Corporate Technology - Rolf Hellinger

CT in Tokyo and Singapore
Corporate Technology has
branches in Singapore and
Japan. In Tokyo, technology
analysis and research partnerships
top the agenda, while in
Singapore the focus is on
exploiting expertise in waste
water treatment and drinking
water preparation.
Bridges to Cutting-Edge
Research in Asia
Robotics, energy storage systems, materials
research and high-speed trains are just a few
of the areas in which Japan’s researchers are at
the cutting edge of developments worldwide.
One of the tasks of Corporate Technology in
Tokyo, which sees itself as a hub for technological
collaborations, is to exploit this research. The
unit aims to recognize trends as they appear on
the Japanese market, which plays a key role in
the dynamically growing Asian economy. Beyond
that, the Tokyo branch also looks for partnerships
and strives to bridge cultural differences
between Japan and the West.
One of the successful projects that CT initiated
and managed in Japan involved the investigation
of the vibration properties of Shinkansen
and Velaro high-speed trains. Researchers from
Siemens and the Institute for Industrial Sciences
at the University of Tokyo created 3D models of
the two trains’ swivel trucks and subsequently
simulated their operational vibrations. Because
small tunnel cross-sections and other local factors
cause the Japanese Shinkansen to suffer
from pressure fluctuations, it was not clear
which of the two vehicles would perform best.
The Velaro has a purely mechanical solution
based on a roll stabilizer. The Shinkansen, on the
other hand, uses a sophisticated, electronically
controlled semiactive shock-absorbing system
that offers advantages in terms of comfort — as
shown in simulations. However, the Velaro also
achieved outstanding comfort values. In the
meantime, researchers in Japan and in Europe
are looking at potential combined applications
for the two concepts. The results are thus simul-
32 Corporate Technology
taneously providing valuable information for
further development of the swivel trucks.
The CT team is also preparing further partnerships
with regard to energy storage devices,
nanocomposites, new coating methods for ceramic
materials, and other research areas.
Singapore: Water Expertise
Water technology is the focus of CT’s activities
in Singapore, where the Industry Sector
maintains a global competence center. Water
is of strategic importance to Singapore, which
wants to reduce its imports of this resource. In
fact, the city state has been using Siemens water
treatment technology for many years.
Research in this area is progressing particularly
through the efforts of the team from CT.
Among other things, this team is involved in the
development of a new seawater desalination
system that will consume at least 50 percent less
energy than conventional technologies. As part
Researchers in Tokyo compare the Velaro
train’s swivel trucks with those of the
Shinkansen. In Singapore, CT is optimizing
water filter membranes (below).
of this project, CT researchers are investigating
new ion-exchange membranes that remove
salts from liquids. In other projects, experts are
testing the wettability of hollow fiber membranes,
such as those used to remove dirt from
water. This work is designed to optimize the
leakage tests for membrane modules. In addition,
CT researchers are improving porous materials
whose adsorption properties allow them to
remove pollutants and heavy metals from water.
The overall goal is to reduce the cost of such systems
and to significantly increase their absorption
capacity.
Experts are also researching new electrodes
for the electrochemical treatment of water. Such
electrodes are frequently made of platinumcoated
titanium, in other words, two expensive
metals, one of which — titanium — is difficult to
work with. The researchers believe that the electrodes
could one day be made of electricallyconducting
plastics instead. Such plastic electrodes
could even be injection molded.