PDF [1.6 MB] - Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG

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Newsline Fire Control Unit FCU 40mm HV from Rheinmetall Defence in operation (left): the distance is measured by means of the laser range-finder, other sensors measure the relevant influence factors like air pressure, temperature, target line angle and canting. These values and the known ballistics are used to compute and automatically set the angle of elevation. The gunner therefore always has the target at the center of the angle of view. Night mission: The new fire control unit is also available as a smaller and lighter unit (as a fire control visor) – and is particularly well suited for hand-held weapons and shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons. Fire control technology from Rheinmetall Propellants unit Enhancing the efficiency of ABM Stockach. Advanced ammunition concepts – like the new 40mm air burst ammunition (ABM) for the grenade launcher of RWM Schweiz AG – need equally advanced technologies to fire the ammunition as efficiently as possible. Situated near Lake Constance in South Germany, Stockach-based Oerlikon Contraves GmbH (OCD) has set new standards in fire control technology, ideally complementing ABM systems to further enhance the efficiency of ammunition concepts. This has been rendered possible by modern fire control systems of the type FCU 40mm HV (High Velocity), allowing the projectile to be programmed with innovative technologies and hence permitting the optimized deployment of high-tech ammunition. Gerhard Wieland, head of mechanical and electrical design and responsible for fire control units at Oerlikon Contraves GmbH: “Fire control is an essential prerequisite to program ABM ammunition. The destruction of the projectile at a defined distance means that targets located inside or behind protective covers can be engaged, e.g. in trenches or behind walls.” According to 50 year-old Wieland from Höri, a peninsula at the western end of Lake Constance, this is one of the main advantages of the combination of modern ABM ammunition with advanced fire control systems. Furthermore, the fire control unit FCU 40mm HV offers superior hit accuracies in daylight and higher hit rates at night. Distances are measured by laser range-finding, sensors measure the other relevant influence factors – air pressure, temperature, target line angle and canting. Commenting on the basic concept, Wieland points out: “These values and the known ballistics are used to compute and automatically set the angle of elevation. The gunner therefore always has the target at the center of the angle of view.” The other sensors like the laser or terrain angle sensor are likewise orientated precisely to the target. “This allows a direct target change from one target to the next and quick engagement. Most competing products have to be restored to the neutral position when a new target is chosen.” The flight time calculated by the fire control system is inductively sent to the projectile via a coil – contrary to conventional products where the values are radio-transmitted after the projectile has left the barrel. Says Wieland: “Our fire control units don’t need a radio link which is easily jammed.” OPI award for two years running Hiroshima/Neckarsulm. For the first time ever, the Japanese facility KS Kolbenschmidt K.K. has succeeded in winning the OPI award for two years running — in 2005 and 2006. In fact, this represents an outstanding achievement since the location has once again managed to top its excellent year-earlier performances. It was only in 2003 that KS Kolbenschmidt took over from Mazda Motor Corporation the piston production of 10 Influence factors which should not be underrated are the air pressure and air temperature as they change the air density and also aerodynamic drag. An exact measurement of the target parameters is therefore crucial. The laser range-finder measures the target range with an accuracy of ± 2 meters. Wieland explains why this accuracy is so important: “At a target range of 1000 meters, an air pressure reduction of only 100 hPa – corresponding to a terrain elevation of 1000 meters – increases the firing distance by 15 meters; a temperature increase of 25 degrees causes a similar deviation.” This means that OCD’s modern fire control systems which are capable of exactly determining and using the target parameters are extremely well suited for use in conjunction with ABM ammunition, and are – in this combination – therefore particularly appropriate for existing tactical scenarios. Microtechno Corporation, Hiroshima, Japan. The acquiree had since 1972 been manufacturing pistons and other precision parts for the automotive and further sectors of industry. At the time of takeover, sales added up to around € 20 million and the workforce totaled 120. Today, around 220 employees generate sales just short of € 38 million (2006) with the production of pistons for auto engines, light- and medium-duty commercial vehicle engines as well as assemblies and built-in engines for Hino Motors, Subaru, Mazda, Shibaura, and Iseki.
Neckarsulm. With revenues of € 707 million, KS Kolbenschmidt GmbH again raised sales in fiscal 2006, topping its year-earlier figure by an emphatic 10.8 percent. Annually, over 6,000 employees at sixteen plants across the world (including licensees) develop, produce, and market pistons for passenger and commercial vehicle spark- and compressionignition engines. The corporate headquarters in Neckarsulm has been producing pistons now for over 80 years. Founded in 1910 as Karl Schmidt GmbH by Karl Schmidt (son of Christian Schmidt, the founder of NSU-Motorenwerke), the company first started building its aluminum pistons back in 1920. Today, the Neckarsulm facility’s workforce of over 1,250 plus presently 44 apprentices manufacture pistons Newsline State-of-the-art steel piston production at KS Kolbenschmidt in Necksarsulm Ultimate performance properties here are basically two types of steel pistons: the articulated-shaft type consisting of steel plus aluminum and the all-steel monobloc piston. Both varieties are manufactured by KS Kolbenschmidt: the former at the U.S. plant Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc., Marinette, and the latter, the all-steel variety at Neckarsulm. Due to their ability to address the toughest challenges in terms of durability and robustness, all-steel pistons engineered for ultimate performance, are presently gaining ground worldwide. The design developed by the Neckarsulm engineers is based on a shaft-guided piston with a long shaft supported at the top edge. The resulting linearity leads to good acoustic properties (cavitation) while allowing ample design latitude in the piston ring zone which is important in terms of Photo: Thomas Klink oil consumption and blow-through volume properties. Effective temperature control is assured by a sealed coolant chamber. Moreover, oil consumption has been reduced by 55 percent compared with today’s standard-production articulated-shaft pistons. The friction-welded design and the use of quenched and tempered steel (for high tensile and endurance strength) allows peak pressures of up to 250 bar. It was as early as the start of 2006 that steel pistons first went into series production highly successfully following an extremely brief development phase. In order to cater for the highly buoyant order situation as a result of the business from the chief customer for steel pistons (DAF Trucks N.V., see also Commercial Vehicle of 2007 with Pistons from Neckarsulm), the Neckarsulm location invested in a new steel-piston production line. The manually loaded line used hitherto, was supplemented by a fully automated facility for all-steel pistons, subsequently commissioned in September 2006. “This ultramodern production line is capable of turning out annually over 180,000 pistons for pressures of up to 250 bar,” explains Michael Janssen, in charge of Project Management and Process Development for the Pistons Project. Before, however, the finished steel pistons are shipped out to customers a series of sophisticated machining steps needs to be carried out. The raw part is 11 from either aluminum or steel. Alongside the production of aluminum pistons for spark- and compression-ignition passenger car engines, the Neckarsulm plant since has been very successfully building steel pistons for commercial vehicle engines since the start of 2006. The same location also develops, produces and markets a range of large-bore pistons that go into a variety of stationary engines, marine diesels, and locomotives. With the commercial vehicle market presently flourishing and manufacturers’ order books brimming, sales by this product group have in the meantime climbed to 15 percent of total revenues. A further highlight is the fully automated production line for steel pistons recently successfully commissioned at the Neckarsulm plant. Neckarsulm-based Kolbenschmidt launched its highly successful steel piston production for commercial vehicles. Pictured here: Gerhard Luz (l) and Michael Janssen. supplied by the foundry as a premachined, heat-treated component. The pallet-mounted parts then move onto KS Kolbenschmidt’s fully automated conveyor belt which routes them to the downstream machining operations. The pistons are then turned/milled for fitting-in accompanied by the premachining of the piston pin hole, and the finishmachining of the piston crown. Following the turning of the piston ring groove, the pin hole is precision bored at the heart of the production line by a machine specially developed for this purpose by Kolbenschmidt. The coolant passage is then sealed by laser welding. Also, the pistons are given their final surface profile and exterior geometry before, having been deburred and cleaned, they undergo a special surface finish. Finally, quality inspection and identification coding are carried out. It is a part of KS strategy that the all-steel pistons are readied for shipment in the production line. In order to address international markets and the demands of global customers, a further automated production line has already been ordered and will be taken into operation before year-end 2007. The uptrend in the steel-piston segment is reflected, moreover, in several development projects commissioned by other commercial vehicle customers. In all, therefore, KS Kolbenschmidt is facing a bright future in this segment.
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Page 7 and 8: Newsline Joost van Gemert heads Cor
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