02/18

The customer magazine of DB Cargo

FOCUS Technology & innovation Logistics providers today are fully integrated into their customers’ supply chains. The right technology ensures an efficient workflow management. Page 8 EDITORIAL 02 / 18

_ DB Cargo's open car transport wagons will also be equipped with GPS trackers by 2019.

02 02 / 18 EDITORIAL

Editorial

Dear Readers,

BVL International conducted a study to determine how we, as logistics experts, should prepare our- selves for the future. One of the core messages was that innovative technology concepts have considera- ble potential for optimising our processes. It lists predictive analyses to better forecast and plan our business processes, sensor technology as a source of data, and not least the linking of new technologies with our existing systems and those of our customers.

We are trying to take a more systematic approach to the future, using such tools as predictive analytics and predictive maintenance to make our everyday business that little bit better. And by doing so, we're making our customers' business better, too.

By the way, this is also the reason why we held our innovation workshop on freight wagons, whose pur- pose is to establish a dialogue between our customers and our development engineers. To give you an idea of what we're doing in terms of personnel to tackle future challenges, we've included an interview with Dr Ursula Biernert, Member of the Management Board for Human Resources.

I hope you enjoy reading our magazine. Yours faithfully,

Raimund Stüer

03 CONTENTS 02 / 18

FOCUS

02 08 14 Editorial Transport chain 4.0 Keeping a digital ear to the ground Innovative technology concepts Fibre optic sensing means 04 optimise customers' supply chains. better safety and quality for rail operations. Contents 12 15 06 Predictive planning Processing damaged wagons with Better planning processes thanks to an app News predictive analytics. Faster reporting and repair – thanks to digitalised processes.

16 _ A number of techni- Innovative freight wagons cal innovations along the entire supply chain Freight wagons of the future: a research ensure reliability and project like no other in Germany. efficiency. 20 On the way to smart predictive maintenance Optimised maintenance improves ­processes along the entire supply chain.

24 Interview with Dr Ursula Biernert Dr Ursula Biernert, DB Cargo Management Board Member for Human Resources, on demographic change, international focus and digitalisation in HR.

04 02 / 18 CONTENTS

INNOVATIONS & SOLUTIONS CUSTOMERS & MARKETS

28 36 Blockchain technology in logistics Hydraulic show of strength Even greater security and transparency for Special freight wagons win over Danish service providers and their customers. steel manufacturer NLMK DanSteel.

30 38 Think tank and laboratory of Development on equal terms the future A direct line between customers and the _ On the move at the Where are Big Data and Logistics 4.0 taking experts at DB Cargo. innovation workshop us? We visit the amspire lab. for freight wagons at the Paderborn mainte- 42 nance depot. So what does it do? the amspire lab in Frankfurt?

43 Looking ahead & publishing details

_ Interdisciplinary teams tackle the chal- lenges of Logistics 4.0 at the amspire lab.

34 NEWSLETTER State of the art and fully automatic Visit our website and sign up for our DB Cargo invests in the new train formation newsletter: facility in Halle (Saale) and makes it one of www.dbcargo.com/­ the most modern facilities in Europe. newsletteranmeldung

05 NEWS 02 / 18

GERMANY Tackling future trends together Fourth DB Cargo Pulp & Paper

Summit at DB Academy in Potsdam. DID YOU

KNOW ...

that 100 different nationalities Over 70 customers and logistics partners in the work at Deutsche Bahn? paper, pulp and packaging industry enjoyed a diverse programme at the 4th Pulp & Paper Sum- mit on 15 May, where they discussed current The world’s longest freight industry trends and their impact on logistics railway link, which connects Madrid with DB Cargo. The focus was on digitalisation to Yiwu, China, is and demographic change, which were addressed during interesting talks and examined in more detail along with additional topics at workshops with the participants. 13,000 “The in-depth discussions demonstrated to us that working logistics concepts are absolutely kilometres long? essential for our customers. We need to map out reliable transport services from the very begin- ning and take end-to-end responsibility,” said that Jürgen Röher, Head of Sales and Operations Center Pulp & Paper.

According to Raimund Stüer, DB Cargo Board Member for Sales and Marketing, “The event 60% was a resounding success, with exciting talks and in-depth discussions”. № of DB Cargo transports cross at least one national border? A detailed report on the event is included in railways issue No. 03/2018.

06 02 / 18 NEWS

RUSSIA The Facts about the 21st World Cup FIFA World Cup is Here are a few facts for HUNGARY striking up a lunchtime New CEO conversation about the 36.8 world's greatest sporting Dr Jan Busch is the cm tall and weighs event and the first Worl new CEO of DB Cargo Cup to be held on two dif- Hungária. ferent continents – Asia 6,175 and Europe. grams

The greatest distance France has the most between two venues is expensive squad at 2,484 1.08 Since 1 May, Dr Jan Busch has been the new CEO of DB Cargo's Hungarian kilometres billion euros national company, DB Cargo Hungária Kft. in Győr. Busch (41) has been with DB Cargo since 2007 and has extensive experience in sales and There are Panama has the least controlling. In his most recent role as expensive squad at Head of Sales Processes in Frankfurt am Main, he was responsible for cus- 338,414 tomer satisfaction analysis throughout 8.43 Europe, several IT projects in sales ticket requests from and bid management. DB Cargo Germany million euros Hungária Kft. was formed when Logis- tic Center Hungária Kft., which was established by DB Cargo in 2001, was renamed. It received its railway licence in 2011 and since then has successfully offered transport services and helped significantly increase the share of international transport services in the DB Cargo family. №

07 FOCUS 02 / 18 02 / 18 FOCUS

— KATHRIN POLIKEIT

In the age of digitalisation, changes in customer needs and patterns of behaviour are just as rapid as they are radical. The entire supply chain has to adapt accordingly. DB Cargo is therefore relying on a whole series of technical innovations. FOCUS 02 / 18

“The logistics goals with the highest priority are fulfilment of customer requirements,­ reliable­ delivery and logistics costs.”

Trends and Strategies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Digital Transformation Opportunities, a study by the German logistics association Bundesvereinigung Logistik, “BVL”

he results of the recent study “Trends and Strat- egies in Logistics and Supply Chain Manage- ment: Digital Transfor- mation Opportunities” by Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL) show the way: “The Tlogistics goals with the highest priority are fulfilment of customer require- ments, reliable and on-schedule deliv- ery and logistics costs.” The study focuses especially on sis and analysis appreciably enhances repairs that may be necessary, which the technical elements of the supply the quality of equipment and rolling reduces idle time and cancellations for chain. According to the study, these stock. But the long-term aim is to go one customers. At the moment, DB Cargo must be modified in two ways: Suppli- step further: for example, maintenance is working with two customers from ers and logistics service providers need optimisation should also asses which the recycling industry to pilot the app. to be linked to seamless IT systems, incident notifications need to be pro- and supply chains need to be designed cessed first if there are competing inci- Fibre-optic sensing (FOS) and analysed by exchanging data dents, because one may have a more across company lines. Predictive analyt- severe potential impact than the other. Deutsche Bahn is also testing a ics, mobile access by customers to data This sounds very theoretical, but it fibre-optic system at present that will and the corresponding sensors for yields a specific benefit: if the mainte- make the monitoring of modern trans- monitoring are the technology con- nance of wagons can be planned more port chains even better. Fibre-optic cepts that offer the brightest prospects efficiently, the availability of wagons sensing (FOS) can allow for more rapid for logistics. DB Cargo is already for customers will improve, too. detection of animals on the track, land- investing in these fields. slides or cable theft. It will preserve DB Cargo’s damaged wagon app resources while delivering further Predictive Maintenance safety and quality improvements in The same is true for the damaged rail operations. “Since a year ago, we The objective of predictive mainte- wagon app. DB Cargo is using this new have been investigating FOS at sites nance is designing the maintenance of application to optimise the handling including Berlin Wannsee, the right locomotives to be more efficient by process for when wagons need to be bank of the Rhine and the new Ger- means of data-based predictions. Sen- replaced or repaired. Customers can man Unity Transport Project 8.2 high- sors and other data recording devices now report damaged wagons digitally. speed line”, explains Patrick Pohl, collect data on the infrastructure and The app features a simple-to-navigate project manager for fibre-optic sensing vehicles and link it on an open plat- menu that one can follow to transmit (FOS) at DB Netz AG. The German form to determine what systems need reports, complete with photos of the Unity Transport Project 8.2 (or VDE to be maintained or replaced, and at damage, by means of a few clicks. The 8.2) is Germany’s largest rail construc- what intervals. This smart data diagno- photos can considerably speed up any tion project between Nuremberg and

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Berlin. 8.2 is the name for all the new- build sections of the route. The first results are expected by the middle of the year. GERMAN UNITY On the way to digitally transformed logistics TRANSPORT DB Cargo’s investments are squarely PROJECT NO. 8 aimed at relationships with customers and satisfying their needs. They do not only offer DB Cargo optimisation of Germany’s largest rail project between Nurem- freight wagon availability; data such as berg and Berlin is a undertaking filled with runtimes, distance travelled and ­superlatives, whose multiple innovations are capacity utilisation of networks also offers the opportunity to improve ­setting new standards. logistics for customers. № The German government approved the multi-billion-euro project in 1991 to improve the transport links between east and west and between north CHECKLIST and south, and to close the gap in Germany’s high-speed rail network. There is a passing station every 20 7 requirements for successful supply chain management km for high-speed express trains to overtake other services. New routes

Overarching cooperation will alleviate bottlenecks in freight transport, and renovated hubs, such _ The viaduct over Transparent exchange of information as the Halle formation yard, will make Froschgrundsee: 798 m long, 65 m it easier to spread freight trains Fast reaction times high, concrete arch throughout the network. with 270 m spans. Short process times

High-performance planning software

Comprehensive logistics

Clear and binding rules € € € 10 billion 4,500 capital expenditure costs employees at work on construction of the route

770,000 230 plans and documents kilometres of new-build line

11 FOCUS 02 / 18 Predictive planning

DB Cargo’s Utilisation Man- agement uses predictive analytics to determine the proper scope of and manage some 3.6 million single wag- onload transports in the network annually.

ow do you ensure that the Here is how single wagonload right number of wagons transport works in practice: the cus- reaches the right destina- tomer orders an empty wagon, loads it, tion at the right time for and DB Cargo transports the custom- your customers? The sim- er’s goods from point A to point B. How- Hple answer is planning. However, you ever, since it would not be efficient for need another solution if you want this a locomotive to pull only one wagon planning to be as effective as possible from point A to point B, the wagons in terms of production quality for are collected at hubs and assembled customers – meaning reliability and into trains that transport wagons trav- “You have punctuality – and as efficient as possi- elling to similar destinations farther ble from a cost vantage point. This is along their route. The process is to know what’s in because single wagonload transport is repeated at the next hub until the complex and naturally extremely wagon reaches the customer. A single the data to be resource-intensive. Extensive HR wagon is thus transported through able to use it.” costs and investments in wagon fleets the network by several trains. A sys- generate fixed costs that can be managed tem this complex requires nuanced DR MARTIN BODESTEDT, in an economically reasonable fashion planning to ensure that the network expert in Predictive Analytics at only when resources are distributed has the requisite resources available DB Cargo’s Utilisation Management appropriately. at all points. This sounds abstract, but customers can notice it directly: it translates into better availability and predictability of their flows of goods. Single Wagon Network Manage- ment, established a year and a half ago at DB Cargo, is breaking new ground to meet these needs. The aim is to be as targeted as possible to assist salesper- sons when they are planning the trans- port service customers need for spe- cific routes, in order to predict as precisely as possible what transport service and resources will be needed.

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That will allow sales personnel to be more targeted at how they meet the requirements of their customers and the customers’ specific transport. Sta- tistical models and clever algorithms are used to make that happen.

The future of single wagonload transport

250 salespersons and 70,000 routes can easily generate a million data sets that are simply impossible to view and process manually. A great deal of traffic, such as wood transport, is also seasonal and mathematical models can depict it very precisely. The algo- rithms can thus be used to generate models that serve as the basis for much more precise forecasts. Single Wagon ers’ transport needs at times of peak Think integrated Network Management is using 16 demand. The optimal capacity utilisa- models to do this, which operate in tion of the fleet can boost reliability “You have to know what’s in the data parallel. The amazing thing is that the for customers, because increased to be able to use it”, says Martin system studies the data sets and val- earnings achieved at the same cost Bodestedt, neatly summarising the ues of the previous ten years and can free up the funds needed to invest requirements facing data scientists at learns independently when and in in locomotives, wagons and human DB Cargo. “You need an understand- what cases a given model will make resources. ing of mathematics to grasp where the the most sense. “Machine learning” is numbers are coming from. That is the the operative term here. Dr Martin only way to integrate them into the Bodestedt, who has been an expert in process to improve it.” When various Predictive Analytics at DB Cargo’s THIS IS HOW ­ parameters are available, such as the Utilisation Management for a year PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS number of wagons, net tonnage or and a half has this to add: “The WILL HELP WITH PLAN- revenues, data scientists need to direction we aspire to head in is to decide which figures make valid fore- simplify the planning process for cus- NING BY SALESPERSONS casts possible. In most cases, net ton- tomer advisory to a large extent and AT DB CARGO: nage per transport is the key figure improve the quality of the process at that is most ideally suited, since it the same time, so advisory have more directly reflects the transport service time for their customers.” 1 _ INTEGRATION that customers need. That is why one The objective of the experts sur- The models and dashboards devel- also needs a basic understanding of rounding Dr Martin Bodestedt is to oped will be integrated in DB Cargo’s business to succeed in mining a com- determine the perfect size of the net- infrastructure. pany’s available data to generate added work. “Strong forecasts in terms of value for planning. № time and geography as a foundation 2 _ VENDOR PLANNING USE CASE for planning make it possible to get As the first use case, the predictive more out of locomotives, wagons and analytics models will be integrated personnel. This leads in turn to fewer into salesperson planning to support quality problems and faster turna- the forecast in VIPS (DB Cargo’s sales, information and planning round cycles for wagons, making system). them available faster for the next cus- tomer”, says Carolina Lasse, head of the Single Wagon Network and Utilisation 3 _ ADDITIONAL USE CASES Management unit in Industrial Sales. The methodology can be applied to other use cases such as freight The faster turnaround cycle times wagon availability or determining the enable DB Cargo to perform more proper size of the network or local Dr Martin Bodestedt, transports with the existing fleet of service. Utilisation Management, DB Cargo wagons and to better cover custom- [email protected]

13 FOCUS 02 / 18 Keeping a digital ear to the ground

Damage from storms, cable theft and animals on the track. ject Manager at DB Netz AG. Some It would be great if we could always keep an ear to the 2,500 light impulses per second are ground to be able to respond to these events immediately continuously transmitted via a glass fibre located in the cable next to the by warning trains, closing off routes and dispatching safety line. If sound waves impact the cable, personnel. There is a solution, and it’s called “fibre-optic for example as a train passes by, the sensing”, or FOS for short. glass fibre will change shape near the microphone, deflecting the light. These deflections will be checked against the acoustic fingerprints of diverse types of influences, which are CHECK BOX ibre-optic cables are used recorded in a database. “This will ulti- to rapidly transmit data, mately put us in a position to deter- for internet connections for mine exactly what is happening, and How fibre-optic sensing works instance. The oil and gas where, with an accuracy of up to five industry has used fibre-optic metres, and we will be able to act, if 1 _ People or animals on the track trigger Fcables to monitor pipelines in remote needed”, says Patrick Pohl. sound waves, which cause microbends areas for quite some time. Deutsche in the optical fibre in the fibre-optic cable on the track, which reflects the Bahn is currently conducting tests at Three preliminary projects in transmitted light impulses. three locations to determine whether constant­ use the technology can be harnessed for rail transport. Back in 2014, a 33 km test field on the _ 2 Sending light impulses and measur- Fulda–Würzburg route was installed for ing how the light is reflected in the fibre-optic cable makes it possible to Acoustic fingerprint database an 18 month study. Berlin-Wannsee, see and evaluate sound waves. the right bank of the Rhine and the new “Fibre-optic sensing works like a micro­ high-speed line for the German Unity phone that picks up noises along a rail Transport Project 8.2 were equipped _ 3 Software constantly compares the line”, explains Patrick Pohl, FOS Pro- with permanently installed fibre-optic incoming acoustic data with known sensor systems in December 2016. “We digital fingerprints to provide infor- mation about the type and position want to find out how fibre-optic sensing of the noise source and the time the can be integrated into regular rail oper- noise occurred. ations”, says Pohl. “We are expecting the results of the preliminary projects to be in by the middle of the year, and 4 _ FOS systems can monitor areas of up to 40 km and pinpoint sources of they will inform our decision of what to noise within five metres. do next.” №

Patrick Pohl, FOS Project Manager, DB Netz AG [email protected]

14 02 / 18 FOCUS Processing damaged wagons with an app

Customers used to have to fax damaged wagon reports to DB Cargo for the com- pany to be able to provide replacement wagons and repair damaged ones. Now DB Cargo’s new damaged wagon app is digitalising the process.

nagged bogies, stuck hinges New process benefits customers and dented doors: damaged wagons are an annoyance for Those customers that frequently have customers. DB Cargo’s new to contend with loading and unloading damaged wagon app is mak- damage linked to specific industries ingS it easier to report them. Until now, and models stand to benefit the most reporting damaged wagons was quite from the new application. It was this cumbersome and time consuming: cus- that prompted DB Cargo to pilot the tomers had to print out a form on A4 app in collaboration with two custom- paper and fax it to Customer Service ers from the scrap industry. “The and the office. “Our new app stream- ­damaged wagon app will greatly sim- lines this process”, explains Jürgen plify our work process,” says Thomas Bosse, Head of myRailportal and Cus- Grötzinger, Head of Logistics at Scholz tomer Integration at DB Cargo. “Not Recycling GmbH. “Our employees only do our customers save time and will use the app on their smart phones. money, but they can also send the Any damage that is identified will be photographed right away and digitally information directly to several parties relayed to DB Cargo. That will noticea- involved in the process.” bly accelerate the decision of whether new wagons have to be ordered.” Reporting damage by photo chat Broader rollout by the end of 2018 The new smartphone app is customis- able and features a simple-to-navigate “The Other customers will have the chance menu that customers can follow to to use the app as soon as this year, submit damaged wagon reports with damaged wagon says Jürgen Bosse. “We are planning to their user profiles by means of a few kick off a second phase by the end of mouse clicks. Customers can attach app will greatly 2018 that will make the app available photos so Production can get an simplify our work to a wider clientele.” № immediate idea of what the damage looks like. This lets technicians process.” decide whether a new wagon has to be delivered to a given customer, or THOMAS GRÖTZINGER, HEAD OF LOGISTICS whether it would be worth sending AT SCHOLZ RECYCLING GMBH. Jürgen Bosse, Head of myRailportal and Customer Integration out a mobile team to repair the at DB Cargo ­existing wagon. [email protected]

15 FOCUS 02 / 18 Innovative freight wagons

INNOVATIVE POWER CABLE/ BOGIES DATA BUS

Three-axle bogie for Goal: 48V power cable and CAN data flat wagon/BraCoil bus cable Ongoing development based on Battery charging for telematics devices existing bogie designs Control of electropneumatic brake func- Optimised wear patterns on bogie tionality (ep brake) via CAN data bus through interior structure reinforcement Status quo: 110V power cable for ep Greater cost effectiveness and brake control lower life cycle costs (BraCoil, Laaeffrs 561) (BraCoil)

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In the only research project of its ore efficiency, kind in Germany, DB Cargo has more reliabil- joined forces with VTG AG and other ity, lower costs: customers’ well-known project partners to develop requirements the freight wagon of the future. for rail freight transport of the future are nothing new, but in an Mage of digital transformation and fast- paced markets, the demand for innova- tive technical services is great. In 2016, DB Cargo and VTG AG joined together to launch the “Innovative freight wagons” research project on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). For Holger Schmidt, project manager at DB Cargo and spokesper- son of the VTG-DB Cargo consortium, the long-term goal is to test innovative components that contribute towards significantly reducing a freight wagon’s life cycle costs. “Our focus in this ­project is therefore clearly on noise reduction and energy savings,” SPECIFICATIONS: Schmidt explains. The schedule is brisk: as early as September 2018, the BRACOIL new freight wagons are set to be Specific use: exhibited at the InnoTrans trade fair in Transport of steel slabs, steel coils ­Berlin, even before the project ends on and containers 31 December 2018.

Spotlight on two wagon types 1 _ Length over buffers: 16.40 m 2 _ Loading length: 15.16 m For the VTG-DB Cargo consortium, _ 3 Loading width bet. cradles: 2.40 m there is no reason for last-minute 4 _ Width bet. stanchions: 2.63 m panic: the team is right on schedule. In 5 _ Bogie spacing: 9.40 m the past two years, they have devel- 6 _ Wheelset diameter: 92 cm oped twelve new freight wagons in 7 _ Axle load: 22.5 t total based on four wagon categories 8 _ Tare weight (incl. stillage): and placed them on the tracks as proto- max. 35 t types in January and February 2018. 9 _ Max. payload: min. 100 t The development work by DB Cargo 10 _ Max. total weight: 135 t focused primarily on two wagon ­categories: a six-axle flat wagon for

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transporting steel products and a EP BRAKE “LIGHT” two-part open car transport wagon. Electronic brake valves are controlled ep brake “light”: hidden via a power cable/data bus and ­electropneumatic brake functionality champion of components is established.

The ep brake “light” is something All wagons can be braked simultaneously like a hidden champion among the With a focus on cost savings, only one air components. line and air reservoir must be refilled in In contrast to a conventional brake the conventional manner after braking in freight trains, it enables simultane- (BraCoil, Laaeffrs 561) ous control of appropriately equipped ­wagons during braking, improving the train’s braking precision and saving energy. The technology is being used for the first time in a freight train with a hybrid brake system – that is to say both conventional and electropneu- matic. Initial experiences during field INNOVATIVE WHEELSETS testing show that the effect is clearly WHEELSET COATINGS / noticeable in the test train, in which WHEEL NOISE ABSORBERS only the innovative freight wagons are equipped with the ep brake “light”. If Testing of various combinations of low-noise this impression is confirmed with wheelsets, wheel coatings and wheel noise ­corresponding measurement results absorbers and the energy savings are thus quan- Wheelsets and wheel noise absorbers for tified, a future equipping, and even wheels with tread brakes retrofitting where appropriate, of the Testing of low-noise wheels in the acoustic lab wagons with the ep brake “light” tech- of project partner RWTH Aachen to identify nology could subsequently be assessed their sound effects in operational and economic terms. (BraCoil, Laaeffrs 561)

BraCoil: multifunctional allrounder for steel products

The first new development from DB Cargo is the six-axle flat wagon for transporting steel products. This ­“BraCoil” is multifunctional and is capable of transporting containers in addition to steel slabs and steel coils. TECHNICAL DATA A key feature of the BraCoil is that it LAAEFFRS 561 enables cargo to be transferred without modifying the wagon. № Specific use: Transport of large car models, minibuses and pickups

1 _ Maximum car height: approx. 1,990 mm 2 _ Length over buffers: 33 m 3 _ Loading length (lower loading level): 32.18 m 4 _ Loading length (upper loading level): 32.55 m 5 _ Max. payload: 36 t Holger Schmidt, _ Head of Technical Management Freight Wagons 6 Number of axles: 4 holger.hl.schmidt @deutschebahn.com

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DIGITAL BRAKING TELEMATICS

INDICATOR­ Basic functionalities, such as location Indicates whether the brake and determination and recording of distance handbrake are off or applied travelled Monitors brake pads Additional equipment with RFID/NFC tags for fast wagon identification and (BraCoil, Laaeffrs 561) retrieval of wagon history via mobile app (BraCoil, Laaeffrs 561)

19 FOCUS 02 / 18 On the way to smart predictive maintenance

Sluggish manufacturing processes, loss of produc- tion and frustrated customers: what costs time and money in the machinery and automotive industries can also delay processes along the entire supply chain in the logistics industry. The solution is smart predictive maintenance.

ne cancelled freight train can easily cost hundreds of thou- sands of euros. When a locomotive that works perfectly well is taken out of service for maintenance, it upends Oprocesses that are calibrated right down to the second in an infrastruc- ture where one thing counts above all: efficiency. That’s why logistics services providers such as DB Cargo are on the lookout for solutions to minimise dis- ruptions like these and to ensure exist- ing assets are utilised to the fullest. One such solution is the digital trans- formation of asset management and maintenance processes, which are still 02 / 18 FOCUS

Camera bridges, wheelset diagnostics, brake block diagnostics. “These technologies are absolutely crucial — both for the digital assess- ment of freight wagons and for DB Cargo’s asset digitalisation strategy on the whole.”

JAN MÜLLERSCHÖN Project Manager for Digital Appraisal

largely carried out manually. This “The key to our success will be con- transformation is set forth in the Asset dition monitoring of locomotives, i.e. THE FOUR-STAGE MODEL and Maintenance Digitalisation monitoring rolling stock and applying (AMD) programme. The AMD pro- the information we obtain to ensure The rollout of the maintenance strategy is based on these four process stages: gramme encompasses a variety of dif- that the assets are maintained as ferent digitalisation projects, which needed”, Niggeman continues. “This is are being carried out at the Digital already being implemented at DB Cargo Asset & Maintenance Lab at the House through the TechLok project. To put it STAGE 0: of Logistics and Mobility in Frankfurt. simply, locomotives are equipped Modular overhaul (2016–2019): The lab is the central data and analysis with transmission computers, known Dividing complex overall maintenance hub, which makes it the brains behind as ‘boxes’. They transmit all the neces- requirements into individual modules. digital fleet management and optimised sary signals to the land side. We can maintenance processes at DB Cargo. use this data to assess the condition of locomotives early on and accurately so STAGE 1: The four-stage model and we can draw the right conclusions for Condition monitoring 2017–2020: connected­ workers maintenance.” So what does that mean Live-tracking rolling stock and using the for employees at maintenance depots? information obtained to maintain locomo- The AMD programme takes aim at “The initiatives of the individual tives through all current management two core targets. Its first and primary stages ensure that employees will levels. objective is creating added value for increasingly be ‘connected workers’ customers by providing digital prod- who will have the right expertise, the ucts. Second, it aspires to drop mainte- right tools and the right digitalised STAGE 2: nance costs by ramping up efficiency information about operational steps, Condition based maintenance and asset availability. This is precisely which they will be able to apply at the 2017–2021: The first step is to monitor rolling stock where digital transformation opens up right time and at the right place at the to bring all components in line with limit an efficient path to condition-based, right maintenance depot using the values that have been checked or newly predictive maintenance (CBM). right materials to maintain the right specified. “Having the right information at the locomotive. It will be like a Formula right time is the crucial point here”, One pit stop”, says Niggemann. “To says Holger Niggemann, Head of ensure that this happens, it is crucial Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) for all of the projects in the AMD at DB Cargo. “To ensure this happens”, ­programme and related programmes STAGE 3: says Niggemann, “we are phasing in and systems to operate in synch with Predictive maintenance 2018–2021: condition based maintenance for our one another, like clockwork.” Developing algorithms for certain asset locomotives and predictive mainte- Deutsche Bahn is increasingly net- components and designing the mainte- nance, which takes CBM further”. working data from systems on an open, nance of these components to allow them to “report themselves” in a timely fashion The new maintenance strategy will generic platform. For instance, regu- even before damage occurs so that loco- be rolled out by around 2021 using a lar trains and self-propelled track motives can be brought to maintenance four-stage model. recording cars monitor infrastructure, depots on time. such as track geometry, overhead

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“Another advantage of predictive his current project in March 2018. He maintenance is that it makes it simpler is responsible for making maintenance to pool interests with other operators commissioning viable for the future as by exchanging visualisations and part of DB Cargo’s technology and assessments. In collaboration with innovation strategy. Müllerschön and industry, this method also makes it his colleagues are laying the founda- simpler to connect to existing assets tion for changing how maintenance is digitally and specify exact interfaces to planned, managed and carried out. ensure the stability of the overall infra- “Essentially, we are transforming reac- “Our aspiration is structure. There are many benefits”, tive and deadline-based maintenance stresses Niggemann. “Not only does it into smart and preventive mainte- to strengthen determine the maintenance strategy nance that rests on predictive intelli- for certain components; it can also gence.” The team collects the condi- capacity utilisa- intervene intelligently in exceptional tion-based data required for this using tion, improve situations. For instance, when there diagnostics systems, which the project are competing error notices, it can team installs on infrastructure in col- the availability decide which of them to prioritise in laboration with DB Netz. future. We are working step-by-step of asset and with all our partners internally and A mammoth digital task production with industry representatives exter- nally to improve all of this.” Two core elements are crucial for mak- resources and ing a project like this feasible in the Smart predictive maintenance of first place: digitalisation and transfor- to step up energy freight wagons mation. “Our main objective when it comes to digitalisation is selecting the efficiency, Jan Müllerschön knows this topic right technologies and taking the pro- quality and through and through. He works at DB cesses that are still largely carried out Cargo in Mainz, where he heads up the manually and making them fit for the customer Semi-Automated Damage Detection future. When it comes to transforma- Wagons (SDW) project, which is part tion, employees take centre stage. satisfaction.” of the AMD programme. He and his In particular, this means providing team are developing digital solutions employees with the appropriate digi- for asset management and mainte- tal support to help them continue to JAN MÜLLERSCHÖN Project Manager for Digital Appraisal nance. When anyone asks him how deliver their key contributions to digitalisation can help improve work- DB Cargo’s business performance.” For flows, planning efficiency and thus the Jan Müllerschön, Heinz Frank, Marcus availability of the freight wagon fleet Jäger, Thomas Ziesmer and the rest of when it comes to the maintenance of the team, the underlying strategic DB Cargo’s fleet of roughly 90,000 objective is both to encourage people freight wagons, his answer gets right to the point: “Here’s how: our SDW pro- ject reduces unscheduled wagon can- lines and the dynamic response of cellations due to damage by introduc- vehicles. Conversely, the infrastruc- ing preventive maintenance based on ture also monitors rolling stock and additional condition analyses, which its parameters at checkpoints, for are generated automatically while example, by identifying out-of-round ­wagons are in service. Moreover, we wheels and measuring wheel loads are enabling digital wagon appraisal, and lopsided loads. In the process, the which lets us commission mainte- infrastructure also monitors itself by nance earlier. All of this happens rendering additional data on infra- before wagons even arrive at mainte- structure components, such as diag- nance depots. At the same time, we nostics of points or level crossings, are designing the modern and attrac- 1 _ The SDW Project usable on a central platform. There tive workplace of the future.” Team at work, consist- are considerable advantages. More Having worked on building and ing of staff at the head precise diagnostics and more reliable developing a European maintenance office and the regions. forecasts can substantially improve network over the last three years, the the quality and speed of traffic. 32-year-old industrial engineer joined

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1 _ Thanks to the TechLOK systems, locomotives only need to visit the depot if the evaluated data indi- cates a need for this.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

After the three technologies have been ­successfully validated, 30 systems are set to be installed throughout Germany (ten per technology). and challenge them at the same time. asset digitalisation strategy on the Camera bridges “What we want to achieve is improved whole”, Müllerschön says. First, they availability of freight wagons, which play a key role in ensuring that the 1 _ Identification of damaged wagon has a direct bearing on production qual- individual projects in the AMD pro- superstructures and chassis frames by trained staff ity, and by extension, on customer gramme can work in concert with one 2 _ Appraisal of damaged wagons — ­satisfaction. Aside from that, we want another. Second, they ensure that  many other application scenarios (for to design a modern and attractive ­processes throughout the entire sup- example identification of cargo resi- workplace of the future that will bene- ply chain are automated, which makes due, documentation for handovers of fit both our new and experienced col- them even more reliable. “It goes with- leased wagons) leagues.” out saying that the ones who benefit from this the most are our customers”, Wheelset diagnostics “Ultimately, it will be our customers Müllerschön adds. № _ who benefit” 1 Regular measurement of wheelset profiles in operation 2 _ Analysis of wear characteristics In order for smart predictive mainte- 3 _ Identification of damaged wheelsets nance to be possible in the first place, innovative solutions are required, and Müllerschön and his team are also Brake block diagnostics responsible for developing and testing Holger Niggemann, 1 _ Regular measurement of brake blocks them. The technologies that they use Head of Condition Based Maintenance in operation are camera bridges and wheelset and Assetmanagement & Technology Locomotives [email protected] 2 _ Analysis of wear characteristics brake block diagnostics systems. 3 _ Identification of damaged brake “These technologies are absolutely Jan Müllerschön, blocks and direct management of Project Manager for Semi-Automated Damage mobile repair teams crucial – both for the digital appraisal Detection in Wagons (SDW) of freight wagons and for DB Cargo’s [email protected]

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— A X E L N O V A K — TIANA KOLZTER

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A CONVERSATION WITH DR URSULA BIERNERT The new DB Cargo: digital, international, diverse

Human resources at Europe’s largest freight oper- specific, we are currently working on ating company: demographic change, the interna- international recruiting channels and concepts at the Group and business tional alignment and, last but not least, digitalisa- unit level. That’s very enjoyable. At tion are bringing changes to DB Cargo. Member HR, we also stand in very close solidar- of the Management Board for Human Resources ity with our business partners, and we Dr Ursula Biernert explains in an interview how fight hand in hand to ensure business performance, stability, customer satis- the company is responding to these developments. faction and growth.

What sort of an impact has digitali- sation had on DB Cargo?

UB _ The megatrends on the logis- tics market affect all the stakeholders, and the same goes for digitalisation. On the one hand, digitalisation offers enormous opportunities for boosting Dr Biernert, the situation at DB Cargo to add over 3,000 new employees to efficiency and automation. On the is not an easy one. Digitalisation, our ranks in the coming years. That other hand, it means we need to adapt growing internationalisation and includes train drivers, shunting loco- existing professions and point out demographic change: what does all motive drivers and wagon inspectors, alternative career paths. We need to this mean for the Human Resources but also planners and chief dispatchers empower our employees and managers division? in Production. to respond to these trends.

UB _ Right now, these are turbulent It sounds like you have a lot of dif- Does that mean chief dispatchers times for rail freight transport; we are ferent areas to tackle at once. Are will turn into programmers and number one in Europe, employing you actually enjoying yourself? wagon inspectors will become data some 29,000 employees in 16 coun- analysts? tries. But there is fierce competition UB _ I absolutely am, because my among modes of transportation and previous work always had an interna- UB _ Well, maybe it won’t be quite rail companies. At the same time, we tional bent, and I see a great deal of that drastic. It’s all about the company have to respond to the gaps that demo- opportunity in DB Cargo’s European taking advantage of the opportunities graphic change is opening up at our network. We are building a European that digitalisation presents. Let’s take company. DB Cargo’s new growth HR organisation, and we have to be one example: at the moment we are strategy has enjoyed market success integrated and think European. outfitting our locomotives and freight since last year, which sent our staffing Despite the diversity of the countries, wagons with sensors and GPS mod- needs soaring starting in the summer for the most part, our national compa- ules that continuously send data about of 2017. DB Cargo wants to grow. and nies share the same set of strategic and the condition of components, their we need more staff to do it! Our aim is operational challenges. To be more location and other information.

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This data is collected, analysed about a major staff shortage on the paign: we successfully addressed cer- and evaluated in a way that will allow labour market today. This shortage tain target groups at seven sites with it to generate added value for us puts us in fierce competition with our particular shortages by using large and our customers, whether that’s competitors and other major industrial posters, image ads in newspapers and through keeping customers better companies. We therefore have to moti- regional media cooperation. informed, digital fleet management, vate career changers to come to us. automated functions or the warehouse Then we train them. We are also fight- How is recruitment coming along? mana­gement system at our mainte- ing to attract junior employees, espe- nance depots. We need to prepare our cially in the operational organisations. UB _ We are doing away with obsta- employees for this. I see digitalisation as an opportunity cles in the application process. For here for us to position ourselves as an instance, by organising recruitment So digitalisation isn’t an end in attractive employer. days. People who are interested can itself... apply there informally and come by Does DB cargo appeal to employees? for interviews. In remote regions, we UB _ Digitalisation won’t make us rely on minibuses, which can be used into machines; it will save our employ- UB _ DB cargo is often still perceived as mobile interview lounges. Employee ees from having to perform many as an organisation in the midst of recommendations are a key tool for tasks, and it will free up time for new ­layoffs. Both internally and externally, recruiting new staff. In 2017, 16% of tasks. That applies to our maintenance our new growth strategy and the strong staff were recruited at the recommen- workshops, for instance. The mainte- opportunities it offers our employees dation of DB employees. We want to nance workshop management system are not yet fully recognised. We need leverage this even more. There have there is digitalising certain workflows, to increase DB Cargo’s visibility on also been internal changes: we have cutting down on paper and bureaucracy the market as an attractive employer realigned the recruiting process from and adding clarity. Everything is and ensure that layoffs are a thing of the applicant’s perspective. entered into an app, material can be the past. reserved, and volumes can be queried. What tasks did the HR division take In this way, digitalisation is helping to How are you doing that? on for these changes? reduce the burden of administrative tasks and paperwork that falls on UB _ We are putting various recruit- UB _ We want to fulfil our responsi- employees so they can intensify their ment marketing and recruiting meas- bility for business performance. That focus on the core competencies of their ures into effect to increase our visibil- means that we assist managers as an work in areas that create added value. ity: we are expanding Performance HR partner. This entire staffing pro- Marketing to promote job vacancies at cess, for example, is supported and You want to hire a lot of new DB Cargo as needed. That includes implemented by our internal DB talent employees. How are you going Google keywords, job aggregators and acquisition organisation. It pools the about it? recruiting events. By using geofencing requisite expertise for the entire pro- marketing, we can appeal to target cess to run efficiently and from a single UB _ Germany and many other groups at specific locations. For exam- source. So ideally, everyone does what European countries are complaining ple, in the DB Cargo 2017 autumn cam- they do best: HR is a consultant and

THESE ARE THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE Digitalisation is changing employees’ tasks. Three examples:

Train drivers Planners and chief dispatchers Data analysts

More than ever, the train drivers at The story of DB Cargo’s growth is built DB employees, external scientists and DB Cargo ensure reliability and customer on tailor-made solutions for customers. creative staff work at Deutsche Bahn’s quality. In addition to their traditional ­Planners and chief dispatchers implement Asset and Maintenance Digital Lab. They duties, they now also use digital tools to new services and business models in use historical data to create new business drive more efficiently and for profes- ­production management. They have an models and services for customers. sional development and orientation on affinity to digital solutions and also undergo new routes. further training on an ongoing basis.

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How is the project being imple- Do you have any initial results yet? mented? CV UB _ We have some strong successes UB _ Online-based software is a criti- to point to: we have now found people 1998  cal pillar of the project. It makes HR to fill roughly two-thirds of all job Dr Ursula Biernert studied in Passau work more digital by following the vacancies. At DB Cargo, we have taken and completed her PhD in Munich. motto “Speed. Convenience. Perfor- a step forward in our efforts to entice She first entered the field of HR at mance.” At the same time, it makes the the best employees to work for us. Ulti- Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg in 1998 jobs of managers, employees and our mately, that means that we in the HR 2001  HR professionals easier. In addition, division are making a considerable Head of human resource manage- we are strengthening integrated staff contribution to the company’s perfor- ment for subsidiaries and interna- support, and thus setting the frame- mance and the satisfaction of our cus- tional assignments at Dr Ing. h.c. F. work for managers to exercise respon- tomers. № Porsche AG in Stuttgart sible management. The objective is for From 2009 to March 2013  our employees to enjoy working at our she was Vice President of Human company and deliver the best possible Resources & Communications at performance. Thales Deutschland GmbH, Stuttgart So you are ensuring better working Since 1 April 2013  conditions... she has headed Human Resources at DB Cargo as part of the business UB _ Right, because that is critical to unit’s management team being viewed as an appealing employer, both internally and exter- nally. Training is a key element of the process. To that end, we started the 2020+ training campaign to create a standardised, efficient and transpar- ent model for functional training at DB Cargo. The content and methodology of training sessions like these are adapted to the relevant needs. They help to ensure that new employees in new environments are well-equipped expert for employee and organisa- and can carry out their jobs compe- tional topics. Managers manage their tently at all times. employees and assume responsibility for them. However, we are not doing How have the employees reacted to this by ourselves, but as part of a net- these changes? work within the DB Group. UB _ We aspire to give our employ- Could you elaborate on that? ees a reason to renew the choice they made to work at DB Cargo and their UB _ In the summer of 2015, commitment to the company every Deutsche Bahn created the Future of day, and we are doing a very good job of HR Management project to mount a it. We keep a comprehensive portfolio response to the changes in today’s ready for this: from onboarding for workplace. The project reduces admin- new employees, to professional devel- istrative workload at many levels, opment and employee management, to which frees up time. That shores up a wide variety of formats for sharing our trained HR organisation as a key experiences. Apart from information partner and helps managers take on sharing per se, we are also strengthen- more responsibility for their employ- ing the sense of solidarity and enabling ees. It also adds to transparency top management to keep its finger on throughout the company. the pulse of the organisation.

27 INNOVATIONS & SOLUTIONS 02 / 18 Blockchain technology in logistics

In the world of logistics, the digital age began a long time ago. First came IT tools and the ability to perform smart analyses, and now complex administrative processes are next in line – the block- chain model could help international logistics ser- vice providers and their customers operate in a safer and more transparent way. mation. The chain stores information Many companies are currently test- in encrypted data units, known as ing potential applications of block- blocks, using a broad network rather chain. Deutsche Bahn, for example, is than a single, centralised computer. looking into possible uses for block- The transaction blocks are reviewed chain technology that include smart by all actors in the system before they contracts, which could be documented are saved and updated, and they are transparently in online blockchain hile logistics does validated as part of the saving process. records. The city of Rotterdam is inter- involve building and The result is a kind of decentralised ested in harnessing blockchains to pro- operating complex database containing up-to-date infor- vide new services. Partnering with the supply chains, it also mation that companies and private city, the Port Authority of Rotterdam deals with the question individuals can use to make payments started what it calls the BlockLab. Rot- Wof how to rapidly process reams of and perform other transactions with- terdam plans to use its lab to test ser- information transparently and relia- out involving banks or brokers as vices such as inventory financing, bly. With this in mind, blockchains intermediaries. which will allow credit lines to be hold a great deal of potential for com- extended to companies based on their panies grappling with logistics issues. High volume, slow speed Any company, whether a vessel-oper- ating ocean carrier, freight forwarder Blockchains do have some downsides, or rail freight company, can improve its however. For instance, the processes internal processes by making a strate- underlying them slow to a crawl under Potential savings – gic investment in this new technology. heavy processing loads. This can occur even today, as much as Particularly when it comes to interna- when data stored in the blocks accu- tional traffic, blockchains could help mulates to huge amounts over time, as build customer confidence in the sta- BVL International notes. Data queries bility of processes and the security of performed on blockchains are also con- data. This is why the transport indus- siderably more sluggish than they are 50% try is following a trend that has spread in normal databases. Finally, block- across the entire logistics industry. chains still have quite a few legal hur- of transport costs can be Blockchain, which refers to a chain of dles to clear. Bearing all this in mind, it attributed to paper-based transaction blocks, is a decentralised is not yet clear what impact the new documentation system for storing and verifying infor- system will have on the industry.

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_ The Pioneering Spirit, the largest working ship in the world, in the Port of Rotterdam. BLOCKCHAIN MODEL

The term blockchain refers to a 4 list of transaction records, also known as a chain of blocks.

Recipients receive transaction data, which makes them the proprietors of the infor- mation or data

3

Miners (network) supply computing power and verify the transac- tion records

2 inventories. One of the lab’s first pilot Relay (swarm) projects is focused on a manufacturer’s checks and confirms e-bikes. The manufacturer’s bank the legitimacy of the grants it a line of credit, which is transaction data. Block- backed by collateral in the form of bat- chains maintain their teries stored in its warehouse which transparency because they are monitored on have yet to be mounted on bikes. Both the network parties exchange data directly through the blockchain. This is one way the system will create opportunities for 1 new services to be provided at various points in the supply chain. Senders send information and Communication along the data as transactions, supply chain adding to the blockchain

Blockchain technology also creates opportunities to simplify billing and provide intermediate financing at var- The Port Authority of Antwerp is ious stages of the transport chain. At also interested in using blockchain to present, there are often 15 to 20 steps automate container handling. The that have to be taken by various part- technology has the potential to sim- ner companies in order for a single plify communications among the more company to secure financing. To than 30 different players involved, make things worse, fees are incurred including transport companies, con- at every step, adding up to a percent- signers, freight forwarders and drivers. age of the transported items’ value. When goods are transported by con- Using blockchain technology, a single tainer, as much as half of the transport bank could handle the entire financ- costs are attributable to the prepara- ing process from start to finish, which tion of paper-based documentation, so would slash transaction costs by up to blockchain technology could cut costs a third. in a big way. №

29 INNOVATIONS & SOLUTIONS 02 / 18 Think tank and laboratory of the future

Where is artificial intelligence going and how can we benefit from it? Where are big data and Logistics 4.0 taking us? And how can digitalisation support companies in future? A visit to DB Cargo’s amspire lab in Frankfurt.

ncreasing traffic volumes pres- expertise. One of the organisations ent an immense challenge to that is doing this is Deutsche Bahn’s the logistics sector. What’s Asset & Maintenance Digital Lab in more, a company now has to Frankfurt. prove itself in the real world as Iwell as the digital world to win the “Offering customers the global competition. This development support they need” automatically raises questions that need answers now for the survival of The Asset & Maintenance Digital Lab, the logistics sector. How can mobility amspire lab for short, opened at the and logistics have a secure future beginning of 2017, and combines digi- without reducing value added? What tal expertise in asset management and role will sustainability need to play? maintenance with a comprehensive And what can the digitalisation of overview of digital megatrends and asset management, maintenance and state-of-the-art technology: data-sci- related internal processes contribute? ence jobs, high-performance servers Whoever wishes to develop solutions and an Internet of Things platform. to these challenges needs the expertise The lab brings together interdiscipli- of interdisciplinary experts and must nary teams from DB Cargo, DB Heavy pool and proactively manage this Maintenance, DB Long Distance,

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_ A look inside the lab: agile and dynamic collaboration on the Think tank issues of the future. and laboratory of the future

“Our team of data scientists, logis- tics experts and creative minds provides our cus- tomers with the opportunity to experience and help to shape digitalisation­ in asset manage- ment and mainte- nance, concen- trated in one space.”

FABIAN STÖFFLER Vice President Asset Digitisation DB Cargo

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DB Regio, DB Systel and DB System­ technik and external partners to develop future solutions relating to the 1 automation and digitalisation of rolling stock and maintenance processes. Fabian Stöffler, Vice President Asset Digitisation at DB Cargo says: “Topics like the Internet of Things and predictive analytics are fascinating, but also pose major challenges for our customers. We want to provide the “We want opportunity to face up to the digital future today and learn which technolo- the lab to become gies and methods from business intel- ligence, sensor technology and auto- the central hub mation we will be able to use in the for our customers 2 near future to offer our customers the support they need.” for innovative

Agile work in a 250 m² space knowledge ­transfer on The amspire lab is located at the House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM), a asset manage- stone’s throw from Frankfurt Airport. The 250 m² space serves as a think ment digitalisa- tank that unites digital expertise in asset management and maintenance tion and mainte- with the most important digital issues nance.” of our time: big data, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud 3 computing. The lab is a brain pool in STEFFEN BOBSIEN an agile, trend-setting working envi- Senior Vice President European Assetmanagement & Technology ronment. “Our team of data scientists, DB Cargo logistics experts and creative minds provides our customers with the opportunity to experience and help to shape digitalisation in asset manage- ment and maintenance, concentrated in one space”, says Stöffler. “We hope to inspire our customers to join us as we discover the pathways that lead to the digital transformation of their logistics chains. At the same time, the lab‘s working environment should stimulate cooperative, dynamic and agile thinking and working”, he adds. The amspire lab is considered the pre- 1 _ Approaches to mier spot for anyone who wants to solutions are discussed by the team. experience the digital future in asset management and maintenance today 2 _ New sources of and is looking for real-world digital use inspiration: good ideas cases.For this to work at all, Stöffler don’t always come from and his team depend on self-organisa- sitting at a desk. tion, quick decision-making and a _ readiness to take responsibility. This 3 The amspire lab team benefits from is the only type of culture to enable quick decision-making more flexibility and greater speed in and a readiness to take everyday business. personal responsibility.

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4 _ Interdiscipli- nary teams of logis- tics experts, IT 4 specialists and creative minds meet customers’ digital challenges.

“Digitalisation must not be an end in itself.” FACTS AND FIGURES IN BRIEF The heart of the lab is the Asset Intelli- The House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM) is not only well connected digitally. There’s gence Center, the lab‘s own Internet of hardly a single place in Europe that is better to reach than the site at Airport City in Frankfurt. Things platform. This central data and analysis platform collects all the data that is recorded by sensors on locomo- 104 airlines have 4,600 direct flights a week to around 300 destinations in 105 coun- tives and wagons or generated by cam- tries. 183 high-speed trains stop at the ICE station near Airport City each day. And era systems on tracks. One real-world S-Bahn trains connect the centres of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main conurbation every day. The Frankfurter Kreuz, the busiest junction for north-south and east-west motorway example is myRailportal. This web- traffic, is right on the doorstep. based customer portal, which was developed by sales experts, will give DB Cargo customers more reliable fore- casts about when and how their wag- ons will arrive at different stops in the logistics network. It features a custo- misable user interface, which means words. Even more so, it is intended as DB Cargo customers and interested that every user will be able to decide an implementation factory where companies for innovative knowledge what data to display first and in what DB Cargo implements the digital trans- transfer on asset management digitali- form. This example makes one thing formation in asset management specif- sation and maintenance. Gerrit Koch clear. “Digitalisation in rail freight is ically to address concerns and problems to Krax, Head of Wagon Intelligence necessary, but it must not be an end in along the supply chains of its custom- at DB Cargo and team leader at the itself”, says Steffen Bobsien, Senior ers as well as those of interested com- amspire lab explains how this works Vice President European Asset Man- panies. “We aim to support our cus- on page 42 of this issue. № agement & Technology at DB Cargo. tomers in implementing their use cases “It needs to happen at every stage in in the digital transformation age”, says the value chain and must always meet Steffen Bobsien. “That’s why we make our customers’ requirements.” our technical expertise available. We see the lab as the ideal space for crea- Central hub for innovative tivity and innovation, as a place that knowledge­ transfer invites people to think and brainstorm together.” As well as serving as a For this reason, the amspire lab sees venue for meet-ups on issues such as itself not only as a research space con- data science and Industry 4.0, the lab Fabian Stöffler, Vice President Asset Digitization DB Cargo cerned with the latest digital buzz­ is intended as the central hub for [email protected]

33 INNOVATIONS & SOLUTIONS 02 / 18

SAFETY State of the art and fully automatic

The formation yard in cal systems”, explains Laura Dänicke Halle (Saale) will enter ser- from the Cargo Management Region vice in July 2018. It is one East at DB Cargo. “In the future, the yard will consist of one set of reception of the most modern yards of 259,000 m² sidings with eight arrival tracks, one area its type in Europe. Most hump and 36 sorting sidings.” Humps importantly, fully automatic are usually artificial hills that wagons roll over during train formation on gravity shunting offers their way to the desired position; due DB Cargo’s customers more to the falling gradient, only a modicum 42,500 m reliable planning and of energy needs to be expended. track length greater transparency. Twelve tracks will also be fitted with conveyor systems. The sorting sidings are divided into two eastern sections with a track closure at the end, and two 133 western sections that are integrated into the main lines heading in a south- points erly direction.

he operation of a formation yard, also known as a mar- 1 shalling yard, fascinates out­ siders. Trains roll over the hump here as if guided by an Tinvisible hand. In near perfect silence, single wagons on a fan-shaped system of tracks each find their way onto the right train that will take them on the remainder of their journey. The forma- tion yard in Halle has perfected this process even further: operations here will be fully automatic in future.

36 sorting sidings, 8 arrival tracks and 1 hump

Halle’s formation yard has been in existence since 1889. It is a hub for the whole of eastern Germany. In 2011, the German government pledged fed- eral financing for the yard to undergo state-of-the-art modernisation and expansion. “The main task is to renew the track arrangement and all techni-

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More than 42 km of rebuilt track apply the brakes in case of emergency”, says Laura Dänicke. The central com- 2 As part of the modernisation, two elec- puter also sets the route that the wag- tronic interlockings will be set up: one ons travel: “it knows where the wagons to signal to trains running in and out of need to be divided, and sets the points the yard, and the second for the fully accordingly”, Dänicke explains. The automated control of gravity shunting. computer automatically controls the In addition, ancillary infrastructure is facility for pushing down wagons on being renovated and new tracks are the sidings and regulates the braking being built for stabling locomotives. force on the downhill gradient and More than 130 points and 42 km of sorting tracks. The conveyor elements track are being renewed. The timing of that ensure individual wagons are modernisation efforts currently under- pushed to the desired spot also move way will dovetail with work to connect fully automatically and are controlled 3 the new and upgraded Nuremberg– remotely. Berlin line (the German Unity Trans- port Project 8) to the Halle hub. 120 wagons per hour

What gets things rolling: the hump The entire process is monitored from a control computer control room to the south-east of the Berliner Bridge, which runs over the 1 _ Deutsche Bahn _ A system known as a hump control yard. Depending on operational 3 The track bed is investing EUR required 76,000 computer stands at the centre of the requirements, up to four interlocking 180 million in one tons of ballast. fully automatic process at the Halle operators and chief dispatchers of of the most state-of- formation yard. It even coordinates DB Cargo will keep a close eye on oper- the-art marshalling the “humping process”, in which the ations through the glass frontage. yards in Europe. wagon is pushed over a hump a few The system will allow for 120 wagons 2 _ 200,000 m³ of metres in height: “in Halle, this pro- to be sorted in an hour. A total of earth were moved cess is fully automatic; it is merely 100 employees will work at the train during four and a monitored by the drivers, who can formation yard, including shunting half years of con- locomotive drivers, foreman shunters, struction time. wagon inspectors, central order man- agement system staff, train preparers and chief dispatchers. In addition, a hydraulic buffer stop developed espe- cially for the new yard will be used on 16 sorting sidings. It will provide even more safety. “But most importantly, the fully automatic workflows will make our processes qualitatively bet- ter and more robust”, says Dänicke.

“For customers, that translates into Laura Dänicke, Cargo Management Region East, DB Cargo AG more transparency and stability.” № [email protected]

“The fully automatic workflows will make our processes qualitatively better and more robust. For custom- ers, that translates into more transparency and stability.”

LAURA DÄNICKE, Cargo Management Region East at DB Cargo

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Great interest in rail

Based in Frederiksvaerk, the Danish Hydraulic show steel company is just an hour‘s drive from Copenhagen, and is owned by the Russian company Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK). The company employs 400 staff in Denmark and produces of strength 550,000 tonnes of sheet steel every year. “We have a great affinity for rail, but after the 2008 economic crisis we 1 transported a lot of freight on trucks”, explains Martin Dan Jensen, Shipping Manager at NLMK DanSteel. The company has its own logistics depart- ment, which employs around 40 staff. “We were very interested when DB Cargo approached us with a new concept in 2015.” There are two crucial factors in favour of rail transport: competitive prices and an approach that combines reliability and high-speed trains while giving customers broad latitude for planning. That way, the steel manufac- turer can load the wagons at times that fit shift schedules. In the past, doing that with trucks would have been a tall order. NLMK DanSteel has continued to use the existing loading facilities. “Rail is an interesting option for us DB Cargo’s special freight because a lot of customers in Germany wagons win over Danish use it. They often have their own pri- steel manufacturer NLMK vate sidings”, explains Jensen. NLMK for special transports, which is an DanSteel has also kept its siding over DanSteel expensive and time-consuming pro- the years. cess to plan.” Deing, an engineer, has 25 years at DB Cargo under his belt, nnovation in rail freight trans- and he has spent nearly 18 years on the port means digitalisation and loading consultancy and load securing new products, but also advance- team. Today the department provides ments in freight wagons. The customers with advice and training BENEFITS FOR Danish steel manufacturer on how to properly load and unload OUR CUSTOMERS INLMK DanSteel, for example, manu- freight and on all issues related to secur- factures large, wide steel sheets. ing loads on freight wagons. With this DB Cargo has developed special freight wagon model in particular, that is no Large steel sheets can be trans- wagons in order to transport such wide easy matter. Rolling stock needs to be ported thanks to maximum utilisa- plates that exceed the normal rail load- prepared for loading with specific set- tion of the clearance gauge ing gauge. The Slps-u 725 model wag- tings that vary depending on the desti- ons are fitted with a hydraulic tilting nation country’s loading gauge, the Modifying the wagons allows mechanism, which tilts the wide metal smallest track radius at the customer’s packages of sheets up to 200 mm sheets into a position where they can private siding and the relevant line in thickness be transported. “We can use these category. The width and tilt of the wagons to reach places where we loading frame can be set to achieve Load security is improved thanks would otherwise be out of gauge”, says this. Depending on these factors, steel to the wagons’ optimised wooden Christoph Deing. “They save us and sheets up to 4,110 mm wide can be supports. our customers from having to arrange transported as regular consignments.

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European DB Cargo units cooperate closely

“We worked DB Cargo employees in Denmark work very closely with DB Cargo’s Steel NEXT with wagon Logistics Center in Duisburg. The staff there develop appropriate solutions for GENERATION ­management to customers without their own private find a good sidings. They use railports to move The Slps-u type 725 is goods onto trucks and then to custom- an advancement over ­solution for ers. Another key aspect is having the the tried-and-tested special Slps-u 725 wagons available for NLMK DanSteel customers. “We worked with wagon sloping loaders as oper- that would allow management to find a good solution for ated by NLMK DanSteel. NLMK DanSteel that would allow us us to provide to provide enough wagons of this type”, explains Martin S. Price, Account Man- enough wagons ager at DB Cargo Danmark Services. The customer appreciates these of this type.” efforts. “We’ve noticed DB Cargo’s great interest in helping to provide us with MARTIN PRICE solutions that fit”, confirms Jensen. The International Sales Denmark, DB Cargo volume of goods transported could HIGHLIGHTS come close to doubling as soon as the IN FIGURES coming year. №

TRANSPORT OF LARGE STEEL SHEETS

Length max. 19 m Martin Price, International Sales Denmark, DB Cargo [email protected] Maximum width without exceeding

Reduced CO2 emissions the loading gauge 3,970 mm

Because of this, the first trains were If exceeding the loading gauge already operating in 2015 – DB Cargo 5,500 mm had taken over operation of the facility before then. DB Cargo uses around Maximum thickness of the steel 150 of the hydraulic wagons made in sheet packages 200 mm Poland. Twice a week, block trains from Frederiksvaerk make their way to 2 Maschen via Fredericia, for a total of THREE FRONT LOADER FRAMES 46,000 tonnes in 2017. From Maschen, WITH A MAXIMUM the wagons are transported to the cus- TOTAL LOAD OF 57.5 T tomer on DB Cargo’s single wagonload network. This also eliminates nearly Front loaders 1 and 3 (outside):

2,000 trips by truck and the CO2 emis- maximum 28.5 t sions they would have produced. Front loader 2 (centre): “Our aim is to design our transport maximum 40.0 t 1 _ The steel sheets are to be sustainable”, says Jensen. Since used in shipbuilding, in Frederiksvaerk has its own port, NLMK the transport sector and DanSteel exports 65% of its products in turbine construction. LOADERS CAN BE TILTED by ship. The steel-maker now wants to HYDRAULICALLY UP TO 50° expand its partnership with DB Cargo. 2 _ The hydraulic (CENTRE LOADER UP TO 60°), A new dispatch area is to serve as a tilting mechanism of CHANGE OF POSITION TAKES the Slps-u 725 sloping temporary store and logistics hub. loader enables large APPROX. 5 MINUTES. DB Cargo is working with its customer steel sheets to be trans- to prepare for a third weekly departure. ported.

37 CUSTOMERS & MARKETS 02 / 18

Development on equal terms

38 02 / 18 CUSTOMERS & MARKETS

Sharing ideas, specific requests, tangible ­feedback – with the Freight Wagon Innovation Workshop in Paderborn, DB Cargo offers its customers­ a direct line to the company’s experts.

2

n the more than one-hun- dred-year-old industrial building located in the north of Paderborn, it smells of fresh paint – and innovation is in the air. The contrast between old and new focuses the mind, making the maintenance Idepot the ideal venue for the third Freight Wagon Innovation Workshop hosted by DB Cargo. Here the develop- ment engineers have an opportunity goes one step further: “We want to to showcase the trains of tomorrow bring a benefit to our customers in the and beyond. But above all, the devel- shortest time possible. Such develop- opers can also show that they have ments can only be achieved together”. understood what their customers want and need. Each of the technical inno- Dialogue with customers vations presented here is the result of a specific, practical customer require- Customers of DB Cargo appreciate this ment. Modular wagons with flexible commitment. Numerous participants 1 superstructures, Sahimms coil trans- from every large steel company in port wagons with sensor technology Germany accepted the invitation to and the myRailportal customer por- the maintenance depot in Paderborn – Development 1 _ A fitting backdrop: the tal – all solutions that can be used to even guests from abroad made the trip maintenance depot in Pader- perfect the customers’ supply chain. specifically for the workshop. Bert born with its over one-hundred- “We don’t do our development work in Kloppert, Head of Railway Freight year-old building. isolation. For us, what our customers Purchasing, thyssenkrupp Steel 2 _ Opening of the Third truly need is important”, says Jürgen Europe, knows why: “In 2014 we ­Innovation Workshop by Bosse, Head of myRailportal and Cus- assessed the first joint prototypes. Dr Jörg Hilker. tomer Integration, as he explains the We saw that DB Cargo listens closely on equal terms advantages of the IT platform to inter- and takes our feedback seriously.” ested customers. Dr Jörg Hilker, Head Kloppert is referring to a comprehen- of Industrial Sales at DB Cargo AG, sive system designed to protect

39 CUSTOMERS & MARKETS 02 / 18

4

“The freight wagon is the logistics interface to customers’ 3 _ The freight wagon of the products”. future: connected and equipped 5 with extensive sensor technology. DR JÖRG HILKER, Head of Industrial Sales, DB Cargo AG 4 _ Improved coil transporters make day-to-day business easier for Bert Kloppert.

5 _ Keynote speech by Mario Carl, innofreight 3 Germany GmbH.

6 _ Modernised coil transport wagons with sensor technology.

6

40 02 / 18 CUSTOMERS & MARKETS

steel coils from the weather condi- Logistics 4.0 tions and to increase the coil wagons’ 7 operating safety and ease of operation. In addition to hard steel, hard figures The fact that professionals from and data play an important role in other logistics partners and wagon hire ­general at the Innovation Workshop ­companies also took up the invitation 2018 – not so much in the exhibits underscores DB Cargo’s innovation themselves, where the focus is on the leadership in the market. A further tangible and concrete, but certainly result of previous workshops: for the in the accompanying presentations. first time, DB Cargo is offering its wag- “From the customers’ perspective, ons as modular units, thereby separat- Logistics 4.0 is still on shaky ground”, ing the superstructure from the under- notes Bert Kloppert, who heads rail- 7 _ The InnoWaggon carriage. The wagon is now assembled way freight purchasing at thyssenk- with steel pallets is the in the ordered size at the factory and rupp Steel Europe. But Gerrit Koch to new, weight-optimised, then equipped with the appropriate Krax, Head of Wagon Intelligence at low-noise container attachment. In addition to maximum DB Cargo AG, is already working with wagon from Innofreight. flexibility, the biggest advantage of his team to make Logistics 4.0 tangible, this method for customers is that new and above all useful, for customers. superstructures do not necessitate The wagons of the future will ­collect individual approval. This saves time and transmit large quantities of data. and money. The best examples of An ambitious goal: by 2020, DB Cargo new modular wagons of this type are plans to have its complete freight wagon the BraCoil wagon and the container fleet equipped with Asset Intelligence. wagon with coil stillages. And a trend The real skill here lies in packaging the for further workshops is also emerging: data collected in this manner into logic irrespective of the wagon category, more that is equally useful for process con- and more specific ideas and applications trol, transport, and maintenance. That are being developed for making practi- means the ability to use powerful cal use of sensor technology and data. data flows internally but also making such data available to the customer in a transparent manner. This calls for MVP – MINIMAL VIABLE incremental steps in development PRODUCT work to ensure that the final applica- tion fully meets the requirements of staff and customers. “We already sup- IDEA ply MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), _ which are tested in cooperation with Provide the first viable version of a product with the essential core our colleagues. This means we already functions offer added value,” says Gerrit Koch to Krax, referring to the minimum viable _ Further develop the product incre- version of a product. № mentally based on feedback until the “In previous finished product is obtained

workshops, GOAL we saw that _ Avoid products that customers do not want or need, or that do not provided DB Cargo listens added value or are not helpful for the customer closely and _ takes our feed- Test with low development overheads back seriously.” _ Deliver to users as early as possible _ Create a basis for other products if this one is rejected BERT KLOPPERT, Head of Railway Freight Purchasing, _ Demonstrate production and develop- thyssenkrupp Steel Europe Dr Jörg Hilker, Head of Industrial Sales, DB Cargo AG ment expertise [email protected]

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THE AMSPIRE LAB SO WHAT DOES IT DO? The digital challenges and requirements of DB Cargo customers are right at the top of the agenda at the amspire lab in Frankfurt. Gerrit Koch to Krax, Head of Wagon Intelligence at DB Cargo, explains what this entails.

e at Deutsche Bahn have a wide range of labs which deal with various meth- ods of digitalisation. At the House of Logistics Wand Mobility in Frankfurt, we work on asset management and maintenance and the digitalisation of related pro- cesses. That is why our lab is also called the Asset & Maintenance Digi- tal Lab. Our name and our aim to be a real source of inspiration is where we get our “amspire” nickname. The lab opened in early 2017, and since that time a team some 50 strong has been going the proverbial extra mile to meet our customers’ digital challenges and requirements. Basically we are an agile network of rail experts, IT specialists, experts in digital trans- formation and data scientists. We work with in-house and external customers to develop innovative use cases on the automation and digitalisation of loco- motives, wagons and maintenance pro- of our vehicles or their components cesses at DB Cargo. This collaborative and thus optimise operating processes co-working approach provides us with and reduce their cost. By 2020 we and direct feedback and helpful input for the amspire lab aim to equip DB Cargo’s our products. After all, our top priority entire freight wagon fleet – about is to focus on our customers. Always. 90,000 wagons throughout Europe – “Our customers Our Wagon Intelligence project is with smart sensors and telematics one of the exciting driving forces behind ­systems. And we plan to make the have very specific the digitalisation processes for our amspire lab the leading think tank for wagons. Sensors constantly send data asset management and maintenance ideas when it about the condition of the wagon, for for companies of all kinds and for comes to the example its load status, the tempera- ­scientists and researchers throughout ture or humidity inside the wagon, and Germany. № practical use of of course the location of our vehicle. This data is then pooled in the “brain” data.” of our lab, the Asset Intelligence Center, an Internet of Things platform. GERRIT KOCH TO KRAX We can also analyse the live data of Head of Wagon Intelligence, DB Cargo AG each individual wagon in real time.

This in turn enables us to create Gerrit Koch to Krax, Head of Wagon Intelligence, DB Cargo AG detailed diagnoses of the performance [email protected]

42 02 / 18 LOOKING AHEAD & PUBLISHING DETAILS

PUBLISHING DETAILS PUBLISHED BY DB Cargo Marketing Edmund-Rumpler-Strasse 3 60549 Frankfurt, Germany RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT Sebastian Schilling (responsible under German press law), Senior Vice-President of Sales Development and Marketing Thorsten Meffert, Vice-President of Marketing Uta Kadow, Head of Marketing and ­Communication PROJECT MANAGER Zekiye Tulgar +49 (0) 69 265-34439 [email protected] CONCEPT/DESIGN MPM Corporate Communication Solutions, Mainz, Germany EDITORS MPM Corporate Communication Solutions, Mainz, Germany _ High-performing PHOTO CREDITS and one of a kind: Photo: Klaus Heinrich, 3D visualisation: the DB Cargo network. vectorvision 32, 33 | Oliver Tjaden: p. 2, 3 | Michael Neuhaus: p. 5, 38, // LOOKING AHEAD 39, 40, 41, 43 | Olivier Hess: p. 5, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Oliver Lang: p. 6, | Tiana Kolzter: p. 24, 27 | Aeroview­ b.v.: p. 28, 29 | Adobe Stock: Titel, p. 12, PERFECTLY CONNECTED, 13, 14, 15 | The Nounprojekt: p. 7, 11, 21, 34, 37,42 EUROPE-WIDE PRINTERS DB Kommunikationstechnik GmbH The DB Cargo network is one of a kind. Akazienweg 9, 76287 Rheinstetten (Baden), Germany ISSN 1867-9668 The German railway network alone is some 33,200 kilometres long, making it the longest To protect the environment, network in Europe. DB Cargo moves some 4,350 freight trains and over a million metric this publication was printed on tons of freight a day, and not just in Germany. Sixty per cent of transports cross at least eco-friendly paper. one national border. But it’s not only the size that makes the network so unique and effective. Even more so, it is the ideal scope and perfect capacity utilisation – for each DB CARGO ONLINE and every customer and their own transport. Read about all that DB Cargo does to offer www.dbcargo.com the best solution, regardless of the customer’s industry, whether it needs one single wagon or a block train, and whether or not it has its own private siding. What’s more, INFORMATION FOR a new dispatching structure ensures even greater reliability. Read more in NEW CUSTOMERS our interview with Michael Anslinger, Board Member for Production at DB Cargo AG DB Cargo AG. Using different loading technology, DB Cargo also ensures Masurenallee 33 that customers’ freight is expertly loaded and unloaded at all times and 47005 Duisburg, Germany in all places – using a variety of special wagons – and that nearly any cargo can be transported by rail. We will be introducing this extensive E-mail: neukundenservice@ vehicle fleet in our new series, starting with this issue. deutschebahn.com­ Service hotline for new customers: Telephone: +49 (0) 203 9851-9000 SUBSCRIBE TO RAILWAYS [email protected]

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