contact knowledge magazine 02.14 by tÜv rheinland - us€¦ · able without energy. energy heats...
TRANSCRIPT
02.14
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E NERGYWhat we need to do to secure the supply
CHINAWhat it means when an empire opens up
OLEDWhy we will experience light differently in the future
Ulrich Fietz, Spokesman of the Executive Board of TÜV Rheinland AG
WHAT IS ENERGY?
“The driving force that gives our thoughts wings
and initiates our words and deeds,” would be
a philosopher's answer. “The fuel, made from
protein, fat and carbohydrates that we
need for growth, life and move-
ment,” says the biologist.
“The physical parameter,
measured in joules, that is
needed to move a body,
heat a substance or allow
an electrical current to
flow,” adds the engineer.
The first two definitions just
go to show what an elementa-
ry role energy has always played
in our lives. The third, technical inter-
pretation takes us into another dimension. We
break the mold of how we think and act as indi-
viduals and enter the world of the common good.
When it comes to topics such as the transition to
alternative energies, active and inactive nuclear
power plants, smart energy and energy efficiency,
we no longer talk of personal, but of social and
corporate responsibility.
TÜV Rheinland supports investors, manufacturers
and operators in the energy sector in taking on
this responsibility regardless of any political
discussion – neutrally, competently and coopera-
tively. We have presented our worldwide rangeof
services under the motto “E3 – Energy Expertise
Everywhere” for you on the website www.tuv-e3.
com. Click on it now – but not until you have
taken a look at the cover story in this knowledge
magazine.
I hope you enjoy reading this edition of contact.
WORLDWIDE
20 China is changingExternal expertise wanted The People's Republic of China is opening its doors to external inspection expertise – to supplement state inspections and provide initial stimulus for competition.
KNOWLEDGE
26 Conspicuously inconspicuousOLED technologyOrganic light emitting diodes are the illumnation of the future. For lighting technicians, designers and other professional groups, this future has already begun.
Contents
KNOWLEDGE
04 EnergyEnergy for Tomorrow Modern human life is unimaginable without energy. This is presenting humanity with great challenges. Energy needs to be available to everyone at all times, affordably and sustainably.
PEOPLE
24 Open company: TatonkaTÜV Rheinland-certified Tatonka sets great store by its reputation as a fair, envi-ronmentally conscious and responsible employer. That is one of the reasons why its production facility in Vietnam, underwent TÜV Rheinland certification.
KNOWLEDGE04 COVER STORY: Energy
Energy generation has seen many changes throughout its history. Today, humanity is facing very particular challenges in the sector
06 When power cuts paralyze civilization
08 Regenerative energy generation: Nothing is possible without an expert appraisal
12 Why Europe's energy supply is fragile and what can be done about it
26 OLED technology Organic light emitting diodes will change the way we perceive light
28 Environmental management The European Astronaut Centre wants to im-
prove the way it deals sparingly with resources
WORLDWIDE 16 World of laboratories TÜV Rheinland's mechanical laboratory in Poland investigates everything: from children's toys to cranes
18 Caution, fragile! Solar modules do not always arrive at their
destination undamaged. A new system creates greater certainty about their quality
20 China opens the market Foreign inspectors can now apply their expertise in the world's most populous country
PEOPLE24 Open Factory: Tatonka
Why the Vietnamese production facility of the Bavarian family company underwent TÜV Rheinland certification
30 24 Hours Race at the Nürburgring For Frank Stippler, the Nürburgring's Nord-schleife is the most beautiful and most difficult racing track in the world
QUICK NEWS!14 TÜV Rheinland for smartphones, check-ups for
managers, IP 500 for reliable communication regardless of manufacturer, research cooperation with Hamburg's Helmut Schmidt University, TÜV Rheinland dates for the diary
4 COVER STORY // Energy
12 IT SECURITY SYSTEMS8 REGENERATIVE
ENERGIES6 THE BIG BLACKOUT
Be it in industry, communication or mobility – modern life would be unthink-able without energy. Energy heats our homes in winter, propels our cars and trains, and powers our computers and cell phones. Few topics have seen as much heated discussion over recent years as energy and how it is generated. And right-ly so, as blackouts in various cities have shown what a day without energy feels like for the people affected. Even though we already produce electricity using power stations, wind parks and solar panels,humanity still faces big challenges.On the one hand, the energy of the future needs to be available to everyone at any time, yet it also needs to be affordableand produced sustainably.
Cover story
Energy forTomorrow
contact 02.14 5
Without warning, the lights in the tunnel go out, the hauling en-
gine stops juddering, the drone of the ventilation fan falls silent. The cage elevators – the lifeline between the depths and daylight – suddenly stop. Darkness and silence. Nothing moves. A power cut. Deep underground, in the coal mine at the edge of the east-ern Indian town of Burdwan, around 22 miners are trapped. They are res-cued a few hours later, returning from the blackness to a country in dark-ness. Not only the mine had been brought to a standstill. On 31 July 2012, India experienced the biggest blackout in world history when the country's hopelessly overloaded elec-tricity grid collapsed. Over 600 mil-lion people were without electricity for 24 hours. The plug was pulled on half a continent, and the infrastruc-ture could not cope. No water came out of the wells; trains stopped dead in the middle of their journeys. The Internet, radio, television – all out of service. In the capital, New Delhi, people stood helplessly at gas pumps, supermarket tills and ATMs that sim-
ply did not work. The traffic lights stopped working; the subway system was evacuated. Traffic, business, everyday life... everything just stopped. We only notice how depen-dent we are on electricity when it is suddenly gone.
SOMETIMES MORE,SOMETIMES LESS ELECTRICITYThe mega blackout in India was cer-tainly unusual, but it was not a one-off. Large-scale power cuts happen again and again, all over the world. The causes are many and varied: poorly maintained power plants and electricity cables, human error, natu-ral disasters, hacker attacks. Now there is a new risk factor for black-outs: the worldwide boom in renew-able energies. If they had not done so before, the damage to the nuclear power plant in Fukushima in 2011 caused many countries to demand a switch to regenerative energies – with China, the USA, Germany and Japan leading the way. Every continent is
seeing research and heavy investment into solar parks, onshore and offshore wind farms, biomass and hydraulic power plants. According to the Inter-national Energy Agency, around half of all new power plants built by 2035 will use regenerative energy sources. The share of global energy generation accounted for by green energy will rise from 18 per cent today to 25 per cent (see graphic, page 11). “This de-velopment is good in terms of climate protection, but it carries risks for the reliability of supply,” says Bruno Kuckartz, Head of the Energy Systems Division at TÜV Rheinland. Especially when it is paired with the gradual shutdown of coal, gas and nuclear power stations, as is the case inGermany, for example. If none of these power stations are available
In the
Red
WIND TURBINES STAND
IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST
WIND PARK, THE ALTA WIND
ENERGY CENTER IN THE
CALIFORNIAN DESERT.
USA 320
OF THE COUNTRY'S ANNUAL
ELECTRICITY DEMANDS ARE
COVERED BY THE ITAIPU
HYDRAULIC POWER PLANT
(98.6 TERAWATT HOURS).
PARAGUAY
75 %
When the lights go out and life grinds to a halt, it has
happened: a blackout. Power cuts with serious conse-
quences could soon be much more common. And of
all things it is the success of renewable energies that
is making the energy supply insecure.
6 COVER STORY // Energy
193 states are
members of the United
Nations. The countries
all differ in their
fossil fuel resources,
fi nancial means and
opportunities to exploit
energy from regenera-
tive sources. Even so,
renewable energies
are promoted by 127
states, two thirds of
which are develop-
ing and emerging
countries. HOUSEHOLDS HEAT
THEIR WATER USING
SOLAR ENERGY.
CHINA
130 MILLION
CUBIC METERS OF
NATURAL GAS ARE IN
THE GROUND WAITING
TO BE EXTRACTED.RUSSIA
47.5 TRILLIONOF THE COUNTRY'S ELECTRICITY
DEMANDS ARE COVERED BY
NUCLEAR ENERGY – A WORLD
RECORD.
FRANCE
78 %
OF ELECTRICITY PER PERSON IS CONSUMED HERE EVERY YEAR.
ICELAND
51,439.9 kWh
OF ELECTRICITY PER PERSON IS
CONSUMED HERE EVERY YEAR.
ETHIOPIA
51.6 kWh
of global energy generation will come from green energy by 2035. Worldwide around 50% of the new power plants built by then will use regenerative energy sources.
25 %
“Everything that
is tested is alsomaintained.”
contact 02.14 7
The wind turbine is subject to tremendous forces. That is why the
rotors – made from glass or carbon fi ber reinforced plastics – are
regularly checked for cracks both in production and later during
operation. The shaft, motors, generator and control technology
all need to work perfectly in the rig. Tested ladders and elevators
provide safe working routes inside the tower.
Material
Location
The suitability of a site for wind
turbines depends on the local wind and
soil conditions as well as the effects
on the environment. Without an expert
appraisal, the rotors do not usually
begin to turn – see text right.
GOOD WIND, BAD WIND
Dr. Kai Born knows where the wind is coming from. The TÜV Rheinland
meteorologist tests the suitability of wind turbine locations. He
uses high-performance computers to simulate how the wind behaves
locally in different weather condi-tions. What he is looking for is a wind
turbine that delivers as much elec-tricity as possible around the clock.
“We compile performance curves and make judgments on sound propagation, shadow and tur-bulences,” he says. But the assessor
does not like to rely on computers alone. “Viewing the site is essential,” explains the TÜV Rheinland expert. Nearby buildings and woodland can cause significant air turbulence, for
example – this tugs on the rotors, re-ducing the energy yield. And it is only
possible to harvest a lot of wind if it blows reliably in the first place.
Dr. Kai BornMeteorologist
+49 221 806-4230
www.tuv.com
the site is essential.““Viewing
to cover the baseload, the natural fluctuations in the electricity pro-duced in wind and solar systems become a problem. If the demand for electricity is greater than the supply – for example at midday in summer, when a lot of air conditioning sys-tems are in operation – the frequency in the grid falls, in extreme cases causing a blackout. Scaremongering? Absolutely not. Grid operators already have to intervene manually in the increasingly complex tapestry of large and small energy generators, electrici-ty lines and energy consumers more and more often. But controlling local and transnational electricity flows
manually like this is a dangerous game. Pressing the wrong button at the wrong time could cause a black-out for entire cities or regions.
ENOUGH WILD EXPERMENTATION
New solutions are needed. TÜV Rheinland recently founded its spe-cialist “Network Security and Automa-tion” department. “We test web-based programs for plant and network mon-itoring at the medium-voltage level, for example. The idea behind the soft-ware is for it to automatically control
which power plant feeds electricity into the network when, more reliably than any human could,” says Bruno Kuckartz. “We also need new electrici-ty superhighways to connect offshore wind parks with cities and industrial centers,” he adds. But stable networks are useless without safe and reliable power plants. A few areas, such as bioenergy, are still causing concern here. “There was a lot of wild experi-mentation going on in the early 1990s,” says Erik Holzhauser, TÜV Rheinland's expert for biomass power plants. “Every farmer was building his own biogas plant and putting it next to his field.”
8 COVER STORY // Energy
Both on land and on the high seas,
building a wind power plant is the
heaviest of work. From transporting
the modules, which weigh many
tones, to the construction site safely
and on time to the correct assembly
of the tower, rig and rotors, waves,
wind and tight schedules make
the work a technical and logistical
challenge again and again.
Assembly
Wind power plants have an environmental
impact. The rotor blades can be dangerous for
birds and bats, while local residents object to
the shadows, the sound emissions or even just
the way they look in the landscape. Offshore,
construction noise is a problem for fi sh and
whales. However, technical solutions such as
bubble curtains around the plant can reduce
noise levels under water signifi cantly.
Environment
SOLAR TESTS
IN SALT MIST
Occupational safety
Anyone conducting construction and mainte-
nance work up to 150 meters in the air needs
more than just fi tness and a head for heights.
A helmet, climbing harness and life jacket are
just as vital as practical air rescue exercises
and safety training.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Morocco plans to develop up a competitive solar industry and hopes to build solar power stations
with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts by 2020. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is also involved. The Institute of Solar Research is testing components for the solar power station in Ouarzazate, where sunlight is to be concentrated using curved mirrors. The DLR used TÜV Rheinland's salt mist chamber in Cologne
for the tests. “We test mirrors for their durability,” says our expert Ulrich Fritzsche. Small jets on the walls of the chamber spray a fine salt mist. “With the spray test, we are looking at whether the metals with which each mirror is coated corrode around the edges,” explains Fritzsche. The DLR testers then travel to Morocco to investigate how sand storms and high temperatures affect the mirrors.
contact 02.14 9
Bruno KuckartzHead of the Energy Systems and
Automation Division at TÜV Rheinland
+49 221 806-2609
www.tuv.com
How does TÜV Rheinland help power plant operators to improve the safety of their systems?TÜV Rheinland has recently gained specialist knowledge in the field of con-dition monitoring systems (CMS). This allows us to detect changes in the plant using sensors, without even having to be there in person. Via the Internet, we recognize every change early and can initiate the appropriate steps. The cus-tomer improves the safety of their plant and even saves money at the same time.
How can changes in a plant be detected using sensors?By monitoring vibrations on machines, turbines or pressure vessels, for exam-ple. We register even the smallest of vibrations and are able to work out where they are coming from using in-telligent frequency analysis of individ-ual plant components. Depending on requirements, we may also use acoustic monitoring systems.
You are now also helping with power plant decommissioning. What is now possible that could not be done before?We can now offer disposal of radioac-tive waste material. We now develop and operate software systems that allow radioactive waste materials to be tracked from their origins to the final disposal site. This is important for safe decom-missioning, so that it is always clear which materials have to be dealt with.
3 forquestionsBruno
Kuckartz
Continued from Page 8 It initially took time to build up this safety expertise. Now Erik Holzhauser and his colleagues are kept very busy testing both new power plants and older, existing ones. “Everything that is tested is also regularly maintained – that ensures a reliable supply,” says Holzhauser. TÜV Rheinland expert Bruno Kuckartz adds, “in alternative energy generation in particular, there is a constant stream of technical in-novations and statutory changes, all with consequences for planning,construction and operation.” Beforea wind turbine can begin to turn, for example, there are many tasks that have to be completed time and again
10 COVER STORY // Energy
Europe, Japan, U
SA
India, Latin
Americ
a,
ASEAN, Afri
ca
China
Water
Wind
Solar
Other
2.100
1.800
1.500
1.200
900
600
300
TWh
Electricity generation
from renewable
energies (in terrawatt hours)
Prospects for 2035
(see previous double page). “It is of-ten difficult for investors, manufac-turers and plant operators to keepup with it all. With our help, they can go back to concentrating on their core business,” says Kuckartz. TÜV Rheinland has brought together its expertise in the field of energy under the motto 'E3 – Energy Expertise Ev-erywhere’. The website tuv-e3.com uses an interactive world map with practical examples from across the globe to provide fast access to theservices, clearly divided into thedifferent fields of energy: oil & gas; fossil & nuclear; solar; wind; smart energy; and energy efficiency.
The map shows the energy projects TÜV Rheinland is involved in around the world, but it also pro-vides proof that every country fol-lows its own path when it comes to generating energy. In the Indian state of Rajasthan, for example, the world's largest solar power station by some margin is being built with a planned capacity of 4,000 megawatts – equal to that of three large nuclear power plants. At the same time, the construction of around 455 coal power plants with a capacity of around 520,000 megawatts is planned over the next few years.Better safe than sorry.
Worldwide
investment in
solar parks and
wind farms as
well as biomass
and hydraulic
power plants will
be essential if the
energy transition
is to succeed.
contact 02.14 11
A cold evening in February. The electricitygrids in Europe collapse: power plants shut
down; elevators and subways trains grind to a halt. While the authorities look for the causeof the blackout, the people hang on to the edge of civilization. No running water; medieval standards of hygiene. Anything that runs on electricity is out of order: ATMs, telephones, computers, gas pumps, milking machines. Su-permarkets cannot get hold of goods; hospitals are unable to operate. The threat of a nuclear disaster looms. “The cyber attack scenario de-scribed in the thriller Blackout* is not just a wild fantasy,” knows Arne Helemann. The spe-cialist in information security at TÜV Rheinland supports energy companies in improving their protection against cyber attacks. “The energy sector is still coming out of another world,”explains Helemann, looking back. “For decades, the main priority was maintaining the availabi-
The risk of extensive
blackouts is growing:
Why the energy supply in Europe is
vulnerable and why companies do not
have to put up with it.
blblattackers
Questions on this topic?Arne Helemann (i-sec)
+49 221 56783-275
www.tuv.com
12 COVER STORY // Energy
lity of energy provision. No one was looking at information security.” Processes and control systems were operated electronically, but the technology was very specific. When network and control technology is modernized today, it is usually done with standard technologies like those used in office IT. Helemann: “By using standard products, you are inviting all the cyber risks that conventional IT also faces.”
EASY PREY FOR HACKERSHacker attacks such as Flame and Stuxnet, new requirements from legislators and books like Blackout have startled the sector into action. The specialists at TÜV Rheinland are called upon to determine and assess risks. “Of course, the customer tells us first how they have imple-mented IT security, but we always find some potential risks,” says Helemann. To uncover them, he and his colleagues check technical and organizational measures and reveal gateways – for example when plants are not completely separate from office networks or are connected directly to the Internet and service provider networks without suitable protection. Classic mistakes include unsecured communication in-terfaces, such as for remote maintenance, which those responsible for IT are not always aware of. Important security updates for IT components are often not installed because it could cause the manufacturer's guarantee to be lost. Recklessness can also be a problem. “In one control room, we found a range of systems, all with the same user name and password – that is a recipe for
disaster,” says Helemann. Accounts of former staff are often not immediately deleted as a matter of course – opening up the possibility of access permissions being misused for attacks. When an admin leaves, he does not always leave detailed records of systems or passwords, with the result that it may no longer be possible to administrate IT systems in the long term. In addition, legal hackers from TÜV Rheinland 'test' the organization's vulnerability – on behalf of the customer – by penetrating the supply network using the boss' hijacked account. “We explain to the customer which attack scena-rios and damage could be a threat,” explains Helemann. The effects could be anything from short-term power cuts to the loss of huge quan-tities of data. This usually makes a big impressi-on on the decision-makers.
PREVENTING THE BLACKOUT“All these weak points come down to the fact that information security is no longer appropri-ately managed.” Information security manage-ment systems (ISMS) like those developed for large and medium-sized companies by the specialists at TÜV Rheinland clear up the mess. This may include introducing responsibilities, processes and their documentation, as well as training staff. Risk management and monito-ring make sure that companies discover possible risks early and can minimize them, in order to make life as difficult as possible for invisibleattackers – and so that novels like Blackoutremain nothing more than fiction.
Even modern ener-
gy supply systems
provide a bigger
and bigger target
for cyber attacks,
with devastating
consequences.
*“Blackout – morgen ist es zu spät”, Marc Elsberg. The “Science Book of the Year 2012”: What happens when the lights go out? A hacker attack on the European power supply system and all its consequences are the content of ‘Blackout’.
Make a note
“By using standard IT, you are inviting all
the cyber risks.”
contact 02.14 13
Qu ne
Greater safety thanks to a small chip and a big step for the "Internet of things".
to understand the other person's point of view.”Henry Ford (1863–1947)
If the smoke detector speaks Chinese, but the fire alarm only understands
English and the escape route lighting only reacts to Spanish commands - then people are going to be faced with a pretty bleak situation if a fire breaks out. For the last few years, the IP500 Alliance has been developinga uniform language so that all thedevices within a building will be able to communicate wirelessly with one another in future. IP500 is the name of the wireless industry standard for manufacturer-neutral and reliable communication. The Alliance includes international operators, users and manufacturers such as Bosch, Siemens and Honeywell.
Their main focus is on safety-related components in technical building automation: access controls and security locks, fire and smoke alarms, emergency exits, burglary pro-tection, and light and climate control. In case of an emergency, for example, the fire alarm is connected to the lighting system, which can serve as a emergency escape route. The fire de-partment gains access automatically via appropriately equipped radio de-vices. The IP500 is located on a highly integrated circuit (single chip solu-tion). Manufacturers of safety and se-curity products such as smoke alarms and locks incorporate the circuits into their products. The certification of all wireless IP500 chips and the commu-
nication between the products that contain these original components (OEM products) is a key factor for worldwide success, which is why the IP500 Alliance decided to take on board TÜV Rheinland as a new part-ner for worldwide certification in April. "TÜV Rheinland's global exper-tise and worldwide network were what prompted us," says Helmut Adamski, initiator and President of the IP500 Alliance. "The partnership guarantees the interoperability of all IP500 modules worldwide." Interop-erability and the performance of a wireless, energy-efficient network in an application from the Internet of things have been among the most important topics around the world over the last ten years. "IP500 and TÜV Rheinland are offering new products and business opportunities, as well as promoting the Internet of things on the market", says Stefan Kischka, Vice President Electrical at TÜV Rheinland.
A Standard for smart buildings
Dates
04.International TÜV Rheinland Global Compact Award, Cologne 23.–26.InnoTrans Specialist trade fair for
transport technology, Berlin
SEPTEMBER
01.–05. Intermot Motorcycle, scooter and e-bike
trade fair, Cologne
27.–30.HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair
OCTOBER
04.–06.European Utility Week Amsterdam
12.–15. Medica Düsseldorf
NOVEMBER
“If there is any one secret of success
it lies in the ability
14 QUICK NEWS!
How are you? Fine, thanks. Just a bit stressed, and often some back pain.
Nothing unusual for high achievers. More and more of them are leaving nothing to chance when it comes to their health – they want to be clear about what their body can cope with and manage their health systematically. In May, TÜV Rheinland opened another health management competence center especially for specialist staff, managers and top performers. Alongside Bad Neu-enahr, Berlin is now also home to an in-terdisciplinary team offering thorough check-ups. The team uses the latest dia-gnostic processes to examine physical and mental capacity and helps to detect health risks as well as recognize and en-hance the individual's personal perfor-mance potential. Many companies have also realized how important company health promotion is. They support staff who bear the responsibility of carrying out check-ups in their companies. www.tuv.com/trkg
A nyone who has clicked on www.tuv.com on their smartphone over the last few weeks will have
noticed the change: the TÜV Rheinland website has now been adapted for BlackBerry, iPhone, etcetera. This makes us one of the first TIC (testing, inspection
and certification) companies whose website is optimized for cell phone use. "The number of people accessing our website via smartphone has risen massively in recent years,"
says Thomas Berscheid, Senior Web Content Manager at TÜV Rheinland. In order to offer users the best possible service, the Internet team has developed a website design that is easy to use and features all the information at a glance, even on a smartphone display. And of course, the mobile TÜV Rheinland website is also available in a range of languages.ick
ws! E-MOBILITY
He whobrakes, wins
It is when driving around town that a vehicle with a com-bustion engine consumes the most gas. Electric vehicles
are a different matter: during recuperation, i.e. the recovery of electrical energy when braking or coasting, the electrical power unit becomes a generator and charges the battery. A research project conducted by Hamburg's Helmut Schmidt University on "effi ciency investigations on an electric ve-hicle" has now shown that the amount of regained energy tends to be lower than what the theoretical values suggest, and that the theoretical values cannot be achieved. The young scientists disproved the previously accepted theory that a lot of energy is recovered when driving downhill. As Franziska de Vries from TÜV Rheinland reports, higher recuperation means that an electric vehicle works most ef-fectively mainly in stop-and-go traffi c in town, thus incre-asing its range. TÜV Rheinland made this research project
possible with specialist support and by providing an electric
version of a Fiat Fiorino.
MOBILE WEBSITE
TÜV Rheinland for
smartphones
managersCheck-ups for
asing its range. TÜV Rheinland made this reseapossible with speciali
and by providinversion of a F
contact 02.14 15
The Mechanical Laboratory
at TÜV Rheinland Poland
investigates almost anything:
from small children's toys
to a large crane for a sewage
treatment plant. One of the
reasons behind the labora-
tory's success is Poland's EU
accession ten years ago.
DemandDrop on
FactsNo one can do it like them
TÜV Rheinland's Mechanical Laboratory in Poland was opened in Poznan in 2007 as a furniture testing facility, but its role was soon expanded to include other sectors.
In 2013, it moved into new premises with over 1,000 square meters of laboratories and 350 square meters of office space.
Here, eleven qualified engineers test furniture, electrical tools and devices, toys and medical products for European
customers. The tests also cover large structures such as warehouses with shelving, as well as swimming pools.
The laboratory has no competitors in some of the services. Those laboratories that do represent
international competition are not aswell equipped as those at
TÜV Rheinland.
16 WORLDWIDE // The World of Labs // Part 3: Poland
is the maximum temperature of the climatic chamber in which medical beds, medical lifting devices, toys and furniture are subjected to an endur-ance test in humidity of up to 100 percent.
70°C
The test of the bottom of a bed is per-
formed using the 5kN actuator strain
gauge. Mounted on the actuator is a
suitable tester with a diameter of 200
mm and a radius of 300mm. The force
is applied to the elements through
the special mattress.
Testing fi eldsHighly coveted test marks
Transportable parts are tested at the lab in Poznan; large systems at the customer's site. The Mechanical Laboratory labels products with the TÜV Rheinland test mark because producers, dealers and purchasers have to adhere to the EU quality standards and demand independent certification.
This involves opening furniture doors and house windows thousands of times in the laboratory, noting down every
rattle and squeak. Whether it is small drills or entire industrial plants, the engineers let the motors run hot
in load tests lasting many hours. Prams, carpets and fitness devices are tested with ball weights,
salt spray and sauna heat before they are awarded the TÜV Rheinland
test mark.
SpecialsAll professionals together
At the Poznan site, the Mechanical Laboratory benefits from the country's top engineering universities, which
are based here. All the staff are graduates of the Technical University, the Economic University or the Science Univer-
sity in Poznan. The laboratory's greatest strengths are the so-lutions it tailors to every individual customer. Customersoften come to us with complicated products that otherlaboratories are reluctant to test. Alongside the usualsafety tests, the Mechanical Laboratory has already
certified large cooling water pipes for powerstations, a device for irradiating the eyeball,
the snow load capacity of the roof of a 40,000-square-meter hall, and 100
playgrounds donated by Nivea.
Questions on this topic?Dr. Michał Bak
+48 61 864 22 58
www.tuv.pl
contact 02.14 17
MechanicalLab, Poland
3
Globalization can be tough: goods travel hundreds of kilometers from
factories nestled someplace in the Chi-nese hinterland, along roads in varying degrees of disrepair, to the ports on the coast. There, forklift trucks load the pal-lets into containers before they are transfered into the belly of an oceangiant. This is followed by a week-long journey on the high seas halfway around the world to Europe or North America, before the products finallyreach the buyers. This odyssey posesenough of a challenge for textiles or toys, but even more so for solar mod-ules, 80 to 90 percent of which arenow manufactured in China. After all, the modules consist of brittle silicon embedded in film and glass, so it is no wonder that these delicate goods are sometimes damaged during their jour-ney. “It is estimated that between five and ten percent of all modules are ad-versely affected during transportation,” says Willi Vaaßen, Business Unit Manag-er for Solar Energy at TÜV Rheinland.
SMALL CRACKS, BIG IMPACT
All it takes is for the forklift to put the pallet down too roughly or the contain-er to bump against the ship's hull fortiny cracks to appear in the modules. This in turn lowers performance. “The return can consequently decrease by one to three percent. This might not sound like a lot, but it is a considerable loss,especially for operators and investors at large solar parks,” explains solar expert Vaaßen. In addition, damage usually
remains undiscovered if it is not imme-diately visible – and then it is no longer possible to determine how it came about. Together with logistics provider DB Schenker, TÜV Rheinland has devel-oped a new system with the aim ofresolving this issue. This involves both monitoring the solar modules' entire journey from the manufacturer to the construction site and examining the products' quality on departure and arrival. The aim is to detect potential risks and damage early on and thus provide operators with certainty about the performance of their plant. The two companies monitored the multistage system for an entire year. The testing stage involved investigating typical stresses – known as the standard stress – that arise while transporting the solar modules. The delicate modules were subjected to trials such as being knocked around, tipped over and dropped in their transport packaging, before finally undergoing one hundred shock tests with high acceleration and sudden braking.
Solar modules often have to cover long distances until they can be screwed
onto a rooftop somewhere – and they do not always reach their destination
without being damaged. A new system will hopefully create greater certain-
ty about the modules' quality.
Questions on this topic?Willi Vaaßen
+49 221 806-2910
www.tuv.com
fragile!Caution,
18 WORLDWIDE // Solar modules
The shock sensors and vibration measuring technology are vital elements in this system. They carry out constant measurements during the journey to see whether anyone has handled a container too roughly or a storm has shaken up the ship and the goods on board. If the standard stress has been exceeded, it is a case of unpacking and checking. The affected module's performance is measured and the damage analyzed immediately upon arrival, for example at the DB Schenker incoming goods warehouse in the Belgian city of Antwerp.The experts also take representative samplesof the modules delivered. “These results are
then compared to the measured values taken by the outgoing goods checkpoint at themanufacturer's plant. That in turn allows us to see exactly whether and how a module's quality has been affected during transporta-tion,” explains Vaaßen. The advantage is that manufacturers, operators and investors arefully aware of the quality of the goods when they arrive at the construction site. This very issue is becoming important for more and more investors and plant operators. WilliVaaßen, who has known the market for more than 20 years, believes that quality require-ments have increased signifi cantly of late.
“The new system providesplant operators with greater
certainty.”
TRACKING IMPACTS
Continuous measurement reveals whether the
stress of transport has damaged the modules.
The new system allows their entire journey to
be monitored.
contact 02.14 19
The liberalization of many markets transformed China into the world's
largest trading nation, but there was still little space for independent
providers of technical services. The People's Republic is now opening itself
up to external inspection expertise – to supplement state inspections
and provide initial stimulus for competition.
20 WORLDWIDE // China opens the market
The TÜV Rheinland building in Shanghai:
Stretching to 17,000 square meters, the site accommodates
300 employees and many testing laboratories.
The People's Republic has already held the crown as the world's biggest
exporter since 2009, and imports are also increasing. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is predicting that imports will reach just under two trillion US dollars in 2013. Ten years ago, the Chinese were investing just a quarter of this sum in goods and products pro-duced in other countries. As a result, the demand for testing and certification is high. However, while global trade rela-tionships were being driven forward all the time, this field remained stagnant for quite a while. It was only four years after joining the World Trade Organisa-tion (WTO) in 2001 that China began to open up the market for independent testing organizations little by little. It is only now, in the second half of 2014, that external inspectors have free access to the markets in China. However, this does not mean that state inspections have been entirely consigned to the his-tory books. Instead, external service pro-viders merely supplement existing proce-dures. Ralf Scheller, Chief Regional Officer Greater China at TÜV Rheinland, is certain that “it is now easier for for-eign companies to access the Chinese
21contact 02.14
market with their products.” He hopes that competi-tion between state and external inspections will provide added safety for imported products or components. “The market has been waiting for this liberalization for a long time. The advantage now for companies outside of China is that they can work together with partners like us, who are familiar with how authorities in China work. In doing so, we con-duct not only the technical inspection, but the entire process.”
TRIPLE C FOR TOP QUALITYThe most important verification of quality is the CCC certificate (China Compulsory Certification). The CCC catalog includes products subject to inspection in the fields of electrical engineering, telecommunications, motorized vehicles, machinery, medical technology, toys and construction materials. As an official contrac-tual partner of the certification body CQC (China Quality Certification Center), TÜV Rheinland offers not only initial inspection but also regular follow-up inspections. Regional presence is hugely important for this, as Ralf Scheller emphasizes. “We are among the pioneers in the Chinese market. Our branch in Hong Kong has just celebrat-ed its 25th anniver-sary. This expertise allows us to shorten the inspection and certification process significantly, thus reducing costs.”
CHILD SEATSNEW ON THE CCC LIST
The compulsory use of child seats in cars is now being gradually introduced in China, too – initially in some cities and eventually throughout the country. This will lead to a significant rise in demand for child restraint systems. At the same time, child seats are being added to the list of compulsory CCC approvals. Theregulations come into force on September 1, 2014. However, Martina Neumann from TÜV Rhein-land recommends providers who wish to establish a presence on the market as early as possible, not to wait for this date. “The approval process takes several months and the number of approvals will be high. That is why it is important to start as soon as possi-ble.” Manufacturers can already apply for the volun-tary CQC mark, which can later be converted into the required CCC mark with little effort. One year after the date of introduction, it will only be possible to launch and sell child seats with CCC certifi-cation and labeling.
Questions on this topic?Ralf Scheller
+852 2192 1555
www.tuv.com
22 WORLDWIDE // China opens the market
OPEN TO
A SECOND OPINIONWhat did you inspect at the InterContinental Hotel in Qingdao?We checked the safety of 24 elevators and four other transportation systems, such as escalators.
What added value doesthis extra inspection provide?Needless to say, the InterContinental fulfills the state specifications and also passed the inspections, but the company's philosophy includes doing more than what is absolutely necessary and measur-ing up against international standards. In addition, it is always a question of trust in the services and skills of the expert conducting the inspection. The InterCon-tinental wanted a second opinion in order to cover any possible risks.
What was the result of the second opinion?In some circumstances, there are very sig-nificant differences between Chinese and European standards in specific individual cases. That means that we very carefully examined things that would not have been included in the state inspection list. We did this using tests that are gentle on the machinery, for instance without the difficult and expensive use of the maxi-mum load capacity. All in all, the safety benefits for the InterContinental are clear.
Which inspections does TÜV Rhein-land offer for elevators in the Greater China region?As well as being an accredited body for periodic testing, we also inspect the energy efficiency of systems. After all, in extreme cases elevators and escalators can account for 30 percent of a building's total energy consumption. We also support manufacturers in type examinations for components or complex systems.
Interview withThomas Fuhrmann Expert at TÜV Rheinland:
InterConti in ChinaElevator inspection
contact 02.14 23
BISON FROM BAVARIAThe word 'tatonka' comes from the language of the North American Indians and means bison.Winfried Schechinger founded the company in 1980. It was known then as Mountain Sport. Tatonka produces outdoor equip-ment and textiles. It has around 1,000 staff across the globe, around 60 of whom are based at the headquarters in Dasing, Bavaria. The company has its own production facility in Vietnam. Andreas Schechinger, the son of the founder, took over as Managing Director in 2004.
Textile production in emerging nations is faced
with tough criticism. Tatonka Managing
Director Andreas Schechinger on responsibility,
trust and the Open Factory in Vietnam.
Managing Director at Tatonka
Schechinger
Cards on the tableCards on the table
24 PEOPLE // Open Factory: Tatonka
Andreas
MMaMaMaMaMaMaMMMMaMMaMaMMMaMMaManananananannananannnnnnnan gigigigigigigig ngngngngnggngnngng DDDDDDDDDirirriririiii ecececececece totototottto
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSccccccccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeecccccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnnndddddddrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaassss
Family companies like yours are considered to be particularly socially minded and car-ing towards their staff. Rightly so?Andreas Schechinger: People who have family ties or a close personal connection to the com-pany tend to see the big picture and hope to be successful in the long term. In large corpora-tions, managers often think in short time frames and orientate their actions more to-wards profit and share prices than we have to. Sometimes the staff suffer from this. The para-dox is that people have much higher expecta-tions of family companies, even though their financial and staffing options are often much more limited than those of large corporations. This makes it more difficult to present a “social-ly minded” image, such as through certification or staff specifically employed for the role.
Since 2011, it has been possible for anyone who is interested to visit your production facility in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. This is unusual for a textiles company in Asia – other companies do not lay their cards on the table. Why do you?Many companies are unable to offer an “open factory” because the factory does not belong to them or because other brands also have their goods produced there. Our production facility is a wholly owned subsidiary and only manu-factures our products. We want to show that we offer good working conditions and have noth-ing to hide. This generates trust among our consumers and takes the wind out of unfounded accusations. A visitor can see right away whether or not our workers feel at ease.
You have repeatedly subjected the company to certification in line with SA8000 – a comprehensive
close attention to ensure that nothing extends over the lines. A positive side effect has been that the workers now take some rules that were already in place more seriously. As a business-man, I have been particularly pleased with how SA8000 demands more personal responsibility from the staff and encourages them to act inde-pendently. For example, when an item of safety equipment is broken, they no longer call for the contractor right away. Instead, the safety officer is initially responsible for rectifying the problem.
How often are you in Vietnam yourself?Three to four times a year, for one to two weeks each time. The strong sense of community and the warmth of the people there impress me time and again. Incidentally, this was one of the reasons why my parents chose Vietnam as a production location in the first place, a quarter of a century ago.
The controversial
textiles sector:
As demonstrated
by Tatonka, high
social standards
can be achieved
even in emerging
nations.
Every Friday morning, TÜV Rheinland cus-tomer Tatonka offers tours of its production facility in Ho Chi Minh City. Thoseinterested can register at www.openfactory.tatonka.com. Around 500 people havevisited the Open Factory since 2011.
etnamVieeaambotchaaCaCa
China
Laos
Thailand
Burma
Ho-Chi-Minh Stadt (Saigon)
VietnamKambodscha
China
Laos
Thailand
Burma
Ho Chi MinhCity (Saigon)
social standard based on national laws, the UN conventions on human rights and the labor standards of the International Labour Organisation. Why?We want to create transparency, both on the ground through our Open Factory concept and officially on paper. SA8000 is much more than just an audit – it includes the implementation of a management system. We did not introduce safe and fair working conditions as of certifica-tion, but it was all less systematic before. The biggest change for us was in determining hier-archies and working groups, as well as the com-prehensive documentation – there has to be a record of absolutely everything. Before, it was enough for the shift leader just to check wheth-er all the workers were there, for example. Now we record it in writing. Or when it comes to payment – every worker now has to confirm that he or she has received his or her wages.
Did you have to make changes to the building to pass certification?Only a few small ones, such as floor markings to help keep aisles clear. The workers now pay
contact 02.14 25
Slowly the woman approaches the lumines-cent area next to the coat rack in her house.
As if by magic, the lit-up area changes. It auto-matically recognizes where the woman's face is and dims the light just there. This dimming turns the lights into an interactive mirror. This is not a scene from a science fiction film, but real life. The new technology behind it is called OLED – organic light emitting diodes. Develop-ments in recent years have shown that nothing is more transient than technology. Efficient fluo-rescent tubes and energy-saving lamps have long replaced good old light bulbs. Light emitting diodes – LEDs for short – and most recently OLEDs in particular have gained a lot of ground. But what many laypeople do not know is that OLEDs are not only suitable for displays in cell phones, navigation systems or mobile games consoles, but also as a light source. The benefits for you: They are inconspicuous, versatile and efficient in both functional and decorative uses.
WAFER THIN, GREEN AND LONG LASTINGTraditional lamps and LEDs are point light sources that are usually spread out so that they can emit their light across a large area. The dis-advantage of this is that when they are scattered throughout a system such as a lampshade, up to 70 percent of their light can be lost. At just 1.8 millimeters thick, however, the OLED is the first true area light source. It is able to emit 100 per-cent of its light without any loss at all, as there is no system to guzzle up its lighting capacity. Their light is naturally soft and glare-free. “OLEDs immediately light up to their full brightness as soon as they are switched on, can be continuously dimmed and can be recycled without any problems,” says Dietmar Thomas, press spokesman for OLEDs at the manufacturer Philips. OLEDs do not get hot when switched on either, making them suitable for a much wid-er range of uses than other light sources. For in-stance, in the automotive sector, OLEDs can be integrated into a vehicle's roof liner or dash-board without any problems. In architecture, OLEDs allow ceilings and walls to glow in a range of colors. Their flat structure means that OLEDs are very easy to integrate. As low-pow-ered light sources, they need only very thin feed cables and consume a maximum of 340 milliam-peres. Thanks to these many advantages and their life span of around 30,000 hours – in con-trast, a conventional light bulb lasts just 1,500 hours – OLEDs will fundamentally change the way we experience light.
DIN-CERTIFIED LIGHTING TECHNICIANThe rapid development of new technologies and trends is presenting lighting technicians with particular challenges. The experts have to be constantly up-to-date on the very latest technol-ogy when it comes to the interaction between lighting systems, equipment, and their control and effects. In addition, they need comprehen-sive knowledge of how light affects and influ-ences people and how people perceive it. In future, TÜV Rheinland will be supporting lighting technicians as they face up to these challenges. “Working together with the groups involved, we have implemented a service that has been developed to meet market needs and requirements. Those concerned can use the ser-vice as proof of specific skills and expertise, for example, as well as to set themselves apart from their competitors in the broader field of electri-cal engineering/technology.”
First it was LEDs, now it is OLEDs. Lumi-
nescent chairs, windows that emit light –
OLEDs are the light of the future.
And for lighting technicians, this future
has already begun.
Conspicuousinconspicuous
OLEDs consist of
wafer-thin layers of
organic semiconductors
and pigment molecules
embedded between
two panes of glass.
When a voltage is
applied, the organic
layers begin to glow.
The fi rst step in produc-
ing an OLED is to apply
a thin, transparent and
electrically conductive
oxide layer made from
indium tin oxide. This
layer forms the anode.
Between the anode
and the cathode, which
consists of vaporized
aluminum, there are
up to 60 light-emitting,
conductive, organic lay-
ers which are as thin as
about one thousandth
of the thickness of a
human hair.
LIGHTLIGHT
GLASS SUBSTRATE
GLASS LID AND GETTER
METALLIC CATHODE
ORGANIC LAYERS
TRANSPARENT ANODE
STRUCTURE OF
AN OLED
Questions about certification?Dana Bodeschu
+49 30 7562-1137
www.dincertco.de/67517
26 KNOWLEDGE // OLED-Technology
hours is the lifespan of an OLED. A conventional light bulb manages just 1,500 hours. This and many other benefits are making OLEDs the lighting technology of the future. They will funda-mentally change the way we perceive light.
30,000
An employee at the Philips production facility in
Aachen checks the special glass for defects and
inclusions. The organic light emitting diodes will
later be produced on this pane.
in its most beautiful form.”
“OLEDs emit light
contact 02.14 27
The EAC is essentially the European astronaut school: it is where ESA astronauts are trained to fly to the ISS in the future. The building complex there-fore also houses a ten meter-deep diving pool in which working in zero gravity can be trained. There are also full-sized replicas of the European science laboratory Columbus, which is docked to the ISS. “The EAC does not have any particular impact on the environment like an industrial company would,” says Andreas Diekmann, who is responsible for the strategic planning and development of the EAC and for the environmental management system. “In-stead, what is special about us is that, because of the objectives behind our work, we have always had a very special understanding of how to handle the en-vironment and resources with care. After all, that is a challenge on the space station, too.”
ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTSo is there anything that can still be improved at the EAC when it comes to environmental protection? “Above all, the two steps in the audit showed how important it is that we go through all our processes systematically once again,” says Diekmann. Take chemicals, for example: In his first audit in April,
Space – the infinite expanse. And in the middle of it all is a little blue dot with a delicate atmo-
sphere curving over it. Those who have seen this blue dot, our Earth, as an astronaut are changed for-ever. “Up here, I am more conscious than ever that there really is just a small, thin layer of air separat-ing humanity from the deadliness of space,” says the German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, in his first interview following his flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in late May. Vulcanologist Gerst is currently orbiting our planet together with three Russian and two American astronauts. The 38-year-old's “Blue Dot” mission continues until mid-November 2014. By then he will have completed numerous scientific experiments, including using a high-tech furnace, the “electromagnetic levitator”, to investigate how metal alloys harden in zero gravi-ty. Throughout the trip, he will be posting stunning photos on Twitter to remind us again and again that we need to take good care of this little blue dot we call home.
MAKING SAVINGS AT THE ASTRONAUT SCHOOL Being careful with the environment and with re-sources is not only important on humanity's only outpost in space. It is also vital down here, where gravity rules. That is why the European Space Agen-cy (ESA) has called on all its centers in Europe to in-troduce environmental management in accordance with ISO 14001 and have it certified. The European Astronaut Centre (ESA/EAC) in Cologne, responsible for the ESA's human spaceflight, is leading the way.
German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst has been on board the ISS
since late May. One of his chief concerns is to raise our awareness
of how fragile the earth is, so it is perfect that the European Astro-
naut Centre, where Gerst trained, is now committed to environ-
mental management certifi ed by TÜV Rheinland.
“Blue Dot”Mission
“Blue Dot”Mission
28 KNOWLEDGE // Environmental management
Floating free: German geo-
physicist Alexander Gerst
underwent four years of
training at the European
Astronaut Centre before
fl ying to the ISS.
Questions on this topic?Erich Grünes
+49 221 806-4528
www.tuv.com
Erich Grünes, Head Auditor for Environmental Man-agement and Environmental Assessor at TÜV Rhein-land, found that more appropriate measures need to be taken when storing and handling chemicals and substances hazardous to water for water treatment. Energy is another case in point: The EAC has already made significant progress here, for example by using the waste heat from the server rooms to heat the diving pool to 30 degrees Celsius. But do the lights automatically go off when the offices are empty? No. Nor is there full waste separation in every divi-sion. “The specific examples might sound pretty mundane sometimes,” says Erich Grünes, “but the important thing is that companies that introduce environmental management in accordance with the ISO standard can then constantly and systematically improve environmental protection. This is no longer simply left to the good will of those involved.” The audit there-fore not only included systematically record-ing all impacts on the environment and de-scribing the processes, but also focused on communication with the entire staff, in order to sharpen awareness. Auditor Erich Grünes also talked to Alexander Gerst just before the
latter took off for the ISS. “The environment is an is-sue very close to his heart,” reports Grünes. When Alex-ander Gerst lands in the Ka-zakhstan desert in Novem-ber and flies straight on to Cologne, he can look for-ward to some good news: By then, the EAC's environ-mental management will have been certified – anoth-er step towards retaining our little blue dot.
More information:http://blogs.esa.int/alexander-gerst
The European Astronaut Centre (ESA/EAC) in Cologne has around 100 staff, many of whom are engineers. Not only European astronauts train here, but also many from Russia, the USA, Japan and Canada.
Did youknow?
contact 02.14 29
Mr Stippler, after very promising prepara-tions, you had nothing but bad luck at this year's 24 Hours Race at the Nürburgring...Unfortunately I did not even get a chance to drive in the race, after our starting driver Marc Basseng was unlucky enough to hit a bump in the track and crash the R8 into the crash barrier, damaging it irreparably. It happened as he was braking into the last chicane before the start/finish line sometime in the second hour. Marc was unhurt, thank God. In any sport, defeats are all part of the job. Of course it feels like a slap in the face when it is you. Despite this, as a factory development driver, I am pleased with the overall win by the sec-ond Phoenix Audi, driven by Chris-tian Mamerow, René Rast, Christopher Haaseand Markus Winkelhock.
You are considered a proven Nordschleife expert and are one of the fastest on this demanding track. What is the fascination of the Nürburgring's Nordschleife, located around 40 kilometers south of your home in Bad Münstereifel?In general, I have a weakness for tracks that have a long history, like the unchanged Nordschleife.
They just have a better flow than new courses designed on a drawing board, with their hair-pin bends and many stop-and-go sections. The Nordschleife has lots of high speed phases that can be driven in fourth, fifth or sixth gear. Every bend is different; none is drawn with a compass. I have driven around the Nordschleife so many times now, but I am still fascinated by it every single time.
Frank Stippler on his job in the cockpit of modern, high-tech racing cars
and his love of historic vehicles. For him, the Nürburgring's Nordschleife
is the most beautiful and most diffi cult racing track in the world.
sing prepara-bad luck at this Nürburgring...
t a chance to ng driver
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nnn rrrry y y y ddd
hhriris-s-tototottoophphphphphphphphherererereererer HHHHHHHHHaaaaaaaaasesesesese
ThTh jj tt hh bb tttt flfl tthh
Lord of the
Ring
30 PEOPLE // 24 Hours Race at the Nürburgring
is one of the most successful drivers in GT and long distance racing. In 2012, he won the 24 Hours Race at the Nürburgring in a 570-horse-power Audi R8 LMS ultra for the Phoenix Racing team we now support. The Cologne-born driver also topped the podium at the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours Race. Alongside international triumphs in the FIA GT Series, the 39-year-old has also brought home many overall victories for Audi in the VLN Endurance Championship, as one of the fastest drivers on the legendary Nordschleife track. The trained mechanic and engineering graduate was involved in the R8 project as an Audi development driver from the very beginning. As our branch ambassador, Frank Stippler is the perfect person to communicate the syn-ergy between motor sport and TÜV Rheinland. As well as our presence at the 24 Hours Race and the Endurance Championship, we are also involved in the ADAC Truck-Grand-Prix at the Nürburgring, including the traditional TruckSymposium – the sector's leading event. In addition, we highlight our passion for historic motor sport at the AvD Oldtimer-Grand-Prix.
gy p pEndurance Championship, we are also involved in the ADAC Truck-Grandtraditional TruckSymposium – the sector's leading event. In addition, we hsport at the AvD Oldtimer-Grand-Prix.
FRANK STIPPLER
What are the strengths of the winning car, which you also helped to develop as an engineer?The Audi R8 LMS ultra is a very fast, successful GT3 car. The mid-engine coupé has excellent dynamic strengths. But we have also brought ourselves a disadvantage with it. To ensure that all vehicles can drive at the same level in compe-tition, to our chagrin, some of the strengths of the R8 were compensated for in the balance of performance.
You have been part of the Phoenix family for a long time now. What makes this team and its boss Ernst Moser stand out?Our relationship really is like that of a family. That means that each cog in the wheel works perfectly with the others. The consistency of the drives, the mechanical team and the leader-ship also helps. The quest for perfection is very pronounced in all of us, and trust in Ernst Moser and his team is very high. The maxims safety, quality and sustainability are what counts for TÜV Rheinland, for Phoenix Racing and for me. We are the perfect trio, shaped by our passion for motor racing.
You do not only sit in the cockpit of mod-ern, high-tech racing cars, but also get behind the wheel of historic racing vehicles. What is special about these cars?When I was just 15 years old, I spent three years reconditioning my first racing car myself – a historic Alfa Romeo Alfetta. When I got my driver's license at 18, I took it to the racing track. That is where my roots lie, and that is where I keep coming back to. Many of these cars tell their own story. Sitting in a 1950s Formula 1 Maserati that was driven by the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio at the time is a very special moment. In the Oldtimer-Grand-Prix, I will be starting in an Alfa Romeo GTAm and the Florida green, around
s our
“The quest for
perfectionis very pronounced.”
contact 02.14 31
The balance of per-
formance is intended
to give all vehicles
approximately the same
chance of success,
without completely
impeding their individual
strengths. The event
organizer essentially
has four methods at his
disposal: aerodynamics,
limiting the top capacity
and manifold pressure
of turbo vehicles, and
weight.
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E NERGYWhat we need to do to secure the supply
CHINAWhat it means when an empire opens up
OLEDWhy we will experience light differently in the future
350-horse-power 1962 Jaguar E class lightweight owned by my friendMarcus Graf von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff.
How safe are the vehicles?They are not museum pieces but real racing cars. However much I would love them to remain exactly true to the original, I share TÜV Rhein-land's view that all the safety-related components such as the chassis,
rims, braking system and tube frame need to correspond to the original yet either be completely overhauled or be produced according to the latest technology. Anyone who pushed an untouched historic racing car to its limits would be putting themselves in mortal danger, even though a small risk remains in any sport. The key concept is material fatigue. No one should start a race with the old, original magnesium rims.
english
32 PEOPLE // 24 Hours Race at the Nürburgring