TÜV SÜD Journal 4/2014 (english version)

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TÜV SÜD

JOURNAL OINT #18 TO THE P an elevator Going up: How does work anyway? EST #24 TO THE T ef fective Icy roads: Just how proaches? are salt and other ap OVE #26 ON THE M ture: The industry of the fu t Factories Innovations for Smar

# 04 2014

G AUTONOMOUS DRIVIN

d e e n s r a c t r a Sm clever roads


Editorial

DEAR READERS, Will our cars soon take over the steering wheels? To hear the German Association of the Automotive Industry tell it, the first self-driving vehicles will be cruising down highways by 2030 at the very latest. Just about every leading automaker is going all out to leave the driving up to autonomous cars. Self-driving vehicles have been one of the top issues of the future addressed at this year‘s major automotive trade fairs – from the Detroit Motor Show to the IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover. Experts have already reached a consensus on one point: Our form of mobility is going to change at lightning-like speed in years to come. In the process, autonomous driving is just one of the many areas that are being trans­formed. These change processes are being powered by new drive systems like electromobility and forms of usage that have suddenly emerged from nowhere thanks to the rapid march of digitization in our society: With the aid of simple apps, car-sharing models and transporThe TÜV SÜD Journal app provides you with further insights tation services like Uber have attracted into mobility of tomorrow. hundreds of thousands of users within a brief period of time.

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

The QR code will take you directly to the latest TÜV SÜD Journal app.

In spite of these sweeping forces of change, one thing remains the same: We want to travel safely. For this reason, TÜV SÜD is deeply involved in mobility changes and, when necessary, plays the role of devil’s advocate about them – as our cover story on page 6 shows. This is not surprising, though. After all, we intend to serve as the guardian of safe mobility in decades to come. You can count on it! Best regards,

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

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Table of contents

#06

COVER STORY

Man or machine: Who will sit behind the wheel in mobility of the future? And what role will smart roads play in autonomous driving?

To the

To the

On the

Get to the bottom of it! Our »add value« pages make complex issues understandable.

What‘s on people‘s minds around the world? We take a closer look at technical and social trends.

A look at the world of tomorrow: These innovations could soon be indispensable parts of our daily lives.

#16 Winter fun in a classic car Historic cars do not have to spend the cold season sitting in a garage. With the right type of preparation and maintenance, nothing will stand in the way of a trip through the ice and snow.

#20 I have got to have it! Jewelry and sports cars are just a few of the objects that human beings crave. What lends products, services and companies an aura of the valuable?

#26 Key to progress The Internet of Things is creating new chal­ lenges for industry. To overcome them together, TÜV SÜD is connecting new, innovative businesses with established companies.

#18 Going up Skyscrapers would have been inconceivable with­ out elevators. For more than 150 years, they have saved us the chore of climbing stairs. How does an elevator work? And what makes them so safe?

#24 A pinch of salt! Snowfall, freezing temperatures, slippery roads: In their battle against ice, most road crews employ salt as their weapon of choice. Are there alternatives? And how good are they?

#30 The future classroom Teaching is a dream job for many people. But only a few graduates decide to major in mathematics, physics or chemistry. The TÜV SÜD Foundation intends to change this.

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

#17 On location #23 Dates/imprint

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

POINT

TEST

MOVE

TÜV SÜD Journal 3


TÜV SÜD im in focus Bild

4 TÜV SÜD Journal


TÜV TÜVSÜD SÜDinim focus Bild

So bright shining

LIGHTS

For centuries, winter was a time of pitch darkness. During the long evenings and nights between November and February, wood fires were frequently the only thing that would throw off a few weak rays of light into people‘s shelters. Today, artificial lighting can turn even the blackest night into the brightest day – thanks to lightbulbs, compact fluorescent lamps, halogen lights and LED technology. In the TÜV SÜD Light Testing Lab in Garching, a town near Munich, Florian Brunner is preparing to conduct an endurance test for energy-efficient lightbulbs. Lighting manufacturers, importers and retailers are eager to find out how long their products will last under daily use. Up to 6,000 bulbs are simultaneously turned on and off 10,000 times at standard intervals during the computer-managed process. The tests also provide information about energy consumption and light output throughout a bulb‘s life span. After all, the bulbs are designed to provide bright light even after being used for many hours. More information: www.tuv-sud.com/electrical-electronics

TÜV SÜD Journal 5


Titelstory Cover story

DATA TR MORE ON THIS TOPIC

IN OUR MAGAZINE APP

The Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group thinks the street of the future will look something like this: It will identify pedestrians and illuminate them, making them clearly visible to road users.

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Titelstory Cover story

AFFIC

Improved safety, more comfort, less congestion: The expectations for self-driving cars are huge. But before passengers can sit back and leisurely roll down the highways, transportation infrastructure must be upgraded. The »smart road« will be a key player in this process. Text: Timour Chafik TÜV SÜD Journal 7


Cover story

W

hat is a street? A link be­ tween two locations. A route on which you can walk or drive quickly if you do not happen to run into any congestion along the way. A strip of asphalt that is sometimes nar­ row and sometimes broad and that consists of a mixture of crushed stone and tar. But some people view a street as being much more than a piece of pavement used by cars, bicycles and pedestrians. The Dutch artist and architect Daan Roosegaarde is one such person. He would like to place glowing lines down the middle of streets, lending them an entirely new character. Roosegarde is hardly the only person with such thoughts in mind. There is also an American couple that is tinkering with a prototype of electri­ city-generating photovoltaic asphalt in their garage in Sandpoint, Idaho. Then, there is the start-up pushing the idea of sensor-filled road coatings connected to an app that di­ rect drivers to the nearest available parking place. And we should not forget about the resourceful researcher who says he has de­ veloped a self-repairing road surface. Around the world, researchers are work­ ing in large and small projects to make roads smart. They want to use them as data carriers and as broadcasters and receivers of infor­ mation for a new, connected form of mobil­ ity that dreams of providing more comfort and safety – and a little less human involve­ ment when it comes to determining who sits behind the wheel and does the navigating. Control for safety

In simulations, drivers are already turning over a large amount of their responsibility for the steering wheel and gas pedal to the asphalt. In many areas, researchers are ex­ ploring the idea of »individual control in exchange for overall safety.« One exam­ple of this work is the project called simTD, or »Sichere Intelligente Mobilität Testfeld Deutschland« (Safer Smart Mobility Testing Area Germany). This project was conducted from the summer of 2012 to the summer of 2013 and represents the largest field test con­ ducted into car-to-X communication, a tech­ nology in which vehicles and infrastructure exchange information. About 120 vehicles were outfitted with cameras, sensors and 8 TÜV SÜD Journal

Digital technologies make it all possible: Sensors and data-transmitting options could add new functions to roads of the future.


Cover story

»The infrastructure will become part of a smart automated system.« – designer Keiichi Matsuda

radars in order to continuously collect data. Using Wi-Fi and the mobile radio technol­ ogies UMTS and GPRS, these data were transmitted to receivers on the side of the road and then passed to traffic manage­ ment centers for additional processing. Should the data analysis identify a poten­ tial danger, warning signals are sent back to the vehicle using the same network. On the autobahn, for instance, driv­ers could be notified that they were approaching the rear of a traffic jam or a broken-down ve­ hicle, long before these events came into the drivers’ field of vision. At the same time, light signal systems would warn driv­ ers of cars that are not equipped with these communications systems. In more than 41,000 testing hours and 1.65 million driven kilometers, researchers found that all func­ tions generated a tremendous amount of ad­ ded value, says the project coordinator, Dr Christian Weiß. Keiichi Matsuda, a designer who lives in London, says that you can understand how this added value is created by looking at a parking meter: »Left to its own devices, it is nothing more than a dumb, ignorant object. It will become part of an intelligent system when you can use your smartphone to feed the meter or, even better, the smart car will handle the job for you.« The infrastructure is becoming a major player, Matsuda adds. »But we have to understand that it will cer­ tainly not be able to keep pace with software development.« Chicken, egg, innovation cycles

In the area of connected mobility, two worlds traveling at different speeds are colliding. In the past 40 years, the computing power of processors has doubled roughly every 18 months. By contrast, the development peri­ od for a new car lasts anywhere from three years to four years. In other words: Once a smart car hits the smart highway, the vehicle and the in­ frastructure are already techno­log­ically out­ dated. But the difference be­tween the possi­ ble and the actual has always been around. This is the case for both conventional cars and smartphones. Face-lifts given to lines of cars and software updates at increasingly more frequent intervals cannot change the TÜV SÜD Journal 9


Cover story

Three books, one topic: recommended reading on the mobility of tomorrow

»The technologies

for autonomous driving and smart roads already exist. They just have to be integrated.« – Herbert Zimmermann, German engineering association ZVEI

The Car in 2035: Mobility Planning for the Near Future Designers, engineers and analysts describe their visions of future traffic systems in a book pub­ lished by Kati Rubinyi. Actar, 288 pages

The Second Machine Age Writers Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee examine the phenomenon of self-driving cars in terms of the digital revolution. Norton & Company, 380 pages

Self-Driving Cars: The Next Revolution This KPMG study explores the market opportunities of self-driving cars for industry and commerce. The study can be downloaded at no cost from the consulting firm's website, 36 pages

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situation. But different innovation cycles have never stood in the way of progress. It is rather the chicken-or-egg problem that can gum up the process of developing smart roads: One stalks the other and waits for it to take the first step. In the case of smart roads, automakers are waiting for the government to develop a functioning infrastructure for car-toX communication. They would prefer to start series production of smart vehicles only after transmitters and receivers have been installed along roads across the country, only after re­ mote-controlled signal systems have been put into place and only after traffic management centers that are linked to computing hubs capa­ ble of handling the mountains of data pro­duced by vehicles have been set up. On the other hand, government officials have frequently been heard to have said that there are just too few smart cars to warrant an investment in new infrastructure. Who will pay for more safety?

Just what makes the infrastructure and, thus, roads smart anyway? Who should foot the bill? There is no doubt that glowing lines in the middle of roads, photovoltaic asphalt, sensors in streets and smart traffic lights will in­crease comfort and safety. And no one can assert that the industry has overlooked the val­ ue and market potential of smart infrastruc­ ture. »Our job now is to sell cities on the job of upgrading their traffic lights,« says Herbert Zimmermann of the engineering association Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektro­ nikindustrie e.V. ZVEI. But notoriously cashstrapped municipalities would have a hard time shouldering the costs on their own. At the same time, they are calling on manufacturers to pro­ duce functioning, affordable products. On the one hand, a high-speed race is under way to determine who will assume the pole po­ sition in the effort to develop smart cars, Zim­

mermann says. On the other hand, work is moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to enabling the vehicle to communicate with the infrastructure. This is what may make field tests like simTD interesting trial bal­ loons, which will still take time to find their place within our daily lives in terms of mo­ bility. »It will be 2030 at the earliest before car-to-X communication is widely used,« says Christian Rauch of the Frankfurt fu­ turologist think tank Zukunftsinstitut (see »Points of View « on page 12). Foes become friends Until we reach this point, people will whip out their smartphones and intuitively and casually use apps like »Google Maps« to get from one place to another as fast as possible – regardless of whether sensors have been installed in asphalt and smart traffic lights are dangling above our intersections. »In re­ ality, most of the technology and algorithms operate on an overarching level, namely the cloud,« Christian Rauch says. Ultimately, though, the destination of the trip is intu­ itive mobility, a concept in which modes of transportation that largely compete against one another today will increasingly work to­ gether. This will be mobility 4.0, something that is so connected that it will more or less monitor itself and create something that Rauch calls »managed mobility.« In this sys­ tem, the smart road will play just as big or small of a role as every other mode of trans­ portation. Digital technologies will make it all possible: Sensors and data transmission options will be able to add new functions to our streets and roads.

More on this topic: www.tuv-sud.com/automotive


Cover story

Vision Zero: no more accidents and no more fatalities Lane-departure warning systems, blindspot information systems and cruise control – the driver-assistance systems used in cars are multiplying and getting smarter. Once fully autonomous cars take over, will human drivers and annual traffic accident statistics become a thing of the past? No, says Professor Frank Köster, the Director of the Automotive Division of the German Aerospace Center and a researcher of smart transport systems. »Autonomous driving does not mean that no more accidents will occur. In the future, unexpected objects will get in a car’s way, and a collision will be unavoidable as a result.« Instead, he says the more pressing issue is to stress the increased safety that will be provid­ ed by these systems and thus gradually increase their acceptance: »It is just like aviation. A new technology should not result in less quality,« Köster says. Accident-free driving will be just like aviation as well – the European Commission has set a target date of 2050 for its »Vision Zero« – and is not trying to seek an overnight evolution. Rather, a smooth transition from partially autonomous to completely autonomous driving is taking place, says Dr Lothar Wech, responsible for Mobility Services & New Technologies at TÜV SÜD Auto Service: »The end consumer won’t notice that the systems will automatically function over a longer period and in more and more application areas.« TÜV SÜD is working as an adviser in this process and is helping both manufacturers and system developers. »We are working on both the development of safety concepts and on their implementation and are authorizing experimental vehicles for use on public streets and highways,« adds Udo Steininger, Director of Driving Assistance and Autonomous Driving at TÜV SÜD Auto Service.

The Bjarke Ingels Group expects smart traffic systems will create more safety and less congestion day and night.

TÜV SÜD Journal 11


Points of view

»Putting self-driving cars on analog roads makes no sense at all.«

T

o jump into a car and then travel on a smart highway from Munich to Berlin while being able to work as you ride – this will certainly be a pleasur­ able, time-saving way to travel. But one factor has been conveniently forgotten in the past: People do not like to give up control. None­ theless, smart, autonomous technology is now viewed as a way to increase traffic safe­ ty. The idea starts with such abbreviations as ABS and ESP – everyday applications that can take charge in dangerous situations and react better than humans can. The smart road is also not an end in itself. It makes sense only if it is connected with the car – either partially or completely automated. But that’s not all: Both cars and roads gain intelligence only if the entire infrastructure is connected to all actors in the transportation system. This will require significant upgrades, including of traffic lights, guardrails and asphalt. This is an expensive proposition and will require people to rethink their atti­ tudes: The automotive industry will have to cooperate much more closely with govern­ ment officials, network operators and energy companies. Simply making self-driving cars showroom-ready and sending them out onto traditional ›analog‹ roads is a senseless ap­ proach to take. It will be partnerships that will lay the foundation for successful ›man­ aged mobility.‹ Once created, this evolution will give a completely new meaning to the term ›joy of driving‹: It will no longer be maximum speed that counts. Rather, the key issues will be with whom and how long we will travel on smart roads.«

POINTS

Christian Rauch, Member of the Management Team for the Frankfurt think tank Zukunftsinstitut

TIME TABLE The road map to autonomous mobility 12 TÜV SÜD Journal


Points of view

S

»Sometimes, the individual car must have priority over the entire fleet.«

OF VIEW

Paolo Santi, Project leader for Ambient Mobility at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

mart roads, smart cars and smart mo­ bility: These revolu­ tionary changes will have a sweeping impact on mobili­ ty patterns in metropolitan areas above all. After all, private cars, taxis, buses and subways have been nothing more than a suboptimal set of clearly separate and half-heartedly connect­ed forms of transportation up to now. If a new form of mobility, ›ambient mobility,‹ is de­ signed to more efficiently organize individ­ ual and mass transport, technologies like autonomous driving, new drive concepts, sharing solutions or augmented reality must interact with existing and future metropoli­ tan systems. This starts with your classic traffic light that hangs over an intersection. This is an extremely inefficient system because it can only work in accordance with a very rough pattern: Just one group heading in only one direction is granted access to the intersec­ tion, no matter how many or how few vehi­ cles are traveling on it. Period. This is learned behavior. But we are work­ing on solutions that will give the indi­ vidual vehicle, and not the entire fleet, access to the intersection in our project called City Drive. This will be a central traffic manage­ ment system for intersections that can access the movement patterns of self-driving cars. As a result, it will be able to assign individual ›traffic light slots‹ to separate vehicles. The very broad pattern will be extremely filtered in the process – for people in the self-driving car, this will mean one thing: nonstop travel with significantly reduced travel time.«

A system of autonomous driving and intelligent infrastructure is still a long way down the road. And the reason for this is clear: To create smooth-flowing, connected mobility, you need to link all players to one another – from private business to public leaders.

TÜV SÜD Journal 13


5 minutes

Minimizing the risks and costs of real-estate portfolios

Strong IT-security alliance

A close look at MAN trucks in 21 countries

People who have large portfolios of real estate must organize data about technical systems like elevators, airconditioning units and fire safety in a particularly reliable structure. With the property letter TGA, TÜV SÜD offers a Web-based data-collection system that helps improve the efficiency and availability of equipment during operations, among other things.

This fall, TÜV SÜD became a member of the Bundesverband IT-Sicherheit e.V. (TeleTrusT) and strengthened its digitalservices network. Among other things, TÜV SÜD offers services related to the functional security, reliability and interoperability of technical systems as well as IT security, equipment-condition monitoring and real-time analysis of industrial systems.

Beginning next year, TÜV SÜD will assist the entire return process of MAN vehicles from buyback agreements, leasing returns and traded-in commercial vehicles and buses. The service agreement covers the return process of all vehi­cles in 21 countries. The process is internationally standard­ ized, a fact that assures a high level of transparency and efficiency.

uwe.forgber@tuev-sued.de

oliver.jacob@tuev-sued.de

udo.litz@tuev-sued.de

Certified information security

Information security – for such things as customer data or a business‘ own knowhow – is becoming a high priority at many companies. Management systems help exec­ utives securely design their processes – as Krones AG demonstrates. The manufacturer of filling and packaging systems received ISO 27001 certification from TÜV SÜD. This is the globally recognized standard for information security management. By taking this step, Krones has demonstrated that it employs a comprehensive security concept that ranges from employee and supplier training and access protection to the company‘s premises to complex IT security architectures designed to provide data security. TÜV SÜD provides a large number of services in this area: For instance, customers hire TÜV SÜD Sec-IT to search for flaws in company security systems. christian.erichsen@tuev-sued.de

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5

Certificate for electricity-storage systems

How can electricity produced from solar and wind energy be stored to ensure that plentiful amounts of energy are available at night or during periods of little sunlight or wind (see TÜV SÜD Journal 3/2014)? One solution is stationary battery-storage units. TÜV SÜD has recently developed a new certificate for them. The RESS certificate dem­onstrates the security and performance of such sysstands tems and provides more transparency in a rapidly expanding market. The recertification is conducted on the basis of a for renewable energy comprehensive review that covers all relevant international storage systems standards. It involves such aspects as mechanical, electric and software storage designs, includes security and environmental tests, and confirms network conformity. A review is also conducted of the completeness and plausibility of product documentation as well as of the on-site inspection of series production at the manufacturer. One special focal point is reliable interaction of components in the entire storage system.

RESS

andreas.faisst@tuev-sued.de


5 minutes

Commercial vehicles and buses are very safe Long-distance and urban buses are two of the safest forms of transportation, according to the fifth bus report of the Verband der TÜV e.V. (VdTÜV). The study found that more than 80 percent of buses immediately receive an inspection sticker and that no defects are found in nearly two-thirds of them. Only 0.1 percent of buses are unsafe for use on roads. Another TÜV report found that this situation was even better for commercial vehiof TÜV reports: the vehicle cles weighing up to 18 tons: Four out of five checks of all TÜV companies trucks pass the vehicle roadworthiness test on in Germany the very first try – without any defects at all! The clear victor: safety. Since 2012, higher standards have been applied to safety-related defects while minor problems have been dropped from the test.

Support for offshore wind farms

DATABASE

dieter.roth@tuev-sued.de

minutes

with TÜV SÜD

Changes at TÜV SÜD Divisions

Wind energy is growing: The world‘s largest electricity-producing wind farms are primarily located offshore, that is, out at sea. TÜV SÜD is involved in a large number of projects in Europe and on the American continent: At the Dutch Gemini offshore wind farm, for instance, an eval­uation of the system‘s design and the certification of two substations were successfully completed. The Gemini wind farm is located in the North Sea, about 85 kilometers from shore. TÜV SÜD is also working on Holland‘s largest offshore wind farm, the Westermeerwind project. The subsidiary PMSS is serving as an adviser to the operators during the project-planning phase. In the United States, PMSS has been hired by the U.S. government to work on a strategic project that will define the future dimensions of cable that will link offshore units to onshore facilities. ulrich.knopf@tuev-sued.de rob.waddington@tuv-sud.co.uk sebastian.chivers@tuv-sud.co.uk

RCI Consultants of Texas strengthens TÜV SÜD Group The two largest divisions of the TÜV SÜD Group gained new executive leadership in midSeptember: The former managing director of TÜV SÜD Auto Plus GmbH, Patrick Fruth (left), assumed leadership of the Auto Service Divi­sion, which conducts the global mobility business of TÜV SÜD. He replaced Bernhard Kerscher (right), who became head of the Industry Service Division. This division bundles the services that TÜV SÜD offers to industrial manufacturers and in the area of refineries and power plants. patrick.fruth@tuev-sued.de bernhard.kerscher@tuev-sued.de

RCI Consultants of Houston, Texas, became a member of the TÜV SÜD Group this past summer. The consulting specialist for the oil and gas industry enables the company to offer services in the upstream and midstream market – that is, everything involving the drilling, refining and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. Among other areas, RCI Consultants provides services involving oil platforms and underwater pipelines (including those at great depths). With its consulting work related to the development, construction and installation of production facilities and pipe systems, the new subsidiary and its 130 employees complement the services that the TÜV SÜD Group offers in the area of raw materials: The company has been active primarily in the downstream area that covers all aspects of the refining process of crude oil. In the United States, the TÜV SÜD subsidiary TÜV SÜD Chemical, Oil and Gas Services focuses on nondestructive testing of systems and individual components as well as risk assessment. hans-nicolaus.rindfleisch@tuev-sued.de

TÜV SÜD Journal 15


To the point

Advice:

TO T H E P O INT

OVE #16 OLD L D LOVE AND COL ATOR #18 ELEV SAFETY

1

Winter fun in classic cars Historic cars do not have to stay indoors during the cold season. With the right type of preparation and maintenance, nothing will stand in the way of a drive through the ice and snow.

The right lineup

Ice scrapers, hand brooms, antifreeze for radiators and windshield-washing systems as well as winter tires should be standard winter equipment for new and old cars. For oldies, don‘t forget the door lock deicers! In times of centralized door-locking systems and remote controls, the little bottle of liquid tends to be overlooked.

2

To prevent rubber seals from freezing doors shut, you should apply talcum powder during dry weather or liberally use a special car-care product.

3 Greasy work

Even road ste

While modern engines use multigrade oil that has the correct viscosity at any temperature, the engines of classic cars require special summer and winter oil. Pay careful attention to the directions when the oil is changed. And beware of synthetic oils. They can damage gaskets.

4

Clean thing The rule of thumb for cars is: The older they are, the more subject they are to rust. Road salt and its residue on dry roads can damage car bodies. For this reason, it makes sense to thoroughly and regularly wash the vehicle, including its underside. The best solution is a car wash. Its drying function reduces the chance that safety-related systems like hand brakes will freeze.

More on this topic: www.tuv-sud.com/automotive 16 TÜV SÜD Journal

Give a rubdown

rs like this Triu mph TR6 a re suitable fo r winter use .

5

Put a charge into it Many classic cars have generators with direct-current technology. These generators do not charge the battery as thoroughly as modern generators do. For this reason, hook up a charging device every one month to two months, preferably one with a tricklecharging function.


On location

Rolf Göbel, 53, in the so-called picking hall of the TÜV SÜD exhaust gas lab in Heimsheim. The lab has the room, tools and car lifts needed to prepare 30 vehicles for emission and mileage tests.

People:

The essence of good mileage

R

olf Göbel is helping improve the quality of air. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter – the focus of this college-educated mechanical engineering technician is reducing the level of these substances that are harmful to both humans and the climate. In the TÜV SÜD exhaust gas lab in Heimsheim near Stuttgart, the amount of these substances in vehicle emissions is measured all the way down to the microgram level. »Car and motorcycle manufacturers as well as suppliers and retrofitters use the tests as part of their work to minimize the environmental impact of their products or to demonstrate to an independent testing authority that these products meet certain standards,« Göbel says. The lab is even authorized to conduct certifications based on Japanese and U.S. regulations. Each year, Göbel coordinates around 4,500 exhaust gas and mileage tests at the lab. When necessary, the tests are conducted

in round-the-clock shifts. The 1,800 squaremeter lab is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment: As a result, computer-controlled roller test rigs can conduct life-like simulations of driving situations, from curves to trips through mountains and valleys. A hermetically sealed shed chamber facilitates the measurement of evaporative emissions produced by components like brake and rubber parts in warmed-up vehicles. In the climate chamber equipped with a roller test rig, tests can determine how much gasoline, diesel or liquefied gas is used by a vehicle at various outside temperatures. The temperature is lowered to minus 18 degrees Celsius. »We also use the climate chamber to conduct range tests for electric vehicles,« Göbel says. »This is also one of our special services here in Heimsheim. It enables us to perfectly complement the exhaust gas laboratory network that TÜV SÜD also maintains in the central German town of Pfungstadt and the Czech town of Roztoky near Prague.«

More on this topic: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/automotive-transportation/automotive-solutions

TÜV SÜD Journal 17


To the point

GOI U

For more than 150 years now, elevators have saved us the face of metropolitan areas as well. Skyscrapers quickly and safely to our destination on the top floor. But what

18 TĂœV SĂœD Journal


To the point

I NG UP

the chore of walking up flights of stairs. But they have changed would have been inconceivable without them. They take us actually makes elevators tick? And what makes them so safe?

TĂœV SĂœD Journal 19


Up down And

#1

Press of a button An electric motor energizes the drive sheave over which a number of hoisting ropes that hold the car run. Sensors ensure that the car stops exactly and gently at the de­ sired floor.

#2

Riding the rails Guide rails prevent the car from swaying – as does the counter­weight attached to the other end of the hoisting ropes. The counterweight weighs about half as much as the car does. As a result, it facilitates acceleration and moves in the opposite direction of the car.

#3

Saving potential At 18 TWh, the approximately 4.8 million elevators being used in Europe consume just about the same amount of electricity as Germany‘s rail system does. Through the use of new technology, more than half of the energy consumption could be cut, according to the Fraunhofer Institute ISI.


#4

C

omfort is a regal feeling that only royalty and the rich could afford for a long time – the French King Louis XV comes to mind. He just could not bear the thought of having to walk back and forth between his chambers on the first floor and the second floor of his palace. He then hired a builder to create a »flying chair« for him. The result was a throne on a rope looped around a cylinder and was pulled by several servants. It took a little longer to develop the elevator for the common man. Elisha Graves Otis presen­ ted the original in 1853 in New York. He was the inventor of the safety gear and a showman to boot: While standing on an elevator platform, he asked his assistant to cut the system‘s only rope. And behold – the safety gear enabled Otis to reach the bottom all in one piece. Today, elevators are the world‘s safest means of transport. This safe­t y record is the direct result of regular maintenance and strict annual in­ spections conducted by authorized surveillance units like TÜV SÜD. The annual systems safety report issued by the Verband der TÜV e.V. shows that nearly 500,000 inspections are con­ducted each year by authorized German inspection companies like TÜV SÜD. Even though defects were found in more than half of the inspected elevators, very few accidents oc­ curred as a result of them. This is a sign that these independently conducted inspections fulfill their purpose and prevent serious acci­ dents from occurring.

Parallel travelers Elevators in which two cars are arranged on top of each other in one shaft increase capacity. A very detailed safety concept must be employed if both elevator cars travel independently of each other in the shaft.

More on this topic: www.tuv-sud.com/lifts-and-escalators

#5

Mountain climber The world‘s fastest elevator is being built in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. Its highest speed will be 72 km/h. Once the elevator is completed, the ride from the ground floor to the top of the 530-meter-tall Chow Tai Fook Centre should take just 30 seconds.

#6

Play it safe Even if all of the hoisting ropes break at the same time, a mechan­ ical safety gear will prevent the car from plunging down the shaft. Metal cylinders or gripping devices are activated in the guide rails and bring the car to a stop within fractions of seconds.

#7

Soft landing Should the mechanical brakes fail, bumpers will prevent the car from crashing uncontrollably into the bottom of the shaft. If a problem occurs, passengers can use an emergency call system to seek help.

#8

Last-minute panic Fear not: Newer elevators, in particular, are equipped with sensors and photoelectric barriers to prevent people from getting stuck or injured by car and shaft doors. These devices also prevent elevators from starting inadvertently.


To the test

TO T H E TES T

WORTH #20 THE GS? OF THIN ON #24 HELP DS ICY ROA

I’VE GOT TO

HAVE IT! 20 TÜV SÜD Journal


To the test

Jewelry, a sports car or handmade shoes are just a few of the objects human beings crave. In the following interview, the creativity and innovation consultant Mario Pricken discusses the things that lend an aura of value to products and services.

Your new book is titled »The Aura of the Valuable.« Is the value of own­ ing something really based more on an elusive quality than on hard facts? Things and services have only the value that we attach to them. Or to put it another way: The value of something is in the eye of the beholder. The market value of a prod­ uct depends on the willingness of people to pay the asking price for it. When you are talking about slow-moving items, the many years that went into their development hardly matter at all. The subjective value is no longer related at all to the resources invested in the product. And which role do objective qualities like usefulness and functionality play? Although they are certainly important in principle, they frequently result from personal preferences. Let’s consider diamonds for a moment: If you don’t happen to have a pressing need to cut tempered steel right now, their usefulness is pretty limited. None­theless, their market value is im­mense. Interestingly, the high value of such objects results largely from the fact that they do not have any functional use, but they do offer a certain value. For the people who own them, they create status and prestige as well as fulfill aesthetic needs or even dreams. All of this is facilitated by those meaningful codes that the object has and that radiate down on us in the form of an elusive aura.

How would you describe the codes that lend value to things? I have studied more than 300 objects and have come up with a total of 80 different parameters that make objects gleam. In gen­eral, these factors have something to do with creation, availability or time. And all valuable products share one quality: They have a unique and fascinating biography. Can you give us an example of such a biography? These are usually stories that fascinate us and that we like to tell to others. Just take classic cars. It is not just their age that turns them into highly coveted collector’s items. It is their life‘s story as well: Was it a special model? Was it used in a legendary race? Or did it feature cutting-edge technology? The sum of such parameters creates a biography that lends an aura of the sublime to the product.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

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Mario Pricken says not only diamonds but also companies and services can be valuable. Value-enhancing factors include expertise or a commitment to quality. Companies like TÜV SÜD also have an exciting history that lends credibility to such value in the first place (see page 32).

TÜV SÜD Journal 21


To the test

»Products and services become

VALUABLE

You can find guitars in any music store. But you will not find one that Eric Clapton played. The biography of an object is what makes it unique and valuable.

when they are unique.« – Mario Pricken

What would be the biography of a service provider? When you are talking about services, rep­ utation, records and awards are critical factors. Let’s assume that highly respect­ ed, independent research institutions are work­ing with a service provider. The result: The scientists’ good reputation is projected onto the intrinsic value of the service itself. The standing of the service provider also rises in the eyes of its customers because it gains a story as a result of this working relationship and becomes unique.

It is not just age, rarity and condition that go into the value of a classic car. First-place finishes in races are a criterion as well.

22 TÜV SÜD Journal

Uniqueness is thus the big topic. But its shelf life tends to be short. In particular, successful and valu­ able products are frequently copied. That’s true. Product piracy costs companies around the world about $60 billion a year. There are only two strategies that can be used to avoid it. One is to shorten innovation cycles and thus the time in which a product can be copied. The other is to turn your back on the mass market. By applying the latter strategy, John Rishton, the CEO of Rolls-Royce, can say things like this: »Our competition is not other automakers. It’s private jets, yachts and expensive jewelry.«

Mario Pricken Working with the Fraunhofer Society, the Austrian who was born in 1967 developed new innovation processes for researchers and engineers. He teaches at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and advises international companies. In 2001, he wrote the bestseller »Creative Advertising,« an introduction to creativity that appeared in seven languages. His latest book was pub­­ lish­ed in 2014: »Die Aura des Wertvollen« (The Aura of the Valuable).

More on the topic of what makes TÜV SÜD valuable at www.tuv-sud.com/why-choose-tuv-sud


Academy | Dates

Training tips TÜV SÜD Academy

01/02/03 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

JANUARY

Seven steps to better learning At many companies, professional development courses are frequently selected spontaneously when a need arises and are booked by employees themselves. By using long-term planning, strategic thinking and continuous support of employees, companies will be even better able to invest in employee know-how. The following seven steps will ensure that initial and further training has a solid foundation:

1. Define strategy: How should your company evolve over the next few years? Which skills will your employees need in the process? Devise comprehensive training goals as guidelines.

TÜV SÜD New Year‘s Reception, Munich, January 22 Other receptions in Leipzig and Mannheim AHR Expo, Chicago, January 26–29 Everything about heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology

2. Determine need: During employee performance reviews, form a link between company outlooks and employees‘ desired training areas. Set specific further training goals for each individual.

FEBRUARY

3. Cluster themes: Summarize all submitted suggestions and training goals. Sort them on the basis of topics and company areas.

E-world, Essen, February 10–12 The leading trade fair for the energy and water industry

4. Define target groups: Which target groups can you break down into individual thematic areas (including trainees, experienced employees and managers)? What sort of

MARCH mipim, Cannes, March 10–13 Real estate trade fair with a conference on digitization issues

special requirements or expectations does each group have regarding training measures?

5. Develop methods: Create the right respective learning methods (such as e-learn­ ing, seminars, practical workshops or mentoring programs) and put them to use – in-house or with an experienced training provider or trainer.

6. Use practice transfer: Actively help employees apply their new knowledge (with such actions as practical coaching, learning tandems, implementation guidelines or a transfer diary) and create the right environment. Give your employees time to try out and apply their new knowledge.

IMPRINT Publisher: TÜV SÜD AG, Westend Straße 199, 80686 Munich Owners: TÜV SÜD e.V. (74.9 %), TÜV SÜD Foundation (25.1 %), Westend Staße 199, 80686 Munich Head of Corporate Communications: Matthias Andreesen Viegas Project Manager and Editor in Chief: Jörg Riedle Contact: +49 (0)89 5791-0, info@tuev-sued.de Realization: Medienfabrik Gütersloh GmbH, Neumarkter Straße 63, 81673 Munich Printing: Eberl Print GmbH, Kirchplatz 6, 87509 Immenstadt Photo credits: Continental (1), corbis (12, 13, 15, 20, 22, 36), fotolia (18, 19, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 36 ), Kone GmbH (centerfold), TÜV SÜD (2, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33 ), www.audi-urban-future.com (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11); Illustration: LULU* (34, 35) TÜV SÜD Journal appears quarterly. Articles in the magazine are copyrighted. TÜV SÜD Journal is printed in a climate-neutral manner on paper from sustainable forestry.

7.

Monitor results: Gain an overview of the training activities conducted last year. Determine the degree to which training objectives were achieved and identify the areas that require further improvement. The results will form an important basis for the next training period. More information: www.tuv-sud.com/academy

carbon neutral natureOffice.com | DE-141-351263

print production

TÜV SÜD Journal 23


To the test

QUITE A PICKLE!

Salt harms the environment: It seeps into the groundwater and attacks tree roots, among other things. For this reason, it should be used as sparingly as possible. The solution: vehicles equipped with the latest spreader technology. Some road maintenance crews are also sold on ultra-pure evaporated salt as an ice fighter. It costs more than the usual rock salt, but it is more effective. Others swear by brine. When the temperature is heading toward the freezing point, this salty solution is just what road crews need to prevent ice from forming.

SAND AND GRAVEL

These substances increase road traction by joining forces with ice. But it takes a high concentration of sand or gravel to get the job done. In periods of dry weather, particulate matter can form on heavily traveled streets and roads. For this reason, the salt substitute must be removed during the spring and undergo an elaborate cleansing process that removes rust, oil and road and rubber particles.

A Pinch Of Salt Snowfall, freezing temperatures, slippery roads: In their battle against ice, most road crews employ salt as their weapon of choice. Are there alternatives? And how good are they?

24 TĂœV SĂœD Journal


To the test

LEARNING FROM AIRPORTS

HOT STUFF

But why should road crews spread things when they can turn up the heat? In Helsinki, for instance, the city uses geothermal energy to chase away snow and ice in Aleksanterinkatu, the downtown area‘s shopping district. Innovators in the United States are creating heated roads by using solar panels in place of asphalt and concrete as the highway surface. In re­ gions that lack geothermal heat and winter sun, road clearing and salt remain the better environmental solution.

Airports prefer to use formate and acetate, the salts of formic and acetic acid, in place of sodium chloride. These substances are less likely to pollute groundwater and cause corrosion. Their downside: energy-inten­ sive production meth­ ods.

ON THIN ICE

The work performed by snow plows is enough to keep traffic flowing. But it does not make the streets safer. Packed snow is just as dangerous as ice. To reduce the risk of sliding, road crews cannot avoid using artificial deicing substances. But spreading them ahead of time does little good. Wind and vehicle tires remove a large amount of salt from the road before it can accomplish much.

CLIMATE CHANGE

ICE WINE

In the 1980s, the antifreeze agent glycol was found in Austrian wine. In response, the Bavarian city of Augsburg poured gallons and gallons of the wine on roads. Today, similar alcohol and ether bonds are used to deice airplanes. Downside: Like salt, this method harms groundwater.

Is it really necessary to use artificial deicing substances? The Helmholtz Research Center in Geesthacht and the German Weather Service have determined that the temperature in Germany has risen by an average of 1.2 °C over the past 60 years. But no one can predict the number of frost days that will occur. This is also the case in the United States. The cold wave that froze the Chicago area in its tracks last February was such a surprise that 26,000 tons of salt had to be imported on short notice.

More information on the topic of road safety: www.tuv-sud.com/road-safety-traffic-solutions

TÜV SÜD Journal 25


On the move

ON THE MOVE

RT #26 SMA S IE FACTOR H C #30 AN IT T FOR MIN

KEY TO PROGRESS The Internet of Things, the interconnection of products, humans and machines, is creating new challenges for industrial production. Many of them can be tackled more easily in partnership. With the aim of creating these partnerships and encouraging new developments, TÜV SÜD is bringing together new, highly innovative businesses and established companies. Text: Thomas Weber

26 TÜV SÜD Journal


On the move

Robots are already facilitating industrial production. They work autonomously. In Smart Factories, this autonomous form of action can be taught. It forms a connected system with humans and machines and adapts itself to new needs.

TĂœV SĂœD Journal 27


On the move

T

he lobby of TÜV SÜD’s headquarters in Munich looked some­ t hing like the »Shark Tank« on this particular day in September 2014. In this television show that got its start in Japan and is now being shown in more than 20 countries, ambitious inventors and start-ups pitch their products and business ideas to entrepreneurs. On the one hand, they hope to get their hands on seed money and, on the other, they fear that the »sharks« will rip them apart. Mobile saunas, for instance, were presented on the German version of the television show along with super hot sauces and reflecting belts for more road safety. During the »Smart Factory Innovation Forum« held at TÜV SÜD, visitors got a glimpse at a data glove, a device with which a nanoparticle can be exactly placed on a

millionth of a millimeter, a fully automated assembly cell in which three robots make an electric car from finished parts in 15 minutes and many other innovations that may soon shape the production processes of Smart Factories. Data security and replenishment

Well-known industry representatives at­ tend­ed the forum – thinking that a gamechanging innovation for their company might be on display. Academics came as well and – of course – investors, the alleged »sharks.« Even though these investors carefully sized up the start-ups and the people behind them, they did not appear to take anyone’s head off. An interested Dr Peter F. Hewkin, head of the Centre for Business Innovation in Cambridge, walked from presentation booth to presentation booth, asked

Big data, those huge mountains of informa­ tion, are the fuel that keeps the engine of progress running in Smart Factories. For this reason, digital information must be protected from attacks and espionage, no matter wheth­ er it is stored in the cloud or on a company’s own servers.

28 TÜV SÜD journal

at one about the initial sales of the data glove and at another about the planned industrial uses of D.A.R.V.I.N., a device that shields video communication from outsiders. »For a major company, an ideal start-up is not booty,« he said. »Rather, it is a partner who complements it.« The main goal is to jointly find answers to pressing questions: How must factories change in order to be as productive as possible in the age of the Internet of Things? What sort of challenges will companies face when the link among the prod­ uct, humans and machines becomes tighter and tighter? This was exactly the topic addressed in talks and discussions of the joint event with the technological-industrial group Munich Network and Fraunhofer Venture. Two words kept coming up: data security. And it is easy to understand why. In today’s fourth


On the move

»Smart Factories

would have presumably already been set up. But expensive, newly acquired investment goods will not be exchanged from one day to the next.« – Werner Zengler, CIO of the Knorr-Bremse Group

industrial revolution, with its far-reaching networks, digital information has assumed the role that was once played by coal in boilers during the first revolution: the fuel that keeps the engine of progress running. »To effectively protect data from theft and sabotage, the issue of IT security has to be elevated to the Board of Management level,« said Rainer Seidlitz of TÜV SÜD Sec-IT. The issue cannot be addressed too much, said Willem Bulthuis, a member of the Board of

Management at secunet Security Networks. It is not just data security that is vital in a connected, learning system. The resupply of data is also essential. For this reason, the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durabil­ ity and System Reliability led by Dr Dirk Mayer is exploring a new form of sensors: »To support a product throughout its devel­ opment and life cycle, sensors must be robust, independent of external power sources and still be capable of transmitting signals.«

When will the new technologies arrive in industry? »In about 10 years,« said Werner Zengler, the head of IT at Knorr-Bremse. »But there is a reason for this: Expensive, newly acquired investment goods will not be exchanged from one day to the next. Otherwise, Smart Factories would most likely exist by now.« More information: www.tuv-sud.com/digital-service

IT security in Smart Factories Extensive networks, the digitization of processes and the huge amount of sensitive data pose a threat to IT security and, thus, to an entire company. A survey of 200 members of the German Engineering Association found in 2013 that every fourth company estimated that the damage caused by the theft of intellectual property totaled more than €1 million per incident. Nearly half of the respondents stated that protecting intellectual property was critical to their company‘s survival. However, only one-third of all surveyed companies planned to step up their investment in IT security. But just how secure is IT in reality? Does the firewall fend off attacks? Penetration tests like those offered by TÜV SÜD provide answers to these and other questions. They put connected systems to the test and determine which areas need to be improved. IT management systems also boost security. In this area, TÜV SÜD helps companies secure certification of their systems.

TÜV SÜD journal 29


On the move

1m m 2 x F=

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2

E R U T U THE F

M O O R S CLAS

. a v= t c kg r ou n a b y d o b <

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An interest in natural science and teaching Six tutors, 27 high school students, 16 schools, one goal: to generate excitement about natural science and teaching. These are the key facts of the project Teacher MINToring sponsored by the TÜV SÜD Foundation and the Founda­tion of German Business in the Heidelberg, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart region. It is a success story that is now being expanded: Because the program got off to such a good start, it is now being introduced in the eastern German state of Saxony.

30 TÜV SÜD Journal


2

On the move

2

a+b==c 2+

Secondary school teacher: It‘s a dream job for many Germans. But most graduates of college-preparatory high schools would rather teach languages than mathematics, physics, information technology or chemistry. The TÜV SÜD Foundation intends to change this attitude. Text: Marc Müller

A

t least five years in college followed by two more years as a student teacher – and then what? People who want to teach subjects like English, French or economics at any German second­ ary school must share one quality: They have to be very good. A young teacher in the German state of Bavaria must have a near-perfect grade point average in order to get a job teaching German and history. But those who want to teach mathematics and physics have an easier time: »Adequate« work will do just fine. The difference in requirements makes one clear point: The need for teachers in the so-called MINT subjects is great. German education departments are desperately looking for people who can teach mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technical subjects in the coming years. But graduates of the country‘s college-preparatory high schools, those stubborn creatures, have preferred for years to major in other subjects – and very often decide not to begin a career teaching natural sciences. Reversing the downward spiral Dr Ernst Schön is determined to change the situation. The Chairman of the TÜV SÜD Foundation is worried that a downward spiral will occur: »In years to come, companies will lack 100,000 engineers in Europe. But how are young people supposed to get excited about engineering when the MINT subjects are becoming a lower and lower priority at secondary schools?« In a project launched with the Foundation of German Business, TÜV SÜD is doing its part to develop the next gen­ eration of MINT teachers. The idea developed by Dr Schön and Hermann Mund, the Chairman of the foundation’s Board of Trustees: Advanced student teachers of MINT subjects will awaken secondary students’ interest in teaching their subject combinations and mentor them during their first semesters at college – the support project is called »Teacher MINToring«. The tutors, or MINTors, will organize events like college day where high school students can get a taste of campus life.

Verena Schoch (left) and Ann-Kathrin Mahler want to get young people excited about teaching.

During the program, the teenagers can obtain information from student advisers, solve math problems like pros at a workshop, gain some initial teaching experience and check out the campus during a MINT scavenger hunt. »These ›MINT and more days‹ are critically important because the high school students can really immerse themselves in college life. This gives them some orientation and lowers barriers,« say the two MINTors Verena Schoch and AnnKathrin Mahler. Trial runs start at colleges

Just how does it feel to stand in front of a class? Workshops, lab experiments and excursions: High school students who take part in the project receive intensive support – extending from their last two years in high school to the first year at college. The program also includes student-teaching oppor­ tunities at nearby schools where they can see what it is like to stand on the other side of the lectern. This opportunity eases their fears, provides orientation and determines whether they are cut out to be teachers in the first place. Working with four colleagues, Schoch and Mahler en­ sure at a later stage that their charges do not lose their en­ thusiasm before things really get started. For this reason, additional personal-growth seminars are held during the first semester. Topics covered include learning management or individual knowledge and time management. Verena Schoch firmly believes in the project’s success. After all, a personal experi­ ence prompted her to pursue teaching in the first place. »One teacher was a big role model for me. She was the one who suggested that I move in this direction.«

More information on this and other support projects: www.tuev-sued-stiftung.de TÜV SÜD Journal 31


5 minutes

Expanded service range for Scandinavian rail projects

MPA preparations in Hessen and Rhineland-Palatinate

Approval of medical devices for Brazil

TÜV SÜD and the Swedish company Vanaheim AB will work together in the Scandinavian rail sector. The aim: to provide customers with a full range of independent safety assessments and certificate services. Vanaheim and the TÜV SÜD subsidiary TÜV SÜD Danmark are the two leading providers for services offered by a notified body.

The medical psychological assessment (MPA) gives drivers who have lost their licenses a chance to earn them back. GOMOBIL is a company that specializes in MPA-preparatory courses. In September, the company became a part of the TÜV SÜD Group. As a result of the acquisition, the group is expanding its range of services in the central German state of Hessen and expanding its presence in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

TÜV SÜD – one of the world's largest notified bodies for the approval of medical devices – is now helping manufacturers enter the Brazilian market. After being accredited by the Brazilian INMETRO Authority, the service provider can conduct the necessary certification for electrical medical devices. The certification initially is good for five years.

klaus.bosch@tuev-sued.de

juergen.merz@tuev-sued.de

georg.bauer@tuev-sued.de

150 years ago

The big bang for TÜV On January 28, 1865, a company exploded in downtown Mannheim – killing one person and critically injuring several other people. The disaster led to the establishment of the first TÜV.

Technology that is hard to control: Before TÜV was established, devastating boiler explosions were a regular occurrence.

A boiler in a brewery blew up because it did not have enough water. The force of the detonation »sounded to some people like the beginnings of an earthquake,« the Mannheimer Journal reported two days later. The blast blew an approximately one meter hole in an outer wall. »The man tending the boiler when it blew up was hurled into the courtyard and was killed,« the newspaper said. The severity of the accident prompted industrial leaders in Mannheim to take action. Under pressure from the government of the Grand Duchy of Baden, 20 boiler operators sat down and established a boiler monitoring authority. The idea: Just like in the birthplace of indus­ trialization, England, boiler operators were to join together in private initiatives. The experts were paid by the authority and thus would be independent. Their job was to regularly inspect the facilities of mem32 TÜV SÜD Journal

5

ber companies, order defects to be fixed and make all technological improvements available to members – and thus improve the efficiency and safety of their operations. The Dampfkessel-Revisions-Verein Mannheim was finally estab­lished in 1866. Known today as TÜV SÜD, the organization still works to ensure the safety of boiler and pressure systems – and much more. It all started with a »big bang« that occurred 150 years ago. matthias.andreesen@tuev-sued.de


5 minutes

Inspections for the Turkish energy sector

Drones at work

New members of the TÜV SÜD Group: In October 2014, the Ankara-based company TEKKON A.S. became part of the service group. TEKKON specializes in quality assurance and control, non-destructive material testing and in­spections for the energy industry. It TEKKON was established focuses on providing services for conventional power plants and suppliers of power-plant operators as well in and employs 70 as the mechanical and plant-engineering industry employees today. and has a turnover of around 3.5 million euros a year. It is a business with a future because Turkey's energy needs will rise as its economy expands. The necessary investments in the Turkish energy sector offer excellent development opportunities. Turkey is one of TÜV SÜD's international focus countries: Up to now, the company has been known pri­mar­ily for the vehicle inspections conducted by TÜVTÜRK and the testing and certification of industrial pressure equipment.

1996

joerg.oldorf@tuev-sued.de

minutes

For inspections of systems that are difficult to reach – like those located at great heights – TÜV SÜD is now offering a supplemental service: With the help of camera-equipped drones, visual inspections can be conducted directly on the ground. This saves time and money. The first trial test conducted on a wind-power unit in the Austrian state of Burgenland produced positive results this past summer. In addition to normal cameras, thermographic cameras are scheduled to be used. sascha.ackermann@tuev-sued.de

with TÜV SÜD

Defective lighting in long-range truck test In April 2012, the European long-range test bestof9.eu was launched by Huss-Verlag and the safety partner TÜV SÜD. Nine trucks are being tested for three years. Right now, it is time for the vehicles to undergo their second vehicle roadworthiness test after nearly 300,000 kilometers. The findings of TÜV SÜD's inspectors: Many defects were found in particular with the vehicles' lighting systems – a light was broken on nearly every vehicle. And these defects have occurred even though law requires that an inspection be conducted before each trip and that problems found during it must be repaired. »The results show just how important an inspection is – this applies to newer vehicles, too,« says Dieter Roth, Senior Project Manager of Truck Services at TÜV SÜD. Tire pressure – that was checked in addition to the vehicle roadworthiness test – was also not satisfactory among all vehicles. This is an important matter because the right amount of pressure is not only a safety concern but also a key factor in operating efficiency. Only three of the inspected trucks received an overall positive grade: They passed inspection with no defects.

Tested power tools New testing options in the labs of TÜV SÜD: This year, the service provider received authorization to test power tools in accordance with the international standard IEC 62841-1. The new standard involves safety requirements that TÜV SÜD operates apply to such electric equipment as drills and lawn mowers. Additional Germany’s requirements are applied to lithiumion batteries, which have become an irreplaceable part of many pow­ lab tested under er tools. For products tested and IEC 62841-1. certified under the new standard, the market launch is less complex. After all, the assessment serves as the basis for national certification provided later, for example, as the foundation of standards from the German Institute for Standardization. As a result, a successful conformity test facilitates market access for manufacturers.

FIRST

dieter.roth@tuev-sued.de | www.bestof9.eu jens.butenandt@tuev-sued.de

TÜV SÜD Journal 33


The final say

ON THE WAY TO PARADISE A video maps the history of migration over the past 2,600 years. And just where is the journey headed?

34 TÜV SÜD Journal

A

t some point, just about everyone does it: You pack up your belongings and mobilize your friends or call the mov­ ers. Then, you say your good-byes. It’s time for something new: a new job, a new love, a new life. Someplace else. A move to another city or another country. It is nothing special. Or is it? Researchers at the University of Texas in Dallas have created a video that shows the geographical movements of more than 100,000 individuals in world history. The result of their work is called »Charting Culture,« a journey through 2,600 years of migration history with stops at the cultural cen­ ters of each era. In the ancient world, for instance, all roads did indeed lead to Rome. During the Mid­ dle Ages, Córdoba and Paris were two of the world’s most magnetic metropolises. The opening of Japan


The final say

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

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to the West in the 17th century was followed by a large procession of people from Europe. Then came the settling of America: The video spectacularly shows how the invention of the railroad accelerated the con­ quering of the West from the East Coast and helped cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles prosper. And today? People are still venturing out into the world, sometimes across cultures and continents. And the phenomenon of the past that is captured so well by »Charting Culture« can still be seen today: When­ever and wherever many different people come together and converse, they gain knowledge and devel­op ideas.

Migration turns into interconnectedness, and inter­ connectedness turns into progress. Cultural, tech­ nological, economic and creative centers emerge. Today, there are more of these centers than ever be­ fore. A completely new type of center, one with just as much star power, is also arising. These centers are located on the sunny coasts of Spain and the United States, go by such names as Marbella and Miami, and serve as one thing: a retiree’s paradise. At some point, people pack up their belong­ ings, say their good-byes and start something new. Perhaps, this is something very special. TÜV SÜD Journal 35


THE QUESTION MARK ON THE PLATE What is healthful food – and when does food make people sick? The views of consumers and experts move in different directions. The food-related problems that make consumers’ stomach churn (multiple responses possible)

28 %

spoiled food

24 %

(i.e. mold)

packaging

(i.e. plasticizers)

26 %

pathogens

(i.e. salmonella)

34 %

additives

(i.e. artificial coloring)

Source: TÜV SÜD & Technomar, 2014

A

portion of spaghetti on a plate or a hamburger in the hand: Most people think that anything that is filling is also healthful. Only a minority think twice about it and worry about additives or path­o­ gens in foods, according to a representative survey of more than 500 households in Germany that was conducted for TÜV SÜD in 2014. Strict laws, a tight network of inspectors and companies that have their own testing labs (like TÜV SÜD) ensure that food in Germany is really safe to eat. Furthermore, the country has widely used quality standards that apply to the processing, transportation and storage of foods. As a result of such efforts, the risks related to eating and drinking can be found someplace completely different: Instead of food coloring and anti­

oxidant agents, the real danger is created by consuming too many calories and by eating unbalanced diets. It works like this: too much, too fattening, too sweet. While lawmakers have drawn up clear guidelines regarding the use of additives as a way of protecting us from potential negative consequences of our eating habits, it is up to every consumer to ensure that he or she eats that extra portion of vegetables, roughage or fruit.

More information on safe foods: www.tuv-sud.com/foodsafety


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