Photo: Shutterstock the future the truck of Designing VI limits, which only a few years ago were still considered unattainable.considered still were ago years few a only which limits, VI dustry needs to meet the pending Tier in- 4 fithe time, same nalthe emissionAt standardsimperatives. ecologicaland Euroand economic to heed equal pay that practice into put and conceived be to have technologies new protection, climate and growth economic between tension of the zone in Yet units. million 3.27 to 5% some by 2012 in grow to forecast is markettruck the Worldwide, Europe. Western in 250,000 approximately timates that registrations of new trucks in the over-six-ton class will reach 2012 alone, the Association of the German Automobile Industry (VDA) es- For growth. continued to pointsigns the increasing,allfreight of volume the With years. few exciting an for in is industry vehiclecommercial The burden. R&D the relieve to help can KSPG like suppliersspecialist Here, essary for this imposes heavy demands on the entire valued-added chain. safer, cleaner and more efficient. Achieving the technical innovations nec- KSPG – SYSTEM PARTNER “PAR EXCELLENCE” PARTNER –SYSTEM KSPG msin o ntoe oie (NO oxide nitrogen of emissions for force into comes standard VI Euro obligatory the instance, for 2014, ary nitrogen Janu- in Starting standards. and emission particle of tightening levels will be impossible. Not only only Not impossible. be will levels these reaching vehicles, off-road and on- in components recirculation gas respectively. 83% and 97% by emissions of NO of emissions automotive cut will measures these 2025, by VDA, to According 97%. to to Compared up by reduced be to have (PM). these 1999 particles and Die Zeitung des -Konzerns These two laws both entail a further a further entail both laws two These /Neuss. Without systematic use of exhaust exhaust of use systematic Without x and PM in Germany Germany in PM and The commercial vehicles of tomorrow will have to be x ) maintenance maintenance asreasonabletive processes just as impera- manufacturing effective makes This kilometer. per costs running full the i.e., ownership, ofcosts total own procuring a new truck, the focus here is every cent counts. Besides the price of the highly competitive trucking sector, In contradiction. crass in stand kets a of trucks and production velopment costs. maintenance asreasonabletive processes just as impera- manufacturing effective makes This kilometer. per costs running full the i.e., ownership, ofcosts total own procuring a new truck, the focus here is every cent counts. Besides the price of the highly competitive trucking sector, In contradiction. crass in stand kets proposition. expensive more a of trucks and production velopment de- the makes also it train: drive the of complexity the increase this does Moreover, the signals from the mar- the from signals the Moreover, Moreover, the signals from the mar- the from signals the Moreover, duty and heavy-duty applications applications heavy-duty and duty medium- light-duty, wider: is vehicles sector commercial the in cations appli- of spectrum the segment, car financed R&D. internally in engage to units KSPG for unusual not is it re- requirements, the lated meet can they sure make to GmbH: Kolbenschmidt KS from tems sys- piston complete to applies same The sector. vehicle commercial of requirements stringent the increasingly the meet to employed fully success- be can mulat- pany’s the com- nology; tech- tion recircula- gas haust ex- vehicle passenger in experience duty and heavy-duty applications applications heavy-duty and duty medium- light-duty, wider: is vehicles sector commercial the in cations appli- of spectrum the segment, car fl passenger ow the mass to Compared sensors. gas exhaust and valves exhaust valves, EGR of development the with forward pushing tematically financed R&D. internally in engage to units KSPG for unusual not is it re- requirements, the lated meet can they sure make to GmbH: Kolbenschmidt KS from tems sys- piston complete to applies same The sector. vehicle commercial of requirements stringent the increasingly the meet to employed fully success- be can e s i t per- ex- ed mulat- accu- pany’s the com- nology; tech- tion recircula- gas haust ex- vehicle passenger in longstanding experience its on draw to able GmbH is Pierburg example, For point. in case a are units Mechatronics and suppliers. parts from systems plete can com- buying by money and time makers save truck small, paratively iscom- produced units of number the Even though makers. truck for helpful be can 1990s, mid the since eration coop- of form dominant the become has partnership system sector, where car passenger the in done are things Pierburg in particular has been sys- been has particular in Pierburg Pierburg in particular has been sys- been has particular in Pierburg KSPG’s newly Hardparts established way the at look a situation, this In each have their own own their have each each have their own own their have each product lifetime lifetime product product lifetime lifetime product requirements requirements requirements requirements which have have which which have have which to be taken taken be to to be taken taken be to into account into account velopment. velopment. de- during velopment. velopment. de- during ot fr omril eil manu- vehicle commercial for costs reduces systems building-block gent space. lation to into be a integrated complex instal- has that actuators chanical electrome- has manifold intake the play: into comes technology manifold intake in years the over accumulated has burg Pier- competence the Here, heavy-duty engines. and medium- light-, for coolers EGR and bodies throttle trical able manner. manner. able require- a reli- priced, reasonably ment-driven, in technology equipped this be with can perfor- category kW mance 50-to-560 the in gines En- design. intermeshing precisely compact, a in combined are – sors sen- mass exhaust and valves reed to coolers EGR and valves EGR ranging from – blocks building relevant that fact individual components from the in lies here advantage The ucts. modules consisting prod- of Pierburg exhaust complete for foundation the form mixers or coolers EGR market, diesel commercial the For facturers. manu- vehicle commercial for costs reduces systems building-block gent space. lation to into be a integrated complex instal- has that actuators chanical electrome- has manifold intake the play: into comes technology manifold intake in years the over accumulated has burg Pier- competence the Here, heavy-duty engines. and medium- light-, for coolers EGR and bodies throttle trical elec- valves, exhaust valves, EGR as such products common modify to ble possi- it makes market car passenger cesses. pro- logistical and manufacturing the of complexity the reducing as well as costs, application and development manufacturers’ in reduction of stantial sub- a enables integration components various system consistent de- Here, vehicles. commercial for signed specially modules cooler plete In addition, putting together intelli- together putting In addition, In addition, putting together intelli- together putting In addition, the in gained experience Finally, com- supplies Pierburg Moreover, always been viewed as the the as viewed been always always been viewed as the the as viewed been always basis for a module with with module a for basis basis for a module with with module a for basis sion norms. sion norms. requirements, but which – even more more even – which but requirements, customer to precisely conforms not only which system single a create to combined are These rods. connecting tons, piston rings, cylinders, bolts and commercial vehicles consisting of pis- Kolbenschmidt for systems KS piston complete supplies KSPG. by made fi CO cient andvehicles future fuel-ef- for customers of quirements re- evolving steadily the meet that systems piston innovative looking, forward- offer to ability the is ances alli- these of objective The liances. al- global in partners selected work with to prefers Kolbenschmidt KS results, the andtechnical logistical best achieve to order In of pistons. the manufacture and development including system, complete the for oil consumption. low continuously as well as friction less 18% in result ner requirements, but which – even more more even – which but requirements, customer to precisely conforms not only which system single a create to combined are These rods. connecting tons, piston rings, cylinders, bolts and commercial vehicles consisting of pis- Kolbenschmidt for systems KS piston complete supplies KSPG. by made measures. assurance quality or system the into components dividual in- integrating about worry to having – system manufacturer automobile the without gas exhaust made- to-measure a is result the a source, single from all years, the over perfected been have that components veloped de- fully selecting By review. sequent sub- to subject is application entire opti- the assuring performance, and durability mum as well as longevity for requirements standard the meet This applies to engine components components engine to applies This KS Kolbenschmidt is responsible responsible is Kolbenschmidt KS This applies to engine components components engine to applies This used parts the all Tothat makesure Issue 1/2012 importantly – has been been has – importantly importantly – has been been has – importantly optimized with regard regard with optimized optimized with regard regard with optimized o rcin and friction to o rcin and friction to Stefan Schlott consumption. consumption. consumption. consumption. n hs man- this in n hs man- this in optimized optimized systems systems systems systems 2 Piston Piston Piston Piston

emis- fhe Neuss. “Our goal is equal treatment for all cylinders,” quips Dr. Karl Wübbeke, Head of Sales in the Commercial Diesel Systems Unit of Pier- burg. “Exhaust that’s well mixed in the fresh airfl ow not only reduces the nitrogen oxide component but also limits particle formation during Not everybody combustion.” Any differences in air proportion should here be limited to less than 3%, according to the experts for pollutant reduction in utility vehicle engines. This necessitates an exceedingly complex control sys- likes it hot tem with a multitude of parameters in everyday engine use and poses challenges for the development departments of OEMs and suppliers. New sensor measures Just the right hot gas fl ows directly in exhaust gas msc Berlin. Exact measurement The sensor is capable of resisting and control of exhaust gas is indis- the attendant oscillation stress and pensable for enabling optimum en- is self-cleaning. The cleaning proce- gine calibration with regard to fuel dure takes place at temperatures of mixture . . . consumption and CO , NO and par- up to 650°C, at which organic mate- 2 x ticle emissions. Pierburg has devel- rial can be removed effectively. This A homogenous mix of exhaust and fresh air oped a sensor that permits precise is important for maintaining sensor measurement in the ambient high accuracy. The full CAN bus-capable temperature of exhaust gas fl ows. sensor enables the OBD diagnostics The fi rst sensor systems – designed required under current emission leg- for both on- and off-road operation islation. It goes into serial produc- – go into serial production at Pier- tion at Pierburg’s Berlin plant at the burg’s plant in Berlin at the begin- beginning of 2013. ning of 2013.

Photo: Michael Rennertz Direct measurement of the emission In order to directly control the ex- mass fl ow produces a closed-loop haust gas mass, it is necessary to control circuit. The resulting precise measure it in advance. Because un- control of the exhaust gas mass rep- til now EGR mass fl ows tended to resents more than just another step be measured indirectly and existing toward meeting Euro 6 norms: it lays solutions weren’t always suitable the groundwork for fulfi lling even for this purpose, Pierburg has devel- tougher standards in the future. oped an exhaust gas sensor that is robust enough to withstand harsh exhaust gases. Technically speaking, the new com- ponent is based on the principle of hot-wire anemometry, which is already used in air mass sensors as a means of ensuring ad- equate durabil- ity. The Pierburg sensor consists Dr. Karl Wübbeke points out: “An EGR cooling unit module for utility vehicles and of two ceramic car- industrial applications has to fulfi ll extreme requirements in terms of durability.” riers fi tted with plat- inum temperature In the utility vehicle sector, engines use and can sometimes alter very sensors and a are nowadays operated at relatively quickly, you can then understand how heating coil. high exhaust gas recirculation rates, much science lies behind these engine especially in the upper load ranges. characteristics that play into air appor- They can currently even reach as high tionment,” says Wübbeke. At the same msc Neckarsulm. The English word ‘alloy’ ultimately derives from as 30% of the cylinder charging. time, he also sees this as a necessary the Latin alligare, meaning ‘to bind’ or ‘to combine’. This makes sense Especially for large-volume utility ve- reason for integrating an exhaust gas when you consider that the aluminum alloys used for manufacturing hicle engines, the problem arises that mass fl ow sensor within the feedback pistons consist of a blend of different ingredients whose exact for- each cylinder must have precisely the control system. mula manufacturers safeguard as if it were the Philosopher’s Stone, same exhaust proportion, because And that’s not all: In addition to the which medieval alchemists believed could turn any metal to gold. any variance in the exhaust admixture necessary high control rate and exact KSPG’s new diesel piston alloy, KS 312, may not turn to gold, but it’s per cylinder bears the risk of increased position control, the aerodynamic de- nearly as valuable: its micro structure with nano-phase is extremely particle emissions. sign and orientation of the back-pres- robust, making it a match for modern durability specifi cations. This sure valves (so-called reed valves) and To prevent this, Pierburg relies on makes it especially well suited for use in high-loaded truck engines. its decades of experience in confi gur- the subsequent mixing section are ing the airfl ow rate in intake manifolds also crucial for homogenous blending and blending exhaust into the fresh of the exhaust. airfl ow. This however entails strict The Pierburg mixer modules are monitoring of a multitude of necessary therefore optimized with the help of Piston alloy goes ‘nano’ factors. real fl ow rate measurements and CFD These factors include a very high (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and New technology improves piston durability control rate and control quality, as well subsequently validated in engine tri- as exact position control of actuators als. Wübbeke: “Our goal is to have “KS 312 is characterized by the in the temperature-critical bowl rim, operating in split-second intervals. pressure resistance as low as possible formation of a very fi ne structure, KS Kolbenschmidt engineers suc- along the entire exhaust gas recircula- Controlling and synchronization of further reinforced by nano-phased ceeded in substantially surpassing tion section and at the same time to Pierburg components thereby takes intermetallic precipitates. These the already high thermal tensile place on the basis of highly complex avoid additional fl ow losses. We’ve therefore tested our mixer modules in result in signifi cantly increased re- strength of the KS 1295 alloy. control models, which the manufac- sistance during the thermal cycle turer guards like gold. various ways and also use CFD tech- The results of extensive testing nology as a reliable tool for optimizing as well as to oscillation stress at show that in the new diesel piston Here the only thing generally known the exhaust gas recirculation system. high temperatures”, reports Ralf alloy KS 312, the tensile strength is that air pressure, moisture and tem- That also helps us to drastically cut Buschbeck, Vice President Devel- of the piston exceeds that of the perature exert an infl uence, as well as our trial and application efforts and opment & Technology. “The new current serially produced piston internal engine conditions like load expenditures for the entire EGR sys- characteristics mean greater pis- alloy KS 1295 by over 20% at a and exhaust back pressure and the tem.” ton reliability and longevity, which increased pressure generated by the component temperature of 300°C. In addition, mixer modules also serve is particularly important given the particle fi lter. Along with additional pa- Also signifi cant is the increase in as the basis for other modules and long operating lifetime of truck en- rameters, exhaust system aging char- thermal shock resistance: thermal components, like EGR valves and EGR gines”, adds Buschbeck. acteristics and even the sooting of the shock tests revealed an improve- cooling units, throttle valve connection cooling unit are also ultimately taken Purely from the chemical and ma- ment of more than 60%. This was fi ttings, and reed valves. Pierburg also into account in assessing exhaust gas terials engineering standpoint, it achieved by optimizing the chemi- tests these components in combina- recirculation. proved possible to double the num- cal composition as well as through tion and supplies them as customized, ber of precipitated Al3Zr / Al3V nano better process engineering. With “If you now also consider that these ready-to-install modules. Throughout phases, and thus to signifi cantly regard to materials development, values constantly the process, all current engine and increase the tensile strength in the KS Kolbenschmidt already at- fl uctuate in customer-specifi c requirements are daily considered in the design and produc- temperature zone relevant to the tained an important milestone in tion. In particular, the modules must bowl rim. Together with excellent 2009 when the KS 309 piston alloy fulfi ll very demanding seal tightness casting and fl ow properties and the for passenger car gasoline engines requirements which, among oth- formation of a fi ner micro structure was introduced. er things, are necessary for an automatic end-of-line test (cold test) of the engines. In the mean- time, renowned customers world- in motion wide have come Publisher: Responsible: to trust and KSPG AG Peter Rücker, value the expe- Karl-Schmidt-Str., D-74172 Neckarsulm Folke Heyer, rience of Pierburg www.kspg.com Rolf-D. Schneider in this area. Photo: Dan Boman/Scania Photo: Thomas Klink Thomas Photo: systems systems in the last several years. atically optimized power cylinder veloping,and producing system- competencyits at designing, de- pany has consistently developed com- the addition, In vehicles. for commercial and passenger modern both pistons of high-performance manufacture the business: core its on centrates con- especially GmbH schmidt Kolben- KS in technology, experience piston of years eighty msc Neckarsulm. Neckarsulm. msc With over over With achieved in the comercial vehicle sector with the the with sector vehicle comercial the in achieved reliably be can this Kolbenschmidt, this KS in At optimized regard. be must and friction engine to contribute system piston the within All components us.” for goal signifi development a cant be to continues and therefore friction Technology, “Reducing concludes: & Development President Vice Buschbeck, Ralf says consumption,” fuel on tion fric- infl of the uence increases and this further range, erational in decreases the load partial op- effi of degree mechanical ciency of 10% The output. the indicated power to up to full amount at load losses frictional rpms, Cylinder Liners. GKN with low oil consumption a from originated cooperation for cylinders Slide-honed NPR. manufacturer nese for Japa- the with alliance an rings, through arose example, piston low-friction The Unit. Business Pistons the of President Sagel, Dr.Alexander says n fl l uue CO future fulfill and demands customer changing to correspond that piston systems and forward-looking fer innovative global alliances. The goal of these alliances of is to context of- the within partners selected with work to prefer we results, logistical and technical best the to In achieve order of pistons. the manufacture and development the and system entire the for ity oil consumption. low same the maintaining while friction to reduced 18% up features system piston schmidt-optimized Kolben- KS the all, in All consumption. fuel reduce is and but also especially optimized thus to lower friction requests customer individual suit to lored tai- only not is that system a into these combines and rods, piston and pins, cylinders, rings, piston pistons, with systems piston complete offers turer “At an engine speed of 2000 2000 of speed engine an “At K Kleshit ee sue responsibil- assumes here Kolbenschmidt “KS manufac- the sector vehicle commercial the In KSPG or pno wih in factors which opinion your atclr r diig innova- driving are particular tion in the fi eld of contempo- fi of the eld in tion rary piston technology? technology? piston rary drivers of innovation for new innovation of for drivers main the be to continue they and diesel-powered engines, piston technologies in mod- in technologies piston seeI it, As role. major a play n atclr avne in advances particular, In engines. diesel and gas ern as well as CO as well as downsizing, like things utn fe consumption fuel cutting and exhaust on limits tory manda- meeting for jection in- fuel direct and charging Sagel: Sagel: maker, and simple pure … h dvlpet f piston of development the Kolbenschmidt is a piston piston a is Kolbenschmidt KS systems. piston about tribute to reaching these these goals. reaching to con- tribute definitely bearings pins, connecting rods and rods connecting pins, piston rings, piston tons, pis- of consisting systems ets i odr o design, to order in pertise rae is ytm ex- system in- its steadily creased has years Sagel: Sagel:

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made in Neckarsulm! fiso, the do – to company German rst premium automaker German a of half our global sales. global our of 50% over for accounts now which region, Asian the in positioned well extremely we’re that say India, to fair it’s so and Japan in stories success to point also can We there. capacity production our expanding nifi cantly sig- be we’ll years few next the Over been going strength from to it’s strength. then since and – short for KSSP – Ltd. Co. Piston Kolben- Shanghai schmidt company venture joint the up set we ’97, in Back China. in neer pio- Group’s KSPG the was company the fact, In Kolbenschmidt. KS for ket this? of advantage able to take Kolbenschmidt KS is – anywhere ing Asian The countries are among world? the grow- fastest the around kets mar- regional different the for nosis KSPG Sagel: Sagel:

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Photo: Volvo Truck Corporation msc Neckarsulm. Leaded – i.e. lead-containing – three- containing bearings with lead-bronze base materials layer bearings were long considered to be the epitome of and leaded electroplated overlays, displays signifi cant- robustness in critical applications, meeting practically ly higher levels of durability and resistance to wear. The The every requirement with regard to adaptability, fail-safe good thing about this was that right from the start, only capability, particle compatibility, until the EU end-of-life minor compromises with regard to seizure resistance vehicle regulations came into effect, whose require- and particle compatibility were necessary, and there ments for lead-free components confronted developers was no adverse impact on adaptability.” power and users with an entirely new set of requirements. The new materials are applied to a steel backbone, a “When development of lead-free electroplated bear- dynamic, highly loadable yet ductile bronze alloy as well ing types fi rst got underway, it was relatively easy to as two electro-plated layers: a nickel barrier for prevent- exceed the specifi c load capacity and wear resistance ing diffusion and a tin-copper running or run-in layer. of of the lead-containing variants”, recalls Klaus Damm, In order to obtain an optimum balance between ten- Head of the Application Engineering, Product Design sile strength, adaptability and/or particle compatibility, and Quality unit. “At the same time, we had to get to the material system comes in two galvanic layer thick- grips right away with disadvantages of the very char- nesses. The galvanic layer with a thickness of ten mi- acteristics that make this type of bearing so robust”, crometers results in especially high tensile strength, ex- coatings adds Damm. The problem was solved by adjusting ceeding that of lead-containing electroplated bearings the thickness of the galvanic coatings: this resulted in by some 30%. great robustness as well as enabling the creation of a If, on the other hand, the applications require en- characteristic profi le carefully tailored for the intended hanced adaptability and particle compatibility, a 16-mi- purpose. crometer-thick electroplated coating can also be imple- Traditionally, three- layer electroplated bearings have mented. The tensile strength attained with this variant been used in truck crankshafts. As Damm notes, “In the is still well above that of leaded three-layerplain bear- lead-free bearing domain, KS Gleitlager has already had ings. These two characteristic layer designs make sure a product for a long time which, as compared to lead- that the optimum bearing is available.

msc Neckarsulm. Sputter bearings can take a ings are commonly requested for cost reasons, tion resistance. Besides fatigue strength, ro- To make the X20V plain bearings even more fair amount of punishment – these plain-type thicker fi lms offer clear advantages in terms bustness is the most important characteristic resistant for special applications, the sputter bearings with PVD-coating, commonly known of mixed friction resistance, adaptability and for the high load-carrying sputter bearing and layer thickness was increased from 10 to 16 µm. as “sputter bearings”, are the highest-per- particle compatibility. In short: robustness essential for its proper function. This heading The increase shows clear robustness reserves forming variety of bearing in existence. Their under extreme boundary conditions increases generally encompasses product characteris- in tests: both the adaptability and the particle secret lies in an aluminum-tin alloy applied as with thicker overlays. The high-performance tics such as seizure resistance, adaptability tolerability are considerably improved through a sputter coat onto the bearing base material, the thicker sputter overlay. giving rise to an extremely wear-resistant slid- ing layer system. Thanks to the special overlay Further advantages are shown in the seizure coating, sputter bearings experience minimal Thick skin battling mixed friction tests, especially as a function of the quality of abrasion, exhibit high resistance to scuffi ng the crankshaft surface. It is well known that and mixed friction and feature extremely high both seizure and wear resistance are reduced fatigue resistances. sputter bearing X20V from KS Gleitlager was and particle tolerability. Sputter layer devel- through higher roughness of the shaft sur- In practice, sputter bearings fi nd need in developed for heavily loaded passenger and opment of past years has moreover shown face. When using X20V16 material with thicker passenger and utility vehicle diesel engines utility vehicle engines and is newly available that one can further enhance both fatigue overlay, the seizure loads can be maintained especially where the conrod bearing shells are in two sputter layer thicknesses of 10 and 16 strength and robustness with improved over- – even in cases of pronounced shaft rough- subject to extreme loads due to high ignition µm respectively. These options enable an op- lays like the V-type (AlSn25Cu2.5) deposited ness – on the high level of the thinner-overlay pressures. Although very thin sputter fi lm coat- timum balance of load capacity and mixed fric- on the high-performance brass material X20. material X20V10.

Discovering

Low-pressure die casting facilitates complex components

msc Neckarsulm. Whether they’re Compared to mass produced gear- Klimesch points out, “Automated designed for transporting freight or boxes, which rely on high pressure coating of sand cores results in a people, the requirements imposed die casting, this special housing in- very even surface quality in the on commercial vehicles continue to cludes several functions that result sand core area. By the same token, rise. Besides improved performance in undercuts in the interior, explains the process represents ongoing with regard to reliability and dura- Dr. Christian Klimesch, responsible improvement of our competence in bility on the part of manufacturers, for Development and Technology at this fi eld.” legislators pass laws limiting emis- ATAG. “On account of these under- Apart from expertise in casting sions. One way of reducing fuel con- cuts, the gearbox can’t be produced technology, ATAG also displays a sumption and emissions is to make using the high pressure die cast tech- high degree of specialized skill in vehicles that weigh less. KS Alu- nique”, adds Dr. Klimesch. the design of tools. For example, minium-Technologie GmbH (ATAG) Therefore, low-pressure casting this project also succeeded in de- is currently producing a gearbox for is the only way to produce complex picting spatially ordered, precast a well-known commercial vehicles components with undercut geom- drill holes. Thanks to the technology OEM that is slated to go into serial etries and high tensile strengths. employed, component designers en- production before end of 2012. Its At the same time, multipart sand joy a greater degree of freedom, en- low weight and innovative casting cores make it possible to produce abling them to design components technique in the manufacturing pro- oil ducts that eliminate the need that are more compact, lighter, and cess makes it a standout. for elaborate fi nishing work. As Dr. thus more effi cient. Photos: Thomas Klink (2)/Christoph Schuhknecht ann Neuss. With its mechatronic products for air supply and diesel motor emissions reduction, the “Commercial Diesel Systems” (CDS) unit of Pierburg GmbH is addressing the challenge for utility vehicles posed by increasing exhaust emissions regulations for utility vehicles. The editorial staff of “KSPG in motion” spoke with CDS Head Dr. Andreas Müller about growth opportunities, synergy advantages derived from the passenger vehicle sector and the customer benefi ts that result from a comprehensive product portfolio coupled with high technical compe- tency in consulting and applications. The 49-year-old manager has been working for Pierburg since 1999 and assumed leadership of “Commercial Diesel Systems” and its 81 current employees at the beginning of 2012.

KSPG in motion: Dr. Müller, KSPG in motion: Does that exclu- sector. Our components and modules how has the order situation sively apply to the heavy-duty sector? offer customers various possibilities in the Pierburg utility vehicle Müller: Our DC engine-powered for reacting to the new requirements. segment been looking since poppet valves, which were derived Together with the customer, we often the beginning of 2012? from passenger vehicle applications, develop a suitable system confi gura- Müller: Our business is very are for example also well established tion that optimally utilizes the special strongly determined by the emissions in the low and medium-duty applica- advantages of our product. legislation cycle. We are working very tions sector markets and meanwhile KSPG in motion: To what extent are close to capacity thanks to production we’ve successfully introduced them the very diverse service life require- Neuss. Variable oil pumps are already helping to reduce runs we’ve initiated for Euro 6, EPA13 to many customers. They’re used as ments of individual util- fuel consumption and cut CO emissions in passenger 2 and Tier 4 norm projects. Customers plug-in valves in mixer modules ity vehicle applications cars. Now, the makers and users of trucks can benefi t are also highly interested in our medi- and EGR cooling unit modules. And taken into account in from this technology too: thanks to the fi rst variable oil um and heavy-duty exhaust gas fl aps, there’s still very strong demand development? pump for trucks, which Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH (PPT) will begin producing in series for a well-known truck maker starting in 2013. In launching this product, the Neuss, Germany-based pump specialist has taken on a pioneering role, blazing the trail on the path to more effi cient distribution of lubricants in truck engines. “We’ve developed a robust, compact Lots of synergies pump”, declares Achim Brömmel, Vice President product Engineering. It thus meets two key requirements: compact dimensions, which are important owing to the space con- straints in modern engines; furthermore, the pump has to be robust enough to withstand the stresses typically as- for customers sociated with truck engines, thus assuring the necessary durability. After all, when it comes to trucks, downtime is very costly. And the same goes for the fuel that trucks use Interview with Dr. Andreas Müller each year: every liter of diesel counts. The impact on fuel effi ciency – with passenger cars (de- pending on which oil pump control concept is used) it is as well as our exhaust gas recirculation for our back-pres- between one and three percent – with lower emissions an (EGR) modules. We’ve also seen vigor- sure valves, which added plus. Given a vehicle lifetime of a million kilome- ous demand for our new products, like launched us into the exhaust gas mass fl ow sensor. the Commercial ters, this has a lasting impact when it comes to protecting Diesel market. the environment. Adopting a responsible position on con- KSPG in motion: Do you see any We can offer serving the earth’s resources has become an important special competitive advantages in these robust, image factor for vehicle manufacturers as well as vital your Division relative to the general fl ow-optimized sales argument – especially in light of the pending intro- market? valves in both Müller: All the products of CDS sus- metal and tainably improve the controllability plastic. and emissions behavior of both utility KSPG in mo- vehicle and built-in engines. Pierburg tion: And how has many years of experience in the New oil pump in about the exhaust gas development and industrialization of recirculation sector? mechatronic products for air supply Müller: By using our and diesel engine emissions reduc- aluminum pressure die tion. As a development partner to our casting and friction series production customers, we’re equipped with en- stir welding technol- gine test stands and the appropriate ogy, we’ve developed laboratories and we have the right ap- cooling unit and EGR plication and production know-how. duction of Euro 6. Thus, PPT’s innovative pump for trucks mixer modules based That helps us quite a bit. comes at just the right time. on these products The Neuss-based company’s fi rst variable oil pump for KSPG in motion: To what extent are and launched them onto the market. Müller: You’re right, utility vehicle trucks was developed based on its longstanding experi- you able to leverage your experience Here we offer the customer a real so- applications are extremely diverse ence in the passenger car domain. PPT engineers decided from the passenger vehicle segment lution for complex problems, with a in some areas. Industrial engine ap- that a multiple vane pump design would be the best bet in the utility vehicle sector? comprehensively tested module com- plications also require special design for the new oil pump. “It proved to be the most effective Müller: We’re especially exploiting prised of individual EGR valve, exhaust adaptations. Operating conditions system during our comprehensive preliminary tests”, ex- available synergies from the pas- gas cooling unit, back-pressure valve, and load profi les vary considerably. plains Brömmel, who joined the Pierburg Group in 1999. senger vehicle products and applying and inlet and outlet housing compo- You really have to make compromises The international development team, principally made up them to EGR valves and exhaust gas nents. Our approach is to fi nd holis- in development here. The desire for from people the company’s Livorno and Thionville plants, fl aps in the light-duty sector. These tic solutions for problems that arise component uniformity – to take ad- equipped the truck oil pump with an ingenious control sys- mechatronic products also serve as a in exhaust gas recirculation systems, vantage of economies of scale – leads tem that features an hydraulically ac- basis for further development in the thereby reducing interface problems to a product load profi le that aggre- tuated adjusting device. “It’s set medium-duty sector, although here and complexity for our customers. gates all of the critical load points. Of up for high fl ow volume, and one needs to place extra importance KSPG in motion: And can you per- course, products in high-volume ap- displays good control char- on service life and robust design. haps foresee any additional customer plications are optimized toward their acteristics even in critical KSPG in motion: Is this concept ac- b e n e fi t s ? specifi c profi le. situations; moreover, we cepted by your customers in the util- Müller: Yes, the cooling unit module KSPG in motion: High quality con- were able to fi t it into ity vehicle sector? for example allows integration of either sciousness and service quality are the space originally in- EGR fl aps or our exhaust gas mass fl ow two things Pierburg stands for. What Müller: When we decided to tap tended for the conven- sensor. The exhaust gas mass fl ow sen- sets your technical consultation further into the utility vehicle and in- tional oil pump”, says sor enables our customers to directly apart? dustrial engine market segment, we Brömmel, summing up regulate the amount of exhaust. This Müller: It’s especially important to developed a portfolio that contains the advantages. technology is currently in start-up in maintain focus on quality and service products suitable for all sizes and the fi rst production series engines. The in growing business areas. The com- Highly effi cient, du- engine power classes. Our exhaust sensor is fully CAN bus compatible and plexity of applications is constantly rable and environmen- gas fl aps and EGR valves have won us supports the increasing, and tally friendly, for truck some new customers, and interest in

Photos: Michael Rennertz so-called this causes makers the fi rst serially these fl aps – with their compact high- ‘on-board coordination produced variable oil pump performance actuators – remains very Important to main- diagnosis’ problems in the for trucks leaves nothing to be high. tain focus on quality desired. Looking ahead, pump ex- that’s man- communication KSPG in motion: And why did cus- pert Achim Brömmel sees genuine po- dated by between the to- tomers decide to purchase Pierburg and service in growing tential: “We can integrate additional intelligent technolo- emissions tal system and products? gies which, for example, result in added fl exibility when legislation. business areas its individual adjusting the oil pressure. This makes it possible to adjust Müller: The fl aps can be powered by That means components, the fl ow more exactly to meet the needs of the engine. It’s direct current engines of various de- the vehicle monitors the components particularly in electronics. Simple an encouraging prospect: reduced fuel consumption and signs, depending on the engine power that infl uence emissions and, if neces- problem triggers like an uncontrolled lower CO2 emissions. class and service life requirement. En- sary, generates a diagnostic notice in interruption of the power supply dur- gines with conventional brush bridges the control system or even indicates ing operation can have large reper- PPT has upgrade technologies at the ready in the form and commutators are inexpensive and a possible malfunction to the driver cussions on the entire system in these of switchable or infi nitely variable magnetic valves. For compact, while the electronically com- through a warning light in the cockpit. cases. The specifi ed hard and soft- various reasons, however, they won’t be used in the fi rst muted BLDC (Brushless Direct Cur- KSPG in motion: How does Pierburg ware tests are extremely comprehen- series. “Our customer wants to proceed step by step. rent) engines also meet demanding react to the increased demands gen- sive, but they can never completely They’re introducing our variable oil pump with a passive vibration profi les and service life re- erated by further tightening of emis- model all of the system conditions hydraulic control system”, notes Brömmel, stressing that, quirements. The electronics also offer sions norms? and confi gurations. For example, one “we can implement additional fuel-saving features any- the possibility of adapting the prod- Müller: Exhaust gas emission norms customer had an EGR system that was time they want.” ucts to customer requests, including and the stricter requirements arising falsely accessed due to a malfunction So, we’re off and running. The truck industry is now look- communication between the electro- from tighter emissions legislation vis- of one of the other components; we ing ahead to 2013, when the fi rst variable oil pumps will motor-powered components and en- à-vis control quality and speed were were able to pinpoint this interaction be installed in a modern truck engine on a serial basis, gine control systems via CAN bus as what especially prompted Pierburg to through a targeted analysis within resulting in further fuel effi ciency effects – a timely techni- well as providing characteristic curves channel its competencies and further the entire system and to eliminate the cal innovation, created by PPT. Ulrike Volkmann and diagnostic notices. expand into the commercial diesel malfunction through reprogramming. Berlin/Neuss. The fi rst impressions visitors receive in Hall M6 at the Berlin company location of In strict accordance with the teamwork philoso- Berlin. The fact that entering an entirely new Pierburg GmbH generally match today’s expectations for a successful automotive supplier: mod- phy – it is no coincidence that a large-sized photo market also posed completely new challenges ernly structured production lines with streamlined and largely automated processes, competent of an eight-man rowing team with this very mes- for Mielke’s Truck Team simply lies in the na- and highly professional workers (who are clearly masters of their craft), a rather subdued noise sage graces the back wall of Mielkes’ executive ture of such a complex, high-level project. level amidst a bright, almost aseptic-seeming general backdrop – in short, a highly productive en- offi ce –, a crew was put together that brought all Dipl.-Ing. Holger Diedrichs (Mechanical Engi- vironment trimmed for lean material fl ows where market-oriented production designed for effi cien- important areas of the Berlin factory, including neer), who has been leading the central Pro- cy sets the standard. And yet: A somewhat different mood is brewing in one part of the hall, where executive functions and responsibilities (among duction Processes + Technologies Division of mainly throttle valves and special actuators are produced for internationally renowned automakers others: prototyping, industrial engineering = IE, Pierburg GmbH since 1st August of this year like Renault, General Motors, VW and BMW. Within a hall where exhaust gas recirculation systems, mini-factory, project management, quality co- and who had previously very closely accompa- ordination, and pre-production logistics) to the exhaust gas mass fl ow sensors and electric control butterfl y valves (“back-pressure valves”) will nied and helped to shape the Truck Project in round truck table. Regular management-level soon be produced in his (former) function as IE Head (starting from project reviews, integration of highly competent comparatively large 2004) in the Berlin factory, explains: “Our employees with many years of experience, short quantities for utility company naturally has profound experience pathways between prototyping, IE and produc- vehicle and indus- tion, establishment of an interface between the in the EGR sector (for passenger vehicles) and trial applications. “Truck-stop center” Commercial Diesel Systems (CDS) Division (lo- has also already transferred this expertise Large numbers of cated in Neuss) and Berlin, need-oriented team over to the utility vehicle sector with demon- Berlin Truck Team sessions, telephone conferences and WebEx strable success. Nevertheless it’s also true – if members are pre- were among the many ‘tools’ used to implement you look closely at the very differentiated ar- paring the two pro- a highly complex process for entering a truck- ray of requirements for our truck systems and of excellence duction lines con- specifi c product portfolio into series production the sometimes very diffi cult tasks they entail ceived for the utility in the Pierburg factory in Berlin. – that we’ve created products that have never Production team rises to new challenges vehicle market for The 48-year-old location head affi rms: “The before existed in this form. In other words: The the run-up to the crew is highly motivated, and they assess quality entire team has always been breaking new series production at and processes very critically and constructively ground – but one thing has always been clear the beginning of the coming year. For example, they are testing certain process operations in a and solve problems instead of just wishing them to us: we’re gonna get the job done!” trial run (for the later series), integrating important detail components onto a currently incom- away. They collaborate cross-departmentally in And this short and meaningful motto cor- plete automatic manufacturing cell, discussing the necessity of an additional testing procedure the team and work long beyond normal working responds exactly to how work actually gets developed for the new product range, rehearsing the retooling process changeover in real time, hours when necessary.” Small wonder that truck appraising the results of the fi nal inspection of an exhaust gas mass fl ow sensor currently still in customers across-the-board appear impressed by prototype production that is soon to be manufactured in high quantities. And they are already pro- the manufacturing sequences and design of the viding a very revealing look into the future of the long-standing factory on Scheringstraße 2 in the production processes, especially the automation Berlin district of Wedding – a future that sets the course for sustainable growth in a new market. and safeguard protection in the Pierburg factory Clever accomplished – for example, with regard to the wide variety of types: While up to a mil- lion units of just one EGR system are produced yearly in the passenger vehicle sector without production facilities having to undergo elabo- rate and expensive changes, under certain cir- cumstances one comes to 20 different systems at yearly quantities of 200,000 units and more in the truck sector. Accordingly, it is absolutely clear that this wide-ranging product portfolio needs to be well managed: The higher num- ber of variants requires greater planning and logistics-related efforts and expenditures. On top of this comes more frequent retooling, which in view of the smaller lot sizes can lead to longer downtimes. The teams in Berlin – just under 30 of the total 330 employees will soon be working in the Truck Division in the course of series pro- duction – must therefore be able to react with extreme fl exibility at all times, for example in order to keep components and fi nished goods storage within economically tolerable limits. In this context, the 43-year-old graduate me- chanical engineer sketches how one can pro- ductively get the variant diversity at compara- tively low quantities and the relatively high resulting (re)tooling efforts and expenditures But fi rst let us take a short look back into the systems technology, a productive milestone in Wedding – including the Japanese-style ‘5-S’ under control using amazingly clever details past: Today Pierburg GmbH is based in Neuss with strategic perspective is once again being effi ciency methodology long practiced there. from the line confi guration. Diedrichs: “Due to west of the Rhine River, though it is well-known achieved. Location head Dr. Michael Mielke unre- The high degree of interdisciplinary coopera- the high variant diversity, the devices were for that the roots of the company lie in the German servedly concurs: “Among other areas, Pierburg tion in the truck project today is indeed almost example only semi-automatically designed. In capital of Berlin. In 1928 carburetor production is considered a worldwide specialist for exhaust tangible, both within the Berlin factory and with other words, the parts are fed mostly manually began there under the name Deutsche Vergaser gas recirculation and can draw from many years respect to the CDS specialist division located into non-interlinked individual devices. This Gesellschaft in a factory on Heidestraße in the of experience in the passenger vehicle segment, in Neuss on the left bank of the Rhine. Mielke: lack of interlinkages in turn makes it necessary Tiergarten district; even which the company in the “Cooperation is a particularly high priority in the to develop new approaches for Quality Mea- after being destroyed in meantime has also suc- truck project, especially relating to the intensive surement and Assurance. The devices now have the war, the rebuilt fac- Solving problems cessfully translated over design engineering collaboration taking place in exchangeable disks with quick release skewers tory continued to manu- to the requirements in the Neuss to safeguard production-suitable design in order to offer the highest possible degree of facture carburetors over instead of just commercial vehicle sector. (particularly also with regard to the diversity of fl exibility. In the process, the design-engineer- the decades. At the same Within the context of re- variants) as much as possible. Another impor- ing of the Truck EGR components always needs time Pierburg in Berlin wishing them away aligning the Berlin factory, tant element was the early intensive integration to take the same reference points into consid- rose to become the spe- we decided to make innova- of prototyping from Berlin. The proximity to As- eration whenever possible. Due to the weight cialists for throttle valve; tive use of this know-how sembly and the direct contact to Industrial Engi- and dimensions of the parts, the devices also this product secured the future for the site, which at the end of the last decade – and entering the neering – Prototyping is connected with this de- had to be designed especially robust- was moved from Heidestraße to Scheringstraße commercial vehicle business just presented itself partment – were one success factor in ly.” In other words: These 2 in Wedding in 1981, even after carburetor pro- as an opportunity.” designing the facilities; experiences very technical and duction had ended. The move was also used to As a consequence, truck EGR was then (initial- from the prototyping process thus make the manufacturing plant fi t for the ‘pro- detailed consider- ly) defi ned as the product for the location, and in fl owed directly into coordination ations illustrate yet ductive’ launch into this strategically important the meantime the range has expanded to include of the process design (e.g. the market for commercial vehicle and industrial en- another successful electric control butterfl y valves and exhaust gas devices) and were moreover re- example for newly gine manufacturers. Today it remains the primary mass fl ow sensors. Mielke, who also heads the fl ected in the fi nal engineering factory for actuators within the Pierburg group, conceived, func- Pierburg Actuator Division, states: “This lays an- stage in Neuss for design tional, “made while also specialized in control fl aps, exhaust other important part of the base for the diversifi - optimization purpos- gas, and throttle valves. in Berlin”-style cation of our factory: We are tapping into a new es. Because of the truck solutions. And so, just as 84 years ago Berlin became market in line with safeguarding the future and local proximity, pro- the historic origin for the current good standing can thereby systematically contribute our proven duced series systems A likewise ex- of Pierburg as an international manufacturer of competencies in production, prototyping, and could likewise be used tremely demand- engine consumption and emissions-reducing process technology.” to support prototyping ing challenge was for further variants in (and is) the signifi - Everyday scene in the Pierburg Berlin plant: Location Head Dr. Michael Mielke (r.) and Project Manager order to improve effec- cantly stronger vibra- (Production) Nabi Gürel analyze different components of exhaust valves for customers DAF and Deutz. tiveness.” tion characteristics As already mentioned, of truck and industrial both new production lines engines in the utility ve- have an immense strategic im- hicle context, which require a portance – for both the Neuss automotive sup- very specifi c welding process design. Dipl.-Ing. plier and its Berlin branch. Since 2009, when the Nabi Gürel, Production Project Manager (Truck start into this absolutely new customer segment + Renault) with 33 years of working service in fi rst began to take on an entrepreneurial shape, Berlin, describes how this set of problems was the Truck Team has shown itself extraordinarily solved: “Within this context one must ensure fl exible and highly motivated in taking on chal- a high dynamic strength in a high temperature lenges and implementing them in the form of range. To achieve this, we’re now implement- successful products and processes. Or, as Dr. Mi- ing a combined laser and CMT (Cold Metal chael Mielke puts it, “They practice great team- Transfer) welding technique; this procedure – work.” A quality from which current and future it’s a fi rst for our factory – has only been avail- Pierburg customers in the utility vehicle and in- able at all since 2005.” (For more information, dustrial engine sectors can certainly derive great also read the interview with CDS Division Head

Photos: Kristina Frei/Thomas Klink/DAF benefi t … Rolf D. Schneider Dr. Andreas Müller on page 7.) rds bs Neckarsulm. Constantly increasing fuel prices are an annoyance for all vehicle owners. They can even threaten the very livelihood of commercial freight-forwarders and other trade businesses. The search for newer ways therefore continues to reduce fuel consumption, espe- cially in the utility vehicle sector. For many years now, engine development has been focusing on so-called ‘downsizing’. In simplifi ed terms, this means generating the same performance with smaller engine displacement, thereby lowering fuel consumption. One disadvantage of downsizing, however, is that it increases the thermal and mechanical load on the piston. In the commercial vehicle sector, reliability cooling chamber. This signifi cantly and durability requirements for the en- lowers temperatures in and around gines – and thus the pistons – bear the middle of the bowl. Buschbeck: at least equal importance to effi - “This considerably reduces the in- ciency. “If an operational per- cidence of oil carbon deposits and formance of 1,000,000 km the pistons remain temperature- was the benchmark in stable – even over longer operating the past, then today it’s times.” As a result, nitrogen oxide about 1.5 million km. engine emissions are reduced and On top of that, it’s es- remain stable throughout the oper- pecially important to ating period and particle intrusion in avoid engine failure in the blow-by gas is decreased. commercial vehicles,” ex- Reduced internal engine friction also plains Ralf Buschbeck, Vice contributes to lowering fuel consump- President Development and tion. This is achieved through a combi- Technology at KS Kolbenschmidt nation of a special Nanofriks skirt coat- GmbH. ing, reduced weight and an asymmetric skirt profi le. “Friction is signifi cantly Steel offers many For years, the Neckarsulm-based company has been successfully developing and produc- reduced by optimizing the micro-preci- ing steel pistons for the commercial vehicle market. Steel- sion geometry of the skirt and pin bore,” constructed pistons promise signifi cant advantages over explains the 48-year-old Vice President conventional aluminum pistons in terms of both fatigue Development and Technology. Advantages strength and engine effi ciency. In fact, these two factors The second steel variation, the patent- often stand in close relation to each other, given that ed SteelteKS pistons, are produced out Higher effi ciency thanks to innovative piston designs higher material load capacity is what actually enables the of a single forging. With the development construction of more compact and fuel-saving engines of this special design, KS has conceived a with the same performance. completely new method For example, engine fi ring for manufacturing mono- pressure capacity is important » Our customers can bloc steel pistons. Busch- for low fuel consumption. The expect to hear plenty beck sums up the main higher the fi ring pressure is, advantage: “The SteelteKS the sooner the engine combus- more about the pistons pistons allow extremely tion process begins. This al- from Neckarsulm. « low compression heights.” lows more effi cient fuel usage. The lower the piston com- “Thanks to the heavy-duty steel pression height, the more pistons, we can raise the design fi ring pressure up to compactly the engine can be constructed. 250 bar, compared with its previous level of 220 bar,” The piston design features an especially explains Buschbeck. innovative, closed cooling gallery. The ring The piston bowl rim is exposed to especially extreme zone of the gallery is shaped and formed by thermal loads as a consequence of the constantly in- rolling pressure in a specially patented KS creasing fuel injection pressures, exhaust gas recircula- manufacturing process. The ring zone is ex- tion and exhaust after-treatment methods of the modern ternally stabilized, which enables an enlarge- combustion process. Buschbeck: “Steel has better char- ment of the cooling gallery and thus more ef- acteristics than aluminum here too.” fi cient cooling. KS Kolbenschmidt GmbH offers two steel piston de- Intensive work is currently being conducted on signs: the friction-welded monobloc steel pistons and the second generation of this remarkable suc- the SteelteKS pistons. Both variations feature low weight cess story. “The revised SteelteKS pistons are and good cooling, as well as robustness and long term currently undergoing thorough testing. The new durability. The KS steel pistons allow realization of en- model exhibits even better product characteris- gines with very compact dimensions. Great importance tics,” says Buschbeck. was also placed on having good skirt guidance. The experienced piston expert is certain that In simplifi ed terms, the friction-welded monobloc pistons steel pistons still harbor great potential. “We will consist of two parts: the upper part, which forms the bowl further optimize our piston construction designs.” and ring zone, and the lower part, forming the pin bore New and stronger materials are for example being and skirt. The upper and lower parts are manufactured as researched from a ‘design-to-cost’ standpoint. KS forgings and then mechanically rough-worked and friction Kolbenschmidt GmbH is also continually refi ning weld-fi tted together building a monobloc steel piston. its coatings for improved thermal resistance and friction reduction. Further research is focused on “The piston features a perfect support of the ring zone attaining higher piston cooling effi ciency or reduc- on the lower part. This has positive effects on oil con- ing cooling oil requirements. An additional aim is to sumption, blow by, wear and susceptibility to cavitation bring passenger vehicle steel pistons onto the mar- Ralf Buschbeck sees damage,” explains Buschbeck. ket in 2014. “Our customers can therefore expect potential: “We will One special characteristic is that the friction-welded to hear plenty more about the pistons from Neckar- be further optimizing

our piston design” KS Kolbenschmidt steel pistons possess a second inner sulm,” promises Buschbeck. Klink Thomas (2): Photos

KSPG in motion: What’s that mean KSPG in motion: A further challenge KSPG in motion: So engine vibra- from a design-engineering stand- was and remains the vibration char- tions are tolerated to a signifi cantly point? acteristics of truck and industrial en- higher degree here? Müller: That for example not every gines. How was this issue dealt with? Müller: Absolutely, and this effect is design of an EGR bearing for passenger Müller: The required service life for further reinforced by the leverage effect vehicles can be directly transferred and utility vehicles exceeds that of pas- of the larger dimensions. So one espe- applied in a truck EGR – like when the senger vehicle applications by about cially needs to implement more robust heat expansion of the butterfl y valve a factor of four. On top of that come designs – not only for the fastening ele- stem might cause the stem shaft to jam rds Berlin/Neuss. Working very closely together in intensive exchange, the in the bearing. functional departments of the Commercial Diesel Systems (CDS) Division KSPG in motion: So utility vehicle based in Neuss and the production team of the Berlin-based Pierburg factory applications for industrial engines can „Good Vibrations“ initiated the pioneering Truck Project. A number of obstacles needed to be over- vary extremely in some cases and ac- come to get things going, including the multitude of variants (see “Truck-stop cordingly require special design-engi- higher demands on the availability and ments and weld connections, but also for center of excellence”) and especially the very demanding temperature profi le neering adaptations. serviceability of the system, because the bearings of our truck EGR systems. and vibration characteristics of truck and industrial engines. “KSPG in mo- system failure directly leads to lifecycle KSPG in motion: How did you solve tion” spoke with CDS Division Head Dr. Andreas Müller about these challenges. Müller: Yes! The temperature profi les costs. are more demanding than for passen- this in the truck-specifi c production fa- KSPG in motion: So transport and ger vehicles because trucks are oper- cilities in the Berlin factory? KSPG in motion: Let’s talk about a privately used passenger vehicle and construction are not the only indus- ated with exhaust gas recirculation in Müller: Because of the vibration re- temperature and take, say, an EGR a commercially used taxi. tries that consider robust solutions the entire engine operating map. The quirements, it was necessary to imple- system as an example – any difference their highest priority? KSPG in motion: So diversity is what higher exhaust gas fl ow rates at full ment new welding processes in Berlin between the commercial vehicle sec- it’s all about here? Müller: “Not at all! The larger amount tor and the passenger vehicle sector? load sometimes require dual-fl ow valve in a form which had previously not been Müller: D e fi n i t e l y ! systems; these in turn determine other of moving mass and auxiliary equip- necessary for the passenger vehicle Müller: Commercial vehicles are quite principles of the construction design ment of course also gives rise to con- products that were produced there. different –not only from passenger KSPG in motion: Plus the sheer di- siderably stronger vibrations. With mensions of the products are also sig- which also need to be implemented KSPG in motion: What’s that mean in cars but also from one another in many much more robustly. passenger vehicles, the comfort of the respects: A long-distance truck with a nifi cantly greater than for passenger driver is always the central focus and concrete terms? relatively constant, but very long ser- vehicle applications. KSPG in motion: So to sum it all up . . . so a relatively high need for vibration Müller: We for instance altered the de- vice life has a totally different load and Müller: Right! And that in turn causes Müller: …the diversity in applications dampening comes into play there, but sign construction of a shaft-lever con- operational profi le from an excavator changes in, for instance, temperature we’ve been talking about here means a the critical factor for utility vehicles is nection; we also switched from a laser or a harvester. So there are signifi cant- behavior: larger components expand higher degree of variants and thus sig- system performance – and of course welding method over to an arc welding ly more differences in this group than more in length under the infl uence of nifi cantly higher efforts and expendi- always with feedback that conforms to process performed in a protective inert the familiar distinctions between, say, heat. tures in development and testing trials. legal regulations. gas environment. vehicles left, anyway – some- “When you get into a hobby like this,” explains times only one or two – of many Willi Mundt, “you normally also know the level of the earlier truck models,” he of costs you can expect. It’s usually also the explains. And their repairs can case that many of our members who own one or cost owners of such vehicles more vintage vehicles are or were professionally a lot of money. Depending involved with them as well, say as the owner of upon the vehicle, one needs a freight forwarding company.” Mundt himself to invest between 10,000 is incidentally the proud owner of a Mercedes- and 20,000 to get a ‘classic Benz 328, which spent its “professional life” sweetheart’ back into top form. operating in Disaster Recovery Management for Hannover/Neckarsulm. Vintage One of the repair shops that specializ- the German Post Offi ce. “If they want to have automobile clubs are very widely represented es in procuring spare parts and repairing ‘over- an ‘H’ for historic on their registration plate, in Germany, but only a few groups broaden their the-hill’ trucks is the company NVC-Oberhausen the important thing for such vehicles is that scope to also include trucks. One example is GmbH. Besides the workshop, this truck restor- their external condition corresponds to the the Interessengemeinschaft zur Erhaltung histo- ing enterprise also owns a large warehouse, time when they were built. And in many cas- rischer Fahrzeuge e.V. (IEHF), or Historical Vehicle containing everything from pistons to fl ange es that’s also true for the interior trim and Preservation Society, in Wilhelmshaven, which bearings, sockets, fuel injection pumps and upholstery. But,” continues Mundt, “some was founded in 2005 and features a number of cylinder heads – in short, everything which be- Technical Inspection Agency authorities also beautiful vehicles. “We currently have 128 mem- longs in a roadworthy truck fi t to drive and, of accept installment of modern braking or ‘hidden’ bers with 20 utility vehicles in their possession. course, brake. The NVC moreover also collabo- power steering systems.” After all, these instal- Most of them are from Mercedes-Benz and Magi- rates with other shops that can repair or repro- lations contribute considerably to vehicle traffi c rus Deutz, but we’ve also got a vintage Henschel duce individual spare parts no longer available safety. in the portfolio,” reports Willi Mundt, Senior on the aftermarket. “You can actually fi nd quite Thanks to the letter ‘H’ on the registration Chairman of the club. “One of our real gems is a lot on the aftermarket,” says Mundt. “Every- plate, vintage vehicles also enjoy special rules. an approximately 50-year-old Uranus, thing – except a gasket seal for the front wind- As Detlev Stolze from NVG (an umbrella organiza- which was built for the U.S. Army in 1966. For a shield of a Henschel truck. So far it’s been im- tion for several vintage vehicle clubs which have long time the vehicle was thought lost and for- possible to dig one up. And another thing one merged to better lobby their interests) explains: gotten. But some time ago one of our members can’t get anywhere are spare parts for “For example, we’ve gotten the highway toll duty discovered it, acquired it, and then also had it cars. They all have to be custom made to order for old trucks abolished, given that these ve- restored through our – including the paint fi nish.” hicles no longer participate in trade commercial club.” The restoration of old vehicles – which by the way Vintage trucks – a hobby not only include trucks for discerning connoisseurs a n d pas- senger Well-conditioned, “classic sweetheart” trucks at the IAA 2012 vehicles, but also historical lo- “It’s certainly remarkable how much love and transport. We additionally want to achieve an ex- comotives and even ships – is one effort some truck owners put into restoring their emption to the Sunday driving ban for historical important task of the club. “These res- vintage vehicles,” marvels Reiner Holwein of the vehicles.” This regulation already exists region- torations would of course be much too expensive KSPG AG (Neckarsulm) Motor Service Division. ally, but has far to go before it applies nation- for our members individually, so in exchange they Himself a vintage vehicle fan, he is also involved wide. “This is a huge problem for many event or- commit to making the vehicles available for club in several clubs and knows from personal expe- ganizers of historical truck gatherings when the purposes for up to 20 years,” says Mundt. The rience the kinds of obstacles and problems that vehicles are just standing around on a Sunday, IEHF boasts many companies within its ranks, can arise during restorations. the very day when most of the visitors come,” ex- including freight forwarding enterprises and “Here at Motor Service, we also often get re- plains Willi Mundt. shipyards that render services or perform crafts- quests about engine spare parts for the older Incidentally, one won’t be able to see many manship work, often for free. “Otherwise we’d be vehicles, and we’re always glad if we can help of the historical trucks at this year’s IAA Nutz- completely unable to afford it,” explains Mundt. one or the other prospective customer,” says fahrzeuge in Hannover. Once again Detlev Stolze “For some years there was also an EU-sponsored Holwein, “but oftentimes the only option left is from the NVG: “We used to have an entire hall project through which we were able to offer op- through specialist repair shops that are able to to present ourselves in, and many IAA-visitors portunities for long-term unemployed people by manufacture or reproduce the necessary spare come especially for the historic vehicles. giving them work in our repair shops, allowing parts in small batches. But once in a while the That’s because they’re real eye-catchers – them to return to the primary labor market. Un- desired spare part can also be found in the Motor you’ve really got to give them that. Unfor- fortunately, the project has been terminated; it’s Service product range. The company supplies the tunately the VDA took a lot of space away a great pity because this was a very great help worldwide aftermarket, and so there are certainly from us due to cost reasons, but we’ll just both for job-seekers and for us.” also good chances of fi nding spare parts for older have to live with it. That’s the reason we That high costs for repairs and restorations makes of engines in the warehouse. Truck mod- can only show a small selection.” But there present a big problem for lovers of old utility ve- els long recognized as vintage class in Europe are hicles is no news to Detlev Stolze, Appointment still being used in daily operation in other coun- will be more to see at the Retro-Classic, Coordinator of the Nutzfahrzeug Veteranen Ge- tries. Old Mercedes, Deutz and MAN engines in which takes place in Stuttgart in March 2013. Historic photos (clockwise from top left): Jörg meinschaft (NVG), or Vintage Utility Vehicle So- particular remain in widespread use worldwide Willi Mundt and his truck-loving friends from Wil- Podehl (MAN Truck & Bus Salzgitter), DAF, ciety, in the Westphalian town of Holzwickede: and can therefore still be found in the Motor Ser- helmshaven will be there again for sure. Peter Kurze (2), AG, Krupp His- “It’s tied to the fact that there are only a very few vice product range.” Dr. Christian Leitzbach torical Archive, Ford and Norbert Schnitzler. JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL

The “recipe” followed by Pribil and his team of restorers from 2009 and 2012 makes for impressive reading: this vintage pumper, in service with the rds Marbach. “It broke my heart Eventually, four of his fi re depart- Marbach Fire Department from 1955 to to see that old Mercedes L 3500 fi re ment colleagues would join him: Diet- 2001 (!) as well as the local company truck just rotting away and literally mar Weichert, Alegsandr Volkov (right), fi re department of EnBW (Energiever- falling to bits, year after year”, recalls Klaus Pressel (left) and Mario Pfl anz sorgung Baden-Württemberg, a power the time, which we either had to reuse Wilfried Pribil (2nd from the left), an (2nd to the right). This small but highly company) and whose OM-312 engine or replace.” So it’s hardly surprising equipment administrator (his day profi cient team of experts in mechani- was equipped with KS Kolbenschmidt that Pribel’s project diary – consist- This aging vehicle – even though job) and engine driver with the Vol- cal and electrical engineering, wooden pistons, was carefully returned to its ing of no less than 377 closely written it’s fi t as a fi ddle again, both techni- unteer Fire Department of Marburg parts, and minor components and original 1955 state, the year it came off pages – shows that it took a total of cally and optically – will no longer be am Necker, birthplace of the German coating – competent and manageably the assembly line. “We stripped the 4,500 hours to overhaul the vehicle. called out to respond to life-threaten- play-write Friedrich Schiller. Four small – dedicated itself to restoring vehicle down to its individual parts And this statistic conceals additional ing emergencies. Today, the bright- years ago, Pribil, 49, promised him- the TLF 15. “We didn’t want too many and completely restored it. Around evidence of the team’s great commit- red Mercedes L 3500 turns up in all its self to whip the historic vehicle back cooks spoiling the broth in this proj- 98% of the parts had to be fabricat- ment: some 25,000 went into re- restored glory at vintage automobile into shape again someday: “I have a ect”, explains Pribil, who has been an ed by hand according to the original storing the vehicle, primarily fi nanced rallies and fi re department events weakness for this kind of vehicle – so active member of the fi re department plans of the manufacturer; moreover, through contributions and the depart- – the proud bearer of a German TÜV

Photo: Thomas Klink I got to work.” since the start of 1978. we only used original materials from ment “coffee fund”. roadworthiness certifi cate, of course.