ontrackby Voith Turbo — N° 01.2017

p.

08

A tailormade solution for
the Chinese marketp.

24

The transformation of
public transportp.

28

Customized services tokeep railcars on track

For the rail, commercial vehicles and marine industries:
innovative solutions for the mobility of tomorrow

At the heart of progress

02 Editorial

Editorial

Content 03

Content
Zoom
04 A precise heart
Individually designed Voith technology keeps the world’s mostpowerful tractor running cool

FastFacts
06 A quick round-up
Facts and key figures around
Voith Turbo in its key markets

The last 150 years have seen extraordinary developments in the mobility
sector – for the world as well as for ourcompany. Voith Turbo Mobility has
accompanied and shaped thesechanges in the key mobility markets ofRail, Commercial Vehicles and Marine.
As the technology leader, we are
already developing tomorrow’s solutions today. As always, innovation,
maximum speed, the best quality andthe highest efficiency are at the heartof everything that we do.
The success of Voith Turbo Mobility is based on the service culture lived
throughout the company. Our mission
is to provide world-class products,
solutions and services that drive theefficiency, availability and safety for ourcustomers today and in the future.
With this first issue of ontrack, our new
Voith Turbo Mobility magazine, wewould like to share the passion thatdrives us.
Enjoy the ride and the read!
Yours sincerely,

Cornelius Weitzmann
CEO, Voith Turbo Mobility

07

innovate
A look at key developments

08 Peak results, safety first
Chinese trucks drive safely on
extreme roads with a specificallydeveloped hydraulic retarder

17

Trends shaping the industry
18 Megacities in motion
Voith solutions help cities worldwide face the ever-increasing
challenges to urban mobility
24 A much-neededtransformation
Expert Alain Flausch on how
mobility will have to change tokeep cities livable
28 Service all aroundA visit to Voith’s Rail Service
Center in Kiel, Germany

31
14 Keeping it steadyOn board the world’s mostcapable walk-to-work vessel
for the offshore industry

transform

08

14

Truckers in China drive
safely on extreme routes
with Voith Retarders

The Kroonborg provides asmooth ride to offshore
workers even in rough seasreflect
Progress and insider opinions

32 The roots of future
innovations
Looking back on key milestonesin the history of Voith as thebasis for the Next 150 Years

18

34 Staying green on red
How Voith technology helps reduce emissions in Birmingham,
England

Two cities, different
mobility solutions, one
common denominator

38 A new location for
quality products
Introducing Voith Turbo’s new
headquarter in China
39 Q&A
Trend researcher Christian
Rauch provides a glimpse
into the future
Voith Turbo’s heart beats threefold:for innovative solutions driving the futurein Rail, Commercial Vehicles and Marine

ontrack N° 01.2017

24
N° 01.2017 ontrack

Future mobility will
have to be connected,
shared and clean

34

The successful conclusionof an exemplary project in
the United Kingdom

Zoom 05

Individual design:a precise heart
With 500 horsepower, the Fendt 1000 Vario is the world’s
most powerful standard tractor. Inside, proven Voith coolingtechnology from rail vehicles is at the heart of its Fendt
Concentric Air System (CAS). The Voith fan features innovative blade geometry and a design specifically for the1000 Vario. Placed in front of the cooler unit and the engine,
the fan draws cold air with a higher density in from outside,
and compresses it further with its high aerodynamic
efficiency. This allows for an enormous volume flow of up to
7 m³/s. On average, the new Voith fan requires input power of
8 kW, 50% less than a standard fan.

Voith technology: the key to the coolingsystem on the Fendt 1000 Vario tractor
With its own hydrostatic drive,
the Voith fan reduces
energy and fuel consumption bymore than 50%.

Voith supported Fendt in designing thetractor for optimum airflow. The
considerably compact CAS is fitted closer
to the driver’s cab, allowing for a shorter,
narrower hood. This gives the driver thevery best of views.

06 FastFacts

Section 7

FastFacts

p. 07

innovatefrom the world of Voith Turbo

RAIL– 40°C: RailPacks can survive even extreme
weather conditions
More than 2,000 Voith T 211 transmissions
have been delivered to China for special vehicles.

550,000
Voith Scharfenberg Couplers
providing safe and reliable
connections in the automaticor simultaneous coupling of
mechanical, pneumaticand electrical components.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
300,000 DIWA automatic transmissions
have been delivered worldwide.
Up to 12 % less fuel consumption with
Voith Stop-Start Technology.
2,000 DIWA SmartNet telemetry systeminstallations worldwide
90% of all vehicle braking operations are
wear-free with Aquatarder SWR / 50% lessinstallation space with Aquatarder SWR

An insight into innovative ideas,
solutions and the people behind them

MARINE

150 years’ experience

700 km/h potential maximum scheduled
speed with important components for front end
systems, safety and powerp. 16

Train components inspired by nature

Propelling tradition
The Staten Island Ferry has been running
between Manhattan and Staten Island since1905. The ferry, which runs continuously,
carries over 22 million passengers annuallyon a 5.2-mile run between the St. George
Terminal on Staten Island and the Whitehall
Terminal in Lower Manhattan. In the future,
the City´s Department of Docks and Ferries
will further put its trust in Voith Schneider
propeller technology.

4,332 Voith
Schneider
Propellers(VSPs) havebeen sold.
More than 950
tugboats run
with VSPs.
Some VSPs
have been in
use for morethan 50 years.
ontrack N° 01.2017

Trees have to be firmly rooted to the ground in order
to withstand the enormous forces created by strong
winds. At their base, where they meet the roots,
they form transitions between the trunk and theground – naturally making use of the notch effect toreduce stress. The same principle gave inspiration to
Voith’s innovative bionic toothing. “Utilizing thisgeometry not only makes the toothing more durable,
but also allows for narrower designs in gearwheels.
This results in lighter gear unit weight and also saves
valuable centimeters of installation space,”
explains Steffen Pyka, Product Management Rail
Drives with Voith. Adapted to regular-sized
gear-tooth bases, the principle allows for more teeth
to be fitted. The effect: a reduction of noise
emissions of up to 3 dBA. Which is why Siemens is
considering Voith’s bionic toothing for the Mireo
family, its next-generation regional trains.

Steffen Pyka,
Voith Product Manager Rail Drives

innovate 09

A precarious profession:
truck drivers in China need
the best of brakes to deal
with the steepest andlongest slopes of roads.

1,300 m

1,150 m

1,000 m

850 m

Peak results,
safety first

700 m

550 m

400 m

250 m

11 km downhill slope

99 tight bends

100 m
ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack10 innovate

innovate 11

Tailored to China

An entrepreneurial drive
led to the hydraulicretarder for China’s
extreme road conditions.
Manufacturers and truck
drivers appreciate thecompetitive solution thatoffers maximum safety.

Tourists flock to the top of the
Tianmen Mountain National Park in
China to enjoy a short walk across aterrifying skywalk — a 100-meter-longglass path offering staggering views
across beautiful mountains and of,quite possibly, the world’s most dangerous road: Tongtian Avenue, or the “Avenue toward Heaven.” Just 11 kilometers long, it reaches from 200 meters to
1,300 meters above sea level, a journeymade possible only by 99 steep twists
and turns, some at a hair-raising180-degree angle. It is not a place forthe faint-hearted. Or for weak brakes.
Although the road is unique, it issymbolic of the treacherous routes
Chinese truck drivers face daily. Sharp
bends, steep grades and narrow paths
create conditions that are unmatched.
They are also a reason for the hightraffic accident and mortality rate in
China. On the Yaxi highway, for instance, a 240-kilometer road that connects Ya’an and Xichang, there are atleast a thousand accidents each year,
as well as around 100 deaths. One
stretch features a 51-kilometer continuous zig-zag of a slope with a maximum of six degrees. Navigating the
highway requires dexterous driving
skills, nerves of steel and the most reliable of brakes. After human error, mechanical failure accounts for the second-largest percentage of truck
accidents, with brake failure often as
the main cause.

As the undisputed market leader in the heavy truck sector, theVoith Retarder VR 115CT has become a synonym for wear-free continuous
braking in trucks and buses, giving truck drivers better control overthe energy generated on downhill runs and allowing them to exploit thetruck’s kinetic energy. In conjunction with the engine brake, the VR 115CT
guarantees an optimum braking effect — at low and high speeds. As wellas maximum safety in any driving situation.

1

The extremly robust retarder, designed specifically for Chinese trucks, isfully geared towards the working environment of heavy trucks in China.
Locally manufactured, it meets the requirements of the Chinese domestic
customers on high braking quality for trucks.

Safety benefits
As well as reducing the operating
costs of the vehicle, the VR 115CT
also extends the service life of thebrakes and tires, and is better for theenvironment.

www.voith.com/retarder115ct

2

Safe: the Voith VR 115CT

1
Sinotruk: safe behind the wheel.

1. High braking power
2. Integral cruise control
3. Stress-free driving
4. Payback within a year

52 kg

2
Increasing safety, reducing costs: theVR 115CT is an offline retarder driven
by a step-up gear chain.

Lightweight, but robust. The
reduced weight translates
into increased efficiency.

In control

Truck drivers are now able to meet thecommercial demands of the market:
higher payloads, higher mileage andhigher average speeds.

Driven by the challenge
The solution? For maximum safety andoptimum braking, truck drivers andmanufacturers in China install the Voith
Retarder VR 115CT. Only trucks fittedwith this retarder are able to handle theYaxi highway slopes in all weather conditions. Traditionally, trucks would use
a water-spray system to cool tires andbrakes. A simple solution, but also one
that quickly damages equipment. Andin winter, it would turn the highway intoa slippery skating rink.
“We have spent years carefully
calculating how to best meet themost grueling environment and roadconditions on the most demanding

With a gear ratio of two in
the integrated step-up gear
chain, smaller retarderdimensions permitted withno loss of performance.

3,500 Nm
Maximum rated braking torque.

6.8 liters
2,650 rpm

highways in the world,” explains Joachim
ontrack N° 01.2017

Small but
powerfulTemperature sensors at thecontrol unit monitor the systemand prevent it from overheating.

Maximum speed at the propshaft.

N° 01.2017 ontrack

Autonomous oil supply. The oil as an
operating medium is supplied withcompressed air. During braking withthe retarder, the kinetic energy of thevehicle is converted into heat anddissipated to the oil.

innovate 13

3
A local approach for a tighter turnaround and a much better fit: The
VR 115CT is tailored for China.

Efficient: the Voith Aquatarder SWR
750 kW/1,020 hp
Impressive endurance braking power
capacity of retarder and engine brake.

80%

less brake
dust emissions“For the same task,
I now save a full extra
day to cover thesame distance.”
Gao Liang,
truck driver for the Brother Logistic Company

3
Kernke, Vice President Retarder,
Voith Turbo. On top of dicey downhill
runs, Chinese truck drivers also haveto contend with enormous distances.
Avoiding breakdowns is therefore also
a high priority.
Meeting the needs
At the forefront of the research was adesire to improve overall efficiency of
the trucks, to lower costs and to reduce accidents, all in an eco-friendly
way. This ambitious entrepreneurial
approach led to the rapid developmentof the VR 115CT. Working together
with local OEMs, including SinoTruk –China’s first heavy-duty truck manufacturer, headquartered in Shandong
Province – the VR 115CT has been tailored specifically for the toughest ofenvironments. Since 2014, it has been
manufactured in Shanghai for the AsiaPacific market. “This local basemeans a tighter turnaround and adesign better adapted to the region,” says Martin Wawra, Managing
Director Mobility Voith Turbo, China.
On the road, what difference does
the VR 115CT make? Gao Liang, atruck driver for the Brother Logistic
Company who travels from Kumux

50%

Saltworks to Toksun County every day,is convinced of the benefits. His
SinoTruk heavy-duty truck is equippedwith the VR 115CT. “For the sametask, I now save a full extra day tocover the same distance with a truck
with the Voith Retarder,” Liang explains. As a result, he can expect todouble his income. The lifetime of thetires has doubled, while for pads it has
increased sixfold. This optimizes theoperation efficiency, reduces maintenance costs and allows for a higher average vehicle speed overall. It means
the VR 115CT is amortized in a year.

less installation space required thanconventional retarders, thanks to thecompact design.

42 kg
light, a total of 35 kg lighter
than the predecessor.

90%
www.voith.com/aquatarder

A safer future
Until recently, Chinese trucks were notrequired to be fitted with a retarder.
Tightened road-safety and environmental regulations implemented in 2015,
however, have changed that. In a
country with around 4 million heavyduty trucks currently on the road, androughly an additional 600,000 licensed
each year, the VR 115CT provides an
economical breakthrough that will drive
the transformation of truck transportation. It is a shift that could result in safer roads. In the European Union, for instance, tighter legislation has resulted
in a 50% drop in road deaths and injuries since 1992, despite an increase intruck transport by over 70%.
“Our design has led to a major
overhaul of the goods haulage industry in China,” says Kernke. “TheVR 115CT is an excellent fit for thehazardous conditions and demanding safety requirements. The steep
sales increase is proof we are on theright track.”
ontrack N° 01.2017

of all braking operations
are carried out by thissecondary water retarder.

3,500 Nm

Braking with waterhigh braking torque at the propshaft.

The realization that a truck’s cooling water could be put tobetter use – as well as the desire to find a more sustainable
and economical solution – led to the development of theworld’s first ever water retarder. And an efficient one at that.
The Voith Aquatarder SWR, a secondary braking system, isbased on the principles of hydrodynamics and makes use of
the engine’s own coolant as an operating medium. The benefit?
A maintenance-free retarder that only weighs 42 kilograms,
takes up 50% less installation space and ensures there’s nowear and tear during braking. Or dust, for that matter.
With the next generation of retarders, the ECO-SWR, theunit fully disconnects from the drive shaft in idling mode,
providing even further improvements in fuel efficiency andvehicle emissions. The future is even cleaner.
N° 01.2017 ontrack

Targeting emissions and reducing costs:
the Voith Aquatarder SWR is unique infunction, form and efficiency.

innovate 15

Keeping it
steadyThe harshest ofenvironments in the
open sea are no matchfor the Kroonborg,
the world’s mostcapable walk-to-workvessel for the offshore
industry.

Key figures
2 x 1,800 kW
Input power provided by two Voith
Schneider Propellers.

1,000 kWPower of each of the two Voith Inline
Thrusters installed.

75%

How much the ship is able tocompensate for rolling due to theVoith Roll Stabilization.

20

More operating days a year.

ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack

Fierce winds and numeroushydrocarbon reservoirs make the North
Sea a prime location for generating renewable energy and a major site for thegas and oil industry. Ideal for energy
maybe, but the high waves, powerfulwinds and strong currents make it unpredictably hostile for the people whowork on offshore wind turbines andplatforms. Unless, that is, you are on
board the Kroonborg, the world’s mostcapable walk-to-work vessel.
As such, the Kroonborg can absolutely secure the safe, smooth and efficient transfer of crew to remote offshore workplaces, in the mostchallenging of environments. Designed
and operated by Royal Wagenborg, theDutch shipping company, and built by
Niestern Sander, the Dutch shipyard, it
is a unique vessel that enables people
to literally walk to work in the open sea,even when the waves are more than
3 meters high. The purpose-built
walk-to-work vessel is kept perfectly
propelled by Voith Marine Technology
so that the crew can access theirworkplace via a bridge, safe from pretty16 innovatemuch whatever Mother Nature cares tothrow at them.
Up on the main bridge, Gerrit deHaan, captain of the Kroonborg, isclearly relishing being at the helm, precisely steering the ship with the lightest
of touches, using what appears to bea superior joystick from a game console. It is part of the system that is responsible for the exact nature of thevessel’s superior maneuverability and

The Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP)
Combining propulsion and steeringin one unit, and delivering thrust
rapidly in all directions, the VSP is a
precise vessel propulsion system.
For efficient dynamic positioning under
extreme conditions.

Gerrit de Haan
Captain of the Kroonborg

ground-breaking dynamic positioning(DP) system. This is achieved througha sophisticated combination of innovative propulsion, position-control anddrive systems from Voith Marine
Technology, which is concisely
summarized in a simple maritime
acronym: “BRIDGE.”
Immediate response
The ship’s main propulsion system isbuilt on two Voith Schneider Propellers(VSP 28R5 ECS/234-2), the bow
thrusters on two Voith Inline Thrusters(VIT 2000-1000 H), and it features anelectronic Voith control system, which
are all complemented by Voith Roll
Stabilization. The results are convinc-

The Voith Inline Thruster (VIT)
As well as ensuring a significant reduction
in noise and vibration, the VIT has anenvironmentally friendly design thanks to
its water-lubricated bearing system. For asmoother ride.

BRIDGESix benefits from
Voith Marine Technology
Best Dynamic Positioning performance
Reduced fuel consumption
Increased comfort
Downtime reduction
Great productivity in all conditions
Effective, innovative and successful
offshore solutionwww.voith.com/bridge-offshoreing, keeping the vessel on position to
the meter, close to the offshore construction, and enabling precise compensation for vessel movements
caused by wind, waves and currents,
as the captain can testify: “It is quick,reliable and efficient,” he says. “The DP
capability of this vessel with the Voith
Schneider Propeller is direct, and its
precision-keeping is very good,” heconfirms. “The response of the Voith
Inline Thrusters is enormous.”
This is exactly the kind of reactionthat Wagenborg was expecting when
they called on Voith’s expertise to support them in equipping a ship thatwould be able to withstand the harshenvironment of the North Sea and thedemanding requirements of its end
user, NAM/Shell UK. The company
needed the vessel to be in service for aminimum of 320 days a year, for instance. The result would be a ship thatis active for an incredible 340 days, orover 8,000 hours. “We used Voith because we need the highest standard of
quality,” says Wilfried Boelens, Operations Manager, Wagenborg. “In termsof reliability and efficiency, Voith products are clearly proven by this vessel.”
From the outset of the new-build
project, through the design phase tocommissioning, Wagenborg placed aclear emphasis on safety, sustainability,
operational efficiency and passenger
comfort. Fuel consumption is kept low,even lower than expected, which reduces operational costs. In 2015, theKroonborg was awarded the prestigious “Ship of the Year” accolade by
the Royal Netherlands Society for Marine Technology, in clear recognition
that its design and functionality hasraised the bar for the industry. Dr. Dirk
Jürgens, Vice President of R&D Voith
Marine Technology, is equally convinced, as he confirms: “There is simply no other crew transfer vessel that isable to operate with the same positioning accuracy, safety or reliability.”
ontrack N° 01.2017

p. 17

p. 30

transform
The people and technology shaping
the industry

Unique propulsion
Passengers on wind farm support vessels are usually infor a bumpy, noisy and risky ride. Not so with Trearddur
Bay, a 21-meter crew transport vessel operated by the
Welsh ship operator Turbine Transfers, and the first of its
kind to be fitted with the customized Voith Linear Jet. “Weoften get complimented on how smooth and quiet it is,”confirms Anthony Robson, master of the ship since its
launch in 2015. Noise, vibration and emission levels are
kept extremely low, while fuel efficiency, crew safety andoperative maneuverability are increased, even at speeds of
30 knots in rough seas. The secret lies in the uniquepropulsion design of the Voith Linear Jet, which combines
the advantages of a conventional propeller with those of awater jet. “It makes the best of both,” adds Robson.

Watch the Video:
www.voith.com/vlj

transform 23

18 transform
open

open

in motion

Megacities
The ever-increasing challenges to urban mobility come inmany forms, and approaches to address them vary – as isevident when looking at two such different cities as São Pauloand Istanbul. The common denominator: Voith technology.

1 SÃO PAULO: To battle congestion, Brazil’s largest city
is investing to improve its bus and rail systems.

Commuting is one of the biggest chal­lenges to the people of São Paulo, the Southern
Hemisphere’s most populous city. “On average,commuters lose over two hours in traffic due to con­gestion,” says Rogerio Pires, Vice President KAM
CV Americas & Mobility Brazil with Voith. And while

the majority of the population uses public transport –more than 10 million passengers daily – the numberof private cars is still increasing. To alleviate traffic, thecity has been investing in the bus and rail systems.
“Dedicated bus lanes, low­entry design, higher vehi­
cle capacity and more embedded technology in thevehicles, plus electronic monitoring of the almost
15,000 buses in the city, have been implemented to
improve efficiency and quality,” says Pires. Thanks toa deep knowledge of local conditions, Voith has de­veloped a close cooperation with fleet operators andOEMs and has been able to play a major role in thecontinuous improvement of buses and metro cars in
the city. Voith technology is contributing to lower fuelconsumption per transported passenger, lower opera­
tional costs and higher vehicle availability.
ontrack N° 01.2017

The unique geography of Europe’s largest
metropolis is also its biggest challenge where mobility
is concerned. 15 million people live in the transconti­
nental city divided by the Bosporus. “The last 10
years have seen a lot of improvement,” explains MertÖzenç, Head of Voith Mobility in Turkey, “most signifi­
cantly in bringing the two halves of the city closer to­gether with the Eurasia and Marmaray tunnels.” While
the Eurasia tunnel alleviates traffic on the roads, Mar­maray is reserved for rail vehicles. Since the tunnel
was opened, rail use in the city has soared from 4%
to almost 30%. The Rotem cars in use here are fittedwith Voith couplers, and Voith technology can also befound in the varied public transport system – fromtrams and metros to buses and even ferries. “Istanbul
has undergone a big development in the last 10 years
N° 01.2017 ontrack

2

ISTANBUL: By expanding its infrastructure, the ancient
city on the Bosporus has alleviated its transport problems.

but still needs to do more,” says Özenç. “Luckily thegovernment recognizes this.” And so plans for further
development are already underway: the metro Istan­
bul wants to extend their lines to 640 kilometers by
2023. A big step, considering that in 2004 its network
comprised just 45 kilometers.

19 transform

transform 22transform 21

Voith cooling systems:
high-performance cooling –quietly and precisely.

Voith Schneider
Propeller: exactly oncourse – combines
propulsion andsteering in one unit.

Voith RailPacks:
delivered ready for
installation.

Voith Air Compressor:
fuel savings of up to 1 liter per
100 kilometers.

Changing natural environments, socio-economic
pressures, demographic factors and increasing
urbanization – these are among the most pressing
issues impacting urban mobility to varying degrees
in megacities such as São Paulo and Istanbul.
Aware of changing demands, Voith Turbo is alignedwith these global megatrends. And with its unique
technologies and a global network, Voith Turbo
offers high-tech products and services for a wide
range of public transport and supply solutions:

On the tracks
Efficient and highly reliable
From light rail and trams, to metros,
monorails and high­speed trains – Voith
products and systems ensure greater
efficiency through higher speeds andexceptional reliability.

On waterVoith Aquatarder SWR:
braking with water –safe, economical andsustainable.
Voith Scharfenberg Coupler:
driving innovation for safe andreliable connections.

Safe and environmentally friendly
In transporting passengers, safety is of thehighest priority, so ferries need to cope withcurrents, crosswinds and tidal changes invarious water depths. Requirements thatvessels easily meet with Voith propulsion
and steering systems.

DIWA.6 Stop-Start Technology:
reduction of fuel consumption
by between 10% and 12%.

On the roads
Voith complete wheelsets:system expertise from asingle source.

ontrack N° 01.2017

Economical and sustainable
Compact, light, reliable – these are theessential requirements for components andsystems for commercial vehicles. Always inthe foreground: that every drop of fuel isused as efficiently as possible.

ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack

N° 01.2017 ontrack24 transform

transform 25

A much-neededtransformation
Today, cities are home to 54% of the world’s population –a heavy burden for urban mobility solutions. Alain Flausch,secretary-general of the International Association of Public
Transport (UITP) in Brussels, talks about how mobility will haveto change for livable cities around the globe.

Which critical global issues
are driving future mobility? There areseveral factors affecting urban life
worldwide. Cities are growing, so urbanization is still a major trend – and it
will continue. By the same token, mobility in the city is getting much more difficult because of congestion. And thenthere is also climate change. Pollution isa big problem – which really means thatthe model of the livable city is at stake.
Mexico City or São Paulo, for example,
are facing major challenges. Fortunately, in Europe the situation is better. But
cities like London or Paris may develop
in that direction if nothing is done. People really need to wake up and realizethat we cannot continue with the samemodel if we want humanity to survive.
What are the most discussed mobility trends at the moment? We are mostly talking about mobility that is clean, shared andconnected. Because the major issue issingle-person cars, simply because
they are taking up too much space –aside from pollution, that is. This issomething that public transport alreadyprovides to some extent: it means

Alain Flausch,secretary-general of the International
Association of Public Transport (UITP)

ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrackconnected
sharing and it is getting cleaner all thetime. It is not yet digitalized enough but
it is on the verge of being so. Public
transport is not always the best option,
however, because it usually does nottake people all the way. And in lowdensity areas it also is not very efficient. A bus transporting one passenger at night really is unsustainable. This
is where digitalization has the potential
to change things significantly.

Futureof Mobility

In which way? Through digitalization the way to meet demand andsupply can be optimized. When I started working in public transport years
ago, it was like going in blind. We conducted surveys every two years or soto see if lines were properly occupiedor not, and on that basis we decided
the number of buses to utilize. But we
did not know exactly. Digitalization allows for smarter decision-making, as it

26 transformgets you intelligence on how to best
deploy your resources. And it enables
on-demand transport, especially in
low-density areas. It is also a way to
combine the heavy backbone of public
transport with agile mobility services,which are less expensive and moresuitable for smaller numbers of people.
How relevant will automated driving be? Automated vehicles(AV) are definitely a trend that shouldbe mentioned. Even though this is
more of a long-term perspective. Driverless buses will come – they are already in test and pilot phases. But thetransition period will be longer thanwhat most people foresee today. We
might see some AV in time but mostly
still normal cars. And once they are introduced, they also need to be shared.
If regular cars are just replaced by AV,
the danger is that there will be evenmore cars if they are not shared. There
will be an intermediate stage with fleetsof AV and fleets of normal cars. Cities
and public transport organizations will
be a good candidate for running thembecause of their experience in organizing fleets of buses, etc. Before that
happens, however, there are legal issues, like who takes responsibility, andsecondly the issue of cybersecurity,that need to be clarified. That is goingto take a while. I believe we will getthere step by step but I do not see
100% AV for many decades.
How will urban infrastructures have to change to accommodate new mobility concepts? A critical factor will be the integration of allmodes of transportation. The future will
be reviewing the whole system ofurban mobility with the help of theenabler that is technology and thento collaborate with partners offeringsmart and innovative mobility solutions.

transform 27

sharedAbout UITPThe International Association of
Public Transport (UITP) is aninternational non-profit organization
working to connect public transport
authorities and operators, policy
decision-makers, scientificinstitutes, and the public transport
supply and service industry.
Advocating public transport andsustainable mobility as well as
promoting innovations in this
sector, the UITP offers a platform
for worldwide cooperation,business development and thesharing of know-how among its
1,400 members from 96 countries.

“The pressure
on decisionmakers totransform cities
is greaterthan ever.”
Alain Flauschsecretary-general of UITP

Public transport investing in car sharing or bike sharing for example but
leaving the operation to the provider
because they are the ones who know
best. It will be vital that this collaboration results in a system that is easy touse. After all, that is what makes cars
so attractive, that they are convenient.
Solutions like the smart card, which
can be used for public transport, carsharing or bike sharing allow users toeasily switch between modes of transportation.
To what extent are cities
today already prepared for “Mobility
as a Service”? There are always pioneers that are ahead of their time. Vienna and Helsinki have already started
with this. In Germany, the VDV (Association of German Transport Companies,of which Voith is a member) is steeringa group of about 20 companies thatare about to create a platform for Germany. And there is another initiative inParis. I believe it is like a puzzle. There
will be initiatives first on a regional or
national level and subsequently wehave to make sure that those platforms
can talk to each other in terms of IT
ontrack N° 01.2017

clean
language. So that these services may
be used across countries as well.
Big transformations oftransport have been predicted before – is it really happening thistime? The pressure on decision-makers to transform cities is greater thanever. Every year, 3.5 million people
worldwide die from pollution. Traffic
jams and congestion are also becoming a political issue, because people
are wasting hours, which is a huge
N° 01.2017 ontrack

economic cost. There is a very real risk
for cities that once there is congestion
they will lose ground in terms of competitiveness. Take London, for example.
A few years ago, it was so congested
that the business community actually
supported the introduction of a congestion charge to help alleviate traffic.
Next to ecological concerns, economic
considerations are becoming more andmore important and are pushing everybody into the transformation. So yes, I
definitely think it will happen.

Alain Flausch in his office at
UITP’s headquarter in Brussels.

Service
all around

The Voith Rail Service
Center in Kiel combines
years of engineeringexperience with modern
solutions to provide rail
customers with thebest services.
Walking into the 16,000square-meter production site of theVoith Rail Service Center in the north
German city of Kiel, the first thing that
immediately catches the eye is a74-meter train suspended in its entirety
about 3 meters above ground. The
train, from local rail service provider
cantus Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH, ishere for a bogie overhaul – one of theservices offered by Voith Turbo andpart of its comprehensive portfolio.
Since the end of 2014, Voith offers
a wide range of services for rail vehicle
operators. “We are not a typical maintenance provider,” explains Ulf Klaua,
Director Sales of Voith Turbo in Kiel.
“Instead of simply restoring components to their original state, we are alsoable to suggest and carry out improvements, effectively modernizing vehicles.” This expertise stems from thehistory of the site, where between
2005 and 2014 Voith manufactured its
own locomotives. “The engineeringknow-how we have means that we understand railway vehicles from A to Z,”
says Klaua. A know-how appreciatedby customers: “We awarded the firstcontract to Voith Turbo for the repainting of our trains about two years ago.
Even though they were then a new
player in the market, we were confidentof receiving good results because of
their experience,” explains ChristophEngel, Maintenance Manager for cantus. Only a year later, Voith won a second contract, this time for the bogie
overhauls of all of their 21 trains.
“Voith’s overall concept was convincing, especially the flexibility and very

www.voith.com/service-kiel

Bogie
Workshop
The bogie workshop includes a wheelset
press and test rigs and allows Voith toperform bogie overhauls more quickly.
Almost everything can be done in-house,
there are few interfaces, and there’s no needfor complicated loading and transportation.

ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack

The cantus FLIRT (Fast Light Innovative Regional
Train) is 74 m long and weighs 125 metric tons.

Repairs &MaintenanceIn addition to classic maintenance andrepair work, the Voith service technicians
perform fleet repainting tasks.
Thanks to its engineering experience, theCenter is also capable of performing a rangeof modernization measures on vehicles.

30 transform

Section 31

p. 31

p. 39

reflect

Key trends, new developments andindustry insider opinions
The Service
Center in Kiel islocated directlyat the Kiel Canal,
which connects
the North Sea tothe Baltic Sea.

short processing times they offered,”says Engel. In the bogie workshop,
which includes a wheelset press andtest rigs, bogies and their components
are overhauled in-house, there are few
interfaces, and there’s no need forcomplicated loading and transportation
to remove the wheels and re-installthem again. As a result, lead times are
considerably reduced. “Depending on
the scope of the tasks, we are able tofinish a bogie replacement for cantus
within five days,” says Dieter Wolfgram,
Account Manager with Voith, “and highavailability of their vehicles is of course
crucial for our customers.”
The Rail Service Center is exemplary for Voith’s redefined service strategy. While maintenance and spareparts remain pivotal, full-service solutions are becoming more important.
“Twenty years ago, train operators had
their own workshops and know-how.
Today they focus on their core business, which is to transport passengers
or freight from A to B, and the logistics
that entails,” explains Klaua. Consequently, operators seek partners theycan entrust the maintenance of theirfleets with. “We have customers thatask for full-service concepts for theirtrains for the next 10 years. That usually entails monitoring the trains,” says
Klaua. Here solutions like Voith’s OPRA

“Today operators
want to focus on
their core business, which is totransport passengers or freightfrom A to B.”

Watch the Video:
www.voith.com/diwa

Ulf Klaua
Director Sales, Voith Turbo Kiel

Life-Cycle-Management System comeinto play. OPRA gathers and interprets
status data, thus enabling conditionbased maintenance. “It allows us toadvise our customers on when best to
perform certain tasks,” says Klaua.
“More and more customers realize that
there is a lot of potential in data management.” As a consequence, automated predictions support customers
in avoiding downtimes and increasing
efficiency. Here again Voith’s engineering expertise puts the company in aunique position. “We can implement
these solutions not only in new trains,
but also in rail vehicles that have beenrunning for years,” explains Klaua.

A new generation for buses
Recognizing the need for efficient and sustainable solutions,
Voith is developing a concept for the next generation of the
DIWA automatic transmission for buses. Optimized for minimum fuel consumption and reduced CO2 and noise emissions, the concept keeps the proven differential converter
principle. The integrated central recuperation unit redefines
the role of the transmission in the overall system of the bus.

DigitalSolutions
OPRA makes it possible toidentify weaknesses andintroduce targeted measures,to reduce technical failures.
Logistics and communications
become more efficient.

ontrack N° 01.2017

32 reflect

The rootsof future
innovations

1867
The family adventure begins on­January 1, 1867, when Friedrich
Voith (1840–1913) takes over thelocksmith business, Maschinen­
fabrik J.M. Voith, from his father,
Johann Matthäus Voith (1803–1874).

1870
The first Voith turbine leaves
the workshop: a breakthroughfor hydropower technology.

Voith opens its first foreignsubsidiary, in St. Pölten, Austria.
1903
Voith receives an order for the deliveryof 12 Francis twin turbines to a power
plant at Niagara Falls, on the USCanada border. With 12,000 HP, they
are the largest turbines of their time.
1928
The Torqueo, the first ship equippedwith a Voith Schneider Propeller,
leaves the dock.
1934
Voith delivers the first turbo transmissions to be used for diesel-hydraulicrail buses of the Austrian railway.
1949

1867

Opening of the Voith Turbo locationin Crailsheim, Germany. First turbo
transmissions delivered to the USA.

Voith launches a two-stage
aluminum air compressor.

1960

Voith launches the Voith Secondary
Water Retarder, the first secondary
retarder that uses water for braking.

2012

1995
Voith sells the 100,000th retarder andthe 25,000th turbo transmission.
1998
Voith takes over Scharfenbergkupplung, Salzgitter in Germany.

Voith presents the first automatictransmission for buses, the Voith DIWA
transmission.
1950
Voith develops a new concept for a
tug boat: the Voith Water Tractor,
equipped with the Voith Schneider
Propeller.

ontrack N° 01.2017

2015
Introduction of the DIWA SmartNet,
the integrated solution for driveline
monitoring and quick and directaccess to operational data.
2017

2000

1903

In Heidenheim, Germany, the locksmith Johann Matthäus Voith and the paper
manufacturer Heinrich Voelter jointly develop a wood grinder for paper manufacturing.
To further process the roughly ground wood, Matthäus Voith invents the “Raffineur”(refiner) in 1859, as well as a variety of other machines for paper manufacturing. These
inventions serve as the foundation for the company as it is known today. Showing ex­treme foresight, he provides his son Friedrich with the opportunity to study engineer­ing at the Polytechnikum in Stuttgart, Germany.

2011

First Voith Retarder introduced.
1869
Voith’s innovative first patent for awood grinder lays the foundation formodern papermaking.

Johann Matthäus Voith
1803–1874

1956

Voith presents the Voith RailPack, acomplete drive system for diesel
railcars, including diesel engine, turbo
transmissions, couplings, coolingsystems, universal joint shafts andfinal drives.
2001
Founding of the Voith Turbo Power
Transmission in Shanghai, to drive theexpansion in the Chinese mobility
market.
2002
Voith supplies 480 final drives for the
Metro in Delhi, India.
2007
Voith delivers 200 Voith turbo transmissions, 542 final drives and 200
joint shafts for 107 new regional trainsin Spain, built by the OEM CAF.
2011
Voith and Audi form a partnership todrive the development and highly
automated production of fiberreinforced materials for use in future
automotive projects.

Voith celebrates its 150th anniversary – and looks ahead to the next
milestone, with the motto “Welcome
to the Next 150 Years.”Friedrich Voith
1840–1913

For 150 years, the Voithians’
hearts have been beating for the
production and development ofmobility solutions. Generations ofVoithians have continued to
face new challenges, by people
and markets, and have playeda decisive role in the developmentof the mobility industry.
2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack34 reflectreflect 35

40%of their timebuses spend in
idle mode.
Stop-Start technology automaticallydisengages the driveline and enables
standstill times of up to 180 seconds.

Birmingham is committed
to reducing emissions – a
mission fully supported
by National Express West
Midlands. The operator
was one of the first to adopt
Voith’s fuel-saving DIWA.6
Stop-Start Technology.
A bus with DIWA.6 Stop-Start offers asmooth ride and benefits to the environment,
drivers and passengers alike.

Britain’s second-most-populous city, Birmingham, will soon be enjoying better air due to a number of initiatives for a cleaner city, low-emission
buses among them.
Birmingham-based bus operator
National Express West Midlands(NXWM), a subsidiary of the National
Express Group, runs 1,500 buses providing services in Birmingham, Walsall
and Wolverhampton. The company isinvesting millions in drastically cleaning
up what comes out of the exhausts of
its buses. The company’s serious commitment is also evident in its participation in the West Midlands Combined
Authority Low Emission Bus Delivery
Plan. In 2016 transport operators andlocal authorities publicly pledged to put£150 million into working in partnershipto increase numbers of passengers,
keep customer satisfaction high andimprove air quality. “We have a responsibility within the West Midlands to try
to help with the emission issues,” says
Colin Saward, Head of Engineering for
National Express Bus. That initiatives
like these are successful is confirmed
by a 2016 Greener Journeys report,
which shows that across the UK, a
new generation of clean buses is already saving 55,000 metric tons ofgreenhouse gas emissions per year,
and delivering £8 million in health andenvironmental benefits.
Partnering with Voith in 2015,
NXWM operated two buses fitted with
the newly developed Voith DIWA.6
Stop-Start Technology. “We saw thisas an opportunity to work with anothercompany to reduce emissions and to
improve the air quality within Birmingham,” states Saward. During normal
operating conditions – including at bus
stops, at red traffic lights and in heavy
traffic – city buses spend up to 40% of
their time in idling mode, resulting in36 reflectreflect 37

DIWA.6
Stop-Start
DIWA.6 Stop-Start Technology
enables standstill times of up to

180 seconds.
More than

1,000

Only a software enhancement
is required, with no needto modify the design of the
DIWA.6 transmission.

10 – 12percent
reduction in fuel consumption
can be achieved.

buses in the UK are already equippedwith DIWA Stop-Start Technology.

2,000

buses worldwide are alreadyequipped with the DIWA SmartNet
Technology. With the DIWA.6 automatic transmission, online monitoring of the driveline is possible.
This makes preventive maintenance possible, increases uptime
and prevents unscheduled vehicle
standstills. The DIWA SmartBox
periodically transmits the data toan Internet server.

“We have seensavings in the regionof 10%.”
Colin Saward,
Head of Engineering with National Express Bus

50%
The proven DIWA power split principle allows steplessstarting and braking across a speed range, where other transmissions require two to three gear shifts. Result: Up to 50% fewer gear shifts, higher driving comfort – and significantly lower wear in the driveline.

unnecessary fuel consumption andpollution. The DIWA.6 Stop-Start Technology requires only a software enhancement, with no need to modify thedesign of existing DIWA.6 transmissions. The technology automaticallydisengages its driveline and enables
standstill times of up to 180 seconds.
There is no negative influence regarding startup readiness caused by theVoith gearbox in urban city applications. The result: an impressive savingsin fuel consumption of 10% to 12%, depending on application, and, as a consequence, a reduction in emissions.
During the testing phase of one year inreal-life conditions, NXWM was able todirectly observe the effectiveness ofthe system. “Because we were running
the two trial vehicles alongside ordinary
vehicles on the same routes, we wereable to compare fuel efficiency back toback. We saw savings in the region of
10% in the two Stop-Start vehicles,
which is really good,” explains Saward.
N° 01.2017 ontrack

Proof ofconcept
After testing Voith DIWA.6 Stop-Start
for a year, NXWM is adding 96 vehicles
with the technology to its fleet.

Next to the ecological impact, the fuelsavings achieved through DIWA.6
Stop-Start also have an economic impact for bus operators, who can run
their fleets more efficiently.
Passengers, drivers and pedestrians also profit, thanks to the reduced
noise during stop times. “For myself
and the passengers, the new StopStart Technology gives a muchsmoother ride. And for me as adriver, it is less stressful. At astop, you just put the hand brakeon, the engine shuts down and it
all goes nice and quiet. You let thehand brake off and you know it will
start. It is reliable, and you can justcarry on,” says Andy Walcott, Driver
Training Officer with National Express,
recounting his experience in driving
buses with DIWA.6 Stop-Start.
For National Express West Midlands, DIWA.6 Stop-Start Technology
proved to be a complete success,which is why the company is expanding its fleet accordingly: “All 101 buses
that we’re buying this year come with
DIWA.6 gearboxes and conform withEuro 6. And 96 of those vehicles will
have Stop-Start on them,” says
Saward.

38 reflectreflect 3

A new location for
quality products
Voith Turbo has a new Chinese headquarters.
The production site is fully equipped tomeet the needs of the Asia-Pacific markets.

To better cater to the Chineseand Asia-Pacific markets, Voith Turbo
has moved its headquarters in Shanghai to the newly built Lotus plant in the
Minhang District. On an area spanning
80,000 square meters a broad range of
products is manufactured. The
portfolio includes couplings and gearboxes for metro, light-rail, regional andhigh-speed trains. For buses andtrucks three different retarder types areproduced – one of which has been
specifically designed for the Chinese
market. “Most of our products are stilldeveloped in Germany but locally
adapted to the needs of the Asian markets,” explains Martin Wawra, Managing Director Voith Turbo China & CMO
APAC Mobility. Which means, for example, that the materials used arereadily available in the region. In thisway Voith Turbo China keeps in close
proximity to the value chain of its customers. “We are also in close exchange with our customers. If it becomes apparent that certain changes

China

Headquarters
ShanghaiArumque molupta demosam inciamusam apiciis eatenienis doloria tisitestis as aut molut inulla
solorum vid quibus es autas etquos expla si que quibu

are needed to fit their needs, we develop the necessary adaptation together
with them locally,” says Wawra. All in
keeping with the high quality standards
Voith is known for all over the world.
A high need for mobility solutions
With yearly growth rates of 7% China is
an important market – especially for“Most products arestill developed inGermany but locally
adapted to the needsof the Asian markets.”
Martin Wawra
Managing Director Voith Turbo
China & CMO APAC Mobility

the mobility sector. “The cities are still
experiencing significant increases in
population,” Wawra says. “In metropolises like Shanghai, up to 50,000 peo-

The new Lotus plant in the Minhang
district in Shanghai.

ple inhabit a space of just one square
kilometer in the inner city.” It is needless to say that it would be unthinkableto fit cars for everyone into the same
space. “The only solution is good public transport infrastructures in the cities,
which include buses, metro and lightrail as well as regional and high-speed
trains,” says Wawra. “How to establish
a truly efficient infrastructure is a
muchdiscussed topic here. And we wantto support our customers in finding
the right solutions.”

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In cooperation with: C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH, Heiligegeistkirchplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany.
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may any of the content in it be used in part or in whole in other works in any form whatsoever, without express written
permission of the editor. Photos: Cover: Hokolo 3D, p. 5: C3 Visual Lab, p. 7: Dominik Gigler, p. 8, 9: Fotolia, p. 16:
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The future city concept study“Aequorea” designed by Vincent
Callebaut Architectures, Paris.

q &aquestions andanswers
What will cities andmobility solutions look
like in a hundred years?
Trend researcher
Christian Rauch fromthe Zukunftsinstitut(Future Institute)provides a glimpse into
what may be.

Schifferdecker, p. 34: Maground, p. 35: iStockphoto, p. 39: Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Martin Joppen
Photographie. All other photos are from Voith.

voith.com

ontrack N° 01.2017

N° 01.2017 ontrack

How do you envision thecity of the future? They will be highly
condensed – growing upwards withroof terraces and vertical farming
plants. I also imagine that they willgrow closer to the water again, maybe
even into it. We are already seeing the
beginnings of this in cities like Copenhagen, Oslo or New York. In general,
cities will be able to make use of spacequite differently, we will experience new
public spaces through the disappearance of office space, simply becauseof the continuing structural change ofthe economy. There will also be a lot
more traffic-calmed, pedestrian-friendly
areas.
What about public andprivate transport? Individual transport
will still be important. But it will merge
more and more with public transport.
This will be a continuation of what isalready happening with developments
like car sharing. However, there will
be an even greater variety of mobility

systems like shared electric scooters in
the inner cities or microcarriers. There
will be a shift from privately owned vehicles towards a very fluid, seamless
mobility. Digitalization will be the enabler, so that different modes of transportation will be interconnected. It is
feasible that buses, minibuses andmicrocarriers interlink for certain
stretches, making traffic more efficient,and then separate to pick up or drop
off people. I also think that drones as
flying taxis will become a staple – notas a mass transport system but as ameans to connect cities and their environs. And maybe there will even be hyperloops connecting the larger cities.
It has been estimated thatfour-fifths of the world population
will live in cities in a hundred years.
How will they all be supplied? This isindeed one of the greatest challenges
we face – how to supply the growing
cities in a sustainable and climateneutral manner. It is difficult because
today’s highly optimized supply chainsare starting to become part of the
problem rather than the solution. But
new technologies for food production
may solve part of this. If we will be able
to produce substantial amounts via
vertical farming or in-vitro meat, a lot offood transports could becomesuperfluous, as locally produced products would be readily available.

Welcometo the Next
150 Years