Rail Vehicle Systems
Edition 20 | July 2008
The customer magazine of Knorr-Bremse
Rail Vehicle Systems
Project
New marketing successes
in Australia
Safety and comfort standards
for drivers and passengers in
multiple units
Products
Freinrail and IFE head for success
WPSD platform screen doors
and EP2002 brake control
Aftermarket
KE-distributor valves
No. 20 | July 2008
Editorial
Contents
Editorial
Dr. Frank Gropengießer
3
Project
New marketing successes in Australia Safety and comfort standards for drivers and
passengers in multiple units 4
14
Products
Freinrail and IFE head for success 8
WPSD platform screen doors and
EP2002 brake control 10
Aftermarket
KE-distributor valves 16
Handle with care! This edition of our regular information publication is positively bursting with energy. In
this Informer you will find highlights from the world of Knorr-Bremse and an interview about the new crate
concept for the aftermarket.
The needs of vehicle builders and operators are as varied as the products they make and use, but they have
one thing in common: They call for the highest levels of quality from their supplier of braking and other vehicle systems. That is why our customer list reads like a “Who’s Who” of the rail sector. And we are constantly
working to further improve quality and services – after all, we owe it to our reputation as the world’s leading
manufacturer of braking and safety-critical products for rail vehicles.
Dr. Frank Gropengießer,
Chairman of the Executive Board
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Just how we live up to this reputation can currently be seen from two major projects in Australia, where
the aim is to draw together the innovative capacvities of our various sites into a single, globally-operating
network. And we have done so with considerable success: In Western Australia, New York Air Brake (NYAB)
has proved a reliable partner in a project to develop a customized EPC braking system based on the EP-60
platform for freight trains operated by the Fortescue Metals Group (FMG). And in Sydney, Knorr-Bremse
Australia has been commissioned by vehicle builders Downer EDI-Rail to supply braking and door systems
for 78 suburban trains. Another example illustrating the fact that “quality knows no borders“ is Polish vehicle
builder PESA, which is using Knorr-Bremse systems to ensure enhanced safety and comfort in 23 new multiple units to be supplied to the Italian railroad network.
E-NEWS-0020-EN
This publication may be subject to alteration without prior notice. A printed copy of this document may not be the latest revision. Please contact your
local Knorr-Bremse representative or check our website www.knorr-bremse.com for the latest update. The figurative mark “K” and the trademarks
KNORR and KNORR-BREMSE are registered in the name of Knorr-Bremse AG. Copyright 2008 © Knorr-Bremse AG - All rights reserved. Including
industrial property rights applications. Knorr-Bremse AG retains any power of disposal, such as for copying and transferring.
Since June 2007, our French subsidiary Freinrail Systèmes Ferroviaires has been taking the principle of
customer proximity literally and opening up the aftermarket for IFE access systems, looking after French
customers for IFE Automatic Door Systems, Knorr-Bremse’s Austrian division. And Westinghouse Platform
Screen Doors (WPSD) continues to go from strength to strength: The history of this Center of Competence for
platform screen doors within the Knorr-Bremse Group reads like a fairytale.
Imprint:
Information for Knorr-Bremse’ s worldwide customers and business partners
Publisher:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für
Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
July 2008
Central Editorial Office:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für
Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Marketing
Karin Dirscherl
Moosacher Straße 80
80809 München
Deutschland
Tel. +49 89 3547-1731
Fax.+49 89 3547-2767
[email protected]
www.knorr-bremse.com
Conception, text and design by:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme
für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
KB MEDIA GmbH
Editorial: Carmen Häberlein
Photos:
Hans Peter Taubenberger
Text, layout, graphics: dvhaus GmbH
Last but not least, this Informer also introduces you to a new idea developed by railservices that reflects the
diversity and specialist nature of our aftermarket activities: the crate concept. This is based on an approach
that significantly reduces the amount of time a vehicle spends out of service undergoing maintenance or
overhaul and has already proved invaluable when it comes to replacing KE-valves on freight vehicles. The
system allows effective management of internal spare part procurement processes, inventory and resources
and effectively reduces repair downtimes. We are sure you will find it a “crate idea“!
I hope you enjoy this chance to look behind the scenes at Knorr-Bremse!
Dr. Frank Gropengießer
Printed by: Pera Druck GmbH
No. 15 | März 2007 | No. 20 | July 2008
New marketing successes in Australia
Major projects
Down Under
Knorr-Bremse’s combination of top-quality systems and services
Two recent major projects reconfirmed the Knorr-Bremse Group’s position as a leading supplier of rail vehicle braking and door systems
in the Australian market. As part of a ground-breaking project in Western Australia, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) commissioned an
innovative, customized EPC braking system based on the EP 60 from New York Air Brake Corporation (NYAB) for transporting iron ore
on heavy freight trains. And on the other side of the continent in Sydney, Knorr-Bremse Australia signed a contract worth more than
€140 million, including a 30-year maintenance agreement, to provide braking equipment and IFE doors to leading Australian rail
vehicle manufacturer Downer EDI Rail.
In 2003, under the name of “Cloudbreak”, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) launched a revolutionary mining project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia: Within five years a complete new mine was to be created, with the first shiploads of iron ore
leaving a newly created harbor near Port Hedland by May 2008. In order to transport the ore from the mine to the port, some
260 km of track first had to be laid through an area of arid desert.
gives the company a competitive edge in the rapidly expanding
Australian market.
Maximum
safety under
the harshest
of conditions
Increased freight capacity with fewer
trains
It was not just for the mining process itself that FMG had to
invest in innovative technologies – it also had to explore new
ways of transporting heavy rail freight. Engineers developed
wagons with an axle weight of more than 40 tons – enabling
them to carry up to five tons more ore than the standard wagon
design for the mining industry. FMG calculated that this would
let them carry some 3 million more tons of ore per year without
increasing the number of trains. However it also meant that a
four-axle wagon, including its unladen weight of 23 tons, would
weigh in at up to 160 tons!
EP 60 brakes for the world’s heaviest train
New York Air Brake Corporation (NYAB) had the privilege of being involved in the impressive FMG project. Based in Watertown, New York, and part of the Knorr-Bremse Group since 1991, the company supplied electro-pneumatically controlled
EPC brakes for the first 15 locomotives and 816 wagons. The EP 60 technology involved offers unrivalled response times,
with the system transmitting the braking signal electronically from the locomotive to the brake control units on the wagons,
so that the instruction to apply or release the brakes reaches all the wagons immediately. This also makes it possible to
No. 20 | July 2008
Sydney: braking and door systems for
78 suburban trains
Cloudbreak
mega-project
By the end of 2008 the
mine is scheduled to be
producing 55 million tons
annually – a figure that
should double within
two years. And in the
long term, production is
predicted to increase, with
200 million tons of iron ore
being mined and shipped
mainly to China.
operate several locomotives within a single long train. The
result is a consistent braking performance, stopping distances
on average 40% shorter, reduced wear and tear and lower
fuel consumption – all crucial parameters for heavy trains
that are 2.5 kilometers in length and pull 200 wagons each
carrying some 140 tons of iron ore.
Safe, reliable and maintenancefriendly
The FMG trains have to transport iron ore through the hot, dry
desert terrain of Pilbara, where summer temperatures regularly
exceed 32 °C and can hit peaks of 50 °C! Technical inspection and
approval of the braking system took place in Port Hedland in December 2007 – just as summer temperatures were hitting record
peaks, but the EP 60 brake coped well with the conditions. As
the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail
and commercial vehicles, Knorr-Bremse has been pioneering
the development, production and marketing of state-of-the-art
braking systems for more than 100 years. With its unique mechatronic design, the EP 60 developed by NYPD for FMG combines a high degree of reliability with maintenance-friendly design and low operating costs – including real-time diagnostics.
The last Cloudbreak wagons were ready to go into service one
month ahead of the scheduled deadline of May 2008.
Leading Australian rail vehicle manufacturer Downer EDI Rail
has commissioned Knorr-Bremse to develop, build, supply and
maintain braking and door systems for 78 trains with a total of
626 cars. Including the maintenance contract, this large-scale
project is worth a total of EUR 140 million.
“This is a huge achievement for Knorr-Bremse. As recently as
2000 we had very little presence on the Australian market, but
today we are the clear market leader for braking and door systems”, commented Board Member Dr. Dieter Wilhelm, Director
at Knorr-Bremse AG.
Downer EDI Rail and its joint venture partner Hitachi, Japan, are
building the new passenger trains for the Sydney suburban network and will be delivering the trains to the Reliance Rail consortium between 2010 and 2013. Reliance Rail won the contract
for the public-private-partnership project initiated by the federal state of New South Wales and will be supplying the vehicles
to rail operator RailCorp. A 30-year through-life support contract
was also secured by Downer EDI Rail. In addition, Heinz Hermann
Thiele, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse and
Guy Wannop, CEO of Downer EDI Rail, also signed an agreement
on further co-operation between the two companies.
The crucial factors that clinched the order were the positive experience that OEM Downer EDI Rail already had with the KnorrBremse Group in previous joint projects, but also Knorr-Bremse‘s
strong presence in Asia – the company opened its sixth plant
in China early in October 2007. The new double-decker multiple
units for Sydney will be designed by Downer EDI Rail, with the
car bodies partially manufactured in China to the Australian design and subsequently completed in Downer EDI Rail’s facilities
in Australia.
Customized concepts from a single
source
For Knorr-Bremse the most important stage in the development
of any braking system is the process of consultation with the
customer over the design for a specific application. Special attention has to be paid to integrating the pneumatic, electromechanical and electronic elements into the overall brake control
system. Prototypes are developed and subjected to type and
system tests as well as endurance testing to ensure their suitability for day-to-day operation. Specialized test benches and
equipment are available for checking the functionality of individual components and complete systems. The lengthy development process ends with formal series release.
The EP-60 Compact brake control system brings greater safety
to freight trains
Computer image of the new suburban train
No. 20 | July 2008
Freinrail and IFE head for success
Access à la française
Since June 2007, Freinrail Systèmes Ferroviaires has been actively involved in the on-board sector, providing support for French customers of
Knorr-Bremse’s Austrian division, IFE Automatic Door Systems. The main focus is on customer service and developing the aftermarket for IFE
access systems in France. The Freinrail field service for IFE doors is a successful co-operative venture between European sites and demonstrates
the effectiveness of the Knorr-Bremse Group.
IFE doors in operation, left to right: TTNG, NAT-IDF, MF2000, AGV, CITADIS, TRANSLOHR
Rail vehicle access systems are an important element in the product portfolio of
the on-board systems division, and Freinrail in France is actively expanding the
market for IFE doors.
IFE access systems lead the market in France
Every time you get into a metro or streetcar in Paris, Strasbourg,
Bordeaux, Marseille or Nice, you are probably entering through a
door manufactured by IFE Automatic Door Systems. The world’s
leading supplier of complete access systems, this subsidiary of
Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems is responsible for equipping
streetcars, urban trains, metros, passenger trains and highspeed trains all over the globe. Transport system operators and
train manufacturers in France also rely heavily on the quality of
IFE products – for example the S3 sliding doors, which set new
standards of robustness and reliability.
Combining market presence with
customer proximity
The Austrian company based in Waidhofen/Ybbs relies on various partners for operating its sales and service network within
the international structures of Knorr-Bremse GmbH. In 2007 the
strong market presence of IFE Automatic Door Systems in France
led to a co-operative venture being set up with a Knorr-Bremse
Group company that hitherto had operated in the braking system segment: Around the middle of last year, Freinrail Systèmes
Ferroviaires started to build up an “IFE Doors team” in France.
Freinrail hopes that this innovative business idea will mean
greater customer proximity on current projects and an expansion of aftermarket business for IFE. The success of such a proactive business strategy is reflected in current levels of orders
and positive market trends in the French rail segment: IFE has
managed to steadily expand its market position in France, selling almost 27,000 door systems. Now the company is working
with Freinrail to establish local competence for sales, project
management, customer service and quality assurance. IFE’s
objective of installing local project engineers is to meet special
market requirements in France more efficiently. The technical
expertise will remain in the IFE Centre of Competence in Waidhofen, with which the specialists in the Freinrail door team are
closely cooperating.
Common
infrastructure
benefits
customers
worldwide
Local specialists ensure genuine customer proximity
Freinrail’s localized service has had a highly positive impact on
IFE customers in France. After a mere nine months, the added
value has become obvious:
n Rapid response, close to the customer: Freinrail carries out
service activities at local level in France on behalf of IFE Door
Systems.
n Optimized project management: Freinrail colleagues are
supporting the IFE teams in projects for NAT-IDF, TTNG,
MF2000 and Citadis.
n Positive reaction on the aftermarket: Freinrail has secured
new service projects from the operators of Citadis streetcars.
n Spare parts: French customers benefit from local price
structures.
No. 20 | July 2008
Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors (WPSD) and
EP2002 brake control
Major new orders
from China and Dubai
With China and Dubai currently investing large sums in upgrading their mass
transit systems, Knorr-Bremse is making an important contribution towards the
future of mobility in both countries with its distributed train braking systems and
state-of-the-art platform screen doors.
Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems recently received a number of major new orders from China. Since 2005, the company has been
equipping Guangzhou metro with the EP2002 modular brake control system and Westinghouse platform screen doors. Westinghouse
is the Center of Competence for platform screen doors within the Knorr-Bremse Group and has recently received orders from three
further Chinese cities as well as becoming involved in a major project in Dubai.
Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, is some two hours
by train from Hong Kong. The Cantonese have a reputation for their
dynamism, and signs of growth and expansion can be found all over
this prosperous city. Twice a year, China‘s biggest export trade fair
takes place in this 8 million metropolis, attracting large numbers
of business visitors – possibly one of the reasons why news of the
success of Knorr-Bremse’s products has spread from Guangzhou via
Shanghai to the very north-east of China.
EP2002: decentralized braking
systems for Guangzhou Metro
In February 2005, Knorr-Bremse was awarded the biggest ever
single contract for braking systems for the Chinese mass transit
market: All 750 cars operated by the Guangzhou Metro Corporation were equipped with the innovative EP 2002 brake control
system. As traffic density increases, so, too, do the demands
made on braking systems for mass transit trains. The modular
EP 2002 mechatronic braking system developed by the KnorrBremse Group had already been successfully used for several
major metro systems such as London Underground. The latest
generation is more compact, more effective and performs better than any comparable traditional braking system.
10
Smart Valves
EP2002
Quality and safety
– EP2002 offers
considerable
advantages for
metro vehicles
worldwide
An EP 2002 brake control system consists of distributed, linked
pressure control modules – so-called smart valves – that communicate via a CAN Bus system. A module mounted on each bogie contains all the electronics and software for controlling the
service brake, emergency brake and wheel slide protection system. The main features of the distributed brake control system
are its compact design, high performance and economy of operation. Integration of the electronics and mechanical systems
into a single component creates a local “intelligence”, meaning
the brake responds faster and there is no need for complex cabling linking it to a central control unit.
Compact, flexible, high-performance,
economical
The result is greater flexibility for installing the braking system,
more space, less weight, lower costs and fewer downtimes. The
modular design cuts installation costs by more than 50% and
at the same time reduces the risk of total system failure! Vehicle builders and operators are offered new scope for system
configuration and parameterization: EP 2002 can be adapted to
various different types of vehicle both at the planning stage and
in daily use.
11
– Individually adaptable to
every train or vehicle system
– Less piping and cabling
thanks to bogie-mounted
design
– More interior passenger
space thanks to underfloor
installation
– Intelligent brake management through distributed
CAN Bus communication
between individual units
– Load-dependent service/
emergency brake on each
bogie with wheel slide
protection on each axle
– Shorter brake response times
– Reduced lifecycle costs thanks
to improved maintenance
and overhaul concept
– Greater vehicle availability
through redundant control
concept and shorter repair
times
– Shorter project duration
thanks to simplified approval
procedures through use of
standardized smart valves
– Effective error recognition
and elimination thanks to
diagnostic concept for entire
train
No. 20 | July 2008
Pioneering
The first platform screen doors installed by WPSD in
a major metro system in South-east Asia was for Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), which has operated
the main public transport network in the Singapore
urban area since 1987. Even before the latest order
from Dubai, WPSD platform screen doors were already
in operation in all parts of the world: in China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen),
Denmark (Copenhagen), France (Toulouse, Roissy),
Greece (Thessaloniki), Italy (Brescia), Malaysia (Kuala
Lumpur), Singapore (Bishan, Circle Line, North East
Line and SMRT) and the UK (London Underground
Jubilee Line).
WPSD has installed some 17,000 door sets worldwide
– providing protective barriers for 80,000 meters of
platform!
Attractive and secure metro
platforms with WPSD door systems
In addition to the order for distributed braking systems, a
contract for platform screen door systems for Guangzhou Line 4
went to Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors – Knorr-Bremse’s
Centre of Competence – in 2005. Platform Screen Doors (PSD)
are glass constructions in metro stations that form a barrier
between the platform and the track, protecting passengers on
the platform from moving trains. A signal system ensures that
the doors open and close at the same time as the train doors.
The use of full-height screen doors stretching from the ground to
the ceiling not only makes platforms safer, quieter and cleaner
– it also seals them off from the tunnel, reducing air turbulence
as trains enter or leave the station. This enables the waiting area
to be air-conditioned at much lower cost. Platform screen doors
also make passengers feel more at home under ground, and
their attractive design enhances the architecture of the platform
area. But it is not just the passengers that benefit – metro
operators find that the doors allow greater control of embarking
and disembarking passengers and contribute to the smooth
running of the system.
Design and technical expertise in
platform screen doors
The WPSD experts operate worldwide from two facilities that
are closely linked with one another: the Knorr-Bremse Rail
Systems site in Wiltshire, England was built in 2005 at a cost
of more than €12.5 million, and the plant in Guangzhou, China
came into operation at the start of 2006. WPSD won the latest
multi-million euro orders from China and Dubai against stiff
international competition – an indication of the growing global
interest in the reliability and state-of-the-art technologies
offered by WPSD platform screen doors. Westinghouse is
constantly improving the technology of its door systems in order
to offer customers an attractive product portfolio. One example
is the modular design of the platform screen doors; and another
innovative development is the half-height platform safety gates
specially developed for above-ground metro stations. These
offer the same advantages as full platform screen doors in terms
of safety and passenger flow management. Westinghouse
platform safety gates are already in operation in the aboveground stations on Guangzhou Metro.
Retrofitting platform screen doors
Platform screen doors are now an accepted part of the infrastructure when
new metros are being built around the globe. But Westinghouse systems
can also be retrofitted to existing metro platforms without disrupting normal services: installation can be carried out during the typical four-hour
window in the early morning when traffic levels are low.
In China, WPSD successfully tendered for three further major
projects: it is to deliver and install 1,980 platform screen doors
in Shanghai (Line 10) and 576 in Shenyang (Line 1) as well as
384 doors and 720 security barriers in Shenzhen (Line 3). Each of
these projects is worth several million euros.
Superlative project: 1,100 platform
screen doors for Dubai
Of all the current WPSD projects for designing, building,
installing and commissioning platform screen doors, the most
spectacular one is in Dubai. At several million euros, the contract
is the biggest ever received by WPSD from a single customer
and at the same time breaks new ground: The company is
to supply the very first platform screen door systems to be
installed in the United Arab Emirates. The order for more than
1,100 door sets for platforms on the new metro in Dubai was
given to WPSD by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the lead
company in a consortium of companies from Japan, Turkey and
Canada. Dubai Metro will go into operation on September 9,
2009 equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that include
viaducts and automated, driverless trains – as well as fully airconditioned platforms, thanks to platform screen door systems
from Westinghouse!
Innovative platform screen doors in Singapore
Media Wall for Platform Screen Systems
High resolution information displays can be mounted on the safety
barriers to enhance the product. Such a media wall system can be used
for advertising and passenger information but can also incorporate
loudspeakers and security cameras. All types of media can be fed in from
various different sources in real-time.
Safely embarking and
disembarking in busy
urban conditions in
China
12
13
No. 20 | July 2008
Safety and comfort standards for drivers and
passengers in multiple units
Quality knows
no frontiers
Knorr-Bremse has received another order from Polish train manufacturer PESA to
equip 23 new multiple units as part of an export project.
In cooperation with rail vehicle manufacturers PESA, Knorr-Bremse is equipping multiple units for Italian rail operator FSE. The
contract includes the EP Compact electro-pneumatic brake control system, bogie equipment, compressed air modules and additional
systems such as toilets, sanding systems and windscreen wiper and washer systems.
Almost a third of the Italian rail network is still served by regional
trains, with more than 30 private train companies operating
some 3,000 km of track in various parts of Italy, some of which
have very few lines run by the Italian state railway company
Rete Ferroviaria Italia. One such private operator is Ferrovie del
Sud-Est (FSE) based in Bari, the capital of the region of Apulia.
In addition to operating buses, the FSE runs diesel multiple
units on some 500 km of track along the southern Adriatic right
down to the tip of Italy from Bari to Taranto and from Lecce
across the Salento peninsula to Otranto and Gallipoli. The small
private train operators in Apulia that formed FSE in 1930 still
run historic locomotives mainly on single track lines through
the picturesque landscape of southern Italy.
23 new diesel multiple units for FSE
Bari
In 2006 FSE ordered 13 new diesel multiple units from the
Polish company PESA Bydgoszcz SA. The pre-production model
of the 3-car diesel multiple unit ATR220 will be delivered to
Bari in 2008. In March 2008, FSE also confirmed its contractual
option on delivery of a further 10 multiple units by mid 2009.
For this major export order worth a total of €4.5 million, PESA
is once again relying on the state-of-the-art technologies and
expertise of Knorr-Bremse.
Toilet system
14
Sanding
Knorr-Bremse
and PESA –
a close
partnership
Innovative, reliable and customized
systems
2007 saw Knorr-Bremse sign the first contract to supply
equipment to PESA for 11 multiple units ordered by PKP PR.
In 2008 three further electric multiple units will be supplied to
Polish operator PKP PR under an option agreement. The success
and subsequent expansion of co-operation with the Eastern
European rail vehicle manufacturer confirmed Knorr-Bremse’s
corporate philosophy of “high reliability and solutions tailored
to customers’ wishes”. For Knorr-Bremse it was a new challenge
to offer innovative technologies at competitive prices for specific
installation requirements, operating conditions and fields of
use.
EP Compact
15
No. 20 | July 2008
New!
Rapid replacement service
KE-distributor valves
railservices has speeded up freight car overhaul with a new concept for faster
completion of work on distributor valves.
With the introduction of railservices, Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH has established itself as a provider of
first-class repair and maintenance services throughout Europe. Behind railservices lies a wealth of OEM expertise, a highly efficient
infrastructure and a consistent customer focus. Now Knorr-Bremse’s mission to help customers meet market challenges is further
reflected in its new logistics service for selected replacement components such as the KE-distributor valve.
Economic considerations are bringing about change in an area of
crucial importance to operators and vehicle manufacturers alike.
The pressure of competition and costs makes it essential for vehicle servicing to be organized as efficiently as possible. Locomotives and rolling stock should spend as little time as possible in
the repair shop and as much as possible on the track. The process
of servicing, overhauling and repairing braking systems is therefore high on the strategic agenda: short throughput times for
regular servicing ensure high levels of vehicle availability.
Safety and economy are a priority for all Knorr-Bremse products,
and KE-distributor valves are not only characterized by their
high quality and compact design – as plug and play components
with low life-cycle costs they can be immediately installed in rail
vehicles at minimum cost. The KE-distributor valve is the commonest used for freight trains, with about half a million units
currently in operation in Europe.
Rapid, competent
and professional
replacement of
KE-valves
Service: the crucial success factor.
Time is of the essence
How quickly a vehicle can be turned around during overhaul,
servicing or repair depends to a large extent on the availability of spare parts – a crucial issue for both manufacturers and
operators. Knorr-Bremse has developed a solution designed to
fully meet customers’ requirements. With its new crate concept,
the company offers customers short replacement times, high
availability and low logistics and inventory costs. Any time
spent waiting for spare or replacement parts during vehicle
servicing means unnecessary delay in getting it back in operation. By making parts instantly available, the crate concept can
significantly shorten the internal/external procurement process,
simplifying spare part and repair shop time management and
avoiding interruptions to the repair process.
Instant availability of components
– “in and out of the crate”
The left hand crate contains refurbished KE-valves in OE quality ready
for installation. Agreed quantities of valves are regularly delivered to the
customer’s repair shop and exchanged for valves that have been removed
from vehicles (right hand crate). Knorr-Bremse is responsible for delivery
and uplift.
16
Servicing a vehicle calls for short distances and rapid availability
of OE components. This is where the railservices crate concept
offers a modern approach to spares parts logistics: a delivery
service brings the spare parts directly to the customer in advance,
regularly delivering wire mesh crates containing refurbished
distributor valves in OE quality. The customer takes out the parts
that he needs and replaces each one with an identical part that
has been removed from the vehicle. As required, the customer
asks the delivery service to collect the crate and is subsequently
invoiced for any parts that have been removed.
17
No. 20 | July 2008
Interview
Is your repair shop ready
for the crate concept?
Crate concept:
keeping pace with the times
Informer: railservices sets global standards for maintenance and
spares parts logistics for rail vehicles. What role does the crate concept play?
Eric Fritzsche: The crate concept is a new, innovative service
developed by Knorr-Bremse for
the aftermarket. It is used for
exchanging distributor valves
during the course of maintenance work on freight car
brakes. As such it fits perfectly
into the railservices philosophy that we have been successfully
implementing for years.
Informer: What is so innovative about the crate concept?
Eric Fritzsche: The crate concept enables us to drastically reduce
the amount of time a vehicle is out of operation for replacement
of distributor valves. It represents a milestone in terms of flexi­
bility and performance for our customers.
Informer: So the crate concept not only makes things easier for the
repair shop – it actually saves money?
Eric Fritzsche: Absolutely. The speed with which a vehicle can be
overhauled or serviced and returned into productive operation
depends ultimately on the availability of OE parts. We’ve already
achieved a lot in this respect with our efficient logistics concepts:
modern satellite warehouses,
online access to every single
spare part wherever it is stored
in the world – and last but not
least, immediate availability
of the 2,000 or so most heavily
used parts. Now the crate concept also makes replacement
18
valves immediately available to our customers. From the point
of view of a repair shop this means that what they need here
and now is available here and now, in the right quantity and in
top-quality – which is particularly important in the case of such
a safety-critical valve.
Informer: What manufacturers or operators can benefit from the
system?
Eric Fritzsche: When we piloted the crate concept it proved very
popular with customers. Now we want to market the service on
a broad basis. There is already huge interest in it, particularly
amongst medium-sized and large scale repair shops. Of course
individual discussions and planning will be required, and we
have already installed a team
of specialists at our Munich site
to serve local customers in collaboration with regional sales
departments. So we’re well prepared for a positive response.
Informer: Mr. Fritzsche, thank
you for talking to us.
Eric Fritzsche is responsible for aftermarket sales development at KnorrBremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH.
Ask for more information on
the
crate concept
n Shorter throughput times for servicing KE distributor valves
n No administrative work ordering individual valves
n Modern logistics for greater economy
We will be happy to answer all your questions rapidly and efficiently.
Please feel free to contact:
Eric Fritzsche
Tel: +49 89 3547-1852
[email protected]
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Knorr-Bremse Group
Knorr-Bremse Global Care e.V. was set up in Januar y 2005 following the South East Asia tsunami
disaster on December 26, 2004. The charitable association is dedicated to providing long-term
aid to individuals who are in need as a result of environmental catastrophes, accidents, armed
conflict, pover ty or disease. Practical implementation of projects is actively super vised by members of Knorr-Bremse staff. The association receives an annual donation of € 1 million from the
Knorr-Bremse Group. Additional information about Knorr-Bremse Global Care e.V. can be found
at: www.global-care.knorr-bremse.com.