future-proofing the automotive industry · rfid solutions to identify & manage. tm. ......

FUTURE-PROOFING the automotive industry

uttuniversité de technologie Troyes

RFID Solutions to Identify & Manage

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INNOVATION:a key driver for change

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When it comes to vehicle quality, safety, and reliability, customer expectations are at an all time high. There’s also an ever-widening choice of vehicles for buyers to choose from. Overcapacity is putting pressure on the industry to keep prices low. And with environmental concerns growing, the need for sustainable automotive solutions is a must.

For car manufacturers, enticing customers has never been more dependent on being able to differentiate products from the competition. And that means coming up with increasingly inventive and innovative solutions.

Innovation is usually focused on design and functionality. But genuinely cutting edge development is rare. And it usually involves creating entirely new vehicle lines – think Ford’s original Mustang or Renault’s first ever multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). So what does success look like for the automotive industry, now and in the future? Simple. It’s all about a company’s ability to spot new opportunities and launch new products…

It’s an exciting, if challenging, time for the automotive industry…

Driving innovation forwards

“We have to extend our focus beyond products and services. We need to focus on business model innovation…to collaborate with partners from suppliers to customers and non-industry players and dealers. It’s only by embedding innovation in the processes, culture, structure and financing models of a company that businesses can really improve performance…” IBM, “Driving Innovation”

In short, success depends on pioneering product development coupled with an ongoing commitment to innovation that breaks new ground in automotive. The Maintenance on Demand (MoDe) project is one example of this – of key players coming together to future-proof the automotive industry.



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A HISTORY OF INNOVATION

Pioneering product development is crucial for the prosperity of the automotive industry, in 2012 and beyond. But the links between innovation and mobility have been at the heart of our economic progress for a while…

We are living in a world characterised by connection. A world in which transport, technology and communications link us to each other, to the world around us and to information at unprecedented rates.

The automotive vehicle is one breakthrough that has put the shift to connectedness in fifth gear. And while today the sector is under pressure to stay ahead of the curve, revolutionary development has always played an important role in keeping the industry moving….

THE FUTURE’S ELECTRIC

Environmental concerns are at the forefront of all our minds – whether you’re a customer or a manufacturer.

1829 Stephenson’s Rocket ushers in the era of the railway. The economic geography of Europe and the USA is changed forever.

1885 Karl Benz invents the first ever automobile

1899 Camille Jenatzy’s “Jamais Contente” is the first car to exceed 100km per hour. It is electric.

1900 The era of small-scale ‘mass production’ begins.

1901-1910 Petrol engines make steam-power automobiles obsolete.

The internal combustion engine kickstarts aviation history.

1910-1920 The assembly line developed by the Ford Motor Company revolutionises large-scale production processes.

1950s Cars spread across the world with innovations in engine power, speed and design.

1960s The rise of the computer confirms the inextricable links between electronics and mobility innovation. As a result, man is able to land on the moon.

1970s First electronic 4-wheel multi-channel ABS developed by Chrysler.

1980s First automotive navigation systems developed.

1990s Lean production, system integration and concentration.

2000s Innovation and revival of mass interest in electric vehicles. Focus turns to sustainability.

FordPlan to market three new electric vehicles: Focus Electric, C-MAX Energy and C-Max Hybrid.

RenaultIntend to launch four electric vehicles by the end of the 2012, including a saloon car, a compact hatchback and a two-seater.

BMWAre set to launch three electric vehicles under their ‘Megacity’ brand. The first is being readied for launch in 2013.

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A world in constant EVOLUTION

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The automotive industry is truly global. Markets are evolving, environmental pressures are growing, resources are in shorter supply and globalization is presenting its own geographical challenges. All this opens up new opportunities for logistics companies like DHL. The question is: how do we meet these myriad challenges efficiently and sustainably? The answer? Excellence in innovation….

Resource shortages

Rising energy prices mean higher transport costs. OEMs are increasingly unwilling to pay them. What’s more, fossil fuel are expensive and limited resources. The need to switch to alternative energy has never been more urgent.

Solutions: Near-sourcing, component consolidation, multi-modal approaches using road, rail and river connections.

Environmental sustainability

‘Going green’ is more than a concern – it’s a global necessity. For companies like DHL, providing sustainable logistics solutions and greener supply chains is a must.

Solutions: DHL now offers carbon footprint reporting, carbon reduction programme consulting, reusable & returnable packaging and a host of cutting-edge visibility tools (e.g. RFID, real-time track and trace tools).

DHL works closely with Renault, managing the transportation, distribution and collection of reusable car batteries to minimise their environmental impact.

Innovating global solutions for automotive logistics

KEY TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

Growing globalization

Automotive demand is growing in emerging markets like India, and looks set to surge in the coming years. In developed markets, the focus is on replacement vehicles, though this is rapidly spreading to emerging markets too.

Solutions: Strategic planning around networks and geographical coverage in key markets.

Market evolution

Markets are constantly changing. And people are more demanding in some countries and cities than others.

Solutions: Multi-tiered dealer city distribution models, local distribution centers (LDCs) to help deals react more quickly to customer demands.

Spider graph

GROWING GLOBALIZATION

Solutions:EXCELLENCE IN

INNOVATION

RESOURCE SHORTAGES

MARKET EVOLUTION

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

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At Volvo, the future is already here…

Volvo Group Trucks Technology ATR (Advanced Technology and Research) brings visionary new technical services to life. It covers everything from long-term research to delivering solutions and services to market. It’s where a host of groundbreaking hybrid technologies and safety functions were born. And it ensures Volvo Group stays ahead of the pack when it comes to revolutionary technology.

Key innovations

Electrical & embedded systems: optimising electrical and embedded software, in combination with sensors, actuators, cable harnesses, and connectors, brings excellence in functionality, dependability, robustness and energy efficiency.

Propulsion: working closely with everyone from universities and research institutes to the European commission and various national public agencies, Volvo strives to develop vehicles with the best possible performance in exhaust emissions.

Soft products: focusing on trailblazing new soft products to meet customers’ changing needs, Volvo seeks to deliver higher efficiency, lower operating costs, better environmental performance and enhanced delivery.

THE ROLE OF… ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS (OEMS)

FUTURE-PROOFING GLOBAL LOGISTICS AT DHL

Tackling change and winning

In a rapidly changing world, the automotive industry is constantly facing new challenges. Supply bases are becoming more globalized, emerging markets are expanding and the era of mega cities is finally here.

But with big changes come big opportunities for logistics companies like DHL. In fact, globalization is continuing to push logistics to the fore. As the demands for efficient transportation become greater and more complex, the pressure is on to provide logistics solutions that guarantee connectivity – fast, straightforward shipping services that continue to provide reliability and predictability.

Key challenges for logistics companies

As supply chains become more complex, the risk of disruption becomes ever greater. Solutions are required that provide stability now and well into the future. But our responses have to be attentive to the wider implications of finite natural resources and issues of environmental sustainability. Vehicles must run optimally with absolutely minimal CO2 emissions.

One example is just-in-case vehicle maintenance, where manufacturers replace parts after a certain mileage, no longer meets our aims. With recycling and optimal usage more important then ever, future-proofed logistics solutions must switch to a ‘just-in-time’ approach to maximise each component’s lifespan.

Such future-thinking solutions require connected thinking. That’s why DHL are taking a proactive lead, collaborating with companies who share our commitment to tackling the biggest challenges of the next fifty years – from congestion and pollution to market competitiveness.

“Innovation is at the heart of our strategy. We work closely with different partners to develop energy-efficient solutions, including MoDe. Putting partners and players from different industries together will bring brilliant global solutions. By providing sustainable, reliable and innovative global logistics solutions we can help prepare our customers for some of the future trends in automotive”

Fathi Tlati, DHL Global Sector Automotive President, Customer Solutions & Innovations

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The challenges faced by the automotive industry – from dealing with resource scarcity to fighting climate change – calls for a wide-ranging approach. An approach that delivers inventiveness in future mobility, manufacturing and integrated safety. An approach on which competitive and sustainable vehicles depend. And for which public funding across EU members states is crucial and the governments and the EU have a big role to play...

Cooperation: is necessary between funding bodies at the national and European level, along with an integrated exchange of information and ideas. Learning from each other will help the EU lead the world in automotive innovation.

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE EU

Collective challenges in the automotive industry

AEROSPACE AND THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Meeting the ever-shifting challenges faced by the automotive industry cannot happen in isolation. It depends on ongoing and close cross-industry collaboration. Integrating breakthrough, precision-engineered technologies is one vital way in which the industry is meeting the challenges of the 21st-century head on…

Harnessing aerospace findings helps us to…•Applynewtechnologicallyadvancedmaterialswith

superior properties for true automotive innovation•Developmorestreamlinedvehiclesforpeopleand

businesses•Workoutnewwaystoprotecttheenvironmentand

preserve resources•Improvevehiclesafetyandsecurity•Ensurecost-effectiveness

Applications of aerospace

Durable and adaptable multi-material lightweight designSophisticated aerospace designs are helping the automotive industry move away from costly metal components, to lightweight, high-performance fibre-reinforced plastic materials.

Cross industry perspectives

Research should build: on the work that has gone before, and be widely disseminated. This avoids stagnation and duplication. It requires an immersion in other research projects, past and present.

Users should be involved: in defining the needs of freight delivery and different business models addressed by national- and EU-funded research. Involving transport and logistics operators as advisors helps make sure a project effectively helps meet the needs of supply chain operations.

Easy-to-deploy solutions: are needed to ease supply chain operations in the short-term. Funding should be directed at these kinds of projects, where potential in practice is shown and there’s a potential for fast market take-up to the benefit of everyday business operations.

Future-thinking advantages include:

• Reducedassemblycosts• Lessdrivingresistance• Minimisedfuelconsumption• Bettersustainability• Reducedlifecyclecosts

Structural health monitoring (SHM)Remarkable aerospace techniques like SHM capture data, allowing an ongoing inspection of vehicle components – so repairs can be made at just the right time. Benefits include:

•Enhancedvehiclereliability•Improvedperformanceandmaintenance

procedures•Associatedcostsavings

Anti-vibration technologyCutting-edge aeronautical research has made possible multi-functional components. This has driven forward innovations in vibration control – in the active damping of plate vibration in car roof structures, for example. Benefits include:

•Reducednoise•Betterdrivingexperiences•Increasedefficiency

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MoDe The future of automotive is just around the corner…

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In a world without MoDe… •Wearandteargoesundetectedforlongperiods

•Eventualdamageismoreunpredictable,extensive and costly

•Breakdownsandaccidentsaremorelikelytooccur

•Timewaitingforassistance,sourcingpartsanddealing with emergencies expands

•Vehicledowntimegrows

•Customerdissatisfactionincreases

Maintenance on Demand (MoDe) is a groundbreaking global project that sets out to do just that.

MoDe brings together 11 leading companies and academic institutions from around the world. Together they have pooled their technical know-how, market knowledge, insight and future thinking to tackle issues of central importance for industry, the economy and the environment.

In a fast-changing world full of challenges and opportunities, creativity and the spirit of collaboration are needed to prepare us for the world of tomorrow…

THE MoDe CHALLENGE

Whatever the future holds, manufacturers will be under increasing pressure to reduce, or eliminate completely, the possibility of vehicle downtime.

The question is: how can you maximise reliability, avoid unplanned maintenance and keep a vehicle on the road with minimal disruption? It all depends on having a constant, clear and precise picture of a vehicle’s health at any given time.

Developing the technology to give us this picture is at the heart of the MoDe project.

“MoDe aims to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of the community…with a view to assuring a high level of competitiveness, and improving the quality of life for European citizens”



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Project MoDe Automotive advancement and innovation

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Energy-efficient wireless sensors pick up signals of damage or deterioration to vehicle parts.

A wireless network effectively and reliably connects station units positioned around the engine to a central network.

An ongoing process of condition monitoring checks for signs of damage or wear. Signals are sent to a central maintenance platform.

Information is analysed based on vehicle information and parts data. A maintenance decision is then taken.

suspension strut mount sensor

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The main focus of the project is on developing a commercially viable truck that can identify where and when maintenance is required. It should also be able to provide alerts on the maintenance needed.

In short, MoDe aims to:

•Maximisevehicleuptime•Minimizevehicledowntime

THE RESEARCH

The MoDe collaboration has produced extensive research into vehicle condition monitoring and the prediction of remaining lifetime.

A more complete understanding of the remaining useful life of a vehicle component means maintenance and repairs can be made at just the right time.

Improper use can also be identified, cutting down the risk of breakdown, damage or environmental pollution.

The innovative technologies researched and developed by MoDe, such as intelligent services planning, which helps group together maintenance operations and therefore reduces vehicle downtime, ensure a more competitive offering for manufacturers and users alike.

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Towards the automotive technologies of tomorrow

UPTIMEVolvo developed a smart service planning tool. The tool means maintenance can be perfectly tailored to the vehicle’s needs depending on incoming information.

SENSOR TECHNOLOGYThe latest in sensor technology has been developed to identify damage or material degradation – a breakthrough that allows advanced status monitoring.

Continental provided sensor technology for the damper system.

Fraunhofer IIS developed a streamlined and energy-efficient wireless communication system with improved reliability using their s-net® protocol stack.

LMS focused on evaluating the effectiveness of in-vehicle sensors for condition monitoring.

Wireless communication experts Avonwood are responsible for the design, development and integration of Radio Frequency Identification Technology.

REPAIR PROCESSESHow do we make the repair process more efficient? That’s one of the key questions asked by MoDe. Mobile workshops, where trucks are met at an agreed repair spot, are one significant innovation…

Mobisoft designed, and is currently implementing, a tool to identify the perfect location for maintenance to take place once a truck has been diagnosed as unable to reach its destination.

STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING (SHM)SHM makes condition monitoring – the first step towards effective uptime maximization – possible. The system provides crucial data on wear and condition, allowing durability and life expectancy to be calculated. Timely and informed maintenance decisions can then be made.

University of Technology of Troyes tested lifetime models for vehicle components, focusing on how such models can be used to estimate a component’s remaining useful lifetime. They also looked at ways to optimize decisions about maintenance, drawing on dynamic online data about component health.

VTT worked on methods to estimate the remaining lifetime of a damper, as well as the reliability of the Sensors Network Monitoring system.

INTEGRATED MAINTENANCE PLATFORMFor the system to work effectively, everyone from drivers and owners to dealers and manufacturers needs to be constantly kept in the loop with accurate and relevant information. What’s more, changes in the condition of the vehicle, its usage, or even environment, need to be responded to quickly.

An Integrated Maintenance Platform is necessary for processing and providing such information, and for proposing effective responses so a maintenance plan of action can be put together immediately.

DEFINING USER REQUIREMENTSUnderstanding what the people who will eventually use MoDe want from the system is vital for tailoring it to the needs of everyday users.

DHL drew on its experience of operating a fleet of 80,000 trucks and vans. It defined exactly what drivers, dispatchers and fleet engineers might really need from MoDe technology. DHL has also worked on revising Volvo’s supply chain by drawing on MoDe insights.

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MoDe comes into its own

THE FUTURE WITH MoDe

Scenario 1 – Maintenance on Demand

Now…The vehicle maintenance contracts sold with a vehicle rely on ‘static’ information provided at the time of a sale.

The MoDe vision…Services are tailored to a vehicle’s exact configuration, mission, and the dynamic feedback of information. Reducing periods of vehicle unavailability means that businesses can better achieve their objectives.

In practice…Dealers and their clients agree what is required by the business up front. Uptime needs, the exact configuration of the vehicle, and service needs are then considered within the sales process. This level of tailoring makes it easier to precisely plan vehicle stops, and makes service provision far more dynamic.

Keeping the wheels in motion

Dynamic maintenance planning: plans for maintenance are changed based on information from the Maintenance on Demand suite. Your vehicle stops earlier than planned but can continue its journey with less threat of disruption.

Maintenance on-the-fly: data shows immediate service is required. Your vehicle drives to a conveniently located repairspot, before continuing its journey.

Repair on-the-fly: A component breaks down or is close to breakdown. With MoDe, the problem is immediately detected so you can wait for a service engineer.

“Maintenance on demand represents a major leap forward for fleet management. And for trade and transport in general. This collaborative innovation project is already changing our perspective of logistics. The ripple of effects will be far-reaching…”

Scenario 2 – Repair on-the-fly

Now…Drivers are warned of problems by an on-board system. They then report issue to a call centre. But the location of the vehicle and the nature of the problem aren’t always obvious, making it difficult to get the right parts delivered to the right place at the right time.

The MoDe vision…Roadside repairs are made more efficient. Condition monitoring and estimates of remaining lifetime help detect failures in advance. Key information is communicated to a central system, which calculates the nearest and most suitable workshop for the repairs.

In practice…Where it’s not possible to reach a workshop, the MoDe system will advise drivers of the ‘best location to stop’. Details will be sent to mobile workshops, equipped with the resources needed to make roadside repairs, and the vehicle will be met at an agreed ‘meeting point’. An efficient spare parts management system will be set up to support this process.

Summary of the key benefits

Safer travelChances of breakdowns and accidents are radically reduced by early fault detection. Associated congestion is avoided.

More economical With fewer and shorter breakdowns and unplanned stops, vehicle uptime is boosted by 30%. More accurate and timely feedback means more efficient repairs. And less risk of human error.

Complete controlThe system’s centralized synchronization makes possible remote monitoring, vehicle reconfiguration and ongoing analysis, for better decision-making.

Environmental gainsBy making sure vehicles are serviced at exactly the right time, sub-optimal performance is reduced. Unnecessary part replacements are avoided and driving time to maintenance locations cut down. Fuel consumption is optimized and CO2 emissions cut.

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TOMORROW’S WORLD with MoDe

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ZONESAFE COMPACT

A proximity-based warning system, Avonwood’s Zonesafe Compact system helps reduce the risk of dangerous collisions between vehicles and personnel, for better health and safety site management.

How does it work? By creating a 360° detection zone around the vehicles (e.g. compact machines, fork lift trucks) it’s fitted to.

Personnel wear safety transponders that are picked up by the system. Then when staff enter the zone, a warning alert is triggered and sent to vehicle operatives.

The system’s responses to tag identification can also be configured, for complete control.

S-NET® TECHNOLOGY

The s-net® technology developed by Fraunhofer IIS provides optimal communication protocols for the creation of energy-saving wireless networks.

Sensor networks are made up of a series of sensor nodes, interacting with each other by radio.

As part of the MoDe project, these networks are being used to acquire, process and forward digitalized information about the ‘health’ status of vehicles components, so maintenance and repair can happen just in time.

Fraunhofer IIS’ s-net® technology can be tailored to customers’ needs and uses exceptionally low levels of power for longer operating times.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTIONS CENTRES

Local Distribution Centres (LDCs) store parts in small warehouses located close to dealers for ultra fast delivery.

These LDCs are fairly common in the passenger vehicles sector. But they haven’t yet been used to streamline the delivery of spare parts in commercial vehicle sector.

Until now. On June 1st 2012, DHL opened its very first LDC exclusively dedicated to serving the needs of commercial vehicle dealers. Dealers can now order spare parts for super-fast delivery several times a day. What’s more it means parts will arrive within only a few short hours.

Key benefits? Dealers can now reduce their inventory, whilst accessing a bigger-than-ever range of parts. Better ‘fixed right, first time’ performance brings a real competitive edge for manufacturers and dealers alike.

SCADAS MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

Extreme conditions can make accurate data acquisition a difficult challenge to overcome.

Thankfully, the robust and rugged LMS SCADAS Durability, makes data capture possible even in the most testing real-life situations. Built on LMS SCADAS Mobile technology, it’s a piece of equipment that can handle water, dust, dirt, jolts, shocks and vibrations.

No need for a PC, LMS SCADAS Durability cuts down on the equipment needed for data acquisition, cutting operation costs down in the process.

Data is instantly recorded and validated for quality with LMS SCADAS Smart Control. High quality information is guaranteed, reducing the need for test campaign reruns and removing risks to the design cycle.

MoDe is leading the automoive industry’s march towards the future with groundbreaking research and technological advancement. This collaborative project has already produced startling developments that are already being incorporated in exciting new product offerings…

Coming soon…


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future-proofing the automotive industry · rfid solutions to identify & manage. tm. ......

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