bearings from shocks or
vibration. The MTU rail traction engines are distinguished
by fuel consumption of less than 200 g/kWh and are also
among the first to comply with the EU Stage IIIa nitrogen
3.600 kilowatts
of pure power:
Two PowerModules
based on Type 12V
4000 engines form
the heart of the new
BITRAC heavy-duty
locomotive made by
Spanish manufacturer CAF.
MTU rail traction modules
in Ireland
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (aka). As part of a contract
worth 11 million euro, Tognum is to supply complete traction systems consisting of engine and
components such as gearbox and cooling system
to the Korean railcar manufacturer Rotem starting at the end of 2009.
The PowerPacks supplied will enter service in
Ireland from 2011 with operator Irish Rail in regional and long-distance railcar trains. The
traction modules are based on the environmentally friendly Type 6H 1800 R83
engine which has a power rating of 360
kilowatts and meets the EU Stage IIIA
emission standard. The units are distinguished by fast acceleration, economical life cycle costs and low noise and
vibration levels.
Change management subproject:
One of the subprojects handles the management
of modified parts. Pictured, from left, are Herbert
Dengler, Wolfram Wiggenhauser (Series 4000
assembly foreman), Rolf Wiggenhauser
and Rudolf Sievers.
oxide and particulate matter emission
limits that came into force this year.
The CAF BITRAC is fitted with the latestgeneration MTU Powerline rail automation system.
As well as the ADEC engine management system, it includes the POM power output module for starting and
power current regulation and the PAU STAR power automation unit that provides a multiplicity of control, sensor
and modulation functions such as constant monitoring of
fan operation and coolant level.
There are also ten more BITRAC orders on the books
for power car versions with diesel-electric-only traction
systems destined for passenger services in Saudi Arabia.
27
Global news
MTU
Sunseeker contract:
Paul Vincent and
Robert Braithwaite of
Sunseeker, Mike Ferris
of MTU UK and Christos Ramnialis, Head of
Sales and After Sales
Region 1, signed the
extension to the general contract to supply
MTU engines for Sunseeker yachts at the
engine plant in Friedrichshafen.
MTU yacht engines in demand
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (aka). Tognum has recently arranged
an early expansion to its existing framework agreement
to supply the Sunseeker shipyard with MTU yacht engines.
Under the new agreement, which was extended to
2012, Tognum will supply V8, V10, V12 and V16 diesel engines from its Series 2000 range and V12 and V16 Series
4000 units covering an overall power range from 810 to
3,440kW (1,086 to 4,613 bhp). MTU will potentially supply 450 engines dependant on market forces, up to 2012.
Propulsion plants for high-speed yachts have traditionally
belonged to MTU’s core areas of expertise. The latest
model in the Series 2000 range, the 2000 M94, produces
the highest performance figures in its class as well
as delivering an enhanced power-to-weight
ratio. In addition, Series 2000 and 4000 engines comply with all valid ship exhaust
standards worldwide – including EPA
Viking contract: The US MTU distributor Johnson & Towners has
supplied its first two Series 2000 M94 units to Viking in New
Jersey. Pictured, from left, are Pat Healey and Bill Healey of Viking,
Walter Johnson III, Dave Johnson and Bob Shomo of Johnson &
Towers.
28
Tier 2 and IMO – and are supplied with SOLAS certification as standard.
Tognum power units for motor yachts score highly
in North America too. The Tognum subsidiary MTU
launched the performance-enhanced version of the yacht
engine at the Miami Boat Show in the spring of this year;
at the end of July, the first two 16-cylinder units were delivered to the yacht builder Viking. „The engine will be
installed in a new Viking 82-foot sport fishing yacht“, said
Alexa Swindell of Marine Sales at MTU Detroit Diesel. The
new Series 2000 engine will build on the success of its
predecessors, delivering greater power and enhanced acceleration.
MTU
Global news
MTU
Iron men for Lake Constance Ferry
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (kh). The first two eight-cylinder versions of the new
generation of MTU “Iron Men“ engines for working vessels will power the
longest Lake Constance ferry operated by the municipal transport authority
of the city of Konstanz.
The first engine was fitted in the 82-meter ferry prior to its launch at the beginning of October at the Bodan shipyard in Kressbronn . The second followed
a day later. The optimized “Iron Men” engines are extremely clean-running,
even without an exhaust treatment system. But with the added benefit of a diesel
particulate filter, the new 746-kW propulsion units are well inside the applicable emission limits. Particulate matter emissions are reduced by as much as 99
percent.
Endurance athletes
for Lake Constance:
The first two 8-cylinder Series 4000 “Iron
Men” working vessel
engines power the
new Lake Constance
ferry launched in
October.
Patented propulsion system
PERTH (ld). Australian shipbuilders Austal are currently
building a globally unique trimaran. Unlike other trimarans, it is powered not by four but only three
engines housed in the ship’s center hull. And they
are supplied by MTU.
Each of the three 20-cylinder Series 8000 units
delivers 9,100 kilowatts of power at 1150 rpm and
will propel the fast ferry at speeds up to 39 knots.
The patented propulsion system concept and the
craft’s corresponding hydrodynamics will primarily
save the operator fuel costs. Not just because the engines are light and offer the best power-to-weight ratio
in their power class. The trimaran itself is a whole engine
lighter than previous designs.
The next generation of superfast trimarans (left) from Austal is propelled
by triple MTU Series 8000 engines (right, during installation).
29
Global news
MTU
New Series 2000 in 2011
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (wob). The first of a new generation
of Series 2000 engines are already going through their
paces on the test stands at Tognum subsidiary MTU
Friedrichshafen, with the engines’ market debut scheduled for summer 2011.
The new engine has been comprehensively enhanced
in order to meet future exhaust regulations and its introduction will see a slimming-down of the Series 2000 production range in future. According to Rainer Breidenbach,
Tognum Executive Board member and ‘Engines’ COO, the
2000 engine is not „some exotic special edition but a bread-and-butter engine“. The significance of the new unit is
likely to increase with time because, as project leader Klaus
Pöpsel reckons, considerably more 2000 engines will be
built. One reason for this is a growing market. Another is
that the MTU engine is simply better than the competition
in crucial areas which are decisive for purchasers, thus
opening opportunities for increasing market share.
The appearance of the
new engines will also mark
the beginning of the end for
the first generation of Series
2000 units introduced for C&I
(Construction & Industrial),
Genset and Oil & Gas applications in 1996. These original
engines are currently built in
New Series 2000 model:
The next generation of the MTU Series 2000 engine
(top) is due to come on the market in the summer of
2011. In August this year, the project team handed over
two prototypes for bench-testing (right).
30
Friedrichshafen, Suzhou and Detroit and incorporate unitpump injection. However, the Mercedes-Benz commercial
vehicle engine, from which the MTU units were originally
derived, is now being phased out so that MTU will no
longer have access to economically-priced large-volume
components for the series. The Series 2000 common rail
engine already used in marine applications will therefore
be at the heart of the future 2000 series. „From 2014, we
will be producing just one basic drive unit, one core engine, for all applications“, explained Klaus Pöpsel.
All components have been revised and enhanced and
the crankcase has been reinforced. As a result, ignition
pressure can be increased by 30% as compared with the
unit-pump version and that means reductions in both fuel
consumption and emissions. One of the most crucial steps
will be certification of engine compliance with the specifications of the US Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA).
Global news
Repowering
in Cottbus:
400 Deutsche Bahn
V290 Class locomotives have been
modernized with
Type 8V 4000
engines supplied
by MTU.
MTU
400th Deutsche Bahn locomotive fitted with MTU engine
COTTBUS (mgu). On 8th October, Tognum subsidiary
MTU and German railway operator Deutsche Bahn (DB)
celebrated the 400th repowering of a V290 Class multipurpose locomotive at DB’s Cottbus depot. Between
2002 and September 2009, MTU supplied a total of 412
Series 4000 diesel engines to Deutsche Bahn for the
modernization program.
The Type 8V 4000 R41 engines have a power rating of
1,000 kilowatts (1,360 bhp) and have replaced MTU 12V
652 units, some of which have given over 30 years’ reliable
service. By opting for repowering, the operator Deutsche
Bahn is able to benefit from the advantages of new engines
without having to invest in complete locomotives. The new power
units provide higher performance
while also reducing operating and
maintenance costs. Due to their compact dimensions, they fit easily inside
the available space in the engine bay and
can also make use of the existing peripherals.
Customized interface technology between the MTU engine
management system and the train control system makes
for simplified traction unit installation.
TOGNUM
New administrative HQ for Tognum
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (aw). Tognum’s new administrative headquarters building in Friedrichshafen is due to
be completed by June 2010.
The five-storey office block directly adjacent to Plant 1
will accommodate 400 staff from in the Corporate Functions (V) and Corporate Service (C) divisions. That includes, for example, the Legal Department, Marketing and
Distribution, Quality Management, Auditing and Risk
Management, Strategy and Project Consultancy, Communications, Corporate Finance, Controlling, Human Resources, Training and parts of Technical Services. Offices
which are vacated at Plants 1 and 2 will be occupied by
departments which were temporarly relocated to other
sites during recent years due to a lack of space. Tognum
will rent the L-shaped building on a long-term lease from
the investment group, although the contract also includes
an option to buy.
The new Tognum admin building is growing:
Around 400 staff are due to move into the new office block in
Friedrichshafen which Tognum is renting from the developer.
31
Global news
First Large Engine
Service Center :
MTU Detroit Diesel
„Field Service Coordinator Alameda“ –
Konrad Puchstein
at the sreen.
MTU DETR0IT DIESEL
First large engine service center opens in California
SAN LEANDRO/CALIFORNIA (jr). MTU Detroit Diesel
marked the grand opening of its first Large Engine Service Center on May 27th in San Leandro, California, just
nine miles from the U.S. Coast Guard station in Alameda.
It enables us to provide the best maintenance and
service support to the Coast Guard and also further
demonstrates MTU’s ongoing commitment to the U.S.
Armed Forces. It has an 800 square feet office space and an
additional 4,450 square feet of warehouse. We consider this
facility a model for future MTU Large Engine Service
Center locations and plan to open additional service centers for the Coast Guard and the Navy as their MTUpowered fleets continue to grow.
MTU has been a supplier to the Marine Defense
Market and specifically the U.S. Coast Guard for many
years. This long standing relationship dates back to the
first installation of twin 8V 396 engines in the Coast Guard
fleet – a fleet that today includes more than 70 Coastal
Patrol Boats, over 100 Motor Life Boats, the Response Boat
Medium, the new multi-mission capability boats, and the
National Security Cutter (NSC).
At 418 feet, the NSC is the largest and newest ship in
the Coast Guard’s fleet, powered by two 20V 1163 TB93
engines including an LM 2500 GE turbine and MCS 5 Type
2 electronic controls and monitoring system. With its
homeport of Alameda, the USCGC Bertholf is the first of
eight Northrup Grumman built National Security Cutters.
MTU DETROIT DIESEL
Customer satisfaction initiative
DETROIT (jr). In July, MTU Detroit Diesel launched a
Customer Satisfaction Initiative to enhance the customer experience in Region 3.
Focusing first on the basics, MTU Detroit Diesel
set out to improve the process in four key areas: quoting prices and products to customers; timeliness of delivery; availability of spare parts; and ownership of problems, i.e. standing behind what is built and taking responsibility for MTU products and services.
To measure its success, MTU Detroit Diesel has
established customer-oriented Key Performance Indicators. The company has also made strategic investments in company-wide business communication and
customer service training. So far, over 125 employees
have taken the MTU Start Service Training and anot-
32
her 50 are scheduled to be trained before the end of the
year.
“Changes like these work to our benefit to establish
MTU as the company that truly cares about its customers, both in Region 3 and on a global basis,” said Ron
Broekman, Project Manager Customer Satisfaction
Initiative.
Global news
MTU DETROIT DIESEL
Online compliance
training:
Thanks to the new
online training, Disbursements Analysis
Manager, Shauna
Weathers, can complete her required
training in the comfort of her own work
station. Training
coordinator, Rebecca
Reiter, is always
ready to offer assistance.
Online employee compliance training
DETROIT (jr). Thanks to its newly launched online compliance training program, employees at MTU Detroit
Diesel now have the convenience of completing required
training from the comfort of their own workstations.
They also have the flexibility to start and stop a training
module as their work schedule allows.
„We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from
employees,“ says Rebecca Reiter, MTU Detroit Diesel’s
training coordinator. „Employees like the new system so
much more than the DVD-based version, which we used
to have. With the DVD based version, employees had little
opportunity for interaction and were without an assessment to prove if they did indeed retain the information.”
The online compliance training option improves upon
the DVD-based system both in terms of engagement and
information retention. The modules are completely interactive, allowing for employees to complete exercises, which
help reinforce the information, throughout the modules. In
addition, employees must complete a quiz at the end of each
module and receive a passing score on each quiz in order to
obtain credit for the training. As these online courses are required training, employees who do not receive a passing
score must retake the training until they are able to do so.
Another benefit of the online compliance training program is that it is easily updated to provide the most current
information. This is especially important when addressing
topics that may change with new state and federal regulations, such as sexual harassment, discrimination, workplace safety, ethics and hazardous materials.
All employees will be required to complete the new
training, a task that will be completed by March 2010. „We
are excited about the opportunities that the online training
platform provides,“ says Patrick Kapusta, MTU Detroit
Diesel’s Senior Manager of Human Resources. „Initially, it
will be used for compliance training, but it has the functionality to do much more. This has been a long-term project that is coming to fruition and in the future we hope to
offer more MTU Detroit Diesel specific training courses in
this type of web-based forum.“
TOGNUM
Brain gain
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (sto). Well trained new recruits with an academic education and experience of working abroad
do not grow on trees. That is why, last year, Tognum AG set up an 18-month trainee program for six recent further
education and university graduates.
This year the number of participants has almost doubled to eleven. „The positive experiences with the first year’s
intake encouraged the HR department and the mentors in the specialist units to increase the numbers,“ emphasizes recruitment marketing specialist Regine Siemann. Also the interest shown by new graduates
substantially increased. One reason is the broadening of international horizons in the shape
of the six-month placement in each of the three Tognum regions. Trainee Dirk Patzelt, who
is completing his posting at MTU Asia in Singapore, observes, „Learning to understand
Tognum as a globally active corporation means experiencing globalization at first
hand. A healthy portion of open-mindedness, curiosity and a willingness to
immerse yourself in the local culture are/were the essential requirements for
gaining fascinating insights and experience in a variety of sales projects.“
The new Tognum graduate trainees, from left: 1st row: Felix Köhler, After Sales; Björn Ibach,
Operations, Production; Georg Müller, Operations, Logistics; 2nd row: Markus Gerich, Finance and
Controlling; Martina Müller, Human Resources; Bastian Hanfeld, Operations, Assembly;
3rd row: Klaus Goffart, Research and Development; Matthias Schweitzer, Research and Development; 4th row: Julian Jürgens, IT consultant; Sebastian Gieser, Marketing; Tetje Henning Dietrich,
Finance and Controlling
33
Global news
MTU TURKEY
In brief …
Ekrem Kuraloglu is new CEO at MTU Turkey
ISTANBUL/TURKEY (sto). Since 1st October 2009, Tognum Group company MTU
Turkey in Istanbul has had a new CEO in the
person of Ekrem Kuraloglu (46). He succeeds Muammer Iyi in the post. Ekrem
Kuraloglu – seen here on the right
with Tognum COO Rainer Breidenbach (left) and subregional manager Ingo Metzer (right) – previously spent 22 years in the
automotive industry. For the
past 15 years, he has been running the bus sales division of
Mercedes-Benz Turkey.
The new CEO studied business administration. Before joining MercedesBenz Turkey, he managed major projects
for Caterpillar. He was also sales manager
at Honda and responsible for expanding the
sales and service network in Turkey.
In his new position, he is currently in
charge of a workforce of 110 people. He sees
his key tasks centering around cylinder liner
production for the Series 4000, improving
utilization of workshop capacity and the two
test benches, and above all intensification of
sales activities in the local market. He also
aims to make MTU Turkey fit for future challenges through modern organization.
MTU presents supplier awards
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (aka). Tognum
subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH has
chosen Gienanth Eisenberg GmbH, the
Swiss company Peter Fuchs and ZF Marine
of Padua as the recipients of its supplier
awards for 2008.
Effective service in Asia
DEHLI/DALIAN (aka). The MTU India
office in Delhi moved into new premises in
September. A new service agency was also
opened in Dalian in China in October.
34
MTU Turkey starts cylinder liner production
ISTANBUL (sto). The phase-in of cylinder liner production at MTU Turkey is now in full
swing. In December 2009, the Tognum subsidiary will already be supplying over 90 Series
4000 cylinder liners per shift for engine production in Friedrichshafen and Detroit.
By the Insight copy deadline in October, the trial and pilot production phase that
started right on schedule on 2nd September had already produced around 2,000 cylinder liners. And so MTU Turkey has become the first-ever MTU production
site for MTU engine components outside Friedrichshafen.
Cylinder liner production in Istanbul:
Series production
was launched with
a small celebration
in Turkey. In Friedrichshafen there
was a small farewell
party for the project
team members.
MTU ASIA
Factory building in Datong completed
DATONG/CHINA (sto). The new factory of Shanxi
North MTU Diesel Co. Ltd (SNMD) in Datong, 300 kilometers west of Beijing was completed at the end of
October 2009.
The workforce of around 60 employees will move
into the premises at the end of the year and production
is due to start in June. The company was established in
2007 as a joint venture between the Chinese Norinco
Group and MTU Asia. The general manager of SNMD
is Bernd Lemkamp. Peter Kneipp, CEO of MTU Asia
is also a director. The main focus is on Chinese nuclear
power stations, marine applications and after-sales in
the mining sector. By establishing the factory in Datong, the operation has satisfied the Chinese government requirement for local investment and production by foreign companies.
New factory takes shape in Datong, China:
Pictured (from left) are Bernd Lemkamp,
General Manager of Shanxi North MTU
Diesel Co. Ltd., Rodney Chang and the site
manager, Mr. Du.
Global news
In honor of the fallen:
A new fireboat for the New York
City Fire Department is powered
by four 12-cylinder MTU Series
4000 engines.
MTU DETROIT DIESEL
Fallen heroes remembered
NEW YORK (jr). During the terrible events of
September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the
World Trade Center in New York City, 343 New
York firefighters and paramedics lost their lives
while trying to save the lives of others.
Eight years later, on September 11, 2009, the
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) remembered those fallen comrades with the launch of its
newest firefighting vessel – the „Three Forty
Three“ – named in their honor. As a fitting memorial, the steel numbers 3 - 4 - 3 on the ship’s
bulwarks forward and in the transom were cut by
the FDNY crew using actual steel from the World
Trade Center.
„On September 11th, we all saw how important fireboats are to New York City. The FDNY
Marine Division rescued and transported hundreds of citizens and provided the only supply of
water to battle the fires at the World Trade Center
for many days,“ said Fire Commissioner Nicholas
Scoppetta. „The Three Forty Three will significantly improve our ability to respond to emergencies in and around New York Harbor, while also
reminding us all of the incredible sacrifices so
many of our members made eight years ago.“
The Three Forty Three is the first of two new
state-of-the-art vessels, and it has been specially
designed to allow firefighters to operate even in
extreme circumstances such as another terrorist
attack. Each vessel has four MTU 12V4000 M70
engines provided through Atlantic Detroit DieselAllison. Management of the engines, gears, and
shipboard monitoring is also part of the scope of
supply.
The new 140-foot, 500-ton, $27 million dollar
boat will be the country’s largest fireboat with a
maximum speed of 18 knots. The Three Forty
Three will provide the FDNY with the latest technology available, including the capability of pumping 50,000 gallons of water per minute; nearly
30,000 gallons more than its predecessor.
The Three Forty Three was launched from
Eastern Shipbuilding of Panama City, Florida and
is expected to arrive in New York City in December. It will be assigned to Marine 1, stationed on
the Hudson River in Manhattan, New York.
35
Series 1600
The standard production Series 1600 engines have been coming
off the assembly line in the Überlingen plant since 1st October.
Although the new model has made a discreet entry into the engine range, on closer inspection of a number of subprojects it is
clear that the overall Series 1600 project is having an extensive
dynamic effect that is providing impetus for many changes.
36
Dream start:
Production of the
Series 1600 in
Überlingen began
in October.
Series 1600
Extensive effect
The new Series 1600 has been in volume production since 1st October
MTU
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN/ÜBERLINGEN.
The newest and smallest engine
made by Tognum company MTU
has been in series production as a
12-cylinder version for power generation applications at the pilot plant
in Überlingen since the beginning of October.
Behind that simple fact lies an enormous
achievement. Not only processes and structures
but also the tasks, authorities and role perceptions of managers and staff have been intensively rethought and redesigned.
Learning factory
“The idea of setting up an entirely new factory for a new product has proven correct,” underlines plant manager Dr. Klaus Beulker. The
generously dimensioned rented premises provide the framework for perfectly harmonizing
office, production, bench-testing and warehouse areas. The production plant has been designed as an integrated factory in which all processes are closely interlinked. In that way, two apparently contradictory principles can be successfully combined – sound, reliable processes on
the one hand and flexibility, constant advancement and change on the other. The guiding
principle is that of material flow. Across all process stages, only what can be used by the next
stage is planned and produced.
As abstract as that might sound, its application on the factory floor could not be more
practical. Directly adjacent to the assembly line
and in many other places, all the information
that immediately advances the project is written
up, mostly by hand, on display boards and flipcharts – production plans, flowcharts, job tasks,
suggested improvements. “Aims and tasks have
to be made visible,” Dr. Beulker expounds.
So the production area is also a super-sized
meeting room. And what is constantly planned
and improved there is implemented on the spot.
“We don’t want to be a team fighting for survival
but a learning, forward looking organization,”
states Dr. Beulker. So practical production has
been accompanied by constant discussions at all
levels from the very first day. And almost always
at the center of the action is plant manager,
Dr. Klaus Beulker. Everyone has a line of communication leading directly to him. The various
threads of production, quality management and
logistics all join up with him – a boss within
reaching distance. He combines the roles of manager and foreman. Which is why he is able to
motivate his staff personally, permanently and
while imparting a wealth of knowledge to
greater achievements and responsibility. “Our
target is the employee concerned, who looks
beyond his or her immediate job and, by doing
so, understands it better.“
Production launch on 1st October:
During an inspection of the assembly plant
in Überlingen project manager, Thomas
Harr (right) and plant manager Dr. Klaus
Beulker (center) showed Tognum Chairman
Volker Heuer the various stages of engine
production.
High-capacity production
In order to accomplish high process reliability, fast throughput times and the highest levels
of production quality, new methods were introduced. Thus every station is connected to the
electronic brains of Series 1600 assembly, the
PS2 system (see IT below). The cylinder heads
are completely preassembled alongside the main
assembly line so that they can then be bolted
37
Series 1600
Learning factory:
Every day the managers discuss the
pending tasks right next to the assembly
line – assisted by display boards and
flipcharts showing the latest production
figures, work schedules and suggested
improvements.
MTU
onto the cylinder blocks in a single operation.
The cylinder head mounting station bolts down
the cylinder heads automatically within a matter
of seconds to precisely the correct torque. The
production plant design unit in the Plant 1 Special Production Department designed around
180 different items of production equipment for
assembling the Series 1600, from simple drifts to
the cylinder head pre-assembly station.
Inspection with lean production manager:
Plant manager Dr. Klaus Beulker (right)
regularly tours the facility with his lean
production manager Roland Schiele
(center). Here they are also accompanied
by logistics expert Armin Jeschin.
Production and handling equipment:
The Plant and Equipment Design unit has
supplied over 180 items of equipment.
38
Highly automated hot test bench
In the immediate vicinity of the assembly
line, a highly automated hot test bench has been
installed on which the complete test sequence
including setting up is completed in only 17 minutes. “The engine is drawn onto the test bench
in a special fit-up cage. The connections for fuel,
water and electricity go through the cage and are
automatically connected up to the test bench
system as soon as the fit-up cage is in position,”
explains Ralf Orthober, test bench project manager, who developed the concept together with
a supplier.
Series 1600 development –
simply ingenious, ingeniously simple
“The stress on an engine as it gets off to a racing start, with tires screeching, is nothing compared to the demands made on a gendrive engine during ramp-up,” says Jens Schneemann, development subproject manager – and he is not
exaggerating. When there is a mains power outage, an emergency backup generator has to respond as quickly as possible. In such circumstances, the Series 1600 gendrive engine is in pole
position among its rivals. It can take up 65 percent of maximum load instantly on startup. And
within a few seconds it is up to maximum output. The legal requirement is only 35 percent. As
Jens Schneemann points out, “For a generator
set to deliver that sort of per-formance, a client
would normally have to order a much more
powerful and more expensive engine with an
output well above the actual demand.”
Another aim was a clear and simple engine
concept. The unit had to match the strict cost
targets, comprise components that are straightforward to assemble, offer high performance, efficient fuel consumption and be optimized for
low emissions. Moreover, a fully developed design capable of proving itself in practice from
the outset was to be produced in a short space of
time. “We work closely with our suppliers and so
often benefit from their system engineering
skills, including in the automotive supplier industry,” Jens Schneemann relates.
Evolution of new parts
Decisive for intensive and rapid development is the evolutionary development method.
It involves developing a series of incremental
improvements. The aim was not a high-end
solution but one which was at the same time the
best technical and most economical concept. A
good example is the exhaust system, which is
subjected to extremely high thermal stresses of
over 700 degrees Celsius. Although even the first
design model (the “A“ specimen) was competitive, a subsequent series of individual measures,
which also improved functionality, achieved a
saving of around 45 percent.
Series 1600
Fast-throughput prototype assembly
and test benches
Prototype assembly for the Series 1600
allows up to nine trial engines to be worked on
simultaneously. Without such high efficiency
combined with the flexibility of the three special Series 1600 test benches, time and cost-optimized design testing based on fast throughput
times would not be possible. As with the new hot
test bench, special adaptor cages for assembling
the engines on test bench pallets ensure quick
setting-up times. The test benches have been
equipped specially for engine development. The
temperature and humidity of the intake air can
be precisely adjusted so that the readings taken
are much more meaningful. As well as two test
benches with water brakes, there is also a tran-
One of them is the V12 version for agricultural
and industrial applications. It will meet the
ultra-strict EPA Tier 4 final emission requirements that come into force from 2015. The engine shown in the group photo on page 41 was
exhibited at the “Agritechnica” trade fair for
agricultural machinery in November.
Value engineering plays central role
“We have saved around 30 percent of the
cost of producing the camshaft for the Series
1600,” Werner Dillmann, a member of the Value
Engineering Department proudly reports. In
contrast with the original plans, the camshaft is
not a solid shaft but a tube. That saves metal.
Finding cheaper solutions that still perform the
same function is generally the prime task of
Production-friendly design:
Eduard Görner bolts completely
preassembled cylinder heads onto
the cylinder blocks.
Automated hot test bench:
Ralf Orthober, test bench project
manager, helped to design the
new hot test bench. The engine is automatically drawn
onto the test bench (right)
on a fit-up cage.
Fuel, water and electrical
connections to the test
bench are also joined up
automatically.
sient test bench equipped with a 4-quadrant
asynchronous motor which can be used to
apply dynamic load-change cycles. Such facilities are absolutely essential nowadays in order to
obtain the emission certificates for certain engine types.
At present, developers are working feverishly on more variants of the Series 1600 engine.
value engineering. Examining all aspects together, from materials through manufacturing
technology to packaging, is what makes the
work an interdisciplinary exercise. “First of all,
we bring the right people together. Then collectively we work out all the technical possibilities for fulfilling the intended purpose, assess
them in terms of overall cost and then decide
39
Series 1600
Testing the new Cameo software:
The new Cameo program that is
subsequently to be used on other test
benches as well is tried out on the
Series 1600 test bench. Development
specialists like Dr. Thomas Bubolz (left)
and Gerd Rupp (right) work closely with
the test bench operators such as
Yeison Kratofil pictured here.
MTU
Series 1600 design:
The Series 1600 was designed entirely
by the Development subproject team
of which Ralf Gunkel is a member.
Component test bench:
Development engineer Daniel Speiser
(left) and test bench fitter Leo Wagner
with an oil pump that is being tested in
conjunction with an oil filter module.
40
which is the most economical solution,” explains
Volker Wachter, value engineering manager.
Value engineering plays a central role in the
Series 1600 project in particular because the cost
targets are so ambitious. One value engineering
method that results in more economical solutions and, above all, ones that offer greater process reliability is simultaneous engineering with
suppliers. “In contrast with conventional relationships with suppliers, the starting point for
the discussions was a detailed examination of the
supplier’s production technology and capacities.
By site visits to the suppliers, we found out about
their facilities and got a feel for the production
processes,” Werner Dillmann elucidates.
That makes sure that the components can
actually be manufactured economically and reliably on the available machinery. In that regard
too, the suppliers played a very active role. As
a result of a suggestion by one supplier, for instance, it was possible to dispense with the
usual method of hardening gear-shaft surfaces.
Instead, they were hardened by rolling. A 1,000-
Background …
Cameo role in engine optimization
The new Cameo software is being trialed
on the Series 1600 test benches. With its help,
statistical test planning, also called Design of
Experience (DoE), can be carried out. It enables
empirical models of engine interrelationships to
be pro-duced with the minimum of work. “That
means you can optimize an engine’s fuel consumption in relation to the legally required
emission limits, for instance,” explains development engineer Dr. Sven Christian Fritz.
hour test was used to verify that the new method
was effective. Another simpler and more economical solution was a new method of detecting
engine speed. Instead of using a laser-machined
disc with teeth as in the past, holes were drilled
in the flywheel to perform the same function.
“We have been able to utilize a lot of cost-saving
potential with the help of our suppliers in that
way,” stresses Volker Wachter.
Local marketing
“Customers have recognized the benefits offered by the world’s first thoroughbred gendrive
engine – and the demand has been accordingly
high,” Harry Günthör of the sales subproject
team is happy to report. The successful sales
debut of the new Series 1600 can be attributed
not least to the numerous marketing activities
that the subproject team put together with the
assistance of other specialist units. Among the
highlights were the initial product launch in
Konstanz, the PowerGen trade fair in Cologne
in May, the Powergen show in Las Vegas in September and other exhibitions around the world.
Numerous other distributors, OEM clients and
customers attended Series 1600 road shows in
countries across Europe, Asia and the USA from
Spain to Indonesia, and from Thailand to China
and Japan. The initial invitees comprised all
major clients plus a broad selection of potential
new customers. “Because we are aiming to exploit new markets, to that extent we spared no
expense in our efforts to convince the worldwide market of the benefits of the new Series
1600,” reveals subproject manager Nadine Buhmann.
The events focused heavily on the product’s
Series 1600
strengths – the engines are tough, economically
priced, environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient
and technologically state-of-the-art. And the
fact that the power unit offers a diversity of customer-oriented options despite its high degree
of standardization is an achievement attributable not least to Product Line Management who,
together with the Sales Department, conducted
exhaustive market studies which identified not
only what customers required but also the high
sales potential of the new product before development was started.
System development with clients
using pilot series engines
A decisive aspect for the sales of the genset
engines is their system-compatibility. In terms
well – and we will be able to use that as a good
sales pitch in our future marketing activities,”
expands Harry Günthör.
“Webshop” sales
A special software program was provided for
sales and distribution of the production engines
and the sales technicians were given training on
it. The “webshop” is simple for distributors to
use. It allows all a customer’s desired options to
be put together into an order. “The system is
easier to use than our standard tool IPAS,” stresses Gudrun Patulski, who set up the system and
also reconfigured SAP CS2 for the purpose. “So
far, the new webshop has already been very actively used,” Harry Günthör confirms.
Test shop (top):
The prototype engines are built on
three assembly lines in all.
Development subproject team:
Back, from left: D. Speiser, J. A. Reitz,
S. Conrad, T. Bildstein, H. Conrad,
U. Fissenewert, Y. El Filali, T. Heise,
S. Gessler, J. Schneemann.
Front: M. Herrenknecht, M. Arndt
(assistant to Dr. Dohle, former Series
1600 subproject manager), F. Henssler,
J. Engelhardt, J. Hiry and M. Wiedmann.
of their dimensions and also a large number of
interfaces, they have to be capable of integration
in a complete genset unit as easily as possible. So
from July 2009 prior to their market launch,
pilot series engines were sold to a number of
OEM clients including Tognum subsidiary
MTU Onsite Energy Corporation in Mankato.
The advantage was that customers were able to
build prototype gensets with the engines and report back any modifications they would like.
The development department at MTU was thus
in a position to adapt the design of the standard
production engines. “In that way we established
solid foundations at an early stage for an allround, on-schedule production launch and
created a high level of demand for the future as
Further network expansion for After Sales
The After Sales department has also seen
some reorganization. The service network is
being further expanded hand in hand with Sales.
Petra Kinder, After Sales network developer, held
workshops for distributors to prepare them for
the establishment of a closer service network and
inform them about the service targets, service
center equipment and staff qualification. For
their part, the attendees set out their requirements. Especially those customers whose applications operate in tough continuous duty conditions demand rapid availability of support services. “In all regions we have a relatively closemeshed network in the coastal areas due to the
numerous marine applications. So, above all, we
41
Series 1600
Testing for tightness:
Achim Wegerer checks for leaks. Every
conceivable device for the purpose is
available at assembly station 18.
MTU
Camshaft value engineering:
Werner Dillmann (left) of Value Engineering and designer Christian Haug present
the cost-optimized camshaft.
Sales activities close to the market:
Subproject manager Nadine Buhmann
(right), Harry Günthör and other
colleagues organize the market launch.
42
need to expand the network in the inland areas
for the Series 1600’s many genset and other applications. Generally, our aim is to be available
24/7,“ Petra Kinder relates. “Due to the high unit
production figures there will also be a large demand for spare parts,” explains Jochen Kling, After Sales subproject manager. It will primarily be
covered by the new parts depot in Überlingen.
Low life-cycle costs (LCC) are achieved by
low consumption, but also by durable materials
and components. In addition, all components
are easily accessible and can be replaced or serviced in a relatively short time. The maintenance concept for the Series 1600 was designed in
close cooperation with the LCC team headed by
Patrick Stöckle. Once again it involved bringing
several different groups together around the
table to make the engine competitive from the
start – the Development Department, the After
Sales LCC team and Quality Management. To
make sure that the engines are serviced on site
by well qualified technicians, the trainers at the
20 training centers around the world themselves
undergo intensive training at the Friedrichshafen Training Center where they benefit from
the very latest training media including interactive 3D graphics.
PS2-BR1600 –
the brains behind all core processes
It is one of the most powerful and complex
systems in the whole project. We are talking
about the SAP IT (information technology) system PS2-BR1600 which was developed by the
Series 1600 IT subproject. It keeps all Series
1600 core processes working from customer orders through development, procurement, quali-
ty control, production and financial controlling
to after sales. In PS2-BR1600 all subsystems are
highly integrated into a harmonized overall system – the essential foundation for high-quality
volume production similar to the automotive
industry with a comparable variety of options.
“The basis for all of those processes,” relates
Marian Klem, subproject manager, “is a central
parts list for all business processes which is produced by the Development Department.”
Among the system’s highlights is an integrated
option configuration facility.
Customer order registration and sales planning
Distributors anywhere in the world can
order engines around the clock from the “webshop”. The order configuration is recorded from
the very first point at which the customer order
is registered. On that basis, all components required are automatically identified via the parts
list. The customer orders are also automatically
offset against the sales planning figures (MRF)
of all three sales regions.
Procurement based on sales code
The ordering process with suppliers is also
Terms explained …
Value engineering
is a systematically planned method of
finding the most economical way of producing
a product for a specific purpose without diminishing its quality, reliability or marketability. It
aims to identify the lowest-cost option at every
stage of the product life cycle. Value engineering provides the means by which a company
can become or remain competitive.
Series 1600
After Sales: “The maintenance concept is
customer-friendly and competitive,” according to subproject manager Jochen Kling.
highly automated. The sales codes in the customer orders serve as the basis on which the material requirements planning system automatically identifies all the components needed. The
system then raises an order/requisition and forwards it to the supplier on the same day. The
supplier then delivers the goods just in time for
production, thereby minimizing stock quantities and the associated costs, and enabling high
unit output.
Engine assembly
The system can also manage, pre-sort and
prepare the assembly data for various processes.
A work schedule sets out all assembly processes
in Überlingen. Every station has a small monitor
networked to PS2-BR1600. As an engine reaches
each station, the data sheet on the trolley is scanned by a barcode reader. PS2-BR1600 then lists
the required operations on the monitor screen –
an important contribution to process reliability.
“It allows staff to concentrate better on the actual assembly tasks,” emphasizes assembly foreman Uwe Gundelsweiler.
Teamwork in project rooms
PS2-BR1600 was produced by the IT core
team together with representatives of Engineering, Operations, Sales, After Sales, Quality Management, Logistics, Finance and Controlling,
and Infrastructure. A total of around 140 staff
contributed to the work. As Marian Klem points
out, “To cope with the scale of the assignment,
special project rooms were set up in Building
30/4 in Plant 1.”
SAP IT system PSR2 in Series 1600
assembly: When an engine reaches the
next assembly station, the data sheet on
the trolley is scanned by a barcode reader.
PS2-BR1600 then lists the operations required on the screen in the background.
IT subproject: The IT System PSR2 supports all core
processes for the Series 1600. the picture shows
subproject manager Mirian Klen (right) and Norman
Koselowski, IT infrastructure project manager.
Words: Wolfgang Stolba, Pictures: Robert Hack
43
Side glance
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Illuminating logistics
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN (sto). This might look like airport runway lights. But it is actually
the command center of the pallet store in Hall 34 of Plant 2 in Friedrichshafen. As many as
1,000 containers pass through here on roller conveyors every day. The items they contain are put
together with supplies from other
parts of the warehouse for delivery
to the production, assembly and
dispatch departments. There are
around 19,000 storage locations
available for the purpose including
the pallet store. Markus Burkardt
(left) and trainee Philipp Wiedmann are part of the team that
operates the control panel.
Pictures: Robert Hack
44
Side glance
45
Sales
1. Boxer MRAV:
A Type 8V-199 engine
capable of 530 kW
drives the 33-tonne
Boxer multirole
armored vehicle.
1
MTU
2. Husky mine
clearance vehicle:
Its engine is a
150-kW Type 6R 106
unit supplied by MTU.
3. Engine
anniversary:
The 500th Type
6R 106 for the Husky
and the excellent
customer relations
were celebrated in
proper fashion at
MTU South Africa.
In attendance were
(from left) Paul
Bower, Lyall Volkwyn,
Dave Nicol, Emil
Stohr, Kobus Janse
van Rensburg, Mark
Barrett and Hilton
Foster.
Lightweights getting heavier
MTU power
The Series 106 and 199 engines are offered by MTU
as bespoke power units for light and mediumheavy military vehicles. The more so in the light of
the latest trend – light wheeled vehicles are getting
heavier. So now they need greater reserves of
power.
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN/CAPE TOWN (sto). The Series
106 and 109 engines for military vehicles place Tognum right up with the pace. A total of 228 MTU Type 8V
199 engines (530 kW) have been ordered by the Dutch and
German armed forces for the Boxer multirole armored
vehicle (MRAV). Another 187 units had previously been
ordered by the German army in 2007. And a whopping 500
Type 6R 106engines have been sold by Tognum subsidiary
MTU South Africa to the manufacturer DCD Dorbyl in
Johannesburg for its mine detection and clearance vehicle.
Now known as the Husky, the vehicle has become a topselling export.
46
Light but powerful drivetrains for the new light vehicle
types. The South African Husky is a prime example. It has
been successfully deployed by Canadian and US forces on
UN missions and for protecting personnel and vehicle
convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan. MRAVs such as the
Boxer can be transported quickly by aircraft to virtually
any deployment zone. Thanks to their power units,
they are also very fast over the
ground once in the field.
The 530 kW (721 bhp)
Type 8V 199 can move
the Boxer at a top speed
of 103 kph. And with its
compact 150-kW Type
Technical Data
Engine:
8V 199
Power:
530 kW (721 PS)
Torque:
2.700 Nm
Sales
Interview …
2
… with Knut Müller, head of Defense on the strengths
and potential of the Series 106 and 199.
“Excellent torque”
Mr. Müller, the sales figures for the Series
106 and 199 are impressive. How important
are they to our defense business?
They form a broad product range together
with the larger engines and so contribute to the
long-term stabilization of our business. They have their
own independent product cycle and so have been able to
counterbalance other less successful areas in the past year of
financial crisis.
3
units indemand for military vehicles
6R 106 engine, the Husky easily tackles rough terrain and
steep gradients.
Many armed forces no longer use vehicles without armor protection in crisis deployment zones. The risk of attack by improvised explosive devices is too great. So vehicles are now more heavily armored and carry additional
protection against mine attacks. As a result, the
weight of the vehicles is considerably greater in
some cases. More weight without losing agility
thus demands compact and even more powerful engines. „That trend is very welcome for
MTU because our enhanced-power Series
199 units derived from the OM500 truck engines cover precisely the range of outputs required,“ points out Knut Müller, the man in
charge of the Defense Department in Friedrichshafen.
Light vehicles are getting heavier. Does that mean
that some time or other we will no longer need smaller
engines?
In the future we require more engines with a broad range
of power outputs, i.e. with a choice of cylinder configurations.
That means the client can equip vehicles of different weights
with engines of the same basic model, which offers logistical
and economic advantages. In addition, military vehicles are
constantly updated over a period of service extending to at
least 30 years, becoming heavier in the process. Therefore, the
engine requires enough power in reserve. The new vehicles are
more heavily armored than their predecessors and so heavier
from the outset. That is where our Series 106 and 199 engines
come into their own.
The Series 199 is derived from the Mercedes-Benz OM 500
engine. Is a truck engine the right basis to start from?
Yes, because for the light and medium-heavy vehicles, we
need engines that are powerful and economical at the same
time. The truck engine has an economical basis as it is made
in large numbers. We turn it into a high-performance engine
that meets military requirements.
That sounds good. But isn’t there still some doubt as to
whether the substantial orders in 2009 might prove to be
a flash in the pan in 2010?
The technological and economic potential of the Series
199 is a long way from being exhausted. The top-selling
Piranha V made by the Swiss manufacturer Mowag is being
tested out right now with the new V6 version (6V 199). And
we have increased the engine’s power to 430 kW. Its starter
generator and its outstanding torque mean that this engine
will be setting the benchmark in the near future.
Words: Wolfgang Stolba
Pictures: MTU, Deutsche Bundeswehr, MTU South Africa
47
Production
Gensets
Gensets from Mankato:
Tognum’s US plant in
Mankato, Minnesota,
has been making the new
Series 2000 gensets since
July 2009 and the Series
4000 and 12V 1600 ver-sions since 1st October.
They will be joined by the
other Series 1600 cylinder
configurations by the end
of 2010.
48
Production
MTU ONSITE ENERGY
in large numbers
Tognum expands high-volume business
in electricity generator modules
MTU is establishing a new genset product line for sale in large numbers. The new generation of MTU Onsite Energy diesel generator sets based on the Series 1600, 2000 and
4000 engines will be sold directly to end users via the global distribution network.
Designed for use as emergency backup, peak-load and continuous-duty generators,
they are already being produced at the Tognum plant in Mankato/USA and, since
November, at the Togum facility in Magdeburg, and will soon be made at the factory
in Suzhou, China, as well.
M
ANKATO/USA. “Everything was just right
– the Bavarian Oktoberfest ambience, the
atmosphere and, of course, the great interest
shown by the guests in our new standard gensets,” was the verdict of Christof von Branconi,
Tognum COO with responsibility for the Onsite
Energy & Components Division, on a customer
event organized by the company at its facility in
Mankato, USA, at the beginning of October.
Over the course of the three-day event attended
by 70 distributors and 230 end users from the
USA, Tognum presented its new MTU Onsite
Energy brand product line called MTU Onsite
Energy diesel generator sets. Center stage at the
event was occupied by the prototype of a standard genset based on the new Series 1600.
“With these new gensets we are expanding
our involvement in the standard-system business, and thus developing a closer relationship
with the end user,” emphasizes Christof von
Branconi. Up to now, MTU has primarily supplied engines to genset producers who make
them up into generator sets, or produced customized project-based system solutions for
individual clients. In addition to those types of
business, which will continue to enjoy a position
of importance, the gensets produced independently by Tognum will be offered directly to a
wider market of end users. That includes the
owners of large buildings such as banks, data
centers or administrative offices, and applications in industry and agriculture.
The new gensets will be produced as standardized models available with short delivery
lead times. They will meet a broad range of customer requirements. Depending on the power
rating needed by the customer,
they consist of a choice of
either a Series 1600,
2000 or 4000 engine,
an electricity generator, the electronic
control system and a
radiator, all mounted
Oktoberfest atmosphere in Mankato
(above and below):
The Onsite Energy & Components Division
presented the new genset product line at a
Bavarian-style customer event in Mankato.
Center-stage was a prototype based on the
Series 1600 (left).
49
Production
Background …
MTU ONSITE ENERGY
on a common baseframe. The choice of power
outputs ranges from approximately 270 to 3,250
kW. Although the gensets are supplied as basic
models with a standard specification, buyers will
have numerous individualization options available from their local contacts, the distributors.
They will be able to select from a choice of standardized variations at fixed prices.
Development team in Mankato:
The team that made the first prototype of the new Series 1600 gensets
comprises, from left, K. John, ODA manager; K. Snaza, designer; N. Majeski,
Applications team leader; K. Black,
Electrics team leader; C. Dieken,
Applications; T. Riemann, COO;
K. Schäfer, Electronics; T. Bode, fitter;
W. Farr, Series 1600 Genset Development subproject manager.
50
Sale of the first units based on the Series 2000
started in July 2009. From 1st November, the product line was expanded at the top and bottom end
by the addition of the Series 4000 and the new V12
Series 1600 respectively. By the end of 2010, the
lower end of the range will be completed with the
introduction of the other cylinder configurations
of the Series 1600, so that Tognum can claim to be
a genuine full-line supplier.
According to Christof von Branconi, the main
focus of the sales activities, apart from the already
well established business in Region 3 (North America), will be on around 20 other countries in Sales
Regions 1 and 2. Especially places where gensets
with MTU engines have previously not been sold
or only sold in small numbers, such as the Middle
East, Latin America, North Africa, Australia and
Eastern Europe. This significant step from engineonly to standardized system business involves major challenges for the worldwide sales and service
organization, which includes the distributor network as well as the sales regions. The team around
Frank Forberger, Head of Onsite Energy Sales, will
have the job of bringing the distributors up to
speed in terms of sales and service. The corporation has had to adapt to the new product line internally as well. Orders will be processed using the
Modular design concept
Depending on the output required by the
customer, the gensets now consist of a choice
of Series 1600, 2000 or 4000 engine, an electricity generator, the electronic control system
and a radiator, all mounted on a common baseframe. The basic components are complemented by a comprehensive range of additional options such as electrical power switchgear, sound
insulation covers and coolers. The client can
create a custom configuration from the choice
of high-quality components. The modular design concept offers the buyer an economical
solution and short lead times.
IPAS system and the distributors given training on
it, so that ultimately they are able to exploit the
markets. “A trained distributor can order a standard genset on the IPAS system in ten minutes; the
delivery times are around six to twelve weeks, depending on model,” Frank Forberger indicates.
The Mankato plant is playing the lead role in
the production of the new units. The factory has
been building gensets with Series 2000 engines since July this year, with the Series 4000 since August
and with the Series 1600 units since November.
Mankato is also responsible for developing the Series 1600 gensets, while the Friedrichshafen plant
is responsible for the Series 2000 and Series 4000
models. In order to bring production closer to the
market and so save costs in the other regions as
well, the gensets will also be assembled in Magdeburg, Germany and Suzhou, China, from 2010.
Strategy for the energy market
For the first time in the company’s history, a
special image was developed specifically for the
Production
energy market for the introduction of the new
gensets. Because, historically, the business has its
roots in other areas. “Although we have been supplying highly sophisticated emergency backup
gensets for nuclear power stations for some time,
and to a limited extent for airports, hospitals and
data centers – most of which are ‘on our own
doorstep’ so to speak – we never paid special attention to the energy market,“ elucidates Christof
von Branconi. That only started in 2008 with the
creation of the new Tognum brand, MTU Onsite
Energy. Tognum is now tackling the energy market in earnest and, with diesel and gas-fueled gensets and fuel cells, is venturing into new markets
with the aim of selling more products in that way.
With the new standard gensets, the group is
pursuing three aims in particular, as Christof von
Branconi explains: “Firstly, we want to wrest as
many customers as we can from our competitors.
Secondly, we are fundamentally technically capable of doing that on our own by selling complete
systems and now want to do so to a greater degree.
And thirdly, we want to find a direct route to the
end user.“ Generally, he points out, the genset
business is a better means, compared with the
other applications, of reaching the end users and
so ultimately selling more engines – in a market
that is growing with the expanding population
and rising standards of living.
The biggest challenge is volume-producing
model variants that reflect customer requirements
– and not for stock but only when they are ordered. MTU Onsite Energy Corporation in Mankato is ideally equipped for such demands. Having
produced gensets under the name of Katolight
from the 1950s until 2008, the company enjoys an
outstanding reputation. “My staff have substantial
experience and exceptional skills not only in development but also in production, logistics and
sales,“ points out Armin Gröber, CEO of MTU
Onsite Energy Corporation in Mankato.
The plant has built impressive numbers of
gensets with Series 2000 and 4000 engines since
2006 – including in 2009, the year of the financial
Project team in Friedrichshafen:
Back, from left: Amanda Fischer,
Bettina Ernst, Anne Heiland,
Klaus Schäfer.
Front, from left: Andreas Ruess,
Siegfried Metzger, Peter Bossert,
Armin Allgaier, Armin Gröber, Susanne
Wolter and Melanie Meschenmoser.
System engineering experts:
The Mankato factory has decades of
experience. On that basis it now makes
gensets using the Series 2000, 4000
(pictured) and 1600 in large numbers
and with short lead times.
51
Production
Interview…
MTU ONSITE ENERGY
crisis – though not as yet as the new standardized
system modules. Thirty-one gensets were made
with Series 2000 engines in 2006 and 166 in 2008,
while ten were built with the Series 4000 in 2006
and 240 in 2008. Reviewing those figures, Armin
Gröber observes, “We created the necessary capacities at exactly the right time and have set up a
new plant in leased premises for the smaller units
up to the Series 1600. The existing factory will be
used for the larger gensets with Series 2000 and
4000 engines. And our Mankato workforce did all of that without outside
assistance. Experts have certified
that it is state-of-the-art.”
Words: Wolfgang Stolba
Pictures: Robert Hack, MTU DD
“Advantage of the newcomer”
Christof von Branconi, Tognum COO with responsibility
for the Onsite Energy & Components Division, and
Armin Gröber, CEO of MTU Onsite Energy Corporation in
Mankato, talk about the new genset product line.
The production of standardized gensets opens up new
markets. However, only the development and production
expertise of the Mankato plant combined with the expansion of sales and distribution activities can ensure that
the opportunities those products offer are actually utilized. That is made clear by the following
interview with Tognum COO, Christof von
Branconi, and CEO of MTU Onsite Energy
Corporation, Armin Gröber.
Mr. von Branconi, what are the opportunities that the genset market offers?
Christof von Branconi: It offers us a
good opportunity to sell more engines, specifically by continuing to supply OEM clients on
the one hand, and on the other by establishing
ourselves as complete system suppliers and thus gaining access to end users in markets where we have not done
business in the past. Markets that are growing with the expanding population and rising standards of living. Overall,
we are targeting a market share of around 15 percent.
By pushing out competitors?
Christof von Branconi: In some countries, yes, but
overall it is a growing market and therefore not just a case
of predatory competition. Especially in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, we are looking to profit
from market growth.
Aren’t major genset producers already there?
Christof von Branconi: Not everywhere. Every large
tower block, data center and hospital has an emergency generator. In total there is a vast demand for distribution and
still numerous large and small areas that haven’t been covered. But basically you are right: we also have to challenge
the position of our competitors by our unique selling points.
Worldwide production: The gensets are produced at the
American facility in Mankato, Minnesota (pictured), and in
future will also be made at Magdeburg in Germany and
Suzhou in China.
52
… which are?
Christof von Branconi: The price alone is not the deciding factor. It is a case of the right mixture of a number of
factors, intelligent solutions, such things as flexibility, technology, proximity to the customer. And it is important that
we offer a range of defined individual variations.
Production
Why did we buy the US company Katolight, or MTU
Onsite Energy Corporation as it is now known?
Christof von Branconi: There is a vast difference between selling comparatively small numbers of gensets as
part of specialized project contracts or else just engines to a
few OEM clients, as we have done up to now, and volumeproducing complete gensets for sale to hundreds of buyers.
It would not serve a useful purpose for us to attempt to
acquire the necessary capabilities ourselves. MTU Onsite
Energy Corporation in the USA are specialists who know
how to make gensets in large volumes, how to sell the them
in large quantities and how the logistics work.
Why is the advantage of Tognum’s subsidiary in the
USA?
Christof von Branconi: It gives us access to the North
American market. Geographical proximity is a key factor in
selling directly to the end user. In addition, we have already
sold gensets there, but only products made by third parties.
In future we intend to combine the two and so cover more
of the market.
Mr. von Branconi, how do you explain the sales success
of the large gensets so far built between 2006 and 2008?
Christof von Branconi: As we are still relatively small
as system suppliers without a great deal of market penetration, we have been able to make decent inroads and return
figures better than the market as a whole. That is the advantage of the newcomer. Basically, the crisis has shown
that the decision taken two years ago to move in this direction has made us considerably less susceptible to market
fluctuations. But that cannot disguise the fact that we still
need to substantially expand our sales capabilities in particular.
Why? After all, we have sold gensets
before!
Christof von Branconi: Yes, and in
the USA our distributors already know
our systems well. But in Region 1 and in
Asia we still have to develop our sales to
end users. Step by step. And in particular, train the distributors. That means in
2010 we will not be marketing worldwide
but beginning with about 20 countries. They
are primarily countries where our OEM clients do
not operate. It is important that we make the MTU Onsite
Energy brand better known worldwide. Especially in the
USA, we have to get the message across that MTU is the
successor to the Detroit Diesel name. If
we market our products systematically,
we have fantastic potential. Even in the
USA, which is a saturated market. The
customer event in
Mankato at the beginning of October proved that. The interest
from the trade was
enormous and buyers
now see us as possible future suppliers.
What have been the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis?
Armin Gröber: The financial crisis has caused a noticeable slow-down in orders and a four-week shutdown at
the Mankato plant. But overall there is still high demand
for our products. IT companies, hospitals and data centers
still need emergency generators even in an economic crisis.
However, many of our main competitors are moving more
into onsite power generation due to loss of sales in other
sectors. That considerably increases the pressure on deadlines and, in certain cases, on prices as well. In addition,
clients are putting off many projects until the very last
minute. And that means we have to deliver them to the
tightest schedules.
Interview:
Tognum COO Christof
von Branconi (right)
and Armin Gröber,
CEO of MTU Onsite
Energy Corporation,
explain the opportunities, aims and implementation of the
new genset production line.
The standard gensets are also to be built at SKL in
Magdeburg and at the Chinese plant in Suzhou. Why?
Christof von Branconi: Our aim is to be involved
in this business worldwide for the long term.
Because, as we have said, proximity to the
market is a key factor and the business
has to be optimized with respect to
transport costs as well, we also have to
produce in Magdeburg and Suzhou.
The Magdeburg plant has a lot of experience in genset production. It will be
making the 50-hertz versions of all three
models there. We are already producing
Series 2000 engines in Suzhou, which will be
made up into gensets in the same factory. Specialists are being sent out from Mankato to train up the Chinese workforce. Production is due to start in 2010.
53
Training
Vocational training
vocation
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
90 years of training in Friedrichshafen
2009 is a special year for anniversaries. As well as Tognum subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen’s centenary, the company’s training department is celebrating its 90th birthday.
The company has always looked upon ensuring a continual supply of highly qualified
staff as one of the most important foundations for success, and as the basis for a successful career in the industry.
F
Old-school training:
Top: in the early decades, craftsmanship
skills such as filing were high on the agenda.
The picture shows the training
workshop in the 1950s.
Right: the relationship
with the trainer was
for a long time strictly
authoritarian.
54
RIEDRICHSHAFEN. A Friday afternoon in
1963. The apprentices in the Maybach training workshop can hardly wait for the end of the
working day. But as yet they are all standing to
attention by their workbenches. With a certain
amount of apprehension they are waiting for the
training foreman to inspect their carefully arranged rows of files and tools. Fifteen-year-old apprentice machine fitter Hermann Hoher is rather
nervous. Unfortunately he has broken the tip off one of his
files. He is fervently hoping
the strict foreman doesn’t
notice. That small anecdote, which by the way
had a happy
ending, clearly
illustrates the
rather authoritarian style of the training in those
days. Hermann Hoher, who eventually ended up
in charge of industrial technical training himself,
observes, „That was the past. Today we conduct
things as a partnership between trainers and
trainees.“
To prepare young people for the high professional demands from an early stage, MTU
Training introduced project-based learning in
the mid-1970s. Instead of spending months
practicing filing skills, apprentices had to design
and build small 2-stroke diesel engines, small
generator sets or waste disposal stations in order
to gain an understanding of technical and organizational aspects early on.
The need for highly qualified staff as the basis for the success of any business was something
that Karl Maybach recognized 90 years ago. The
Training
company had already set up a training workshop
for women in 1917 due the lack of male workers.
The apprentice training workshop established in
1919 was the first in the Upper Swabia region
and a pioneer of cooperative courses in Germany. Maybach-Motorenbau provided the rooms,
teaching models, projection equipment and
other teaching materials and the training staff
for the practical subjects. The local education
authorities supplied the teaching staff for the
theoretical training at the company’s own vocational college.
An important factor in practice-based and
forward-looking industrial technical training
was always the proximity to production. The
fact that learning does not take place in ivory
towers is made obvious by the concept introduced in the mid-1980s of „training stations“ that
are directly incorporated in the production
areas. There, apprentices are directly integrated
in the production process and learn the latest
manufacturing techniques on modern CNC
machines. The apprentices also gain plenty of
practical experience in the „long-term training“
phase. It involves working for seven to eight
months in the same area. „That means that by
their first day on the job, they can already master 80 to 90 percent of the work involved,“ high-
lights Martin Stocker, Head of Industrial Technical Training.
Industrial technical training was joined by
commercial subjects and in the 1970s by electronics. Other additions have been industrial
practice semesters for mechanical engineering,
business engineering and electrical engineering
courses at the Ravensburg Vocational Training
Academy, which is now known as the BadenWürttemberg Cooperative State University
(Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg).
Today, a total of 310 young people are completing their training at MTU Friedrichshafen,
the vast majority of them as industrial mechanics, mechatronics engineers or electronic engineers in automation technology, others in
commercial subjects. How important the next
generation of qualified employees is to MTU is
shown by the new training workshop officially
opened in February this year. Its 2000 square
meters of space offer trainers and trainees the
perfect new home.
Words: Wolfgang Stolba
Pictures: MTU-Archiv, Robert Hack
Modern vocational training at MTU Plant 1:
Top: mechatronics trainees A. Heiss (left)
and J. Baumann program handling equipment.
Center: the previous training manager
Mr. Hoher (right) with Simon Amman at
the production training station.
Bottom: Mr. Krug, Electronics training
manager with Roman Ungern-Sternberg
(right) and Volker Altenhof, DHBW electrical engineering/automation students.
55
Training
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Practice is (almost) everything
Ninety years’ experience in apprentice training have shown one thing above all: training
is only as good as its practical reference. To reinforce that aspect, Tognum offers external practical training placements and extensive project work, among other things.
gineers attending to the propulsion units. But as
the time drew closer, I started to worry if I had
what it takes. How would I manage? Having only
recently passed my driving test, I was a little apprehensive about the 800-kilometer car journey.
But as soon as I was on my way, I found that as
each hour and each day passes, you can achieve a
little more than you could before.
n Brechtel,
Benjami
23, cusetoemnegrineer
servic
echtel reBenjamin Br
o practical
ports on tw
acements
training pl
leted during
that he comp ship in
ce
ti
en
his appr
Since then
y.
an
rm
Ge
northern
the world
er
ov
l
al
for
he has been
me
assign nts
on service
e
th
as
ch
su
large ships Benchijigua
rry
trimaran fe
rves
red) that se
tu
ic
(p
s
es
a.
Expr
lm
Pa
of La
the island
Smelling
practical
reality at
the waterside
Benjamin Brechtel, 23, customer service engineer in Friedrichshafen, completed two periods of practical training in
north Germany during his
apprenticeship in 2006. One
of them was a service placement at the German
Navy dockyards in Wilhelmshaven.
A
t first I was quite elated. A practical training placement! At the Wilhelmshaven
naval dockyards. It covers a vast area in
which 15 frigates were waiting to be serviced
alongside its quays. There were ten MTU en-
56
I especially became aware of that in the days
that followed in Wilhelmshaven. One of the MTU
engineers there looked after me for the whole twoweek placement, and even met me on the evening
I first arrived. No, I wasn’t thrown in at the deep
end. On the first day he showed me the gigantic
port installations in Wilhelmshaven, the frigates,
the engine rooms, the workshops on board ship
and on the dockside, and the spare parts depot for
the MTU engines. And then I went with him to
watch a Series 956 unit being hoisted out of the
engine room because there is too little space inside
for certain repairs. I realized that you need a lot of
knowledge and skills beyond just knowing about
the engine in order to be a customer service specialist. I also helped to completely dismantle a
Series 396 genset engine in the hot and sticky atmosphere of an engine room heated by summertime weather. I learned what order the first parts
have to be removed in to get at the ones underneath,
how you pick spare parts from the warehouse and
to put them away properly. And I found out how
important it is for your own comfort in the hot
weather to change your dirty and oily overalls regularly. I got through three sets in a week.
On the way to the Hamburg office I found out
what it’s like when your sat nav fails and you have
to find your way around the concrete jungle on
your own. The tour of the MTU center made up
for it though. In Berlin, I learned how customer
service jobs in the genset and rail sectors are dealt
with at short notice. Another thing that became
clear was the key role of the electronics, such as
Training
How MTU apprentices grow into the world of work
when a rail PowerPack management computer
has to be reprogrammed with new software.
I have now worked as a service engineer for
two years and have already been abroad several
times to places like La Palma, Singapore and
Australia. I wouldn’t want to have done without
the practical training, especially because of the excellent support I was given and the practical understanding I gained.
Decathlon
in engineering
Benjamin Wulle, 21, is studying engineering
economics at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University in Ravensburg (DHBW).
This year he had to produce a product-related
viability study which gave him a comprehensive
insight into the world of heavy-duty diesel engines in the penultimate semester of his university course.
W
hen, in my fifth semester, I opted for a viability study in the area of engine manufacturing, I thought, “No problem, I can
just research it“. I couldn’t have been wider of the
mark. In my first conversation with my mentor,
Gebhard Happle, who helped me fantastically
throughout the project, it became clear what a difficult, even Olympic-proportion challenge it was.
In my scientific study, I examined all the technical
and economic aspects on which the success of a
potential new product depends. They extend from
the business management level where the basic
strategic and operational questions are considered
right through to the details of technology, physics
and mechanics, engine and gearbox design, production processes and procedures, and after-sales
issues. Added to that, there were economic viability calculations, analyses of the market and
competitors, sales activities and pricing considerations.
sights and opportunities
for development. Among all of those subjectrelated and organizational tasks, the one job
that was the toughest of the decathlon of disciplines was undoubtedly finding the right
people for each job and winning them over.
If there is one general observation I have
about this course it is that it gives you
direct practical experience at exactly the
right time – just before you finish. I can’t
imagine a better preparation for the potential culture shock of entering the real
world of work.
Benjam
is studiyninWgulle, 21,
engineering e
the DHBcWonomics at
As part of
his course
at
the Baden-Wü
rttemberg Co
operative Stat
e University
in
Ravensburg,
Benjamin Wu
lle
produced a
prod
study. In th uct-related
gained usef e process he
ul insights
into
many depart
ments and ho
w they
work togeth
er.
Words: Benjamin Brechtel, Benjamin Wulle,
Wolfgang Stolba, Pictures: private, Robert Hack
I spoke to more specialists and arranged more
meetings than I can remember. It was not always
an easy task, either organizationally or on a personal level, but it gave me many important in-
57
Work & Social
MTU ASIA
Spirit of enterprise at MTU Asia
MTU Asia celebrates traditional Chinese festival of spirits
Burning money to appease
the spirits? To western eyes it
might at first appear to be a rather
unusual custom – but it is just one
of many observed in countries
where Tognum Group companies
are represented.
S
INGAPORE. In Chinese culture, the seventh month of the lunar calendar –
that is the period from mid-August to mid-September on the western calendar – is a very important time of the year. It is when the gates of hell open for
roughly 30 days and the spirits of the underworld are on Earth. That is the time
when the Chinese celebrate the festival of the hungry spirit – their version of
Hallowe’en. To appease the spirits of the dead souls, people offer them ritual
meals or burn money. It is a custom properly observed at MTU Asia in Singapore. The celebrations for the festival started with an auction of all sorts of items
and ended with a dinner for the staff taking part. An essential part of observance is that no events with a bearing on future prosperity such as weddings or business meetings are held during the period – because the spirits, so the tradition
says, are the real masters of those days. Whether the efforts to appease them will
meet with success, remains to be seen – perhaps business developments in 2010
will reveal the answer.
Words: Markus Keiper, Anika Kannler, Pictures: MTU Asia
Appeasing the spirits:
In the Chinese Festival of the Hungry Spirit,
ritual meals are offered up and money burned.
58
One of us
Community
festival at Mehmet
Akif Mosque,
Friedrichshafen:
Top: Emel Coban
with visitors in
the prayer room.
Inset: Insight
into the Koran.
Bottom: Welcoming
guests to the
visitors’ corner.
MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Building bridges
Emel Coban helps to promote understanding
between German and Turkish communities
F
RIEDRICHSHAFEN. A Sunday in May. Below the glittering gold dome of the Mehmet Akif Mosque in Friedrichshafen, market stands offer oriental delicacies for sale.
But what particularly attracts the German visitors to the annual community event is the chance to gain an insight into
the interior of the mosque, the Islamic religion and, ultimately, the culture of their 3,000 or so co-citizens of Friedrichshafen. For devout Muslim Emel Coban, who works at
the MTU Electronics Center, the event is a welcome opportunity to pursue her “greatest commitment after the family“
– promoting understanding between Christians and Muslims, Germans and Turks. She provides guided tours of the
mosque, explains the Koran to the visitors together with the
imam (leader of prayers), tries to overcome prejudices and
points out all the things that unite the two cultures.
On their way around the fete and the mosque, many feel
that what is being explained has to be experienced together
with all the other impressions here in order to fully understand it – the robes, the prayers, the colorful carpets, the ornaments and scriptures. Emel Coban elucidates the importance of the mosque as a place where the generations come
together: “The family and the mosque play a decisive role in
the religious upbringing of our children“. Her greatest wish
is that Islam is also taught in schools as part of religious
education.
She is currently a committee member of the DITIP, the
“German-Turkish Union of the Institute for Religion“ and is
a founder member of the “Friedrichshafen Dialogue Committee“. As deputy leader of the General Parents’ Association in Friedrichshafen, she works for greater equality of
opportunity for all migrant children. She chairs the Parents’
Association at the Graf-Soden-Realschule secondary
school. She has also helped to produce a concept for migrant
children in the City of Friedrichshafen’s
Cooperative Planning Group. As well as all
that, she also gives Turkish lessons for
Germans at the local community college.
Where does that strength of commitment come from? “When I came to Germany at the age of nine, I learned German
quickly and easily. But many other ethnic
Turkish schoolmates fell behind,“ she relates. Because she is so well assimilated in
both communities, her aim is to help
build bridges between the cultures.
Words + Pictures: Wolfgang Stolba
59