Process Analyst

2/2013 The latest news from the Rheinmetall Group ann Nova Odessa. He knows pistons like Brazil. For the 51-year-old, teamwork and Osvair Sperque the back of his hand. “A fascinating prod- sharing knowledge are the most important enjoys the uct,” he says. Osvair Sperque has been work- success ingredients. “Regular technical challenges of his ing for 14 years at KS Kolbenschmidt in Nova training for my staff is something I consider job – mastering Odessa, Brazil. He started out as a produc- very important. They rotate from one ma- new technologies tion operator, was promoted to process ana- chine to another and so are able to help each or calling in on lyst a couple of years later, and today he sup- other in getting to grip with new tasks,” says customers abroad. ports four production lines, and twenty the mechanic by trade. He appreciates hav- co-workers assist him in his job . His special- ing been able to continuously extend his ty is solving quality problems and preventing knowledge by attending technical courses on production outages. A team of twenty assists such subjects as CNC. “Business travels him in his job. “Each day anew my team and I abroad have always been most instructive face up to the challenge of making sure pro- and interesting. It’s a pleasure explaining to duction fl ows trouble-free. Our aim is to de- customers the workings of our products.” liver the best-quality products,” emphasizes He’s certain he’ll stay with KS until retire- the father of two from Arapongas in northern ment. “I don’t know where I’d be better off.” The process analyst Maybe 2025 sounds like a long way off, but that’s when the U.S. federal corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) goal of 54.5 miles per gallon takes effect. Cars now average 29 mpg and light trucks 24 mpg. The 2025 target, however, covers both types as a single standard. Making it 1 even more diffi cult, light trucks now comprise half of all U.S. light vehicle 2 sales. So clearly automakers and suppliers face a daunting task ahead. 3 The idea is to reduce consumption and ex- and a shift to more aluminum and other light- haust emissions while also lowering U.S. re- weight materials to reduce vehicle weight. 4 liance on oil imports. Meantime, federal and Fortunately, strong sales in most major California emissions standards are poised to markets can provide automakers and suppli- become even more stringent, adding to the ers with the profi ts they’ll need to bankroll technical challenge. the technical advances necessary to meet Pollution control also is becoming a top the twin goals of fuel economy and lower priority in smog-choked, fast-growing and emissions. 5 emerging markets such as Brazil, China and In the still-recovering U.S. market, sales India. are forecast to exceed 16 million this year, up In the U.S., the advent of electric and hy- from 14.4 million in 2012. And IHS Automo- brid vehicles, plus the long shot of fuel cells, tive predicts North American sales will reach will help. Federal subsidies ranging from a hefty 18 million units by 2019. $2,500 to $7,500 and Cali- fornia’s $2,500 rebates aim to spur sales of EVs and hy- brids. A recent research re- port indicates global hy- The future is now By David C. Smith 1 Marinette/USA brid/EV production will rise China, the world’s largest market, is fore- 2 Auburn Hills/USA 29 percent to 3 million units in cast to rise to 20.3 million in 2013 against 6 2016, but that would be only 3 19.3 million last year. Sales are also strong in 3 Greensburg/USA percent of anticipated worldwide Brazil and India. The biggest challenge is Eu- light vehicle output. rope, although even there signs of economic 4 Fountain Inn/USA That leaves internal combustion recovery are beginning to take hold. engines (ICEs) and diesels to carry by far Still, it’s clear that the winners will be those 5 Celaya/Mexico the biggest load. Proven technology such as that understand there’s no time to waste and turbochargers and superchargers that boost are developing the right technology solutions Nova Odessa/Brazil performance of smaller engines will play a to meet the industry’s challenges. 6 major role. So will direct injection and im- The future is now. provements in engine internals and the growing trend of up to nine-speed transmis- Sharing a Pulitzer Prize among a lot of other aw ards sions. in his career David C. Smith is a renowned specialist Other solutions include stop-start technol- for the American automotive market and is actually writing for Ward’s AutoWorld, the famous trade maga- ogy that shuts off the engine when the vehi- zine, who’s editor-in-chief he was for many years. cle is stopped, further gains in aerodynamics Detroit/Nova Odessa/Celaya. The presence across the Pond goes back for more than 50 years to Brazil with the formation in São Paulo of the Brosol company in which Alfred Pierburg acquired a minority stake in 1958, in fact the fi rst away from home. Brosol was joined by Kolben- achi, holds a stake. This was fol- schmidt that in 1968 likewise set lowed in 1999 with the takeover of up in São Paulo’s Santó Andre dis- Zollner Pistons, a company steeped trict (photo below). At the end of in tradition. The same year saw the the eighties, Kolbenschmidt then startup of piston production at moved to new plant premises in Large Bore Pistons Inc., again in Nova Odessa, around 150 km to Marinette. Meanwhile, here at this the north of São Paulo where in branch of Lake Michigan is one of 1997 the then Plain Bearings divi- the world’s biggest suppliers of sion built a new factory. The pro- pistons for cars as well as light and duction of bushings for the South medium commercial vehicles. American and German auto mar- KSPG invested in 2003/2004 in kets started with a team of fi ve. setting up a sales and develop- Meanwhile, this facility together ment center in the auto city of De- with plain bearings production troit. Meanwhile expanded, the from Fountain Inn in the USA is lo- new North American Technical Auburn Hills. The North American Technical Center (NATC) of KSPG group was designed to harness the global KSPG re- cated in Celaya, Mexico. Center was inaugurated at Auburn sources along with local personal and professional expertise that best serves the regions customers with access to world- In 2000, Pierburg began manu- Hills in the spring of 2008 as the class engineering, design, prototyping and product validation. In 2008 the Auburn Hills facility opened in the suburban facturing oil and water pumps in sales and product engineering Detroit area and located near many of the vehicle industry development centers. This new operation was one of three of Brazil and since 2006 in a newly center for all divisions. our facilities located around the world designed to directly serve the customers in local markets. Currently four KSPG built production shop on the group Just as in Brazil, the Mexican op- Automotive companies utilize the resources of the NATC including Pierburg, Pierburg Pump Technology, KS Kolbenschmidt site. Since 2007, this most recent erations of the KSPG Group started and KS Gleitlager. Each of these activities provides sales and technical services to their customers from this facility. Brazilian production plant of the out with the carburetor. However, KSPG Group has also been making on this Central American market, “Our customers continue to devel- motive sales program for KS Gleitlager. op powertrain projects for their global “In today’s market we not only have to products. Capable suppliers with the have great technology solutions, we ability to supply quality components Greater must know how respond to the cus- on a global scale clearly have an ad- tomer promptly and be very smart in vantage in this market, as purchasing managing our costs and the budget,” agents can source a particular compo- noted Godin. “With minimal margins nent only once to gain an economy of success and strong competition we have al- scale that helps ensure consistent ways have to be smart on how we quality and a reasonable price,” noted serve our customers so we continue to Donald Cameron, president, KS Kol- The North American tech- develop long-term relationships for all benschmidt US, Inc. “That it is why nical Center is home to the KSPG companies.” our presence here is so important so The North American Technical Cen- we can bring our global resources and several KSPG companies ter has been a useful tool in personnel piston and exhaust gas recircula- the Group adopted er ior tion valves for the aftermarket. the role of licen- The United States has always sor and know- Competent been an attractive market for the how sharer contacts at the companies making up today’s rather than Auburn Hills site: KSPG AG. For Pierburg, this market operating H Myrle Hughes (l.) u r was very signifi cant since its chief under its n o and Jürgen Luft. n a O customers, the German carmakers, own fl ag. g ake i L h depended on exports to the USA At the start of 2006, KS Kolben- c i New and hence all their components schmidt acquired the OEM busi- M Michigan rk Yo (such as the carburetors) had to ness of the Mexican company Pis- e k e r i match the needs of this market, tones Moresa in Celaya.

Load more