High-quality components. Precise manufacturing. Continuous optimization.
Editorial 3
How to turn . very good products. into even better ones.
The brand Kolbenschmidt stands for high-quality system components and for a reliable, sustainable partnership with manufacturers of motors of all kinds.
Whether small bore or large bore pistons, plain bearings, or engine blocks – Kolbenschmidt develops, manufactures, and delivers customer-specific solutions for internal combustion engines used in automobiles, commercial diesel applications, ships, and stationary engines. As one of the world’s leading companies in this segment, we enjoy the confidence of many well-known and globally active manufacturers with whom we jointly develop and manufacture the engines of tomorrow. In addition to our outstanding quality, our customers especially appreciate our problem-solving competence and our service. For there is one thing our partners can depend on: we consis- tently apply all our expertise and our comprehensive know-how to continuously improve our materials, methods, and products.
DR. ALEXANDER SAGEL Division Manager Hardparts (Kolbenschmidt) 4 Kolbenschmidt
YOUR SYSTEM PARTNER FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION.
In 1910, when he founded Deutsche Ölfeuerungswerke, Karl Schmidt laid the cornerstone for the success of Kolbenschmidt.
From the time of founding to the present day, the company has utmost quality in whatever we do. Our 6,125 employees at our developed continuously into an important partner to the auto- 20 locations worldwide embody reliability and commitment. motive industry. Today, well-known manufacturers around the In the more than 100-year history of our company, they have world trust in the components and systems of Kolbenschmidt. shaped Kolbenschmidt into what it is today: a reliable manu- That is because we stand for intensive basic research, advanced facturer of the highest-quality hardpart system components for developmental know-how, large production capacities, and the the drive systems of today and tomorrow.
HISTORY
1910 1927 1948 1963 1997 Karl Schmidt builds a The material Alusil Kolbenschmidt develops Commissioning of First Chinese smelting plant in from Karl Schmidt the scraper ring piston the plain bearing plant joint venture Heilbronn for light- begins its victorious in St. Leon-Rot with SAIC weight metals and march through the lightweight metal alloys automotive world 5
20 KOLBENSCHMIDT LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE
EUROPE 6 locations in Germany, France, Czech Republic
7
6 5 NORTH ASIA AMERICA 5 locations in China, 7 locations in India, Japan Mexico, USA
SOUTH 2 AMERICA 2 locations in Brazil
Rheinmetall Automotive is represented at 40 locations around the world.
1998 2000 2006 2012 2014 2016 The companies Kolbenschmidt Merging of the after Introduction of LiteKS® Introduction of NanofriKS® Kolbenschmidt KSPG Automotive and Pierburg are merged to market business piston design for piston technology is the world’s becomes form Rheinmetall’s automotive of Pierburg and especially lightweight to reduce friction first supplier of Rheinmetall division as the company Kolbenschmidt and sturdy pistons Expansion of internation- steel pistons for Automotive Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG alization especially in passenger car Mexico, China, and Europe diesel engines Kolbenschmidt is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and development partners of system components for the base engine.
The development of our four business units Small Bore Pistons, gasoline and diesel motors in the areas of passenger and com- Large Bore Pistons, Bearings, and Castings focuses on the mercial vehicles, pistons for 2-stroke engines and compressors, great challenges of the industry, such as weight reduction and large bore pistons for stationary engines, ship diesels, and loco durability, while simultaneously optimizing performance. The motives, metal plain bearings, cast products (such as structural comprehensive product portfolio encompasses pistons for components), and continuous cast products.
Kolbenschmidt Core Competencies Material know-how Production know-how Tribology Basic research Global presence Coatings Reliability Tradition Process know-how Development know-how Business Units 7
Variety and quality. in all parts.
Modest high-tech product: plain bearings from Kolbenschmidt
Precision work: steel piston manufacturing for commercial vehicles Production focus of the business unit Castings: engine blocks and cylinder blocks
BUSINESS UNITS
The business unit Small Bore Pistons is the market leader for The business unit Bearings is one of the world’s leading pro- passenger car gasoline pistons and stands for great technolog- viders of highly developed plain bearings in vehicles and other ical progress, for instance in the development of efficient steel applications. It offers convincing innovations in development pistons for passenger and commercial vehicles. and production.
The globally organized business unit Large Bore Pistons is one The business unit Castings occupies a top position in the pre- of the most important manufacturers of large bore pistons for mium segment, for instance in the area of innovative aluminum the shipbuilding and mechanical engineering industry. It offers cylinder blocks and cylinder bore coating. Our comprehensive pistons with a diameter of up to 640 mm. know-how in pressure casting and low-pressure casting is an advantage to us and thus to our customers as well, including in the production of complex aluminum structural components. 8 Product Portfolio
Kolbenschmidt develops, produces, and markets customer- specific solutions for internal combustion engines, making a significant contribution to the reduction of weight and friction. The product range encompasses the following components and systems in the areas of drive trains and chassis:
• Pistons and piston rings • Plain bearings • Cylinder blocks • Cylinder bore coatings • Aluminum structural components
Bushings for tailgates
Structural components Lightweight
Bushings for shock absorbers
Bearings for seat adjustments and doors
Bearings for active engine hoods Pedestrian safety systems 9
Our set screws for lower weight, less friction, and the greatest reliability.
Engine blocks
Pistons
Cylinder heads
Engine bearings
Bushings for fuel injection pumps 10 Automotive | Passenger cars
FASTER, FARTHER, LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION.
How can it be done? Alternative technologies such as electric and hydrogen drive or even more efficient gasoline and diesel engines?
The automobile industry already faces the great challenge today emissions, automobiles are becoming increasingly efficient and of finding answers and suitable solutions to these questions. clean. Alternative drives offer the promise of maximum savings. A first step has been taken with hybrid drives. They combine However, the optimization of diesel and gasoline engines is the advantages of alternative drives with those of convention- far from over. In this area, several approaches of relevance for al engines. However, in further development, the car manu Kolbenschmidt contribute to fuel economy with unchanged or facturers must pay particular attention to two aspects: On the increased performance. Whether weight reduction, downsizing, one hand, the market is demanding more powerful engines for or reduction of friction in the crankshaft drive – Kolbenschmidt more driving fun. On the other hand, due to the high costs of is the system partner that meets the highest expectations and
fuel and the legal requirements for reduction of CO2 and other develops the appropriate solution for every requirement.
The right solution: customer-specific piston production System partner: Kolbenschmidt meets the highest expectations of customers
12 Automotive | Piston systems
As the world market leader in aluminum pistons for gasoline car engines, Kolbenschmidt can look back on an impressive course of development.
But we don’t just rest on our laurels; instead, we are continu- friction, which leads to less fuel consumption and thus to lower ously developing our components, systems, and processes even emissions. The NanofriKS® shaft coating, which utilizes state- further. Our steel pistons for passenger cars with diesel engines of-the-art nanotechnology, is another element in the reduction have written a recent chapter in our success story. In combi- of friction and in the minimization of wear in modern engines. nation with aluminum cylinder housings, they permit greater savings in fuel consumption and weight. The greater stability Furthermore, Kolbenschmidt has comprehensive know-how in of the steel means that pistons can have a smaller design and the design, development, and manufacturing of continuously yet endure higher stresses. In addition, they are also marked optimized piston systems. With a testbench developed espe- by less friction. However, we are improving our pistons not only cially to simulate friction, it is possible to perfect the friction through innovative materials; we are also continuing to think and consumption values of systems consisting of pistons, about further improvements in piston design. The LiteKS® piston cylinders, pins, and rods. In this way, optimized piston systems design reduces the weight distinctly without sacrificing the dura- from Kolbenschmidt reduce friction by up to 18%, while keeping bility of the pistons. In addition, LiteKS® achieves a reduction in oil consumption unchanged at a low level. 13
Pistons for every requirement. Pistons out of aluminum and steel. Pistons that always run smoothly. PLAIN BEARINGS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE
Our business unit Bearings specializes in high-precision glide outside the engine. The product range includes more than elements and is one of the world’s leading providers of metal 3,000 items, which are manufactured at six production sites plain bearings for gasoline and diesel engines, as well as metal- worldwide. polymer composite bearings (Permaglide®) for applications
PERMAGLIDE® – FOR LASTING LOW-FRICTION GLIDE
Using a polymer on a metallic basic material creates a com- mark Permaglide ®. Permaglide® bearings are very well suited posite material that combines the good gliding characteris- for applications that have to be no- or low-maintenance. The tics of the polymer with the load-bearing capacity and heat constantly low coefficients of friction also provide for low-noise conductivity of metals. The resulting product characteristic of operation and great energy efficiency. lasting, low-wear gliding is embodied by our registered trade- Automotive | Coatings 15
Minimal friction. through innovative coatings.
Handiwork: processing an engine block
Innovative rotating single wire (RSW) coating: surface coating of the running surface of a cylinder Cast from a single mold: a V6 engine block in production
CYLINDER BLOCKS AND ALUMINUM STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
The automobile industry depends upon us as a close system a grey cast-iron liner superfluous, which in turn leads to weight partner, in particular on our expertise in the technological reduction and better heat dissipation. Another contribution to
development and implementation of casting techniques. reduced CO2 emissions. Kolbenschmidt is one of the leading manufacturers of alumi- num alloy cylinder blocks and is the market leader in aluminum For some time now, we have also been using our comprehen- cylinder blocks in the premium segment. The casting techniques sive know-how in casting technology for aluminum structur- used include low-pressure gravity die casting, pressure casting, al components in the area of body and chassis construction. and squeeze casting. Kolbenschmidt’s know-how encompasses Modules manufactured using pressure and low-pressure cast- all the finishing processes for gasoline and diesel engine blocks. ing techniques are delivered by Kolbenschmidt to well-known In addition, in cylinder blocks, our innovative RSW (rotating manufacturers in Europe and China ready for installation or single wire) coating is used in the running surfaces of cylinders. even pre-installed. Using aluminum structural parts makes it The process technology makes it possible to achieve individual possible to achieve a weight reduction of up to 50% compared coating characteristics based on customer-specific require- to conventional multi-part steel connection designs. ments for an optimal tribological system. The RSW coating make 16 Automotive | Commercial vehicles
TOP PERFORMANCE AND MAXIMUM LOAD.
A service life of 3 million kilometers, 30 ton loads day-in and day-out – commercial vehicle engines have to be able to withstand particularly high stresses.
The failure of an engine costs shippers a lot of time and money. service life. In addition, with Kolbenschmidt, you achieve a The reliability of engine components is therefore an imper- substantial reduction in fuel consumption and weight, in order ative prerequisite for keeping overall operating costs low. to produce even more efficient engines for commercial vehicles Kolbenschmidt develops and manufactures the highest-quality in all areas of application. system components worldwide that are designed for maximum
Random inspection by trained specialists Optical inspection in production
Automotive | Commercial vehicle pistons 19
Extremely high pressures. Extremely long running times. Extreme durability.
Commercial vehicles must withstand enormous peak pressures and meet high requirements for service life and reliability.
Nowhere are the running times higher than in the truck and the future to the economic efficiency of modern diesel engines. transport area. In order to achieve a continuous improve- For another thing, Kolbenschmidt is advancing another trend ment in the thermal and mechanical performance of pistons, through the development and manufacturing of steel pistons Kolbenschmidt takes multiple approaches. For one thing, the for heavy commercial vehicles. The characteristics of all-steel aluminum pistons for diesel engines are marked by an en- pistons are essential for downsizing concepts. Their stability hanced pin boss load capacity, thanks to the hard anodizing and sturdiness mean that they can be designed smaller and still of the piston head, as well as the best possible piston cooling, withstand all the stresses. The result: longer service life, less thanks to DynamiKS ®. This lowers fuel consumption and reduces fuel consumption, and fewer emissions. emissions. Aluminum pistons will thus continue to contribute in
CO2 Friction Maximum Performance Emissions economic efficiency Reliability Service life 20 Non-automotive | Ships, locomotives, stationary applications
30,000 HP, 250 BAR PRESSURE, ZERO RISK.
Peak power of over 30,000 hp are not rare for ships’ engines. Under full load, large bore pistons must withstand pressures of up to 250 bar.
Large cargo ships are always equipped with just one engine. As a dependable system partner, Kolbenschmidt offers the best Ships’ engines must therefore have a reliable design. Charac- possible development as well as state-of-the-art analytical tech- teristics like operational reliability and simple servicing are niques, in order to ensure the highest quality and operational essential on long sea voyages, because repairs in dock are reliability. Characteristics that are also decisive for diesel loco- possible only in exceptional cases. The system components motives and stationary engines – two other areas of application must be thoroughly tested and calculated (FEA simulation), for large bore pistons. but the costs of testing operating engines would be too high.
Requires manpower: large bore piston manufacturing Precision work for large bore pistons, too: sophisticated measurement and testing methods
22 Non-automotive | Large bore pistons
Nearly all well-known manufacturers of large four-stroke engines trust in the large bore pistons from Kolbenschmidt.
With pistons with diameters of between 150 and 640 mm area of steel pistons – Kolbenschmidt has it all. For diesel en- for areas of application requiring steel and aluminum, gines in ships, simplicity of servicing is especially important. Kolbenschmidt is one of the world’s leading manufacturers. That is why Kolbenschmidt develops solutions for customer- Hardly any other company offers that kind of variety in size. specific requirements that are simple to service and easy The product range is also convincing: one-piece aluminum pis- to replace on the high seas. In order to satisfy all customer tons, spheroidal graphite monoblock, and constructed pistons requirements optimally, the production sites for our large bore with steel upper parts and aluminum, spheroidal graphite iron, pistons are located in the important markets in Europe, the and steel lower parts, as well as new developments in the USA, and China.
APPLICATIONS AND CUSTOMERS
SHIPS’ ENGINES
LOCOMOTIVES
STATIONARY SYSTEMS (POWER PLANTS) 23
Simply gigantic, enormously reliable, and. EUROPE available worldwide. USA CHINA
WORLDWIDE PRESENCE: OUR CORE 3 PRODUCTION SITES COMPETENCIES
• Worldwide production • Market leader in spheroidal graphite iron products • Unique design for small steel NECKARSULM ® (Germany) pistons (MonoKS )
MonoKS® means that the piston is manufactured in one piece. Of particular importance here is the processing of the cooling space using sophisticated lathe technology. MARINETTE KUNSHAN (State of Wisconsin, USA) (China) 24 Non-automotive | Casting and hydraulics
KNOW-HOW TRANSFER TO OTHER AREAS.
We also transfer our automotive expertise to other business areas. For instance, we develop and manufacture high-quality hydraulic components and continuous cast products for various applications.
HYDRAULIC COMPONENTS CONTINUOUS CASTING
Commercial vehicles and machine systems usually run for long Continuous casting is an extremely reliable casting process for periods of time, and their ability to perform is therefore espe- the production of semi-finished metal products that meet the cially important. Service and repair work should be reduced to demands of high quality. Continuous casting products can be a minimum. Hydraulic components must therefore be extremely processed and shaped well mechanically and also display great robust, low-wear, and low-friction. In the Kolbenschmidt busi- functional reliability. The process is used in many areas, such ness unit Bearings, we profit from extensive experience in the as sanitary facilities. Therefore the products are manufactured development and manufacturing of highly complex component in many forms. Furthermore, the materials must be lead-free, if geometries and innovative materials for passenger car applica- they are used in drinking-water installations. tions. The result: in the non-automotive market, too, we meet the highest requirements.
Different types of bearings for a wide range of applications Custom-built varieties: continuous cast products
SINGLE SOURCE FOR SYSTEM COMPETENCY. FOR THE ENGINES OF TOMORROW.
Rheinmetall Automotive is the mobility sector of technolo- deals with the drives of the future for electric and hybrid ve- gy corporation Rheinmetall Group and is represented world- hicles, and has aligned its development and production wide at more than 40 locations. As an automotive supplier, accordingly. With the brands Kolbenschmidt and Pierburg, Rheinmetall Automotive develops, produces and markets Rheinmetall Automotive looks back upon more than a hundred components and systems for the automotive industry. The years of automotive competency – and is also represented in core competencies of its operating units cover the follow- the automotive aftermarket by the strong brand Motorservice. ing areas related to the internal combustion engine: reduc- This combination results in unique system competency that tion of emissions, pollutants, and consumption; cooling enables all current and future mobility topics to be covered in and thermal management, downsizing, and the reduction a comprehensive fashion. of weight and friction. Furthermore, Rheinmetall Automotive
Brands
Business Bearings Actuators Hardparts Units Castings Automotive Mechatronics Emission Systems Large Bore Pistons Commercial Small Bore Pistons Diesel Systems Pump Technology Solenoid Valves 27
A revolution. in mobility.
Horst Binnig, CEO, on technological developments in the automobile sector and the future orientation of the company.
Are we on the brink of a continuous future trend toward hybri- the range extender drive currently in development, while disation and a gradual transition toward more diverse forms of thermal management and fuel cell components are two other electric drive in the years to come? Or do we merely expect a areas also featured in our current development portfolio. short bold leap in the age of electric vehicles? And what role will be played by the overarching factors such as urbanization, The electric motor will gain importance at latest from 2025 demographic change and lawmaking? onwards. The diversity of the types of drives that will then be available will supply us with further potential for new business As automotive suppliers, classifying and projecting the market areas. For this reason, I am betting on a strategy that allows development in as detailed and accurate a way as possible the company to get the best from both worlds: in addition to is essential if we are to align our portfolio for the future. In our vast expertise in conventional drives, we will strengthen the coming five years, we will first see clear growth in plug- our competence in relation to the upcoming changes in the in hybrids for petrol and diesel engines. They are the current automotive market. In principle, our goal is the same as it has market drivers. And we also continue to be well positioned for been for more than 100 years: then as now, we want to help this development, given our specialisation in emission and advance the revolution in mobility over the long term through consumption reduction as well as downsizing. At the same novel solutions and innovative products. time development cycles in the automotive industry make it necessary to set a course for any core areas at an early stage to be able to keep pace with the competition and – even better – dash at the head of the pack in the race for customer orders.
Looking beyond 2020, I therefore see a clear need for Rhein- metall Automotive to orient development activities toward an ever-growing electro-mobility in its various facets. We assume that our markets are continuously changing and that electric drives will take on a growing importance in this process. We need to meet this challenge. That is why we are already in the process of forging a new path in aligning its activities in research and development. On the product side, for example, this includes
Revolution Evolution Evolution KS KOLBENSCHMIDT GMBH Karl-Schmidt-Strasse 74172 Neckarsulm, Germany
www.rheinmetall-automotive.com EN 09/16