A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Carine Deslee
of how Participative Innovation device can leads innovativeness towards eco-innovations and
management of waste? Through to this research, it was possible to identify several innovations in the
context of SNCF through PI device concerning the management of waste or eco-innovations.
We first describe the content of three selected innovations that have a direct contribution concerning
the management of waste or eco-innovations though PI device in the context of SNCF.
Case 1: Electricity savings in high speed trains.
When trains are stopped with no passengers inside, this innovation enables to have the lights down to
spare electricity. This simple idea was produced because trains can stay without passengers for
hours and because of the initial conception of these trains, all lights remain opened even if it is not
necessary when empty.
Case 2: Reducing brake noise to meet prescribed standards of sustainable development.
The environmental compliance and minimization of noise are likely to give the rail a competitive
advantage over road transport in a logic of sustainable development. The sounds of track brakes
reach a level of noise that can be very high and hard to bear for agents as for people in the
surrounding environment. In 2001, the idea of "slotting" the brakes emanated from a freight railways
worker. This innovation can contribute to reduce noise pollution. It is inspired by adapting what is
done in the automobile industry and in the motorbike universe. This innovation helps to reduce noise
and improve working conditions. No alternatives had been identified before. It gives rise to the filing of
a Soleau envelop in august 2002 and of a patent afterwhile. A Soleau envelope enables to protect a
new idea before filing a patent.
Case 3: Dry compressors 3 to improve maintenance of TGV.
In the field of passenger transport, high speed trains constitute a strong strategic focus in the context
of inter-regional transport. The level of investment for a high speed train is high and it is very
important to have a fast and efficient maintenance and high speed train downtime as low as possible.
At that time, beginning the idea, the regular supplier of compressors had delivery problems that could
lead to shortages of parts and therefore of maintenance delays. This innovation is based on a new
technology of dry piston compressors, which replaces the screw compressors. It allows to spare one
day of maintenance operation in average because it is easier with this technology. In addition, this
new technology allows positioning the dry compressors in tandem 4 . It makes them more manageable
and reduces the frequency of breakdowns. Finally, this new technology fits into the logic of
sustainable development of the SNCF. This innovation has led to a patent. This idea was proposed in
a context where exactly this company was facing difficulties in maintaining TGV compressors and no
solution had yet been identified by anyone. These three innovations contribute to strategic issues as
described in table 3.
Table 3: Three examples of participative innovations contributing to the strategic issues of SNCF
concerning eco-innovation and management of waste
Name and innovation’s Contribution to eco-innovation and management of waste as
description
Electricity savings in high speed
trains
Dry-running compressors for
high speed trains
strategic issues of SNCF
- Cost control for high speed trains,
- Management of waste,
- sustainable development.
- Quality of service (reliability) and cost control for the
maintenance of TGV (strategic issue),
- ‘ green engine ’ : sustainable development.
- Patent
Noise reduction of rail brakes - Improvement of working conditions,
- Reduction in noise pollution for the environment (sustainable
development),
- Patent.
3 Compressors on the TGV produce the necessary air to the brakes and also control systems for opening and closing doors.
4 The compressor unit is usually replaced by two small independent compressors and more manageable to maintain 75%
power in case of failure of one of them, which avoids the immediate return of the TGV in workshop.
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