Gearbox test rig for Porsche - Kleinknecht

Quality is essential, also for the generation of offshore wind energy. One of the reasons
why Steelwind Nordenham ® banks exclusively on Graebener machines.
update
2 · 2012
www.graebener-group.com
Graebener machines ensure most modern
production
Gearbox test rig for Porsche
H. Kleinknecht GmbH & Co.
KG recently secured the order
for two large test rigs for Porsche
gears from Volkswagen
AG. After having supplied
Kleinknecht products to VW,
Seat, Skoda, Audi and Lamborghini,
the Lohfelden-based
company provides yet another
automobile manufacturer of
the Volkswagen Group with
end-of-line test rigs for automatic
gearboxes.
“The test rig for the Porsche
gearbox is a further development
of previously supplied
test rigs,“ Carsten Gude – Sales
Executive at Kleinknecht
Lohfelden – explains.
The most important innovative
feature is the application of
two rest bus simulations.
Gude: “Two rest bus simulations
and hence two different
communication channels are
required because, in the case
of Porsche gearboxes, we also
have to test the four wheel
drive equipped with an automatic
limited slip differential.“
A test rig consists of more
than 1,000 individual parts.
„Without counting the
nuts and bolts,“ says
Steelwind Nordenham
® recently
placed the order
for all bending and
milling machines
with the company
Gräbener Maschinentechnik
GmbH
& Co. KG.
As a subsidiary
of the company
AG der Dillinger
Hüttenwerke,
Europe‘s leading
manufacturer of
thick plates, Steelwind
Nordenham ®
New generation also simulates automatic limited slip differential
The Graebener Group Magazine
Steelwind Nordenham ® placed the order for all bending
and milling machines with the Siegerland-based company
Gude. The level of vertical integration
is “extremely high“.
PLC, digital multiple machine
control, test rig automation
(DH Nordenham Projekt
GmbH), is currently being
established and is scheduled
to start the production
of monopiles as the
foundation structure of
offshore wind towers in
spring of 2014.
“Since Steelwind‘s main
focus is on quality and
productivity,“ explains the
Management of Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, „we
are very proud that they
rely exclusively on our
machines for the forming
and milling processes.“
system, gear control via
CAN, automatic loading
via moving tables and
quick feed oil management
system.
continued on page 3
GMT decides not to
send out Christmas
presents and cards
Christmas time – time for presents.
This year, Gräbener Maschinentechnik
has, for the first
time, decided to break with the
tradition to send out presents
to customers and business
partners as a show of appreciation
for the good cooperation.
Instead, Gräbener Maschinentechnik
will donate substantial
amounts to charitable and social
institutions, especially the
Catholic Charitable Foundation
Siegen-Wittgenstein.
The special machine manufacturer
has also decided to skip
the usual Christmas cards for
2012. This year, customers will
receive informative Christmas
greetings with the new edition
of the company magazine “update“
summarizing the company
group‘s events over the last
months. The management and
the employees of Gräbener
Maschinentechnik would like to
take this opportunity to wish all
customers and business partners
a merry Christmas and all
the best for the year 2013!
Contents
Orders for four additional
10-roll straightening machines
page 4
Completion of first major
project after renaming
page 13
Order for the retrofit of a pipe
mill page 2

2 3
Editorial Dr. Theodor Gräbener
Dear customers, dear friends,
A very successful year 2012
is drawing to an end. For
the German machine building
industry, this year has
been extremely busy, even
surpassing the last economic
upswing in 2008. But:
our economic experts are
predicting a dramatic slowdown
for 2013. Prominent
voices like the SMS Chief
Executive Heinrich Weiss even expect another crisis for
2013 and the following years, which may be more severe
and last longer than the one of 2009.
We are delighted that our customers, in spite of these
negative prognoses, believe in the sustainability of their
planning and continue to invest.
As a result, we were able to book a large order from
the German offshore wind tower sector, which received
major attention worldwide, and also an order from Mexico
for the expansion and technical retrofi t of a pipe mill.
Our ongoing innovations in the sector of alternative energies
and drive concepts are progressing as planned. The
fi rst gear test bench for an electric motor / gear combination
was delivered. The fuel cell stack as Range Extender
for an electric vehicle, which was developed within the
framework of the project “BREEZE“, has already cleared
the fi rst realization hurdle: during its fi rst run at the ZBT
Duisburg, the small precursory stack has already achieved
70 % of the target performance. All parties involved
were pleasantly surprised.
The successful exhibition “Euroblech“ has proved us
right in our belief that the hydroforming sector is facing a
renaissance. In 2012, our own prototyping presses have
been utilized to full capacity. A series of development
tasks is waiting to be tackled and will give us further impetus
for this technology.
Our Joint Venture in China has come through the fi rst
test as well. The Reika project for a large pipe fi nishing
line is right on schedule and shows the high effi ciency of
the Chinese industry. We are grateful to have found such
a capable partner there.
In addition to this, we would like to thank our customers
and the friends of the Graebener Group for the successful
cooperation and their trust during the past year. We
promise to keep up the special service and support.
Finally, we hope that our decision to donate to the Catholic
Charitable Foundation Siegen-Wittgenstein instead
of sending out the usual Christmas cards and presents
meets with your approval.
To conclude, I hope that you will enjoy reading this current
edition of “update“. I am quite certain that we have
some interesting news to report.
Sincerely,
Theo Gräbener
Gräbener Maschinentechnik
retrofi ts pipe mill
Two new machines plus the retrofi t
of three other machines for Tubacero
Two new machines and
the retrofi t of three further
already existing machines –
this major order was placed
with Gräbener Maschinentechnik
by the Mexican
pipe manufacturer Tubacero
in Monterrey. The order includes
the construction of
a pipe forming press and
a continuous root tacking
machine as well as the retrofi
t of a pipe forming press,
a pull-through plate edge
milling machine and a long
seam milling machine at the
Tubacero workshop in Tampico.
This order has quite a long
history. In 2007, a Mexican
company installed a new
SAW plant using the JCO
process with a 6,000 t
press, Submerged Arc Welding,
Mechanical Expansion
with capacity to produce
API pipes from 20” to 60”
diameter. Tubacero acquired
the company mid 2011,
made an evaluation of its
capacity and made a plan to
improve quality and production
capacity. Tubacero asked Graebener
for support and for this
new challenge.
After a technical inspection and
inventory by Graebener it was
clear: the pull-through plate
edge milling machine will be
retrofi tted and automated. The
existing 6,000 t pipe forming
press will be automated partially
and the production line will
be supplemented by a 3,000 t
pipe forming press.
In the end, the 6,000 t press
will be used for the forming
of pipes with large wall thick-
ness; the 3,000 t press will
produce pipes with smaller
wall thickness. In this context,
word had already spread that
a similar 3,000 t press delivered
by Graebener to a pipe
manufacturer in Malaysia was
one of the fastest and most
productive worldwide. This
press design with its narrow
bending sword allows the
operator to extract the bending
sword completely from
the pipe after the bending process.
In case of materials with
increased spring back, the remaining
gap in the open seam
pipe can be closed in a subsequent
operation. Using these
two presses, Tubacero will be
able to increase their capacity
considerably.
The existing tack welding machine
will be substituted by
a Graebener continuous root
tacking machine. Since this
new machine only uses lateral
pressure rollers, the machine
operator can easily monitor the
tacking process.
The 6,000 t pipe forming press
will be completely overhauled
and partly automated.
The retrofi t of the pipe mill will
be completed by the installation
of a new milling support
according to Graebener standards
at the existing long seam
milling machine. This support
will be mounted to the existing
machine bed and will substitute
the support of the original
manufacturer.
A quick assembly and
dismantling of the unit
on fl oor level allows
mobile applications.
Continued from page 1
These are just a few of the
key components which build
up the complex structure of
a test system. However
complex, they considerably
simplify the operation.
The function of the test rig
can also be described as
“quite simple”:
Via an existing fully automatic
conveyor technology, the
gearbox to be tested lying
on a workpiece carrier is
transported to the test rig.
The workpiece carrier is
equipped with an RFID data
tag. The RFID tag contains
the specifi c gearbox data,
such as petrol or diesel motor,
front wheel drive or four
wheel drive, operational platform
car etc.
As soon as the gearbox has
reached the test rig, the data
tag information is read and
the gearbox is clamped and
aligned by the specifi c adaptation
points. Then, the fully
automatic fi nal testing is
started according to the
customer‘s specifi cation.
The test rig is equipped with
a direct input/output drive
concept by means of water
cooled asynchronous AC machines.
All machines and
also the input and output
drive trains can be adjusted
via NC axes. “The feed drive
and the load drive modules
are of modular design and
very fl exible,“ reports Gude.
“This facilitates a later modifi
cation of the entire machine
for another gearbox type
of the same model.“
EDT test bench for
small series production
and research
purposes generates
a lot of interest
H. Kleinknecht & Co. GmbH
has been well established in
the roll texturing market, i. e.
Electrical Discharge Texturing
(short EDT), for many years.
At fi rst, the company acted as
supplier of
electric control
systems
as well as
supplier of
the generatortechnology
for
EDT machines. But for some
time now, Kleinknecht has also
been building complete EDT
machines. Two customers have
already purchased the new and
innovative Kleinknecht EDT
machine (as reported in the
last edition of “update“).
A main decisive factor for their
investment certainly was the
wealth of innovations which
continuously enhance the
texturing process. Due to improved
texturing quality, the
customers will benefi t from a
competitive edge in the automotive
market.
Small EDT test
bench designed for
R & D purposes
The core components of the
new Kleinknecht EDT machine
were subject to long-term and
rigorous tests. The numerous
innovations completed their
journey from the drawing board
Testing machine
becomes top seller
to the fi nished product ready
for marketing and mass production.
An EDT test bench was
built especially
for research and
development purposes
– of course
painted in the
usual “Kleinknecht
orange“. This test
machine was used
to fi ne-tune the new linear motors
as well as to test a new
generator generation. In addition
to this, the modular design
of the “small“ EDT machine
also had to meet the technological
production requirements:
1…8 electrodes and
their respective linear drives
can be installed in order to
texture rolls with a diameter
of up to 400 mm and a length
of up to 400 mm. Even an extension
of the range by means
of further electrodes and the
installation of a wider working
tank will be possible and has
technically been allowed for.
The concept of the well-proven
oscillation mechanism and the
axially fi xed electrode drives
has been transferred to the
large machine as well. The test
bench is also equipped with a
mini fi ltering unit for the dielectric
oil. As a result, technological
studies of the texturing process
can be conducted using
various dielectric fl uids.
Another highlight: the mobility.
A quick assembly and dismantling
of the unit on fl oor level
allows a mobile application, something
that might be interesting
for many end users.
In terms of roughness, peak
count, waviness and roughnessdistribution
in
profi le, the
textured roll
surfaces are
absolutely
comparable
to the surfaces achieved with a
high-end production machine.
Test model
for small series
production
Various customers who have
already seen the R & D machine
show much interest in the
small roll texturing machine for
a small series processing of
technological surfaces. Kleinknecht
has already received
offi cial enquiries. So a machine
originally intended for in-house
testing purposes has become
The “small“ EDT machine
is suitable for the texturing of
equally small rolls.
a marketable product which
meets the customers‘ requirements
at all levels. There are
also enquiries for the application
of the Kleinknecht machine
in industrial research projects.
At the moment, the test
bench is installed in the Kleinknecht
workshop in Wilnsdorf-Wilden
(“Quartier Landeskrone“).
Since 2011, all
technological competences
of the Kleinknecht group have
been pooled in
this workshop
– such as the
technology for
gearbox test
rigs and the retrofi
t of machine tools.
The consistent strategic development
from a supplier of
electric control systems to a
supplier of own products in
niche markets – in combination
with the technological process
know-how – has proven to be
the right strategy for the future.
This also reinforces and
strengthens Kleinknecht‘s leading
position as global player in
the market of roll texturing.

4 5
Straightening machines are selling
like hotcakes Customers purchase another four lines from Reika GmbH & Co. KG
The success just does not
stop: This year‘s spring
edition of “update“ reported
that Reika GmbH
& Co KG secured several
orders for various tube
straightening machines.
Over the last six months,
the Hagen-based company
has received four more
orders for 10-roll straightening
machines.
The fi rst of these machines
was already delivered to Russia
in the beginning of October. A
second machine is currently
being transported there. The
third machine is built for the
French market and the fourth
is intended for the Chinese
market. All four machines were
purchased by renowned pipe
manufacturers as a replacement
of existing machines by
other manufacturers.
Andreas Zimball, Sales Manager
at Reika, explains why
these straightening machines
are such top sellers at the
moment: “Countries such as
France and China are investing
in nuclear power stations. The
duplex stainless steel tubes for
heat exchanger systems used
for such power stations must
be of the highest precision.“
The stainless steel tubes have
a length of up to 30 meters,
but the general tube diameter
only is up to 25 mm. In order to
meet the quality requirements
for such extremely sensitive
tubes, the machines are equipped
with the corresponding
technical features to ensure
fi nest accuracy and high precision.
“By the way, all Reika
machines offer high precision,
without any exceptions,“ vows
Zimball.
Main features of the roll
straightening machines built in
Hagen are robust, torsion and
vibration resistant steel frame
constructions, material saving
in- and outlet channels, individual
drives for the compensation
of the roller wear. The machines
also have a completely
closed and compact design in
order to meet the market‘s
requirements regarding noise
levels and environmental protection.
In addition to this, Reika
has chosen rollers with large
diameters for the straightening
machines in order to guarantee
a low-wear operation. The
maintenance free roller carriers
are clamped centrally so that
a precise angle and height ad-
The prospects for
roll straightening machine
are excellent.
justment without any backlash
is ensured. The company of
the Graebener Group has also
focused on optimum maintenance
and operation: thanks
to the design,
the interior of the
machine is easily
accessible without
any interfering
edges.
Reika and also the customers
fi rmly believe that this state-ofthe-art
machine design, which
is of course engineered using
most modern 3D CAD systems
High-precision
straightening
quality
Even though the tubes to be
straightened are quite small,
the machine dimension is
impressive.
and FEA simulations, eliminates
the fl aws of comparable
products by other competitors.
For example, the adjusting and
guiding components are protected
against
scales, dirt and
water in order to
prevent corrosion
and excessive
wear. The automatic,
self-learning and network-compatible
CNC machine
control, which ensures an optimum
operating comfort and
signifi cantly reduces the setup
times, is another decisive factor
for the customers.
For Reika, considering the
customers‘ needs and requirements
goes without saying.
Zimball: “All our straightening
machines aim at surpassing
the customers‘ expectations
regarding the highest straightening
accuracy.“ Therefore,
the customer can benefi t from
an increased material throughput.
“Our machines ensure a high
productivity,“ promises Zimbal.
“Especially the signifi cantly
increased precision concerning
the straightness of the
tubes and the elimination of
unstraightened tubes provide
the customers with an immediate
economic advantage so
that the return on investment
can be achieved within a very
short period of time.“ This promise
applies for all kinds of
tubes and materials: hot-rolled,
drawn, cold-pilgered or longitudinally
welded, with low and
high levels of material strength.
Guest article by Thomas Obert,
Bosch Rexroth
Low fuel consumption and
minimum exhaust emissions:
apart from the motor technology,
automobile manufacturers
mainly focus on the
reduction of vehicle weight.
For this purpose, new alloys
with smaller wall thickness
are a key factor. It is for this
reason that the hydroforming
is currently experiencing a renaissance.
Not only is there
an increased demand for new
machines, but the operators
also want to increase the
productivity of their existing
machines by using up-to-date
control systems. Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, as a manufacturer
of hydroforming
presses and operator of the
world‘s largest prototyping
press capacity with four
hydroforming presses, banks
on the Motion Logic Control
IndraMotion MLC by Rexroth
with already pre-defi ned
best-in-class controllers for
the hydraulic unit.
Graebener has assumed a pioneering
role by supplying the
entire value added chain of
the hydroforming technology,
from the customer‘s idea to
the simulation, engineering,
Older hydroforming presses can
easily be retrofi tted with the
hydroforming concept of
Gräbener Maschinentechnik and
Bosch Rexroth (small photo).
prototyping and small series
production and ultimately the
customized press. As machine
builder, Graebener was looking
for an automation which can be
integrated quickly and effi ciently
and which offers high functionality
for complex processes.
As machine operator with
a company-owned prototyping
center, Graebener expected
this automation
to reduce the
time necessary
for the development
and
testing of prototypes
and to provide condition
monitoring and high fl exibility.
As a basis for the new control
generation, Graebener
uses the Motion Logic Control
IndraMotion MLC by Rexroth.
The basis for this complete
control for hydraulic, electric
and hybrid drives is a compact
controller-based hardware. The
MLC integrates an open PLC
according to IEC 61131-3 with a
high-performance motion controller.
Up until now, two types
of control systems have been
used for hydroforming presses,
a primary PLC and a CNC
multiple axes control. The MLC
Increase in productivity
for new and existing machines
combines these two tasks
into one hardware. Advantage:
numerous best-in-class controllers
for the hydraulic system
are already integrated into the
software. They only need to be
parameterized. The control assumes
all controlling functions
of all hydraulic axes centrally
and communicates with the
axes via the real-time automation
bus
sercos. The
centralized
control offers
quick and direct
access to
the parameters for all axes and
increases the fl exibility of the
controller structure. Using the
engineering structure Indra-
Works, the development time
for the total automation could
be reduced signifi cantly.
Support for
the renaissance of
hydroforming
H. Kleinknecht & Co. GmbH
generated further functionalities
via a sequential programming
which was developed by
Rexroth exclusively for electrohydraulic
system solutions. The
user can handle cyclical and sequential
tasks using a common
language. Only a few commands
are necessary for the
programming of sequences.
Well-proven basis – modern
automation design
Example: the 2,500 t hydroforming
press, which is operated
by Graebener in the companyowned
prototyping center, is
designed for the operation of
eight tool control axes and two
pressure intensifi ers. The press
ram as controlled axis allows a
pre-forming of the pre-material
applied. This allows the realization
of indentations at the component
without a prior bending
process and helps reduce wrinkling.
All control axes are operated
via digital axes controllers
in a closed control circuit. Each
control axis can be operated
position respectively pressure
controlled in dependence
of another axis. Apart from
the standard functions of the
position and force regulation
in limitation control, the MLC
offer functions such as curve
processing s/x, p/t, s/p and F/p.
On request, these dependencies
can change multiple times
during a product cycle.
The actual process sequence
program with the visualization
for the operator is comprised
in the independent visualizati-
on PressPro ® 3 by Graebener.
Due to the open interfaces and
programming standards of the
MLC, the user can develop his
forming processes quickly and
independently.
In Graebener‘s PressPro ® 3,
input, output and control functionality
are strictly separated.
The visualization records the
entered data regarding the description
of the machine, the
tool and the process. While doing
so, the software verifi es the
logic of the entry. The process
data are defi ned in a comprehensive
step sequence. From
this sequence, the operator selects
the steps relevant for his
process. ››

6 7
›› Low life cycle costs
In addition to this, an intelligent
hydraulic pump management
signifi cantly improves
the energy effi ciency. Via an
operating matrix, the operator
can parameterize the pump
setpoint values as required by
the process. Hence, the pumps
only generate as much energy
as is needed by the individual
process.
Another important regulating
variable is the availability of the
machine. Using a condition monitoring
for important components
and modules, the operator
can detect dangerous wear
before a failure occurs.
The tool WinView integrated
into IndraWorks records all PLC
and process variables in real
time in up to 100 channels and
continuously saves them on a
PC. This allows long-term recordings
for a machine, simplifi es
the analysis of sporadic errors
and, as a result, expedites the
restart after malfunctions.
Conclusion: by means of this
new control generation, Graebener
combines all the benefi
ts of the hydroforming
process with an up-to-date and
very economic automation.
The last edition of this
magazine already reported
that the Graebener Group
One RingSaw ® is just the beginning
Internationally renowned pipe manufacturer makes fundamental decision
to go with the Reika concept
The superior concept
of Reika‘s revolutionary
RingSaw ® wins over more
and more users in the global
market. Just recently,
the Hagen-based company
secured another order for a
stationary saw based
on the concept of
the “RingSaw ® “
from one of the
world‘s largest
pipe manufacturers.
This customer
intends to use
the machine for
cutting high-precision
tubes according to
API standard with a diameter
of up to 180 mm which are
used for the production of
sleeves in the sector of oilfi
eld applications.
“It is precisely this demand
for extreme cutting accuracy
that convinced the customer
to go with the RingSaw ®
concept.“ Andreas Zimball,
Sales Manage at Reika is pleased.
Prior to his decision, the
customer was able to conduct
long-term tests with the machine
in Hagen. “Not only that
the test results were extremely
satisfactory for the customer,
we could also determine the
optimum machine confi gura-
Graebener Group steps up activities in China
Company group enters Joint Venture with Tangshan Kaiyuan Autowelding Systems
intended to step up the activities
in China by entering a
Joint Venture with Tangshan
Kaiyuan Autowelding Systems.
The only thing missing at that
time was the signature to the
Formal signing of the Joint Venture contract (from left to right): Dr. Theodor Gräbener (Gräbener Maschinentechnik),
Shen Yahui (Tangshan Kaiyuan Autowelding), Dieter Kapp (Gräbener Maschinentechnik), Hans-Jörg
Braun (Reika). In the background: Chen Li Ming (employee of the Graebener Group China), Andreas Zimball
(Reika), Fabian Kapp and Henning Hofmann (both Gräbener Maschinentechnik).
contract which would make
the Joint Venture between
Gräbener Maschinentechnik,
Reika and Tangshan Kaiyuan
Autowelding Systems
offi cial. In June, the
Joint Venture contract
was signed by the Managing
Directors of the
partnering companies.
Strictly speaking, the
Joint Venture already
existed prior to the signing
of the contract. Several
machines, especially
those of the Reika product
range, have already
been built by Kaiyuan
with the support from
tion using actual material of
the customer,“ reports Zimball.
Hence, the pipe manufacturer
was quickly won over by
the Reika concept of a cutting
head which orbits the stationary
workpiece, thus providing
considerable advantages
such as cutting
with little burr, high
effi ciency with increased
throughput etc.
Andreas Zimball is
certain that this will
not be the only stationary
saw to be sold
to the company. “The
customer‘s decision in favor
of our concept was a fundamental
one – for economic
reasons. Consecutive orders
for more machines will certainly
follow.“
The perfect cutting result was one of
the main reasons why the customer decided
to go with the RingSaw ® concept.
Germany and placed successfully
in the Chinese
market.
The aim of this Joint Venture
is to increase the activities
of Reika and Gräbener
Maschinentechnik on
the Chinese market and to
work this market together
with the new partner. Kaiyuan
not only sets high
standards in terms of product
quality. The company
with approximately 1,000
employees also has a very
comprehensive and effi -
cient sales and service network
in all of the Chinese
provinces.
Car traffi c on hydrogen basis is feasible
Guest article by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Stolten, Director of the Institute for Energy
and Climate Research at the Forschungszentrum Jülich
Over the last few years, fuel cells
have achieved much progress
even though this fact so far has
not gained much attention. After
having shown the principle feasibility
of fuel cells at the end of the
last decade, the major achievement
of the following years was
proving an application-oriented
and sometimes even fully operational
service life of these fuel
cells – while at the same time
reducing the costs to an application-relevant
level. This does not
mean that the target costs have
been reached, but in many cases
the fi eld test stage is right around
the corner.
Especially in the automotive
sector, many companies have
already reached a high implementation
level. In 2013, Hyundai
plans to sell
approximately
2,000 vehicles
equipped
with the fuel
cell technology
for a unit price of 88,000 $
(≈ 68,000 a). Toyota will follow
suit in 2014 and will offer a license
of their fuel cell technology to
other automobile manufacturers
worldwide. Daimler indicates the
market entry for 2015/2016 and
is currently building a factory near
Vancouver, Canada, for the small
series production of fuel cell units
carried out by the company AFCC
which is managed in cooperation
with Ford. In addition to this,
Honda, Opel/GM, Nissan and
Ford are working on the introduc-
Battery driven
vehicles most likely
niche products
tion of fuel cell vehicles. All these
activities are based on successful
fi eld tests conducted by the
various companies. According to
studies by the American Ministry
of Energy DOE, the costs for a
fuel cell system currently amount
to 49 $ per kilowatt installed
power in case of mass production,
that is approximately
5,000 $ per vehicle. Additional
costs for the tank need to be considered.
These additional costs,
however, according to today‘s
technical standards, are similar to
those for a diesel hybrid vehicle.
Should these introductions be
successful, the actual work for
the suppliers will only be beginning.
Further improvements of
major components like membranes,
electrodes and separator
plates will and
must result in a
further increase
of operating life,
effi ciency and
a decrease of
costs. In addition to his, many
design and process options and
challenges will arise for the supplying
industries in the fi eld of
periphery components such as
pumps, compressors, sensors or
control systems. At the moment,
the hydrogen consumption of
fuel cell vehicles is approximately
1 kg per 100 km, which corresponds
to 3.3 l diesel consumption
per 100 km. The next generations
for the market introduction
will have a hydrogen consumption
of approximately 0.7 kg per
Conference “Transition
to new Energy Systems“
Anyone interested in the topic “transition to sustainable
energy systems“ is invited by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Stolten
to the conference of the same name, taking place in Frankfurt
am Main from June 3 to 6, 2013. This third international
conference regarding energy process engineering will provide
representatives from research, private business sector
and politics with the latest information on new technologies
with regard to the transformation of our energy system to
sustainable energies. www.icepe2013.com.
100 km, i. e. approx. 2.3 l diesel
consumption per 100 km.
Major advantages of fuel cell vehicles,
however, are the range of
currently approximately 400 to
500 km and a refueling within
just a few minutes. Therefore,
fuel cell vehicles are able to provide
a mobility which is up to the
current level, whereas battery
driven vehicles only have a range
of 150 to 200 km. In winter
time, the range of battery driven
vehicles even decreases to only
50 km. The recharging process of
such vehicles lasts several hours.
From today‘s perspective, there
will be a certain number of battery
driven vehicles. This number,
however, will most likely
only represent a market niche.
Hyundai has drawn the logical
consequence and has skipped
the battery technology for vehicles
entirely in order to focus
on fuel cells. Other automobile
manufacturers such as Daimler
are more cautious and still follow
a two-pronged strategy with
both, battery as well as fuel cell
technology.
How, then, could this progress
be achieved, when the fuel cells
have gone so far out of the public
eye? It is a fact that fuel cells had a
rather negative public image after
the premature promises of a market
introduction in 2004. Very interesting,
however, is the fact that
the industries did not reduce the
efforts regarding the development
of fuel cells in that year, nor did
they do so in the following years.
Fuel cells require hydrogen. And
hydrogen is not something that
is universally available. Compared
to the electricity infrastructure, a
hydrogen infrastructure is more
often than not discarded without
more profound consideration, for
such a hydrogen infrastructure
would be a new thing. Studies at
the Institute for Electrochemical
Process Technologies in Jülich
(IEK-3, formerly known as Institute
for Fuel Cells) show that a
hydrogen infrastructure would
be feasible and affordable. Ap-
proximately 50,000 km pipeline
would be necessary in
order to ensure full coverage
for the German gas station
network. A relatively small
number compared to the
443,000 km of gas pipelines
for the natural gas grid. This
would lead to investments
of approximately 20 to 25 billion
a in comparison to the
investment of 36 billion a
for the German natural gas grid
which has been made entirely by
the private sector since 1995. If
a mostly sustainable power supply
is the target – which is the
only way to achieve the intended
80 % CO reduction by 2050
2
while at the same time doing
without nuclear energy – then the
chemical gas storage is the only
feasible solution for the mass
storage of surplus electricity.
BREEZE! – Fuel Cell Range Extender (7/2011–7/2014)
Development Seperator Plates
Sponsored by:
Stack simulation
Development aux. modules
Development coatings
System design
Vehicle integration
Development of a 30 kW Range Extender module for electric vehicles
Emission-free long-term mobility
High efficiency
Reduced system and operating costs
optimized stack and system concept
application of automotive components
Low noise emission
Waste heat utilization for climate control
Refueling within only a few minutes
no mass production of electrolysers
today, the cost reduction
should be achievable for alkaline
electrolysers merely by applying
mass production. This area provides
another large market for
suppliers of comparable products
as well as of fuel cells.
Conclusion: fuel cells for the
transport are on the verge of a
market launch. Sustainable ener-
Stack development and tests
System simulation
Vehicle package
219_Breeze_Print.indd 1 23.11.2012 11:01:08
Gräbener Maschinentechnik, within the scope of the project “BREEZE“
(Fuel Cell Range Extender Electronic Vehicle – Zero Emission), contributes
signifi cantly to the feasibility of car traffi c on hydrogen basis.
Moreover, this calls for a water
electrolysis in order to generate
hydrogen from electricity, a well
known and well tested technology
for the chemical feedstock
hydrogen. The dynamics of the
surplus electricity and the necessary
price reductions to about
a quarter of today‘s sales price
are the major challenges for the
electricity storage. Since there is
gies need storage systems which
meet the requirements of both,
hydrogen storage and transport
sector. These technologies allow
a signifi cant CO reduction and
2
an economic utilization of the
surplus electricity. All data regarding
a hydrogen infrastructure for
vehicles show that a conversion
to car traffi c on hydrogen basis is
feasible.

8 9
Main focus on Hydroforming
Huge interest in customized solutions at the EUROBLECH
“Our decision to focus on the
hydroforming technology at
the exhibition EUROBLECH
was spot on.“ This is the brief
summary given by Torsten
Adam, Sales Manager for
the hydroforming sector at
Gräbener Maschinentechnik.
“Even though many customers
were surprised by the fact that
we decided to only show this
small section of our product
range in detail, our innovative
booth design drew much attention
and even attracted new
potential customers.“ These
customers have realized that
Graebener, as provider of the
entire value added chain in the
hydroforming sector, is the
ideal supplier of special customized
solutions. Therefore,
they deliberately visited the
Graebener booth in hall 27.
The value added chain, i. e.
the full range of products and
services in the hydroforming
sector, was clearly visible
for all the visitors, even from
a great distance: from the
customer‘s idea to the simulation,
engineering and prototyping
respectively the small
The Graebener booth turned out to be a major customer magnet. Admittedly, the booth design with the highperformance
fountain “Jumping Jet“ and the two touch screens, which provided the customer with detailed
information regarding the hydroforming technology and the entire value added chain offered by Graebener,
was the most prominent feature and main attraction.
series production up to the
customized press tailor-made
for the operator. Torsten Adam:
“This is a very unique feature
in the market.“ An important
feature! In view of the reviving
hydroforming sector, more and
more customers are searching
for special customized solutions.
“And this solution is exactly
what we can offer them,“
explained Torsten Adam.
The scope of services comprises
feasibility studies, forming
simulations, four hydroforming
presses for prototyping
purposes and small
series production and fi nally
the customized machine concept
including a perfectly attuned
control and visualization.
Apart from the considerable
demand for hydroforming solutions,
Gräbener Maschinentechnik
also registered various
Joint Venture at the TUBE China
Gräbener Maschinentechnik, Reika and Kaiyuan exhibiting together for the fi rst time
In June, the Joint Venture contract
was signed between the
Graebener Group and Tangshan
Kaiyuan Autowelding
Systems. In September, two
group companies, Gräbener
Maschinentechnik and Reika,
were exhibitors at the TUBE
China in Shanghai, for the fi rst
time on a joint booth with Kaiyuan.
Together, these three
companies presented their
well-proven and ever increasing
competences in the fi eld
of machine building, especially
concerning their increased
sales and service capacities
for the Chinese market. With
much success, since many
Chinese customers visited the
joint booth.
At the exhibition in the Shanghai
New International Expo
Centre, the three companies
showed their latest developments
in the pipe sector. Traditionally,
Gräbener Maschinentechnik
focused on the presentation
of their internationally
renowned know-how regarding
machines for the production
of LSAW pipes for the
pipeline and offshore industry.
Remark-ably, Graebener has
also gained an excellent reputation
in China for their hydroforming
know-how. Therefore,
the booth staff in hall E1 regis-
tered several very interesting
enquiries for this business
sector.
For Reika, the main focus of
the visiting customers were
machines for the production
and processing of seamless
oil fi eld tubes and precision
tubes for the automotive
industry – for example the
latest generation of multiple
roll straightening machines,
the (Compact-)RingSaw ®
which received worldwide attention,
cut-off machines or fi -
nishing lines. These products
continue their success in the
market which could be registered
during the last months.
enquiries for other products,
for example high-quality circ
and long seam milling machines
built by the global market
leader, plate edge milling
machines or other machines
for the manufacturing of large
LSAW pipes. Even customers
from the shipbuilding sector,
which is said to be struggling
at the moment, visited the EU-
ROBLECH and the Graebener
booth in order to gather information
on the modern production
technologies for passenger
ships.
All in all, the exhibition was a
resounding success for Graebener,
which is also refl ected
by numerous enquiries in the
area of component development,
small series production,
retrofi ts and entire hydroforming
lines.
For the fi rst time, the three Joint Venture partners
Gräbener Maschinentechnik, Reika and Tangshan
Kaiyuan Autowelding Systems presented
their competences at a joint exhibition booth.
Economic tailwind
Companies of the Graebener Group “more than satisfi ed“ with the feedback at the exhibition TUBE in Düsseldorf
“More than satisfactory.“ This
was the unanimous conclusion
of the companies Reika
GmbH & Co. KG, Gräbener
Maschinentechnik GmbH & Co.
KG and H. Kleinknecht & Co.
GmbH for the exhibition TUBE
in Düsseldorf. All three companies
of the Graebener Group
were among the 1,184 exhibitors
from 48 countries at the
international trade fair for pipe
manufacturing, processing and
application.
“The response was overwhelming,“
explains Andreas
Zimball, Sales Manager at
Reika. After already having set
a milestone in 2010 with the
RingSaw ® , its trademark, the
white shark, had a tremendous
recognition value this year. The
Hagen-based company again
exhibited a RingSaw ® . This
time, however, in a compact
design. The Reika engineers
had implemented the revolutio-
At the f-cell, separator
plates manufactured by
Graebener were the main
focus once again.
It was a new feature. But
Achim Edelmann, Area Manager
New Technologies at
Gräbener Maschinentechnik,
thinks that combining the conferences
and exhibitions f-cell
and Battery+Storage to a single
event was a wise decision.
“Since the summer of 2011,
we have, for example, been
working on a fuel cell system
nary RingSaw ® technology into
their compact machine series
and broadened the product range
which can be produced with
these space saving machines.
It was not only the concept of
the RingSaw ® with its cutting
head orbiting the component
which was a customer magnet
at the Reika booth, the entire
product range of the manufac-
Recognizable
renaissance
of hydroforming
turer for machines and systems
for tube mills and tube processing
industries experienced
great interest as well. One customer
even signed an LOI for a
complete production line after
his visit to the booth. Another
customer ordered two cut-off
machines shortly after the exhibition.
Andreas Zimball is cer-
module which will considerably
increase the range of a FIAT
500 with electro-drive. This development
is part of the project
‘BREEZE, Fuel Cell Range Extender
– Zero Emission‘ sponsored
by North-Rhine Westphalia.“
Therefore, the event
perfectly covers these two
complementary sectors regarding
a holistic energy concept.
tain that this is not the end of
the story yet. “Our numerous
in-depth discussions will result
in some other projects.“
“Numerous in-depth discussions“
could also be reported
by Torsten Adam, Sales Engineer
at Gräbener Maschinentechnik.
“Above all, we
noticed a renaissance
of the hydroforming
sector with many enquiries
of long standing
and potential customers
who came to our
booth on a daily basis.“
The hydroforming sector
is one of the core
competences of Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, that has,
however, been going through
a recession for many years.
According to Torsten Adam, the
company also registered several
enquiries for pipe production
and pipe processing equipment
from entire pipe mills to indivi-
dual machines especially from
the offshore sector.
Christoph Hauck, Managing Director
of Kleinknecht, reported
a “positive atmosphere“ at the
TUBE. “The order situation is
still favorable, the number of
enquiries, however, is decrea-
“Optimistic anticipation“
clearly recognizable
teries and fuel cells are equally
necessary and important for future
energy concepts.
The number of experts assembled
at the exhibition in Stuttgart
in October is a clear sign
that there is a demand for an interlinked
holistic system which
implements a large variety of
energy sources, considers various
energy storage options
with different energy carriers
and distributing systems and
ensures a reliable energy supply
for stationary, mobile and
portable applications.
For a large-scale implementation
of fuel cell vehicles, there
are, among other things, simply
not enough fi lling stations
sing.“ According to Hauck, it is
already palpable that the capacity
utilization situation has deteriorated
for some bigger companies.
But the order situation
of medium-sized companies is
still positive. This is the direction
from which Kleinknecht is
currently receiving the tailwind.
Fuel cell plays an important part in tomorrow‘s energy supply
According to Edelmann, the
number of visitors and their
enquiries at the Graebener
booth were a clear sign that
the role of hydrogen, fuel cells
and batteries in the conversion
to a sustainable energy supply
system is contemplated intensively.
Not only in the automotive
sector. In this respect, an
“optimistic anticipation“ could
be observed among the more
than 3,000 visitors and 142 exhibitors
from 16 countries. Apparently,
this very specialized
exhibition program has also
sparked substantial public interest.
The combination of the
topics batteries and storage
solutions has shown that bat-
available at the moment. Since
automobile manufacturers will
not introduce these vehicles
to the market unless the hydrogen
supply can be ensured,
the expansion of the fi lling station
network will have to be the
fi rst step. Currently, there are
around 30 hydrogen fi lling stations
in Germany, but only 15
of them are accessible to the
public. According to Edelmann,
the exhibition has provided impressive
evidence that there
are vehicles – cars and busses
– already driven by reliable fuel
cells. “Gräbener Maschinentechnik
will continue to play an
active part in this area.“

10 11
With the Compact-
RingSaw ® , individual tool
concepts are applied in a
user oriented way.
Mechanical engineering
in absolute perfection
Compact-RingSaw® perfected for the
customer‘s requirements using long-term tests
Prior to the delivery, a product
has to be perfectly attuned to
the needs of the customer. This
creed of Reika GmbH & Co. KG
also applies for the Compact-
RingSaw ® . The machine, equipped
with a cutting head orbiting
Achim Edelmann, Area Manager
New Technologies at
Gräbener Maschinentechnik,
was elected Chairman
of the Friends‘ Association
of the ZBT by the general
meeting. For the fi rst time,
an employee of a medium-
the fi xed workpiece, is currently
undergoing long-term tests
in Hagen in close cooperation
with the customer in order ensure
a perfect optimization in
terms of process reliability and
user orientation.
sized company takes the chair
of the Friends‘ Association.
Dr. Frank Koch of the Network
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen NRW
now is Vice Chairman and Treasurer.
“One of the main goals of the
non-profi t research and development
service provider ZBT
is to support German mediumsized
companies in the area of
the new energy technologies,“
explains Dr. Peter Beckhaus,
Head of the department Fuel
Cell and System Technology at
the ZBT. “Especially in the sec-
Since the machine is intended
for high-class and very
complicated applications, the
long-term tests are conducted
using various, mostly highquality
materials available on
the current market. Individual
tor of the fuel cell technology,
there are many German medium-sized
companies which
play a leading international role
in the sector of vendor components
and the implementation
of application products.“
Therefore, the commitment
and dedication of the mediumsized
companies is all the more
important and has to be appreciated.
By assuming an active role in
the Friends‘ Association of the
ZBT, Gräbener Maschinentechnik
underscores the willingness
to sponsor industry and
tool concepts, which can be
applied in combination with the
basic machine according to the
customer‘s requirements, are
the result of these long-term
tests. In the end, the customer
receives a typical Reika pro-
application oriented support for
the research and development
by medium-sized companies.
As a non-profi t and application
oriented research and development
institute, ZBT sees itself
as partner and service provider
for the realization of new energy
technologies. About 100
scientifi c technical employees
work in a project-oriented manner
in the fi elds of fuel cells,
hydrogen technology, batteries
and systems.
The purpose of the Friends‘
Association is the support of
duct: a stable and strong hightech
machine with an excellent
tool concept and high effi ciency
providing the customer with
a competitive edge for many
years.
GMT employee elected Chairman of the Friends‘
Association of the Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT)
Achim Edelmann is the fi rst employee of a medium-sized company
to lead the Friends‘ Association of the Center for Fuel Cell Technology
research and development in
the sector of fuel cell technology
at the ZBT, such as for
example help fi nding industrial
partners and customers
for research projects. The
association also supports
the ZBT with the scheduling
of its research and development
program, the applications
for sponsorships or
other comparable funds for
the research of the ZBT, public
relations, the organization
of events and the management
of in-house research
projects.
High-precision measuring technology
for high-precision hydroforming
Using 3D measuring units,
Gräbener Maschinentechnik
has been perfecting hydroforming
applications, more precisely
the prototyping and the
production of metal separator
plates for several months.
“On the one hand, the ever increasing
market requirements
call for such recordings. On the
other hand, we must be able
to prove the high manufacturing
precision of these parts
used in high-performance heat
exchangers and metal separator
plates,“ explains Achim
Edelmann, Area Manager New
Technologies. For Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, another
vital feature of this highly specialized
measuring technology
is that the machine is suitable
to verify complex surface structures
even on shiny and refl ecting
surfaces. Edelmann: “This
The dimensions of the 3,500 t hydroforming press
only hint at the capacity of the machine.
Gräbener Maschinentechnik uses 3D laser measuring for the prototyping
would be next to impossible
using traditional and conventional
measuring technologies.“
He is certain that Graebener
will assume the pioneering role
in this sector as well.
Since the 3D laser measuring
machine used by Graebener,
among other features, is characterized
by high precision
and high measuring speed, it is
perfectly suitable for verifying
the accuracy of the structured
surfaces of hydroformed components
by providing detailed
results and corresponding
measuring
protocols.
For one
thing, the
customers
appreciate
that Graebener
provides
them with
reliable and complementary
statements on the hydroforming
parts which have been
developed and manufactured in
their own hydroforming center.
On the other hand, Graebener
also benefi ts from these
measuring results as they provide
useful information for a
possible fi ne tuning and optimization
of production processes
or machine designs.
Press becomes market reference
Customer “very satisfi ed“ with the Graebener product
After the start-up and performance
test of the ultra-modern
3,500 t hydroforming press at
the Quartier Landeskrone (former
premises of Schuler Hydroforming),
the customer was pleased
and impressed. “Building such a
specialized machine according
to our stringent standards and
demands requires a very high
degree of fl exibility. And fl exibility
is right up Graebener‘s alley,“ the
customer praised.
This appreciation of the renowned
automotive supplier is also
based on the fact that the new
press represents the latest technological
standard in the sector
of hydroforming and will certainly
set a milestone in terms of dynamics
and output.
One of the reasons for this outstanding
performance is the new
Even the smallest bumps at
metal separator plates and
larger hydroformed components
can be detected with the
measuring machine.
control system which allows
an equipment of the press
with a total of 32 controllable
axes and four pressure intensifi
ers for the application of
highly complex multiple tools.
With the combinable hybrid
drive, consisting of high-end
hydraulic pumps and pressure
accumulators, Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, together
with the customer, sets new
standards in terms of performance.
When designing the
HFA hydraulic system (high
pressure hydraulics) with various
quick-fi lling units, elaborate
emulsion fi lters and
maintenance units as well as
the fi lling of the components
inside the tool as quickly as
possible were top priority.
The press is expected to go
into operation in a completely
interlinked production line at
the customer‘s workshop by
the end of the year.

12 13
World record for Gräbener Maschinentechnik
Finally, Gräbener Maschinentechnik
GmbH & Co. KG has
written proof certifi ed by the
highest authority: The member
of the Graebener Group
has achieved a “best possible
performance“ by designing
and building the “world‘s
most powerful hydroforming
press“, the RoboClamp®.
This is stated on the certifi cate
of the NRW Ministry of Economy,
Energy, Industry and Handicraft,
which was personally
signed by Minister Garrelt Duin.
With the marketing campaign
“Germany at its best“, NRW
has been advertising peak
performances in economy, science,
culture and sports for the
location NRW since the middle
of 2011. The special feature of
this campaign is to give concrete
proof of who is achieving
national and international peak
performances in which sector.
In December 2011, this campaign
was even awarded the
renowned Nikkei Advertising
Award in Japan.
The peak performances introduced
by the applicants (companies,
athletes, artists etc.)
Large parts of the shipbuilding
sector are struggling
at the moment, but there
are still some shipyards
that use the crisis period
Special machine builder honored by NRW Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Garrelt Duin
were examined and, if they
passed the examination, certifi
ed by the NRW Ministry of
Economy, Energy, Industry
and Handicrafts. So now it is
offi cial: Gräbener Maschinentechnik
has set a world record
so to speak. The design and
construction of the most powerful
hydroforming press.
to invest in modern production
technologies. Gräbener
Maschinentechnik has secured
the order to build a profi le
milling machine intended for
Since 2003,
everyone at
Graebener
has already
been sure
that the Ro-
boClamp ®
with a closing
force of
13,000 t (130,000 kN)
a Russian shipyard in
Vladivostok.
The machine will be
used for preparing
shipbuilding profi les
to be placed on and
welded to large panels.
For this purpose,
the profi le edge to be
welded, which usually
features a curve in
the profi le when delivered
by rolling mills, will be
milled and thus provided with a
weld seam preparation for the
laser hybrid welding or other
modern welding methods.
Graebener fi nally has proof certifi ed by the highest authority: the RoboClamp ® ,
with a closing force of up to 13,000 t, is the world‘s most powerful hydroforming press.
was the world‘s most
powerful hydroforming press.
At that time, Gräbener
Maschinentechnik delivered
the RoboClamp ® to the automotive
supplier Finow Automotive
in Eberswalde. The
customer wanted to produce
side rails for off-road vehicles,
however did not want to rely
It is intended to integrate the
profi le milling machine into
an existing profi le line. In order
to process profi les with a
minimum length of 3 meters
and a maximum length of 12
meters, these profi les are prepositioned
and transported to
the milling machine via roller
conveyors. The transport of the
profi les after the processing is
also carried out by roller conveyors.
The profi le milling machine can
be operated in manual mode
as well as in fully automatic
mode. For this purpose, the
machine is equipped with a
on a standard press type of
the conventional press builders.
Gräbener designed a
C-frame press customized for
the component to be produced.
Since 2003, the Robo-
Clamp ® has been running with
great reliability – up to 240,000
strokes per year in a three shift
operation.
Shipyard invests in modern production technology
Gräbener Maschinentechnik delivers profi le milling machine to Vladivostok
The profi le milling
machine impresses with
its compact design.
Siemens control, type Simatic
S7-300. In manual mode,
the profi le data can be entered
manually. For the automatic
mode, the machine is
equipped with an interface
for the control of all functions
so that the primary profi
le line control can ensure
an automated operation.
By the way: apart from the
processing of fl at steel,
angle steel and bulb (HP)
profi les, this fairly compact
machine is also suitable for
the weld seam preparation
of T-profi les.
First project completed
Graebener-Reika completes rebuild and retrofi t
of two high-speed automated shock tube forming lines
Last month, Graebener-Reika
Inc. announced completion of
a 16 month project to relocate,
refurbish and retool two Reika
shock tube forming lines for
Magneti Marelli Corp, Pulaski
TN. The lines are highly automated
REIKA systems used
to produce shock absorber bodies
for the global light vehicle
market. The fi rst line produces
shock inner “reservoir” tubes
and the second line produces
In May 2012, H. Kleinknecht
GmbH & Co. KG, Lohfelden,
received the order for the
electrical equipment of a mobile
pneumatic test fl otation
unit from K+S Kali GmbH
(K+S AG). The order comprised
the project management
and engineering, the
supply of the control cabinet
and automation system including
the visualization and
the turnkey assembly.
shock outer “body” tubes. The
lines are capable of receiving
lengths of tubing in bundles
and producing fi nished parts at
a rate of up to 1,000 pieces per
hour.
Upon exiting the REIKA lines,
the parts are cut to length, formed,
fi nish machined, ID stamped,
quality inspected, cleaned
and ready for fi nal assembly.
Both lines employ high productivity
rotary head cutting sys-
K+S operate the fl otation unit
for testing purposes in order
to gain insight into the optimization
of the processes. The
reason behind this is the fact
that crude salts mined by K+S
contain minerals which are of
major importance for various
industrial sectors, such as the
fertilizer industry.
The basic principle of the process
is the suspension of the
minerals to be separated in
tems based on the disk cutting
method, thus assuring high
reliability and ultra low cost per
cut. The automated REIKA systems
replace multiple independent
cell type operations, and
a saturated saline solution in
which air is injected.
In order to ensure that the air
bubbles only attach themselves
to certain minerals, they
multiple operators, with a single
integrated line and a single
operator.
Being the fi rst major project to
be initiated and completed at
Graebener-Reika’s new facility
Kleinknecht helps optimize processes
New mobile test fl otation unit ordered by K+S Kali GmbH
Unit gives new
insights into
the optimization
of processes
are “greased“ and thus made
water-repellent by adding special
fl otation agents in small
quantities. The air bubbles will
only attach themselves to these
minerals. Therefore, the kieserite
to be separated will form
a fl oating foam which can be
skimmed off.
Due to its compact size – footprint
of approximately 2 x 3 m
– the mobile fl otation unit can
be installed in buildings as well
Both machines receive
lengths of tubing in bundles
and produce at a rate of
up to 1,000 parts per hour.
in Reading, Pennsylvania, we
are particularly proud to announce
that the project was
completed on time, on budget
and to the satisfaction of our
customer.
as directly in the mining area.
This was the fi rst project carried
out by Kleinknecht for the
listed company group. Therefore,
it is even more gratifying
that according to K+S the
project was handled without
any glitches.

itoring
denbetreuung
bzw.
ung
fterden.
ganz
de
14
Multifunctional dynamic
active fi lters of the type
HKOMPact made by Kleinknecht
are becoming increasingly
popular.
According to the spring edition
of “update“, Daimler AG equipped
sensitive low voltage grids
with active fi lters HKOMPact
of H. Kleinknecht GmbH & Co.
KG from Ilmenau for the highly
Kleinknecht secures production
Ilmenau Team helps GASCADE
Gastransport GmbH fulfi ll the obligations
of the energy supply contract
SMART ACTIVE
COMPENSATION SYSTEM
dynamic compensation of for
example fl uctuating harmonics
and for dynamic power factor
correction (inductive and capacitive).
Today, the demand for
this active fi lter system is ever
increasing.
One enquiry originates from
GASCADE Gastransport GmbH.
The customer is currently
supplementing his gas com-
The Kleinknecht product HKOMPact is
based on a modular hardware structure
and can be integrated into the
customer‘s low voltage grid with variable
power values. Corresponding to
the requirements of the technological
process regarding the voltage quality,
the multifunctional dynamic active
IGBT filter by Kleinknecht is able to fulfill
up to five control tasks at the same
time:
Further information can be found
under www.kleinknecht.de.
pressor station in Bunde
(Ostfriesland) with two
new electrical gas compressors
in the Megawatt
range. Each of the new
electrical drives is fed
by a separate converter.
Converters emit circuit
feedbacks which interfere
with those of other consumers.
Possible results
are the endangerment of
processes and lines as
well as violations of the
stipulations in the grid
connection contract with
the respective grid operator.
On the basis of a grid analysis
and a subsequent
numerical process simulation,
Kleinknecht exa-
First major project for Joint Venture
Finishing line for leading manufacturer
of heat exchanger tubes
No sooner have the contracts
for the Joint Venture between
the Graebener Group and
Tangshan Kaiyuan Autowelding
Systems been signed (see report
on page 6), than the fi rst
major project with a duration of
six months is tackled together
with the Chinese partner. With
highest precision!
For Reika and supported by
Reika engineers, Kaiyuan is currently
building a large fi nishing
mined the grid loads to be
expected when operating the
two electrical gas compressors.
It was also examined
whether the operational safety
could be ensured
and whether the
technical connection
requirements could
be adhered to. The
results of the simulations
were evaluated
with reference to the contractually
agreed limit values
and valid standards. In order to
improve the grid quality, necessary
technical measures were
worked out and their effi ciency
was verifi ed.
Convinced by the numerous advantages
shown by the results
of the numerical process and
line for one of the world‘s leading
manufacturers of heat
exchanger tubes. A precision
roll straightening machine is integrated
into the line so as not
to damage the long tubes with
a wall thickness of only a few
millimeters. This straightening
machine, however, is manufactured
in Germany. “We have
combined two of our core
competences in this line,“ explains
Andreas Zimball, Sales
› HKOMPact Phi – power factor
correction, inductive and capacitive
(cos phi)
› HKOMPact OS – harmonics
compensation / compensation
THDu (intelligent power distribution
to automatically assigned
harmonics frequencies)
› HKOMPact PST – flicker compensation
› HKOMPact Delta – compensation
of voltage drops due to extensive
power load
› HKOMPact Bal – compensation
of voltage unbalance
grid simulations, GASCADE
Gastransport GmbH decided in
favor of the application of the
“Smart Active Compensation
System“ type HKOMPact. The
system
basically
ensures
the requiredvoltage
quality
in the power
grid and thus the conformity
at the grid take-over point
according to the grid connection
contract.
Demand for
active fi lter system
is ever increasing
The dynamic fi lter has been
operational since November
2012 and ensures the contractually
stipulated harmonics
level as well as the required
power factor cos ϕ in Bunde.
Manager at Reika. “The extremely
sensitive handling of
tubes with extreme dimensions
and the high precision
straightening.“
After having supplied a fi -
nishing line to another renowned
manufacturer of
heat exchanger tubes last
year (see “update“ 1/2012),
the Hagen-based company
now can claim to be a key
supplier on the international
market for complete handling
systems in the area of
delicate tubes.
Open-heart surgery
Pipe forming press at Eisenbau Krämer
retrofi tted while in operation
The entire pre-assembly is carried
out at Graebener‘s workshop
so that assembly and down times
can be minimized.
The last edition of “update“ already
announced this special order.
In spring of this year, the
company Eisenbau Krämer
GmbH (www.eisenbau-kraemer.
de) talked about a “technologi-
Imprint
update –
The Graebener Group
Magazine
Edition:
atumn / winter 2012
Publisher:
Theodor Gräbener
GmbH & Co. KG
Am Heller 1
57250 Netphen-
Werthenbach
Phone +49 / 2737 / 989-200
Fax +49 / 2737 / 989-110
www.graebener-group.com
Editor:
Marco Butz
m.butz@graebener-group.com
Production:
Agentur Vorländer
www.agentur.vorlaender.de
Print:
Vorländer GmbH & Co. KG
Photos:
Fotolia.com (Titel), Gräbener
Maschinentechnik, Reika,
Kleinknecht, GRI
Information:
You can also read and
download “update“ online:
www.graebener-group.de
cally challenging retrofi t of a pipe
forming press“ which was to be
executed by Gräbener Maschinentechnik.
“Technologically
challenging“ is a fi tting description
for a retrofi t at the company
location Kreuztal-Kredenbach, a
retrofi t which is completely unprecedented
worldwide. Eisenbau
Krämer
anticipates
that, except for
a down time of
approximately
two weeks,
the production
of LSAW pipes using the 6,200 t
press will continue running
throughout the entire project.
During this retrofi t, which has
been developed and planned
in close cooperation of the two
companies Eisenbau Krämer
and Gräbener Maschinentechnik,
the entire hydraulic system
including eight hydraulic pumps
will be installed on a newly built
platform at the outfeed side of
the older pipe forming press.
Until the second stage of the retrofi
t, the press can keep up the
production so that down times
can be kept to a minimum.
Reservations concerning a possibly
increased noise generation
could be eliminated quickly
since the hydraulic units are
Hydraulic and control
system located
on one platform
insulated in a
way that the
noise emission
remains well below the
valid limits. This design has another
major advantage: elaborate
piping can be reduced to a minimum
so that the entire preassembly
can be carried out at
the premises of Graebener. This
in turn reduces the time needed
for the assembly at Eisenbau
Krämer‘s workshop and therefore
the period of production
down time.
The tank with the hydraulic
blocks will be installed at the
new platform. The tank mostly
serves for accommodating the
pendulum volume of the hydraulic
cylinders. It also allows
a quick replenishing of the hydraulic
fl uid. Just to give an impression
of the dimensions we
are talking about here: the tank
volume is approximately 24,000
liters. All in all, the new platform
including the new electric control
housed in eight control cabinets
is subject to a total load of
approximately 120 t.
Apart from the hydraulic system
and the electric control, the defl
ection compensation of the
pipe forming press will be retrofi
tted as well. The existing compensation
cylinders inside the
lower traverse will be replaced
by wedge adjustments. This will
reduce manufacturing tolerances
and ensure high production
precision.
In the end, the retrofi tted pipe
forming press will be on par
with a new machine, especially
concerning the energy consumption
which was seriously
outdated with the old machine.
The retrofi tted press uses the
15
so-called “load sensing“, that
means that the hydraulic pressure
is constantly kept at the
minimum value necessary for
the individual operation. This
reduces the power consumption.
The energy saved due to
this process can in turn be used
for the increase of the machine
speed. Another considerable
speed increase is the result of a
replacement of the fi lling valves
in the cylinders.
This retrofi t goes to show: pipe
manufacturing companies do
not always need a new pipe forming
press in order to stream-line
their pipe production. Often
enough, a retrofi t of the existing
machine is suffi cient. What is
needed, however, are experts in
order to ensure that the retrofi tted
machine can keep up with
a new machine. Experts like
Gräbener Maschinentechnik.

Hydroforming.
The Power of Water.
We offer the entire value added chain: from the customer‘s product idea up
to application oriented and highly specialized presses and lines. We also offer
our customers use of our prototyping center, which is equipped with four
hydroforming presses with closing forces of up to 10,000 t and suitable for all
requirements regarding the prototyping and small series production.
Gräbener Maschinentechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Phone +49 2737 989-120 · Fax +49 2737 989-110
www.graebener-maschinentechnik.de
heselsvomberg.de