2005-2006 Financial Statements and Management Report

36
OUR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR
LASER WELDING LINES WON AN
INNOVATION AWARD.
As part of a European research project the Dortmunder OberflächenCentrum DOC ® developed new
steel-based solar thermal collectors to utilize the heat of the sun. They can be used to heat up service
water or heat buildings. In the future collectors like these could be fitted on houses in the form of
facade elements.
A unique new pilot facility at Steel manufactures tubes incorporating varying cross sections and
secondary design elements. The tubes are very close to final part shape and will allow auto manufacturers
to eliminate complete production steps.
A precision control system for laser welding lines developed by us won an innovation award for laser
technology. The control system makes it possible to position the laser welding head more precisely and
allows higher speeds during welding. The innovation is used in the production of engineered blanks, a
variant of tailored blanks featuring non-linear welds. Made up of individual sheets of different strength,
thickness and finish, these blanks are processed into body and chassis parts in the stamping shops of
automotive OEMs and can be tailored exactly to the actual stresses in the finished part.
High-performance stainless steels and nickel alloys
One focus of innovation in the Stainless segment is the development of new surface finishes offering
enhanced appearance and functionality. One such finish is Nirosta GritLine, which is comparable with
the already established Rolled-On finish marketed by ThyssenKrupp Mexinox. It is an embossed finish
which resembles popular polished finishes. The unbroken surface offers aggressive media less opportunity
for attack and allows the use of less expensive base materials in many cases.
Outstanding among the new stainless steel finishes is the transparent coating SilverIce ® UV. It makes
stainless steel surfaces less sensitive to fingerprints, more resistant to scratches and easier to clean.
It can be used to protect trim panels which have to meet high quality requirements. The product has
already established itself successfully on the market. SilverIce ® UV won 2nd prize in the 2006 Thyssen-
Krupp Innovation Contest.
Our new and improved nickel alloys are intended for the fast-growing aerospace and energy sectors.
These high-performance materials are particularly resistant to corrosion and heat and are used for
example for rotating parts in aircraft engines and land-based turbines. Material development work
looks into the behavior of such superalloys in steam power plants operating at temperatures of 700ºC,
much higher than conventional thermal power plants.
In response to continuing high prices for raw materials, especially nickel, new materials have been
developed which offer comparable corrosion resistance and strength with lower nickel contents. Despite
dispensing with nickel, one of these stainless steel grades is more suitable for chemical process equipment
than previously used materials.