TÜV SÜD Journal 1/2013 (english version)

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Editorial

DEAR READERS, This issue of TÜV SÜD Journal will take you on a journey into the future: an excursion by train to northern Italy, into a gigantic tunnel running directly through the Alps? It will be a reality in just a few years. Autonomous cars that will transport us safely from point A to point B? The first field tests are already under way.

Separating valuable raw materials from discarded consumer products by types of material? Researchers are already busy developing promising concepts. You will learn about all of these developments in this issue of the Journal.

Navi Radjou, a professor at the University of Cambridge, also offers some fascinating insights into the keys to successful innovations. His thesis: New products can occasionally be technically unsophisticated – as long as they meet the market‘s needs (p. 16). No matter whether or not you accept the premise that »good is sometimes good enough«: Radjou knows exactly what he is talking about when he says the key to every innovation is developing an understanding of (potential) customers and meeting their needs.

At TÜV SÜD, the customer is the focal point of our work: This is not some sort will be presented in our Annual Report that will appear of hackneyed phrase either. in May. You can order your copy in advance right now at www.tuv-sud.com/news_media/corporate_publications.

It is my sincere belief. Cus­

Other innovations

tomer orientation is the centerpiece of our new Strategy 2020, in which we have defined the goals of our company in future years. We are satisfied only when our customers are. Our pledge to you: TÜV SÜD is determined to become the most customer-focused company in the inspection and certification business. You can take my word for it!

Best regards,

Dr-Ing Axel Stepken Chairman of the Board of Management of TÜV SÜD AG 2 TÜV SÜD Journal

Table of contents

#06

cover story Covering more than 35 miles, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will be the world‘s longest. Preparations for test operations are moving full steam ahead.

To the

On the

To the

What’s on people’s minds?

We take a close look at technological and societal trends.

A look at the world of tomorrow: These innovations could soon shape our lives.

Get to the bottom of it!

Our »add value« pages make complex issues understandable.

#16 Good is often good enough Successful products can be technically unsophisticated, but efficient, the innovation researcher Navi Radjou says. He sees the world‘s emerging countries as role models.

#22 The expertise center With highly innovative engine and roller test rigs, the new Technology and Environment Center of TÜV Hessen sets standards in the area of vehicle inspections and emission measurement.

#28 3D checkups Computerized tomography has emerged as a real alternative to the colonoscopy.

But just how does this medical device operate?

#18 The future of recycling Valuable raw materials from cell phones, PCs and cars are difficult to recapture. For this reason, researchers are developing new separation techniques that reach down to the molecular level.

#24 Women in charge She was the first woman to head a German stock exchange. Today, she is the Managing Director of the German Equities Institute: Dr. Christine Bortenlänger talks about female leadership style.

#30 A guide to winter sports No matter whether it is the Alps or the Rockies: Now is the time to have fun on skis, snowboards and sleds. Here are five tips that will keep these romps through the winter wonderland safe.

#4 TÜV SÜD in focus #14 5 minutes with TÜV SÜD

#21 On location #31 Dates/imprint

#32 5 minutes with TÜV SÜD #34 The final say

TEST

MOVE

Point

TÜV SÜD Journal 3

in focus TÜV SÜD im Bild

The two lives of a

groomer It comes out of hiding in the late afternoon. Known as the »Beast,« it packs the power of 527 horses and tips the scales at 11.5 tons. With a maximum speed of 13.7 mph, the 388-kW snow groomer made by Prinoth of Northern Italy can crawl its way up 100 percent slopes. After the vehicle’s huge blade has pushed aside the snow and the tracks have compressed the underlying layer, a tiller chews up the snow and nuggets of ice to create powder-fine crystals. The red finisher on the rear then smoothes these tiny crystals to create a perfect slope for skiing. The groomer goes about its job foot by foot, always in a ski area – or it can take on a second life: as a used vehicle. But before the Prinoth groomers, which still perform exceptionally well even after years of service, roll into the marketplace, impartial experts from TÜV Italia subject them to a thorough inspection and prepare a record of their condition. The TÜV SÜD used-vehicle certificate is presented only if the vehicle is in really good condition. »Prinoth considers the certification to be proof of its vehicles’ high quality,« says Bruno Paonessa, Director of the Auto Service Division at TÜV Italia. After all, winter-sport fans and regions want to have perfectly groomed slopes.

More information at: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/automotive-transportation/repair-shops-car-dealerships

4 TÜV SÜD Journal

TÜV SÜD in im focus TÜV SÜD Bild

TÜV SÜD Journal 5

Cover stroy

n r e d Un 6 TÜV SÜD Journal

Cover story

r e v o ot Text: Sandra Lehmann

Photos: Jan Scheutzow

35 miles of track, 28 million tons of excavation material and 3,730 miles of cable: The Gotthard Base Tunnel is not only the world‘s longest train tunnel, but also a European project of the century that will revolutionize the continent‘s rail system.

TÜV SÜD Journal 7

Cover story

The Gotthard Base Tunnel boasts some impressive numbers

E

duard Gruner thought the future would arrive much earlier than it did. Up until his death in 1984, the conceptual father of the Gotthard Base Tunnel was thoroughly convinced that, come the year of 2000, freight trains would be traveling underground from Switzerland to Italy. Even though he may have been off by a few years, Gruner certainly would have been pleased about the outcome.

After all, much of the more than 65-year-old, visionary plans developed by the Swiss engineer and transportation planner are being turned into a reality at this very minute – on the world’s longest construction site. In 1998, boring machines with a diameter of nearly 33 feet began the job of carving two tunnels, each stretching 35 miles, into the Alps. The breakthrough was achieved in October 2010.

Ever since, construction crews have been feverishly working to complete the interior work on the tunnels. Day after day, the job being done by masons and electricians in a shift operation is bringing the Swiss national railroad SBB closer and closer to its goal of transferring the transport of people and goods from the highways to the rails.

Alternative to cars and planes

Why is the tunnel needed anyway? Tight curves, countless road crossings and grades of up to 26 permille have slowed train travel between Switzerland and Italy for years. The Tough work for tough guys: The foundation of the tracks in the Gotthard Base Tunnel is laid by hand.

8 TÜV SÜD Journal

176 35 6,000,000 emergency cross passages

miles in length

cubic feet of concrete for the track bed

and laid cable that totals

3,730 miles double tubes that will make up the Gotthard tunnel are scheduled to be completed in 2016.

Together with the Ceneri Base Tunnel currently being constructed in Canton Ticino, it is designed to speed up the transport of people and goods. Once the tunnel is in operation, passenger trains should be able to travel from Zurich to Milan in less than three hours – instead of the three hours and 40 minutes it takes now. The time will be saved mostly because the tunnel, in the form of a flat railway line, will reduce the current maximum grade by more than half to 12 permille. »The new

route will not only save up to an hour’s travel time, but it also will enable more trains to travel on it – over 300 per day,« says Maurus Huwyler, a media spokesman for AlpTransit Gotthard AG. »This will remove a huge burden from our roads and create a real alternative to the car and even the plane.« The subsidiary of SBB has been commissioned by the Swiss government to act as the developer and coordinator of the project of the century. »Our goal is not just to move people from point A to point B. It is also to integrate the Swiss rail system into Europe’s

Cover story

The tunnel workers not only have to work very carefully, but also have to be in good shape.

Most of track-assembly work is performed in a kneeling position.

»Precision work high-speed network,« Huwyler says. But the infrastructure is not the only beneficiary of the mega Gotthard tunnel project. The fragile environment of the Alpine region will profit as well. After all, trains traveling on a flat railway line use significantly less energy and generate fewer CO2 emissions as a result.

In good hands

In the tunnel tubes themselves, construction workers have other matters on their minds.

After all, the next train bearing a fresh batch of concrete is headed their way. A solid foundation is being built for the tracks that have already been laid. Unlike overland tracks, the rails being laid here are placed in a bed of concrete in order to create the greatest possible stability for the trains that will travel on them.

Work is being done in several phases. One group of workers is installing the crossties beneath the track that has already been laid. It is a job that requires both precision and exact measuring technology. The reason for such precision is clear: Once the tracks have been

is the essence of high-speed rail lines. It cuts the risk of accidents to a minimum.« – Hans Funder, foreman

fixed to the foundation, they can no longer be moved. The construction experts can fill the bed half-way with concrete only after the tracks have been aligned with the help of a track geometry inspection vehicle. It is a job that requires total concentration and a steady hand. »The material must be able to handle the high speeds. To ensure that the concrete does not become porous at some point in the future, the workmanship has to be very precise. If we don’t do a good job here, we run the risk of accidents,« says Hans Funder, a foreman in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Every day, 1.24 miles of track are completed.

Emergency exit! The cross passages that connect both tunnel tubes will enable passengers to safely and quickly evacuate the area.

Small boxes for more safety

In spite of the time-consuming, precision work, the project is moving along well.

TÜV SÜD Journal 9

Cover story

»At the moment we are

right on schedule.

If things remain that way, we will be able to begin test operations at the end of 2013.« – Maurus Huwyler, AlpTransit Gotthard AG

10 TÜV SÜD Journal

Cover story

A safer journey with TÜV SÜD Around the world, people and markets depend on the safe transport of people and goods.

With its range of inspection and certification services for rail systems, TÜV SÜD Rail plays a critical role in efforts to ensure that track and signal systems, energy supply operations and train vehicles remain safe and reliable.

Rail experts The foundation for its success is the more than 30 years of experience it has gained in assessing a broad range of rail-related areas, from individual safety-related components to complete metro systems and high-speed lines around the world. Experts in all key fields, including fire safety, running-gear technology, structural capability, software, hardware, risk and hazard analysis and maintenance support manufacturers, government agencies and operators from 12 locations in Europe and 18 around the world.

Originally, the tunnel was scheduled to go into operation in 2017. But there is now talk of an opening date in 2016. »If the work continues to move along so rapidly, we will be able to start test operations at the end of 2013,« Huwyler says. But the tracks are still missing a critical component that will ensure that operations remain smooth and the trains can travel safely through the tunnel: the balises. The unassuming yel-

low boxes that bear a strong resemblance to thermal packs are technical marvels that actually make safe rail travel in the tunnel possible. They are attached directly to the track. With the aid of a special digital radio system (GSM-R), they transmit information about passing trains to a control center and the operator‘s display in the train. At top speeds of 155 mph, the train operator can see signals easier here than he or she can on the tracks.

In emergencies, the balises can even save lives. For instance, if a fire starts in the tunnel, a balise will report the situation to the control center and provide the exact location of a train. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is also well designed for evacuations. So-called cross passages have been built every 1,070 feet along the entire line. These passages are actually short tunnels that connect both tubes and can be closed by heat-resistant fire doors.

In an emergency, passengers can quickly reach the other side where a rescue train can pick them up.

Total concentration for a precision job: The concretemixing train has to be navigated very gingerly so that the concrete can be poured with centimeter exactness onto the track bed.

Before the test phase of the line can start, hundreds of balises have to be installed and more than 1,200 miles of cable laid – naturally with a steady hand and clear mind.

Shift after shift

For Hans Funder, the workday is slowly com­ing to an end in the Amsteg-Erstfeld section of the tunnel. But some workers More information on the topic: are already thinking about their next shift. www.tuv-sud.com/rail

Grass-roots work: The finished mixture is poured onto the track bed from the concrete-mixing train.

TÜV SÜD Journal 11

Standpunkte Points of view

POINTS

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Fengler, professor for the design of rail systems at the Technical University of Dresden

»Underground rail lines are the future of train transports, at least in the Alpine region.«

T

he future of transport lies below ground, regardless of whether people or goods are being moved. Thanks to tunnels running through the main chain of the Alps, precious time can be saved and CO2 emissions reduced. This will protect the fragile Alpine region.

Fewer emissions, less noise and increased economic benefits: There is no doubt about it. When it comes to transporting people and goods in areas with high mountains, the best approach involves both trains and tunnels. In the Gotthard Base Tunnel, freight transport will be able to really flex its systemic muscles. Thanks to minimal grades, a freight train will no longer have to be pulled by several locomotives. This solution will also significantly reduce the length of a trip and enable trains to travel the maximum speed of up to 75 mph typically seen in flat areas, a fact that will allow greater volumes of goods to be transported in a shorter period of time.

This principle will also apply to passenger trains in base tunnels. These trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 155 mph. For mid-range distances of up to 500 miles, the train will be able to compete against the car and airplane thanks to the tunnels. From a societal point of view, there is no question that the carbon footprint produced by trains is smaller. A payoff for everyone: travelers, residents and the economy.

train trans Tunnel or route expansion?

12 TÜV SÜD Journal

Points Standpunkte of view

M

any factors determine when it makes more sense to build a tunnel than extend a rail line. The most critical factor of all is a route that has no appreciable grades in order to enable transports to be shifted from the highways to the rail lines.

Trains can travel more efficiently on a flat railway line, no matter wheth­er the line is ­above or below the ground.

None­ t heless, the focal point of investment across Europe remains on land and air transport – but it could pay to rethink this position particularly in terms of freight shipping.

Noise and emissions could be reduced over the long term. Here, Swiss political lead-ers have assumed a pace-setting role by supporting rail-construction projects. As early as 2008, the country’s parliament approved an initiative called »Future Trends in Rail Infrastructure« that includes many tunnel and expansion projects. The objectives have been clearly defined: Track capacity is to be increased, timetable stability achieved and travel times reduced. The Gotthard Base Tunnel must be viewed in this overarching context. In addition to the expansion of the transit axes, the eastwest axis of freight transport that is at least of equal importance to Switzerland must not be neglected.

porTS

OF VIEW Dr.-Ing. Dirk Bruckmann, civil engineer and senior fellow at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

»Expansion or tunnel?

As a general rule, investments must be made in rail infrastructure.«

The future of moving people and goods is the train. The experts Dr. Dirk Bruckmann and Professor Dr. Fengler agree completely on this point. But is the journey toward this destination best achieved with tunnels or overland routes?

TÜV SÜD Journal 13

5 minutes

Partnership for the chemical industry

EMC testing in Singapore according to European standards

TÜV SÜD is an increasingly attractive employer

TÜV SÜD Chemie Service GmbH will work more closely with the company maexpartners in the fu­ ture as part of a strategic partnership. As a united force, they are now able to offer a complete range of services for the process industry: from strategy development and process audits to plant monitor­ ing and operational implementation.

The TÜV SÜD testing laboratory for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in Singapore employs European standards in its testing work.

These efforts have now been officially recognized by the German Motor Transport Authority. As a result, automakers and manufacturers of au­ tomotive components can have their products tested in the Southeast Asian country for use in international markets. Tests are performed in accordance with the norms EN/ISO 17025:2005 and EN/ISO 17020:2004.

Top marks in the recent Universum employer ranking published in the German weekly business magazine »Wirtschaftswoche«: More than 4,500 engineers with a maximum of eight years of pro­ fessional experience were surveyed. TÜV SÜD finished in the Top 20 (previous year: 31st place). With this score, the company takes its place among the most attractive employers for engineers in Germany and continues to move up international rankings.

georg.moravec@tuev-sued.de

shirlee.lee@tuv-sud-psb.sg

thomas.schultz@tuev-sued.de

TÜV report: vehicle defects on the rise

More and more defective vehicles are traveling on German roads, according to the TÜV Report 2013, which was released by the Verband der TÜV e.V. in early December. The report evaluated data from more than eight million vehicle roadworthiness tests conducted in Germany between July 2011 and June 2012. Every fifth inspected vehicle exhibited at least one serious defect. The most common defect was faulty lights. This year’s golden sticker – presented to the used car with the fewest defects – was awarded to the Volkswagen Polo. Only 2.2 percent of these compact cars exhibited serious defects in their first roadworthiness test after purchase. The Mazda 3 and Audi Q5 took second and third place, respectively. The TÜV Bus Report that was released at the end of 2012 revealed similar results. The number of defects found in motor coaches, intercity buses and public-transit buses was also slightly above the previous year’s level. There is no need for concern, though, the TÜV experts state: Traveling by bus is still safe. The number of buses withdrawn from service after failing the roadworthiness test remained low. vincenzo.luca@tuev-sued.de

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5

TÜV SÜD expands with renewable energies

Ensuring a sustainable supply of energy is a top priority around the world. TÜV SÜD is enhancing its services in the optimization of energy efficiency – and is substantially expanding its range of services in the area of renewable energies, particularly in the field of wind energy. Two years after launching its Offshore Wind Services unit in Hamburg, the company has carved out a strong position for itself in this market. Siemens, for example, has entrusted the TÜV SÜD experts Together with its subsidiary PMSS with the inspection of 30 offshore TÜV SÜD provides international wind turbines in the Riffgat project in the North Sea. Wind power will consulting services to operators, manufacturers and investors in the be a crucial source of energy in the future on shore as well. TÜV SÜD wind-energy sector. has highlighted this fact numerous times in Germany – in its wind atlas for the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg and its map of wind-resource potential for the central German state of Hessen. The analyses conducted by the TÜV SÜD experts show one thing: Low, wooded mountain ranges are becoming increasingly attractive wind-farm locations as wind-power technology evolves and the hub heights of wind turbines surpass the 460-feet mark. peter-herbert.maier@tuev-sued.de

5 minutes

Corporate Health Award for model employers

300

Germany‘s healthiest companies have been revealed: In mid-November 2012, TÜV SÜD teamed up with the German Roughly business daily Handelsblatt, the consul- companies competed for the fourth tancy EuPD Research and the German health-insurance provider Techniker annual Corporate Health Award Krankenkasse to present the Corporate 2012.

Health Award in nine categories to companies that demonstrate an exemplary, pacesetting commitment to employee health and performance. Winners included such major employers as the City of Munich, IBM Germany, EnBW and Otto as well as smaller companies like the University Medical Center in Mannheim and the OKE Group. monika.niedermeier@tuev-sued.de

minutes with TÜV SÜD

Accreditation in China

TÜV SÜD named »brand of the century«

TÜV SÜD is one of Germany’s strongest brands: The technology and inspection company enjoys exceptional name recognition and great respect. This has now been recognized outside the company as well. For the second consecutive time, TÜV SÜD has received the »brand of the century« award, joining an exclusive group of around 250 German brands that have come to stand for their respective product sector as a result of their unique selling proposition. The high-profile jury determined that the name of TÜV SÜD was virtually synonymous with testing and inspection organizations in Germany. Other winners included Haribo, Tempo, Persil and screw-anchor manufacturer Fischer. Dr. Boris Gehring (pictured on right), CEO of TÜV SÜD’s Industry Service Division, accepted the award from publisher Dr. Florian Langenscheidt at a gala event held in late November at Berlin’s Hotel Adlon. boris.gehring@tuev-sued.de

Consumer products in India put to the test TÜV SÜD customers that do business around the world value the global availability of qual­ ified experts. In the Management Service Division, for instance, it is increasingly important for a single auditor to be able to work at all customer locations worldwide. After all, this is the only way to conduct empirically sound comparative analyses. TÜV SÜD is now ready to do business in China: The China Certification and Accreditation Agency has confirmed that TÜV SÜD employees possess a high level of expertise. TÜV SÜD is now striving to achieve automatic recognition of its auditors by CCAA.

With its new state-of-the-art consumer product testing lab, TÜV SÜD has expanded its footprint in India. The four-story lab located in the city of Gurgaon near the Indian capital of New Delhi is equipped with the latest technology and unites testing, inspection and certification services for food, textiles, leather and other products, including tools, jewelry and cookware, under one roof. With this addition – the largest laboratory for the inspection of consumer products in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – TÜV SÜD now operates a total of 11 inspection labs on the Indian subcontinent. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art test rigs and includes an ultra-modern microbiological lab as well as a chemical lab with highprecision equipment for mass spectrometry, ultra performance chromatography and gas chromatography. Thanks to such services, TÜV SÜD can now support Indian companies in their efforts to strike a balance between quality, efficiency and sustainability. The laboratory offers inspections for the local market as well as inspections for export goods based on international quality and safety standards.

eva.lindgren@tuev-sued.de biswas.shyamli@tuv-sud.in

TÜV SÜD Journal 15

To the test

TO T H E TE S T

-TECH #16 LOW GY STRATE CLING #18 RECY UTURE IN THE F

Navi Radjou, 42, is a fellow at Cambridge University and a faculty member of the World Economic Forum. His book »Jugaad Innovation« (Wiley, 2012) has triggered a debate about new innovation strategies.

16 TÜV SÜD Journal

To the test

IS GOOD STILL GOOD ENOUGH? To be competitive, new products must be technically simple, safe and efficient, says the American innovation researcher Navi Radjou. In an interview, he talks about the things that the industrial world can learn from emerging markets.

Text: Lukas Pitule

Mr. Radjou, what do countries like India, Brazil and China do better than the West?

Companies in emerging countries have learned to get by with few financial and human resources. They know nothing about large development departments and research budgets. Despite the difficult conditions they work under, they still come up with products that are simple, functional and high quality.

They meet the needs of customers. I call this frugal innovation.

Can you cite an example?

Tata Motors of India has produced the world’s most affordable car, the Tata Nano.

The idea has changed the automotive industry for good. In 2004, Louis Schweitzer, the former head of Renault-Nissan, introduced a fuel-efficient vehicle called Logan equipped with all essential functions that costs around $10,000. The motto of the effort: Good is good enough. Apparently, there is also strong demand in Europe for affordable cars that get the job done without all of the high tech.

»In the West

a new humility among customers calls for frugal innovation strategies.« Are these low-tech products really competitive?

They have to be. They have to meet the same high quality and safety standards. They skimp on the many extra features that hardly anyone needs anyway.

Wouldn’t high tech be just as successful in emerging countries?

No. Let’s continue talking about the automotive market for a moment. In India, for instance, all affluent people have chauffeurs.

There is little demand for cars equipped with a lot of features for the driver. It is the comfort in the back seat that counts for customers.

Do you think that the principle of »good is good enough« will take hold in industrial countries?

In the West, you are seeing a new humility that expresses itself in demand for environmentally conscious, simple and affordable products and

in a lifestyle that reflects this attitude. The best example of this is car sharing, a trend that keeps growing and growing.

What do you advise Western companies to do?

Given the growing scarcity of resources and pressure to cut spending in the wake of the economic crisis, companies should actively consider how they can adapt frugal innovation strategies. If they fail to do so, they are essentially putting out the welcome mat for competitors in their domestic markets – including start-ups and competitors from emerging countries. Otherwise, companies from Europe and the United States will not be successful in the promising markets of China, India, Russia and Brazil.

More information on company management: www.tuv-sud.com/academy TÜV SÜD Journal 17

To Aufthe dietest Probe

A clear break Recycling calls to mind wastepaper and sidewalk containers for glass. In the future, though recycling will become a competitive factor if rare raw materials can be recaptured. By using such processes as »molecular sorting,« a system for separating materials on the very lowest level.

Text: Timour Chafik

T

he world is a closed system: Everything that is and everything that was will return in one form or an­ other. This may sound like something from the course material of a university philosophy course. But it actually amounts to nothing more than realizing that an apple will turn into humus not long after it sails from a tree and lands on the ground below or that an ordinary aluminum can will end up, in a refined form, as part of a car body. Everything is, everything flows, everything remains. You could even say this: Everything is recycled. Or: We will always meet again in another life.

If it all were just so simple. After all, humans are resourceful and, occasionally, come up with tremendous ideas. They conduct research, 18 TÜV SÜD Journal

develop, refine and need better and better materials that are more and more distinctive to do so. Materials that may have gotten the job done yesterday belong on the scrap heap today, literally. As part of its shorter and shorter innovation cycles, the industrial sector requires increasingly complex, more capable materials. At some point, automakers will no longer be satisfied with that recycled aluminum can.

Supplies are running out, and prices are rising

»Using raw materials more intelligently and efficiently makes a fundamental contribution to securing Germany’s place as an industrial location,« the German Ministry of Education and Research writes in its publication »Inno-

vative Technologies for Resource Efficiency – Resource-Intensive Production Processes.« »In economically difficult times, high resource efficiency strengthens industry amid global competition.« This may sound rather undramatic. Economically speaking, though, there are powerful reasons for making this claim: The deposits of raw materials around the world are running out. At the same time, demand is dramatically rising in emerging countries, and prices are climbing with it.

The world may indeed be a closed system where nothing gets lost when all is said and done. The approximately 60 billion tons of raw materials used each year are only too happy to change their physical condition, their degree of purity and their composition. In the end, the

the test AufTo die Probe

»New building materials require new separation and sorting methods. The raw materials cannot be recovered in another way.« – Prof. Jörg Woidasky

Glass and the limits of past recycling methods

Fiber optic cable could be an even better conductor if small traces of iron did not slow down the transmission of data. The question is: How can the metal be filtered out?

»raw material DNA« is fundamentally altered by innovation: »In today’s automotive industry, lightweight, high-performance materials are combined into hybrid components for use in such areas as carrier and roof structures that will eventually be recycled the day after tomorrow. Such high-performance materials require new separation and sorting methods.

With conventional recycling processes, the raw materials used in such compounds will be unable to be economically recovered in many cases in the future,« says Professor Jörg Woidasky, who coordinates the project »Molecular Sorting for Resource Efficiency« at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in Pfinztal, near Karlsruhe. A so-called dayafter-tomorrow project.

Separation on the lowest, the molecular level

The Fraunhofer researchers are determined to advance systematic recycling and production in closed systems and to do so – this is their mission – with-out using new raw materials. By reusing secondary raw materials – that is, raw materials recovered through recycling – several times in a process experts call »cascade utilization« and returning them to the production process, huge quantities of natural resources can be conserved. The focal points of the scientists are: scarce metals as well as mineral, organic and siliceous raw materials that are separated during the production process itself or during the initial processing phase and can

Glass will play a major role in key technologies of the future. It is essential for solar technologies, for energy-efficient housing, for such electronic purposes as display and lighting technology and for information and communication technologies. In each case, glass with maximum transparency is needed in order to achieve the highest level of performance. Maximum transparency means using the purest form of glass, ultra-white glass. Iron is one of the substances that can significantly hurt transparency even when it is present at concentrations of less than 0.1 percent. It is a natural impurity found in the starting raw materials as well as one of the most common contaminants. For this reason, glass recycling generally involves downcycling: Valuable plate glass is used to make cheap container glass. A maximum of one fifth of used plate glass is returned to the cycle of plate-glass production, where it is mixed with high-purity raw materials that are just as expensive and are becoming increasingly rare.

TÜV SÜD Journal 19

To the test

Demand for photovoltaic modules is growing, but the highly transparent glass needed for them is in short supply. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have recognized the problem.

be processed once again in just a few steps. »The separation process should now be carried out at the lowest necessary level, that is, down to the molecular level. We call it molecular sorting,« Woidasky says.

Glass is one example: Technologies of the future like photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and even fiber-optic cable require something more than simple window glass.

This glass should be completely transparent.

It should also be as pure as possible to enable it to capture the maximum amount of solar energy and to allow as much information as possible to race through a cable. What is required is glass that, above all, contains low amounts of iron – the most common impurity found in glass – because even trace amounts of it will significantly lower transmission as a measure of light and energy permeability.

At the moment, the solar industry is growing so rapidly that neither the natural nonferrous sources of raw materials nor the recy-

cled material recovered from disused photovoltaic modules with highly transparent glass will be capable of meeting the need for highly transparent plate glass in decades to come. As one potential source of raw materials, the Fraunhofer researchers point to plate glass that has been used for cheap container glass and served as a basic material for mirror and automotive glass up to now.

Cheap plate glass, refined at 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit

There is just one problem: The iron content of this plate glass is too high. As part of the Fraunhofer project, researchers are developing processes that will enable the iron to be separated from the glass on the molecular level and will transform the minute amounts left behind so that transmission will not be hampered. »In principle, we are extracting the iron atoms from the molten glass that has been heated to around 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit,« Woidasky says. This is done either with

chemical processes that change the properties of iron in such a way that the iron absorbs less light or with magnet-ic fields. »The latter approach is still in the experimental phase and is still very, very visionary,« the project director says. The highly transparent panes of glass from which the iron has been extracted should be available as models in about three years. The day after tomorrow, that is.

More information on new building materials: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/manufacturing-industrialmachinery/materials

2,700

degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which the iron atoms can be extracted from molten glass.

20 TÜV SÜD Journal 20 TÜV SÜD Journal

On location

People:

Chasing the wind

H

e has set some high expectations, 460 feet up in the air, to be exact.

The wind met mast located on the edge of the Hessenreuther Forest in the Upper Palatinate region of northeastern Bavaria rises this high into the sky. It is the centerpiece of the research being conducted by Thomas Arnold at the moment.

With this measuring station – one of the tallest of its kind – the college-educated engineer collects weather data for the Department of Wind Cert Services at TÜV SÜD Industry Services.

These data serve as the basis for detailed computer simulations that experts use to precisely calculate the yield potential of wind-power stations in the region.

The met mast is equipped with eight special wind-measuring devices, or cup anemometers, that have been set up at intervals of 33 feet and 66 feet. They measure wind speeds in various heights – from the tip of the mast down to the treetop. Other sensors measure wind direction, temperature, humidity and air pressure. »After a year, we have enough data for the yield analysis,« Thomas Arnold says. »We then take measurements for another year for research purposes in order to gain a greater understanding about the complex air-flow conditions found in hilly and wooded regions – there is a tremendous need for research here.« As a result, the local initiative Natural Energy Solutions gains a solid base of data for the wind farm it is planning, and builders acquire information that will benefit other forest locations.

Thomas Arnold climbs the wind met mast in the Bavarian town of Erbendorf. Away from work, he also enjoys getting out in the fresh air – down on the ground while jogging.

More information on the topic: www.tuv-sud.com/wind TÜVSÜD SÜDJournal journal 21 21 TÜV

On the way

ON THE WAY

TEST#22 THE S ING PRO ALE #24 FEM ES eXECUTIV

The expert With highly innovative engine and roller test rigs, the new Automotive Test Center of TÜV Hessen sets standards in the areas of vehicle testing and emission measurement.

Text: Thomas Weber

The calibration lab is outfitted with scales that can precisely measure the weight of particles down to the microgram level.

The fueling area provides gas­oline, diesel, liquefied pe­troleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and elec­tricity for e-vehicles.

Roller test rig 1 is an axle-focused process. It is used to conduct emis­ sion, fuel-consumption and condition­ ing tests.

I

t has been in operation since this past November: the new Automotive Test Center (ATC) of TÜV Hessen. The facility provides automakers, engine manufacturers, suppliers and ret­ rofitters with a unique range of vehicle-testing and emissionmeasuring services. The ATC’s state-of-the-art test rigs and facilities are de­signed to handle the technologies of both today and tomorrow – no matter whether they involve hybrid or electric drive systems, batteries or fuel cells as a power source, or diesel or liquefied petro­ leum gas as a fuel.

Bringing the road to the test rig

The test center, which is part of TÜV SÜD’s Automotive Divi­ sion, is based in Pfungstadt, a small city located in the heart of the Rhine-Main metropolitan area, a region that is critically important 22 TÜV SÜD Journal

Roller test rig 2 »Advanced« drives each wheel individually. Realistic driving conditions can be simulated by using wind-producing equipment and computers.

The control center monitors and evaluates the measurements made by the roller and engine test rigs.

to the international automotive and supply industry. »In particular, our new Advanced roller test rig, with its four individually driven rollers for vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons, acts as an exceptional magnet for international customers,« says Ottmar Degrell, Direc­ tor of the ATC. This test rig enables fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to be measured more realistically than any other testing process to date, Degrell says. »We practically bring the road to the test rig,« he notes. »We do this by incorporating a virtual environment into the test rig‘s operation. Thanks to the individually driven rollers for each wheel, speeds of up to 160 mph and every type of driving situation can be realistically simulated, from curves to trips up mountains and through valleys. There has never been anything like it anyplace in the world.«

On the way

ise center The heart of the Automotive Test Center in Pfungstadt: this illustration shows just what is located behind the walls of this new facility.

The engine test rig 1 »Heavy Duty« is specifically designed for commercial-vehicle engines and mobile equipment with up to 660 kW.

The engine test rig 2 is designed for testing car engines. Fuel pumps are located in a separate room behind it.

The SHED chamber is hermetically sealed and is used to measure evaporative emissions created by vehicles at operating temperatures.

The workshop area with work benches, welding areas and auto lifts is used to prepare vehicles, engines and components for the subsequent measurements and tests.

The professionals of stationary and mobile emission measurements

The ATC also sets standards in stationary engine measurements: Heavy-duty engines with up to 660 kilowatts of power can be tested there. Such engines are typically used in commercial, farming and construction equipment. Test rigs in this class are a rarity. The related measurement and assessment technol­ogy facilitates the inspection, im­ provement and certification of engines in accordance with worldwide standards.

The ATC also offers in-use measurements. These are exhaust and fuel-consumption measurements taken during the operation of ve­ hicles and mobile equipment. As a result, the ATC and its customers are in the best-possible position to meet future legal requirements.

Such changes are already tak­ing shape. The EU Commission, for in­ stance, is planning a rule that would require vehicles and machinery

to undergo regular testing under real-world conditions during their lifecycles – that is, while doing such things as plowing, mowing and excavating. »Mobile emission measurement, alternative drive systems and the commercial-vehicle area are definitely the strengths of the ATC,« Degrell says. »The facility serves as the perfect complement to TÜV SÜD’s lab network, which has primarily focused on cars, with facilities in Heimsheim and Prague serving as the vanguard toward eastern Europe. Together, we are in the best-possible position to meet all of the global market’s needs.« More information of the Automotive Test Center in Pfungstadt: www.tuev-hessen.de/content/know_how__services/automotive/ automotive_test_center/index_en.html TÜV SÜD Journal 23

On the move

The joy of leading Can a balance be struck between running a family and managing a company? Yes, says Dr. Christine Bortenlänger, the Managing Director of the German Equities Institute and a member of TÜV SÜD’s Supervisory Board. Because there is no other activity that requires so much prodding and encouraging as child rearing, the family could even become an important »supplemental qualification« for the job of managing employees and helping them grow professionally.

Interview: Jörg Riedle & Timour Chafik

Photos: Enno Kapitza

Dr. Bortenlänger, do women have a different leadership style than men?

Yes. Women can do some things better, and men can do other things better. For instance, women tend to notice when the substance of an argument falls flat – during such things as a presentation. Men, on the other hand, frequently make decisions faster, while women want to win over everybody and get them all on board. But good managers occasionally have to step out into the cold, dark world on their own and simply take action. The worst ones are those who can’t make a decision at all, no matter whether they are women or men.

mother of a son who was 10 years old at the time. In looking back, I admit I have a lot of respect for the decision to place me at such a young age in a high-ranking position at the stock exchange. But I wrote my dissertation on a stock-exchange subject, had completed banker’s training, earned a degree in business administration and had professional experience. And I was a mother – it all came together. I was simply the right person!

Just how cold was it when you became Deputy Managing Director of the Bavarian Stock Exchange in Munich at the age of 31?

It wasn’t cold at all. Or it didn’t seem that way to me. I also never asked myself whether I would get the job as a woman and the

What do you mean?

When I stated my desired salary, I saw a lot of astonished faces. But instead of getting bogged down in difficult negotiations, I made them an offer: Just pay me the starting salary of my colleague in the management team. In the end, I earned more than I had asked for.

24 TÜV SÜD Journal

Did the right person also get the right salary?

When all was said and done: yes.

Must women become hard-nosed?

Not more hard-nosed. Rather, more in­ formed. For instance, this can start by talking more intensely with people about salaries.

And it extends to having more confidence in yourself. Here’s a simple example: A man and a woman – both executives – are offered a seat on the supervisory board of a major chemical company. The man considers it to be a great opportunity. But the woman says: »The chemical industry? I’m not sure I’m the right candidate here.« Or take the more mundane example of company cars: The man will always take the highest-possible vehicle class.

But the woman will be more modest. I think this is the wrong type of modesty – I can’t ride to my shared office in a cute little compact car and be the boss. Not yet anyway.

What kind of support can companies provide?

By giving women more responsibility – it

On dem the move Auf Weg

Christine Bortenlänger joined the ranks of top managers at an early age. She majored in business in Munich. After working at the Bayern LB bank and a consulting company, she joined the managerial team of the Bavarian Stock Exchange in 1998.

TÜV SÜD Journal 25

On the move

sounds pretty simple, but it is sometimes really difficult. After all, the principle of »birds of a feather flock together« frequently applies. This means one thing: The department head who is looking for a successor will instinctively look for an individual who is as similar to him as possible – that is, a man in most cases. That’s just the way people are.

There’s nothing innately wrong with it. But companies must develop tools designed to change these attitudes.

How? By adding language to target agreements that sets a particular percentage of women in executive positions – always based on just how much potential exists in the company.

26 TÜV SÜD Journal

Companies should also attract attention at an early stage and thus create an awareness among people about technical, scientific and mathematic career paths. This requires female role models who assume responsibility at the head of a company and bring leadership to life.

have to miss a lecture because your child is sick, it will make little difference to the professor at the end of the day. But if an important meeting is canceled because of the chickenpox, there is much more at stake: your colleagues, the project – and, ultimately, the job itself.

And you think it also requires women who had children earlier in their lives?

That is, at least, my recommendation, based on my own experience. Anyone who is young and attending college will have an easier time of it than someone who is working in his or her second job and has to occasionally work longer hours. If you

On the other hand, you say that having a family can be a hiring criterion?

More than that: I think having a family can even be a qualification for a management position. Typically, children often do the unexpected. This can develop flexibility and poise in people, traits that can prove to be helpful in managing employees.

On the move

»Today, participatory management is being increasingly practiced: The

concept of team

has become more widespread. But, sometimes, such practices go too far.«

Christine Bortenlänger

At some point in the future, will we see mothers and fathers who work part time and serve on the board of management of a company?

That would be great. But I don’t think the two fit together very well. Yes, family and management have many things in common – the idea of prodding and encouraging, clear communications and, sometimes, even discipline. But families and management require a person to be there in person.

In these terms, you can successfully carry out management responsibility beginning at a certain level of a company only if the team knows that the manager is present, or at least reachable. Some management jobs can be done on a part-time basis. But, as

the responsibilities grow, the need to be onsite rises as well. My team, my part-time employees and I have yet to come up with a long-range alternative here. And I really regret it!

You have been working in management positions for 12 years now. How has the job of managing ­changed during this period?

The concept of the team has become more widespread. Today, participatory management is being increasingly practiced. Sometimes, though, such practices go too far.

There are situations where I expect my employees to simply support my decisions.

That’s what makes a good manager.

»The beautiful face of the bears and bulls« or »marveled at like some alien from another galaxy«: When Dr. Christine Bortenlänger, 46, became Managing Director of the Bavarian Stock Exchange in Munich at the turn of the millennium, the media reports were filled with vivid images and clichés. And, above all, these never-ending questions about women. She considers such questions to be »unnecessary,« but answers them all the same in the interview.

Her basic position? »We need a different, a new type of broad-mindedness toward new lifestyles.« People have to learn to accept that couples will have children and that both of them will have jobs. That one of them will stay home or both will work part-time. That some people do not want children at all. »Lifestyles for which every individual will have to assume responsibility,« she says. On July 1, 2012, Bortenlänger became Managing Director of the German Equities Institute. She joined the Supervisory Board of TÜV SÜD in May 2011.

More information on the topic: www.tuv-sud.com/academy

TÜV SÜD Journal 27

To the point

TO T H E P O INT

A CT #28 HOW ORKS SCAN W ER #30 WINT UIDE G SPORTS

3D SCREENING Text: Hendrik Nölle

Each year, colon cancer takes thousands of lives.

Yet many people avoid lifesaving screening procedures – often because they are simply scared of a colonoscopy. A CT scan is a less intimidating alternative. But how does this technology actually work?

28 TÜV SÜD Journal

To the point

Early detection saves lives

I

ncreasingly, the virtual is becoming the real: to examine the intestinal tract of humans from the inside, the endoscope has been the instrument of choice for years. Today, though, the virtual colonoscopy has emerged as an alternative. The method does not require the doctor to sedate the patient or insert a thin tube with a mini-camera. Instead, a combination of X-rays and state-of-the-art computer technology is used – computerized tomography (CT).

This procedure produces a large number of multiplanar reconstructions of the intestinal tract that are used to generate a three-dimensional image. The purpose of a CT scan is the same as the conventional screening method: to detect polyps, small growths on the intestinal mucosa. The larger the polyps are, the more likely they are to develop into malignant tumors.

Studies have found that removing polyps reduces the risk of developing colon cancer by around 50 percent.

Images down to the tiniest detail

A CT scanner consists of one or more parallel X-ray tubes and detectors that quickly spin around the patient who lies on a table that moves through the ringshaped barrel of the machine. The X-ray tube emits a wide spectrum of beams that pass through the body and are attenuated to different extents by the various body tissues. The detectors pick up the various strengths of signals and transmit them to the computer, which then generates cross-sectional images of the body that it uses to create a 3D image. In state-of-the-art equipment, the detector system completes multiple revolutions around the patient each second. This reveals even the smallest details of the area being examined. Parallel tubes reduce scan times.

The first CT scanners became available in 1972. They have only just started being used to detect colon cancer, though, because of the assessment of risks has changed.

Statistically speaking, one in every 10,000 endoscopic examinations results in an accidental perforation of the intestinal wall. With CT scans, the patient is exposed to radiation. »Thanks to today’s equipment, this radiation is now less than what the average person is naturally ex-

Colon cancer can strike anyone. If the disease is detected early, it can generally be completely cured. But colon cancer remains one of the most common causes of death in cancer patients. One reason for this is that people with colon cancer do not experience any symptoms in its early stages. The first signs can also be easily attributed to harmless diseases.

Stool test and colon screening exams To detect colon cancer early on, a fecal occult blood test is generally conducted, followed by a colon screening. With a fecal occult blood test, the stool is tested for the presence of blood that is invisible to the naked eye. If the test is positive, a CT scan is necessary to determine the reason for the bleeding. This method allows for polyps and cancerous tissue to be detected with a high degree of certainty and removed in time. This is why occupational health physician Dr. Rumen Alex­ androv of TÜV SÜD recommends that every company provide information about colon cancer and incorporate fecal occult blood tests into its occupational health program.

posed to in a year, « says Professor Dr. Michael Uder, Director of the Radiological Institute at the Erlangen University Medical Center. Dr. Patrik Rogalla, a professor of radiology at the University of Toronto, agrees and emphasizes that both methods deliver similarly accurate results: »For polyps larger than 0.4 inches, the virtual and optical technology both have a success rate of 90 percent.« For him, one of the ben­ efits of the virtual scan is that it allows physicians to see both the front and back side of an intestinal wrinkle, unlike the conventional scanning method.

In cases of excessive intestinal narrowing, he also prefers CT scans.

More on the issue of occupational health management: www.tuv-sud.com/occupational_medicine_safety_and_health TÜV SÜD Journal 29

To the point

Guide:

Winter sports No matter whether it is the Alps or the Rockies: Now is the time to have fun on skis, snowboards and sleds. Here are five tips that will keep these romps through the winter wonderland safe.

1

3

A helpful heads-up If you fall, a helmet will help prevent you from being seriously hurt – that is, only if it is not too loose. It should not jiggle or shift when you shake your head while the chinstrap is unbuckled.

Have it checked out

Before the ski season starts, a professional should inspect your ski bindings: They offer sufficient protection only if they are optimally set for a skier’s weight, height, skiing style, age and boot size.

2 Watch your back A protector serves as a shield for the spinal column, the shoulders and

Unlike skis, snowboards are not equipped with bindings that release automatically when you fall. For this reason, it is particularly important to perform gymnastic exercises as a way of preventing sprained ligaments and pulled muscles.

the loin region. When trying one on, you should make sure that your range of motion is not overly restricted. You should keep one other thing in mind as well: Make sure that the hip belt fits snugly. This will ensure that the protector will not slip if you hit the ground!

4

Use the layering principle If you put on multiple layers of thin winter sport clothing, you are optimally prepared for any sort of weather. Such clothing includes functional underwear that keeps your body dry and warm as well as wind-resistant and waterrepellant jackets and pants. The right materials for middle layers include fleece and merino wool, which are particularly breathable.

30 TÜV SÜD Journal

5

Have an eagle eye Ski goggles not only help you see better during bad weather conditions, but also protect your eyes from UV radiation.

More information on the topic: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/consumer-productsretail/hardlines

Academy | dates

Training tips TÜV SÜD ACADEMY In each issue of TÜV SÜD Journal, we introduce you to a selected series of seminars. This issue’s topic is: Training program for occupational prevention and health manager – TÜV Healthy, motivated employees are the engine of every company, and systematic occupational health management is the lubricant that keeps things running smoothly. It also lowers costs created by such things as sick days.

Occupational prevention and health managers are able to devise company-wide, preventive health strategies and an appropriate range of health-care opportunities that will strengthen employee performance. Using state-of-the-art analysis tools, they determine the status of programs devoted to occupational health management and optimize them by applying sustainable quality management. The training program consists of four modules: Module 1: Use, trends and legal foundation

02/03/04 Calendar

You can experience TÜV SÜD in person at the following trade fairs, congresses and events.

Our team of experts is looking forward to meeting you.

More information on the dates: www.tuv-sud.com/corporate-events

FEBRUARY IMOT, Munich, February 15–17 Wind and Energy, Ulm, February 20–21 MedTech Europe, Stuttgart, February 26–28 Facility Management, Frankfurt am Main, February 26–28 intec, Leipzig, February 26–March 1

Module 2: Objectives, strategies and organizational structure Module 3: Needs assessment, modern instruments and

methodologies Module 4: Measurability, communications and motivation The modules can be booked individually (two days each) or as an entire course (eight days). Starting dates throughout the year are available at locations across Germany.

More information on the seminars and available dates at: www.tuv-sud.com/academy birgit.klusmeier@tuev-sued.de

MARCH EMV, Stuttgart, March 5–7 Retro Classics, Stuttgart, March 7–10 Geneva International Motor Show, March 7–17 MIPIM, Cannes, March 12–15 netinforum, Erfurt, March 13–14 medical.device.forum, Munich, March 13–14 eltefa, Stuttgart, March 20–22

Imprint Publisher: TÜV SÜD AG, Westend St. 199, 80686 Munich Owners: TÜV SÜD e. V. (74.9%), TÜV SÜD Foundation (25.1%), Westend St. 199, 80686 Munich Head of Corporate Communications: Matthias Andreesen Viegas Project Manager and Editor in Chief: Jörg Riedle Contact: +49 89 5791-0, info@tuev-sued.de Realization: Medienfabrik Gütersloh GmbH, Neumarkter St. 22, 81673 Munich Printing: Eberl Print GmbH, Kirchplatz 6, 87509 Immenstadt Photo credits: Ben Watkins (16), Corbis (12, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 30, 36),Deutsche Bahn (13), Enno Kapitza (24, 25, 26, 27), Jan Scheutzow (1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), Prinoth (4, 5), TÜV SÜD (2, 14, 15, 21, 32, 33); Illustration (34, 35): LULU*; Infographic (22, 23): Mo Büdinger TÜV SÜD Journal appears quarterly. Articles appearing in the magazine are copyrighted.

TÜV SÜD Journal is printed in a climate-neutral manner on paper from sustainable forestry.

carbon neutral

smart.grids.forum, Munich, March 21–22

April Hannover Messe, Hanover, April 8–13 Interalpin, Innsbruck, April 10–12 Personal Süd, Stuttgart, April 23–24 safe.tech, Munich, April 24–25

natureOffice.com | DE-141-646401

print production TÜV SÜD Journal 31

5 minutes

Sercura of Hong Kong joins the TÜV SÜD Group

Environmental measuring technology at new location in Garching

Sustainable growth for the Chinese economy

China is the largest producer of consumer goods – and TÜV SÜD intensified its activities in the country with the addition of Hong Kong-based company Sercura in the fall of 2012. The new subsidiary specializes in preshipment inspections and factory audits. Sercura employs more than 200 people in 17 countries.

New laboratories for the Environmental Measurements Unit at TÜV SÜD: The complete range of services for calibration, the measurement of emissions, immissions and particulate matter as well as the measurement of air pollutants and odor levels will be offered by the TÜV SÜD testing center located outside Munich in Garching. One special feature: TÜV SÜD also tests new measuring equipment that is then approved by the German Environmental Agency.

China is on the brink of becoming the world’s largest economy – and is stepping up its efforts to ensure that this growth unfolds in a resource-conserving manner. During a multiday forum held in Beijing, TÜV SÜD and regional experts discussed the issue. Dr. Axel Stepken, Chairman of the Board of Management of TÜV SÜD, said: »Energy efficiency is a top priority among the world’s decision makers.«

misha.lu@tuv-sud.tw

norbert.ullrich@tuev-sued.de

haiyan.wang@tuv-sud.cn

Center of expertise for airbags in the Czech Republic

With its new laboratory for airbag testing, TÜV SÜD is expanding its range of expert services for vehicle safety. Located around 40 kilometers northeast of Prague, the new center of expertise in Nymburk is equipped with state-of-theart technology, including devices used to conduct tests in climate chambers. The lab performs deployment tests on all the types of airbags used today. The new, independent test facility is TÜV SÜD’s response to market demands: Component tests are becoming increasingly important for automakers and their suppliers.

TÜV SÜD has broad expertise in the area of airbag testing. In 2004, it opened a laboratory in Mladá Boleslav. »Our new testing center is the logical extension of our work in this area and answers market demand,« says Jirˇí Socha, Managing Director of the Automotive Division of TÜV SÜD Czech. jiri.socha@tuv-sud.cz

32 TÜV SÜD Journal

5

Don’t just rely on the new tire label when purchasing winter tires

Those who have purchased appliances are familiar with the energy-efficiency label. A similar label became mandatory throughout Europe for tires at the end of 2012. The tire label gives drivers three basic pieces of information: A tire’s rolling resistance is rated between the best mark of A to the lowest of G. Wet grip – i.e., the braking distance on a wet road – is indicated by assignment to the categories of A to F. And rolling noise is indicted by one to three sound waves – the more waves depicted on the label, the louder the tire. But a word of warning: Although the tire-label criteria are very reliable for summer tires, this is not the case for winter ones. »The snowflake symbol indicates whether the tires up to are suitable for driving in icy and snowy conCRITERIA ARE EVALUATED ditions,« says Michael Staude, a tire expert at WHEN TÜV SÜD EXPERTS TÜV SÜD. If this symbol is vulcanized into the TEST ONE TIRE. rubber, the tire demonstrates adequate winter performance in a defined test procedure. The results of tire tests conducted by automobile clubs, specialty publications and consumerprotection organizations provide a good resource for additional helpful information.

30

michael.staude@tuev-sued.de

5 minutes

Sustainable buildings The certificate TÜV SÜD SCoRE (Sustainability Certification of Real Estate) assesses a building’s energy-efficiency; fIVE MODULES WITH conceptual design; water, sewage and waste issues; and risks based on possible environmental contamination as well as location-related factors and site-specific criteria.

An invaluable advantage for real-estate operators: After all, sustainability and its long-term marketability are not limited to a high level of energy efficiency. Other key fac- individual criteria provide a tors influencing a building's total life-cycle costs include the solid foundation for the sustainquality of the materials used and the environmental quality ability assessment in accorof the construction site. The current bearer of the TÜV SÜD SCoRE gold seal: the VTP Roztoky Science and Technology dance with TÜV SÜD SCoRE. Park near Prague. The new 4,200-square-meter, four-story building houses several testing laboratories for engines, vehicles and transmissions as well as offices.

150

pavel.zinburg@tuv-sud.cz

minutes

with TÜV SÜD

GreenFleet Award recognizes efficient fleets

To improve fuel efficiency and curb CO2 emissions, vehicle fleets are increasingly turning to natural-gas, hybrid- and electricdrive systems. This trend is underscored by the winners of this year’s GreenFleet Award, which was presented by the TÜV SÜD subsidiary FleetCompany. One award winner was Hamburg Airport, which plans to equip its entire fleet with alternative drive systems by 2020. The jury was also impressed with UniCreditbank-HypoVereinsbank and Globetrotter Ausrüstung Denart & Lechhart. Both companies cap the amount of CO2 emitted by their fleets – either in terms of emissions per mile or in terms of total annual emissions. roland.vogt@fleetcompany.de

Rail expertise With its acquisition of isar Independent Safety Assessment for Railway Signalling GmbH of Braunschweig, Germany, TÜV SÜD has expanded its consulting, testing and certification services for urban rail projects in metropolitan regions around the world. »The acquisition of isar GmbH enables us to further expand our service portfolio for urban rail projects and enhance the assistance we provide to large systems companies as a partner in turn-key projects,« says Klaus Bosch, CEO of TÜV SÜD’s Rail Division. The range of services provided in this area extends from design review and final approval to the certification of complete systems. isar GmbH has broad experience in the field of light-rail trains and has been supporting complex projects in this area for the last 15 years. The Asia Pacific region, with its high demand for urban rail projects, is one of the key markets for TÜV SÜD Rail. As with the acquisition of Hong Kongbased MetroSolutions in early summer 2012, this deal not only strengthens TÜV SÜD Rail’s business in the Asia Pacific region, but also rounds out its service portfolio and generates new momentum for TÜV SÜD’s worldwide activities. klaus.bosch@tuev-sued.de

Occupational and health safety for companies TÜV SÜD has reorganized its occupational and health safety services. Interdisciplinary exhealth services means: pert teams compromising phyenhanced focus on core sicians, occupational psychologists, safety engineers and skills. assistants are now offering service packages. Companies of all sizes can book service modules and thus respond to current challenges in the area of occupational and health safety by providing customized, holistic and expert solutions. As a result, companies can concentrate on their core skills and improve efficiency. At the same time, they can work with an expert partner to offer individual and flexible health care to their employees. You can find more information online at: www.tuev-sued.de/zag

Outsourcing

juliana.quaranta-hoeflin@tuev-sued.de

TÜV SÜD Journal 33

Zu guter The final Letzt say

HANDS OFF

34 TÜV SÜD Journal

Zu The guter finalLetzt say

THE WHEEL! Las Vegas has just gained another attraction: Autonomous cars are cruising the streets of the U.S. city – as part of a test.

R

eading the paper while riding in the car to work or catching a little shut-eye before getting to the office: This could soon be a part of our lives, at least in the world according to Google. Scientists and engineers employed by the Internet company are working to refine the »self-driving car,« a vehicle in which the human driver hardly has to do anything more than climb in, punch in the destination and select the route. The car takes care of the rest. The roof and body are outfitted with an array of radar sensors, lasers and cameras that recognize speed limits, red lights and obstacles. They constantly monitor traffic. In the trunk, a computer goes about the job of converting the collected information into driving commands. As if an invisible ghost were sitting in the driver’s seat, the steering wheel turns, the vehicle accelerates, the brakes are applied and the blinkers flash.

The first of these robot cars are already being tested on public roads in the United States. The human driver can take over these modified series vehicles at any time. Google says the fleet has already traveled more than 310,000 miles in California, Florida and the Las Vegas area, and about 50,000 miles of this total were covered without any human help

at all. It is a figure that indicates that the computer system is still experiencing some hiccups. Google’s chief engineer, Chris Urmson, says that the vehicles have not caused any accidents, but he adds: »The self-driving cars still have to learn to deal with snow-covered roads and situations like temporary construction sites.« The goal of making roads safer through the use of the »selfdriving car« appears to be somewhat far off. »It will take at least 10 years before the vehicles are ready to truly drive on their own,« says Raúl Rojas, a professor for artificial intelligence at the Free University of Berlin who is working on a self-driving car of his own.

Nothing to worry about: This creates time to also clear up legal issues related to the vehicles: Who assumes liability for an accident in which no human was driving? The automaker, the computer manufacturer or the sensor producer? A Google search yields no results.

TÜV SÜD Journal 35

How the world eats

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he latest report on hunger issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations paints a portrait of extremes. On one end: Every eighth person in the world is undernourished. But the total number of people suffering from hunger has fallen by 132 million to 868 million over the past two decades. The situation has grown worse only in sub-Saharan Africa. Two decades ago, 170 million people were undernourished there. The figure has now risen to 234 million. As a reason for the increase, the report cites political conflicts. To fight hunger, the report recommends investing in sustainable, location-specific, smallholder farming and in the creation of social-protection systems.

Turning to the other extreme, the organization‘s director, José Graziano da Silva, says: »The problem is not only hunger, but also the number of obese people.« The report issued at the end of last year notes a trend that even applies to impoverished countries: People who are not suffering from hunger are consuming more calories than ever before (see the table below). To fight the effects of improper nutrition, da Silva calls for increased public-service campaigns aimed at promoting good health and food safety. TÜV SÜD is also extensively involved in food safety: The company is expanding its network of food laboratories around the world, most recently adding facilities in Brazil and India.

People who are not suffering from hunger are consuming more calories than ever before Trends in the average energy intake per person as measured in kilocalories and by food groups (source: www.fao.org, 2012) 3500

Other Sugars

3000

Fats and oils Animal-source foods

2500

Fruits and vegetables Pulses

2000

Roots and tubers Cereals

1500 1000 500 0

1990–92 2007–09 1990–92 2007–09 1990–92 2007–09 1990–92 2007–09 1990–92 2007–09 1990–92 2007–09 Asia

36 TÜV SÜD Journal

Developed countries

Latin America and the Caribbean

North Africa

Oceania

Sub-Saharan Africa