Aliging Profit with Purpose - Global Goals Yearbook 2019

Conservation of
up to
80%
of the individual parts in
the value chain
Reprocessing of
up to
20,000
mechatronic parts
possible
Possible reduction of
material usage by up to
80%
for gears and
mechatronic parts
80 percent of the individual parts in
the value chain are conserved. Projected
over the year, this means employees can
currently reprocess up to 4,500 transmissions
and 20,000 mechatronic parts. The
market launch for the remanufacturing
will take place during the course of 2019.
New process standard: Innovative
and sustainable
The Exchange 2.0 project was initiated
by Dominic Rattmann and is the first
joint remanufacturing concept from
both Audi Ingolstadt and the Volkswagen
Group Kassel. While the complex
S tronic transmissions are being processed
in Kassel, the Ingolstadt assemblies
remanufacturing unit handles the
mechatronic parts. That is yet another
first: Mechatronic parts have never before
been remanufactured in the Volkswagen
Group. A total of around 40 employees
from Research and Development, Genuine
Parts, Finance, Production Planning,
and Quality Assurance pushed the development
of the program forward across all
brands and developed new tools, systems,
and lines for the implementation.
The new process standard involves a
number of different steps. First, dealers
must complete a checklist if customers
lodge complaints about vehicles. The
list offers the first clues about possible
causes of defects. Employees then analyze
the data from the fault memory.
The fault codes provide information on
potential prior damage to the wheel set
or other components: “Even at this stage,
we can already search for components
that should be remanufactured,” says
Johann Wendl from Quality Assurance
Powertrain. “Unlike in the past, parts no
longer have to be replaced preventively
and disposed of.” As a result, the new
intelligent diagnostics saves numerous
process steps that had previously been
necessary. In addition, the new cleaning
method removes oil from the components
and provides more information.
High quality standards during
remanufacturing
Only genuine parts that have been approved
by Technical Development can be
used to remanufacture the transmissions:
“This sets us apart from our competitors,
who sometimes do not have the option
of procuring genuine parts. We have
shown how replacement parts can be
remanufactured at a premium level,”
says Michael-Andreas Spreng, Head of
Engine Remanufacturing. The transmission
is then subjected to a 100 percent
functional inspection on the test bench.
Wendl confirms: “The tests so far have
demonstrated that the remanufactured
transmissions meet the quality criteria
of new parts. This is also currently being
verified by vehicle tests and safety runs.”
With use of the methods starting in the
second half of 2019, Audi will achieve the
conceptual process capability for the new
remanufacturing method for other components
as well: “As a consequence, we’re
focusing on innovation leadership of our
remanufactured components.” Dominic
Rattmann adds: “With the Exchange 2.0
project, we are embodying the circular
economy in Audi distribution and are also
managing to combine the strategic key
areas of sustainability and digitalization.”
Circular economy: Focusing on reuse
The added environmental and economic
value of the project is indeed impressive.
The use phases of individual components
are considerably lengthened through repair
or reuse. Audi can reduce its overall
material consumption for transmissions
and mechatronic parts by up to 80 percent.
The goal is for the new process to
pay for itself after just one year. The
industrial remanufacturing of used parts
in genuine-part quality is the second approach
within the circular economy. By
adding this sustainable remanufacturing
process, Audi is expanding its various
programs in order to advance the circular
economy along the entire value chain.
Audi has already introduced successful
aluminum recycling projects.
These projects and the current Exchange
2.0 project are thus contributing directly
to the sustainability strategy at Audi.
Audi has also expressly committed itself
to the UN Sustainable Development
Goals. With the activities in the Exchange
2.0 project, the company is contributing
to Goals 9 (Industry, Innovation and
Infrastructure) and 12 (Responsible
production and consumption).
Global Goals Yearbook 2019 89