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Visually and technologically impressive: the Universal Train Test Rig. 2 A TRADITION OF INNOVATION: EFFICIENCY, SAFETY, SYSTEMS COMPETENCE. For more than 110 years, the engineers at Knorr-Bremse have been driven by a determination to find better technical solutions to current and future customer requirements a tradition the company is continuing with its investment of EUR 90 million in building and equipping the new Development Center in Munich. Knorr-Bremse has also spent more than EUR 1.5 billion since 2010 in developing new products and systems. And with a view to securing its future, the Group has invested more than EUR 1.3 billion in building up and expanding its development and production sites. All this investment has given the company a clear technological lead over its competitors. CROSS-DIVISIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORK The superbly designed building offers a unique environment for developing ground-breaking products that offer genuine added value for Knorr-Bremse s customers vehicle builders, fleet operators, leasing companies, and logistics specialists. The aim is to develop solutions that make it easier to do business, reduce the total cost of ownership, help meet strict regulations, and open up opportunities to embrace new business models. Since it first went into operation in early 2016, the Development Center has served as an interdisciplinary cradle of new ideas for rail and commercial vehicle specialists. EFFICIENCY, SAFETY, SYSTEMS COMPETENCE By boosting the efficiency of the product development process, the Development Center effectively reduces time to market. Knorr-Bremse uses the test rigs to rapidly validate new technical ideas and convert them into reality for customers all over the world. One of the highlights of the Center is the Universal Train Test Rig, which is capable of simulating braking of entire passenger and freight trains. And in terms of product and operational safety, test rigs like ATLAS are pace-setters in the market. For example, Knorr-Bremse uses ATLAS to help further develop integrated braking systems and subsystems that minimize component wear. The company s comprehensive systems competence is demonstrated by the close collaboration taking place between rail and commercial vehicle specialists. And the interdisciplinary insights gained from computer simulations and the work of the materials laboratory play an important role in developing and testing new systems and components. The new building strengthens Munich s role as a center for innovation, boosts the company s competitiveness and enhances its ability to develop products with improved customer benefits shaping the future of mobility on road and rail.
SYSTEMS COMPETENCE The close proximity of R&D activities for both the rail and commercial vehicle divisions multiplies the available specialist expertise. EFFICIENCY SAFETY SYSTEMS COMPETENCE READY FOR THE FUTURE. Knorr-Bremse s systems competence is what lies behind its development capabilities. Thanks to the company s pioneering work in its materials laboratories and its investigation of noise emissions using NVH dynamometers, customers can be sure of receiving cutting-edge products of the very best quality. CENTRAL MATERIALS LABORATORY Operating on a cross-divisional basis, the central materials laboratory lays the foundation for product quality that puts Knorr-Bremse customers well ahead of their competitors. The laboratory uses its materials expertise to support the company s rail and commercial vehicle development departments all over the world. With its extensive experience it can provide a better, more objective interpretation of analysis results. Highly competent specialists use a range of state-of-the-art testing equipment to critically assess the characteristics of materials and evaluate their suitability for the intended purpose. Further tasks include the provision of materials advice and sampling of new elastomer materials. The lab s analytical work covers three main areas: metals, surface materials, and polymers (rubber, plastic, lubricants). Other important areas include brake pads and desiccants. SIMULATIONS AND CALCULATIONS Computer test simulations ensure extra safety for highly complex and technically increasingly sophisticated systems, and enable both divisions to react much faster to specific customer requirements. Because they require considerable amounts of simulation work, the brakes and hydraulics teams are now located in the direct vicinity of the simulation experts in the new Development Center. They also work closely with the central materials laboratory, where the engineers tests help to increase the accuracy of the calculation models. Numerical simulation enables the number of test cycles to be reduced, resulting in shorter development times and resource savings. NVH INERTIA DYNAMOMETER AND 6-DOF VIBRATION TEST RIG With its NVH inertia dynamometer Knorr-Bremse is a pioneer in reducing noise, vibration, and harshness. Although noise reduction is at a more advanced stage for buses, it is also a growing issue in the truck segment, and here Knorr-Bremse customers will be able to set the pace for new developments. The NVH inertia dynamometers test the performance and noise/vibration characteristics of brakes, including entire vehicle axles, under realistic environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, water). Disc brakes developed on the basis of the test results help improve driver comfort and reduce noise emissions for passengers and the surrounding environment. In the case of disc brake testing, the customer benefits from automatic validation and approval testing based on standard specifications the aim being to achieve maximum reproducibility. This also improves economy of operation and reduces the environmental impact. The 6-DOF vibration test rig examines the robustness of braking systems, and within a short space of time can recreate the entire lifecycle of a truck braking system under extreme conditions for example a year of driving on a cobbled road surface. 3
EFFICIENCY safety Safety is the basis for all our activities and the fruit of hard work. SYSTEMS COMPETENCE LEADING-EDGE SAFETY TECHNOLOGY. Knorr-Bremse braking systems offer customers the reassurance that comes from top levels of product safety, operational reliability, and future-proofing. 4 ATLAS The technical highlight of the machine park is the ATLAS test rig. The Advanced Test Laboratory for Adhesion Based Systems is 15 meters high and weighs in at 760 tonnes. Failure-free operation is an important aspect of safety, and products developed with the help of ATLAS minimize variations in braking performance, even under poor conditions. This can, for example, prevent rail vehicles from overrunning signals. The use of ATLAS to optimize wear characteristics also improves safety during the life cycle of a rail vehicle and reduces costs and maintenance requirements. Better braking systems mean operators can optimize train frequency and operate tighter schedules. Greater train frequency means more efficient use is made of the freight or passenger infrastructure. ATLAS simulates real-life track operation of running wheels, wheelsets or bogies. The track consists of two 16-tonne wheels measuring three meters in diameter and mounted in the basement with only their tops visible in the test lab. Electric motors set them in motion at speeds up to 350 km/h. The test rig can cope with all track gauges and standards and is housed in a climate chamber, enabling components functions and durability to be tested under a range of different operating conditions such as rain or headwinds as well as ambient temperatures ranging between -20 C and +80 C. Brake Distance Management Ensuring safety by optimizing the overall functioning of the braking system is the aim of Brake Distance Management (BDM) a cross-divisional Knorr-Bremse project. The ATLAS test rig is used to examine the scope for intelligent distribution of braking forces across an entire trainset. BDM aims to ensure consistent and reliable braking under all operating conditions. Testing covers braking force regulation, braking force management, adhesion management, and slide protection. MODULAR ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC TEST AREA The modular electro-hydraulic test area ensures that train braking systems are not too heavy but at the same time are designed to function safely throughout their lifetime. During braking, calipers and blocks have to withstand extremely high forces without cracking or fracturing, and to ensure this, examples of every new component are tested for mechanical strength prior to being released for use. Hydraulic cylinders are used to simulate vehicle movements and the resulting braking forces, and extensive calculations are used to establish the optimum size and weight for the components. A wide variety of materials are tested to the limit.
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SAFETY EFFICIENCY Reliable validation of braking technology: The Universal Train Test Rig is the reference test rig for control valve development. SYSTEMS COMPETENCE EFFICIENTLY DEVELOPING RELIABLE PRODUCTS. At the new Development Center, Knorr-Bremse has efficient procedures for rapidly validating and implementing customers technical ideas and wishes. The Universal Train Test Rig and Inertia Dynamometer ensure that the latest product generation is rapidly made available to customers. UNIVERSAL TRAIN TEST RIG (UZP) The Universal Train Test Rig (UZP) enables customers to be supplied with braking technology that has been reliably validated to a wide range of standards. Using the UZP reduces the need for expensive testing on real trains, enabling operators to reduce time to market, thus benefiting their passengers or logistics customers. The UZP is Knorr-Bremse s reference test rig for developing and testing valves for global markets under clearly defined and reproducible conditions The control valve is the central control element for the air brakes on a rail vehicle, and activates specific braking commands. The UZP can be used to test and validate different control valves to the relevant standards as part of the overall train system. All types of vehicle are covered freight cars, passenger cars, locomotives, and multiple units. CONTROL VALVE DEVELOPMENT FOR GLOBAL MARKETS The UZP can simulate the braking of passenger and freight trains up to 3,145 meters in length and with 208 cars. A combination of test rigs for the UIC and Russian markets, it reproduces the entire braking system of a European and a Russian train in the original configuration, with the main air pipe forming a huge spiral. In addition to testing to Western European and Russian standards, it can also be modified for AAR and Chinese standards. The UZP is used not only to further refine existing products, but also to test new developments such as BPLE (Brake Pipe Length Estimation) a system that uses sensors to enable the driver of a freight train to check whether the train s braking force is available throughout the train without having to leave his cab. INERTIA DYNAMOMETER Three of the world s most modern inertia dynamometers can be found at Knorr-Bremse. They are used to test the performance of braking systems under specific operating conditions, including emergency situations, and provide support for customers during the vehicle approval process. The inertia dynamometers test all the forces to which braking systems are subjected during braking of a simulated mass under near-real conditions. This includes rapid acceleration and high speeds, as well as particular route profiles or climatic conditions. The test results provide information on safety-critical issues: How long does a fully-loaded high-speed train traveling at 350 km/h require to come to a complete halt? What forces are the brake discs subjected to? The result is that the customer takes delivery of braking equipment that has been tested for performance, distortion and cracking, even during emergency braking under extreme external conditions. 7 Braking of entire passenger and freight trains is simulated.
8 SUSTAINABILITY ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT Transparent cross-discipline communication enables Knorr-Bremse to continuously improve its products. A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR CREATING OPTIMUM SOLUTIONS. To be able to respond flexibly to differing market requirements, a company first has to create the right structures. The entire Development Center is designed to encourage open communication and improve testing performance. And the underlying energy concept meets Knorr-Bremse s ambitious sustainability objectives. At the planning stage, every architectural detail of the Development Center was carefully designed to encourage efficient communication. There also had to be enough space to accommodate 100 test rigs. The building s design philosophy, with the test rigs on the ground floor and basement, test labs on Level 1, and team offices and meeting rooms above, is based on the global Knorr-Bremse production system (KPS). The idea is to bring together the various development disciplines, encourage better communication, and benefit from the synergies generated by closer collaboration. THE ATRIUM THE COMMUNICATION HUB At the heart of the building is the atrium, which serves as a meeting place for the specialist engineers and a center for the generation of new ideas. Natural light streams through the 400-square-meter unsupported glass roof into this space and the surrounding offices. The directors of the Centers of Competence in the rail and commercial vehicle divisions are located close to their teams, together with bright, open-plan offices accommodating more than 300 employees. Theory and practice are close neighbors: In the test preparation
SYNERGIES 9 Short distances and maximum transparency in the Development Center. workshops on the level below, new solutions for customers are created and prepared. SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY CONCEPT All Knorr-Bremse systems are designed to help customers ensure that mobility is safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly. At an early stage in the development process, the lab technicians and engineers examine their likely environmental impact in terms of energy consumption, materials required, or noise emissions. The building itself has been designed to minimize noise. And as operation of the test rigs inevitably generates both noise and vibrations, the basement and rigs are acoustically isolated from the rest of the building. The underlying energy concept has also been planned with the environment in mind and meets the highest standards of efficiency and sustainability. The building is mainly heated using excess heat from the test rigs: All the heat produced by ATLAS from the motors, electrical cabinets, hydraulic units, and cooling unit compressors is transferred via heat-exchangers to water circuits and fed back into the central heating system. The system also provides heating for the on-site indoor car park.
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TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS. The range of over 100 different testing systems includes equipment for dust and corrosion testing as well as complex test rigs and inertia dynamometers for examining brake material wear and brake control technology. Materials undergo temperature testing and products are checked for robustness against jolting and vibration. 11 System test rigs n Simulation of braking for entire passenger and freight trains n Development tool for testing the interaction of control valves throughout the train Freight train test rigs n European systems (UIC): 104 vehicles length: 1,585 m n Russian systems (1520): 104 vehicles length: 1,585 m Passenger train test rigs n European systems (UIC): 28 vehicles length: 756 m n Russian systems (1520): 32 vehicles length: 837 m Friction dynamometers n Testing brake performance on rail and commercial vehicles under realistic extreme conditions such as heat, cold, dust, rain, snow, and ice. Climate chamber n Temperature and environment simulation n Testing durability and function under a range of different climatic conditions and temperatures from -70 C to +80 C Modular electro-hydraulic test area (MEP) n Strength testing n Component testing
Level 3 Development and testing, offices, atrium Level 2 Development and testing, offices, atrium 5 levels FOR TECHNICAL PROGRESS THE ARCHITECTURE. The internal structures and spaces are designed to bring together the expertise of a wide range of different specialist departments. Level 1 Workshops and laboratories 12 Ground floor Central large-scale testing - Inertia dynamometers for rail and commercial vehicles - Test rigs for simulating braking of entire passenger and freight trains Basement Test rig technology and in-house services Test rigs for endurance and wear testing, ATLAS
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14 The entire life cycle of a truck can be recreated here.
OVERVIEW FACTS & FIGURES. FOUNDATION STONE LAID: April 28, 2014 OCCUPIED: FROM: November 1, 2015 OFFICIAL OPENING: June 23, 2016 ARCHITECTS: HENN GmbH, Munich, www.henn.com n 45,000 tonnes of steel-reinforced concrete n 360,000 meters of electric cabling, 42,000 meters of pipes n Dimensions: 58 m x 50 m x 22 m n Foundations: 7 meters deep n Floor space: almost 17,000 square meters on 5 levels incl. basement n 100 modern test rigs and systems n More than 300 workplaces for highly specialized engineers and technicians n Test workshops: more than 1,000 square meters for test preparation and follow-up n Materials testing: 400 square meters with scanning electron microscope, spectral analysis and corrosion testing 15
A-SO-0299-EN-000-6.2016 COMPANY PROFILE The Knorr-Bremse Group is the world s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. As a technology leader, for more than 110 years now the company has pioneered the development, production, marketing, and servicing of state-of-the-art braking systems. With all its products the company makes a decisive contribution to greater safety by road and rail. Every day, more than one billion people around the world put their trust in systems made by Knorr-Bremse. 16 Knorr-Bremse AG Moosacher Str. 80 80809 Munich Germany Tel: +49 89 3547-0 Fax: +49 89 3547-2767 public.relations@knorr-bremse.com www.knorr-bremse.com The contents of this publication may be subject to alteration without prior notice. Please contact your local Knorr-Bremse representative or check our website at 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. Additional conditions and requirements apply. For full details of liability exclusion, see our website: knorr-bremsecvs.com. Copyright Knorr-Bremse AG all rights reserved, including industrial property rights applications. Knorr-Bremse AG retains all powers of disposal, such as for copying and transferring.