design • engineer • build • drive 02 | 2003 NEW SLIDING DOOR MECHANISM Hiding sliding door IAA 2003 Edscha inside edwin 02 | 2003 1
F re s h i d e a s f o r v e h i c l e s . As a supplier of movable systems, we’ve got a feel for what’s essential for vehicles. Together with our ability to design complete vehicles, and with fresh ideas, our path into the future invariably looks good. And hence some matching extras can come along too. Like extras that smell nice. But leave that to others to supply. www.edscha.
EDITORIAL Open up! A central feature of corporate culture at Edscha is openness. Honest and timely communication is something we care about deeply, both in-house and towards the general public and of course our customers. That’s one of the reasons why we have edwin, now appearing the second time. Coincidence or not – many of our products also center on ‘openness’. Hinge and convertible roof systems from Edscha have for decades now been providing dependable access to cars.
CONTENTS BUSINESS 5 News Financial results, new joint venture in China, 4th Edscha Symposium 8 When the Machine came to Man 40 years ago Edscha opened its first branch plant in Bavaria 9 Sharper profile IVM Automotive picks up the pace with a new structure PRODUCTS 10 Edscha inside The Group’s contribution to new vehicles launched at the IAA 2003 12 Lightweight doesn’t have to be expensive IVM Automotive helps to keep costs down on lightweight concepts 14 Built-in drive Edscha’s electric decklid
BUSINESS PRODUCTS PROJECTS PROCESSES BOULEVARD Tacking against the wind FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2002 | 2003 Weak markets and other adversities could do little to hold up the Edscha Group this past financial year. D espite contrary winds in the sales markets and a rough climate in the motor vehicle industry in general, the Edscha Group attained its sales targets in fiscal 2002 | 2003 (through 30 June) and extended its market positions.
NEW JOINT VENTURE IN CHINA Edscha goes East Anhui Edscha Automotive Parts Co. Ltd. (AEA) is the Hinge Systems division’s response to the booming Chinese automotive market. Since mid-June, Edscha AG has been running a second joint production ven- Chinese employees at AEA familiarize themselves with Edscha products 6 ture (50:50) with AEA in Hefei in Anhui province. Shanghai Edscha Machinery Co. Ltd.
Open for Edscha? 4TH EDSCHA SYMPOSIUM For many years Edscha has been dependably opening vehicle doors, lids, hoods and roofs. In November for the fourth time we invite our customers to open up too – to our latest ideas relating to vehicle bodywork. N ovember is mostly a dreary month. The world outside is grey, car sales sag, and most automobile designers and procurement managers retire to the four walls of their offices.
When the Machine came to Man 40 YEARS AT HENGERSBERG In June 1963, Edscha opened its first branch plant. For the people of the Bavarian Forest this meant jobs – for the Edscha Group the birth of the Company’s most important out of today’s 24 plants around the globe. T THEN AND NOW hank Heaven for forty years of Edscha Hengersberg.
Sharper profile IVM AUTOMOTIVE After the takeover of IVM Automotive by Edscha in the summer of 2002, nine in-house teams worked to raise the profile and structure of the vehicle designer. The results have been implemented since May 2003. T he ability to respond even more quickly and efficiently than before to customer requirements – this was the intention of the Vehicle Design business division (IVM Automotive) and also the reason for its new organizational structure.
BUSINESS PRODUCTS PROJECTS PROCESSES Edscha inside IAA 2003 The Edscha Group has chosen not to attend this year’s International Motor Show (IAA) for passenger cars in Frankfurt with its own stand. Instead, it can be found in many other stands – with contributions large and small towards concept studies and new production models. Some instances. OPEL ASTRA The doors of the new Opel Astra feature a door check of completely new design – the Edscha Corporate Check (ECC1).
hood hinge hand brake lever MERCEDES-BENZ VIANO The Viano’s foot-operated parking brake, specially designed by Edscha, is distinguished by an extremely compact sandwich construction and a strict design-to-cost approach. Even a manufacturer of Notch Stop exclusive Italian sports cars has SMART FORFOUR since evinced interest in this product from Edscha’s plant in In the new Smart Forfour, the latest Santander, Spain.
Lightweight doesn’t have to be expensive COST-EFFICIENT LIGHTWEIGHT BODIES Environmental protection necessitates lower fleet consumption, while tough competition requires strict cost management. Although lightweight construction concepts are central to the former, they still tend to hinder the latter. One effective remedy is the cost/weight optimization method developed by IVM Automotive. L ightweight construction is an obvious solution in the quest to cut fuel consumption and harmful emissions.
COST WEIGHT OPTIMIZATION (CWO) DIAGRAM 5,0 30 14 STARTING EARLY Enter CWO (Cost Weight Optimization) – a method developed by IVM Automotive that allows simple calculation of production costs for lightweight concepts very early on and a positive impact on the whole process. CWO enables the marketability of new materials or semi-finished products to be assessed, new techniques to be compared, and aims for their development to be defined.
Built-in drive ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN REAR LIDS Trunk lids that open and close at the push of a button – more and more car owners appreciate this kind of comfort. Edscha engineers have developed a particularly economical and comfortable electric solution that will go into production in the autumn of 2003. N ot even hinges are what they used to be.
connection with Mercedes-Benz, it’s no coincidence that the ‘Chairman’ resembles the predecessor of the current S-Class – are intended to lavish this great comfort on Asia’s growing upper class. Edscha assumes responsibility for the entire system, from development to project coordination, supplying all components with the exception of the existing hinges: from motor to control unit and gas spring, from lock to closing assist.
BUSINESS PRODUCTS PROJECTS PROCESSES BOULEVARD Junkers for Asia OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE Increasingly lower costs, consumption, exhaust emissions and weight – these are the most important goals of manufacturers as they continue to develop the internal combustion engine. Employing the well-known opposed-piston principle but brand-new technology, IVM Automotive has built a two-cylinder engine which promises big reductions in all the above values.
Magnesium crankcase Tie-rod Crankshaft Decoupled links of the crankshafts by means of a drive belt ments are the carbon-aluminum pistons and the magnesium crankcase. ■ Designed by IVM Automotive with the assistance of Laukötter, the Dessau-based diecasting specialist, and Diesel-Air, the crankcase consists of a magnesium alloy. Its manufacture by a die-casting process, and applying special design guidelines for magnesium, results in extremely low weight and low costs compared with aluminum die-casts.
Hiding sliding door BEFORE NEW KIND OF SLIDING DOOR MECHANISM Note how unnoticeably the sliding door opens – smoothly, almost noiselessly, giving no indication from the outside of being a sliding door until it opens. A fully functional prototype of the new Edscha system promises new freedoms for car designers and drivers. A WENT CLICK At this point the catch pin has received the passive roller carrier. The door is now securely guided to the end of the opening travel distance.
AND HERE’S HOW THE EDSCHA SLIDING DOOR WORKS: ■ On the C pillar there is a deflecting support with a spring actuator. On the inside of the door, at the same height, there is a guide rail hidden by a blind. It is connec- AFTER ted to the deflecting support via a roller carrier. Behind this MORE RAIL TRAFFIC Around 4,000 hours were invested in engineering and model making to complete the first fully functional prototype based on a Mercedes-Benz Vaneo.
BUSINESS PRODUCTS PROJECTS PROCESSES BOULEVARD Design from Germany IVM AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN CENTER “Made in Germany” stands for precision and reliability, for mechanical engineering and metal machining, but not for innovative automotive design studios. Terry Wolkind and his team at the IVM Automotive Design Center are out to change that. T VITA Terry Wolkind (55) The mobile Briton has always been one to look beyond his own island and his own nose.
latter in the most recent past: besides show cars for Hyundai (incl. Hyundai Clix, Frankfurt International Motor Show 2001) and Mazda (Mazda 6 MPS Concept, Paris Motor Show 2002), his last outstanding effort was the design of the ‘Luminus’ shown on the Edscha / IVM Automotive stand at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. Luminus, based on a modified Mercedes-Benz A-Class, demonstrated the comprehensive skills of the designers and engineers of IVM Automotive.
For the next generation NOTCH STOP In October 2003, Edscha’s latest hinge generation will go into production. A highly sensitive steel colossus weighing 150 tons has been especially designed to produce it. W hen the first owners of the new Smart Forfour proudly open the doors to their cars in the spring of 2004, they will hardly guess how much effort was needed to make this possible: three years of development time for the hinge and another 20 months for the equipment on which it is produced.
tion is to pay off for Edscha, a level of flexibility to match. This is why the Remscheid production and process planners, in collaboration with a special-purpose machinery maker, devoted as much love of detail to the development of the new machining equipment as the hinge designers did to the hinge.
Safe without roof CONVERTIBLE DEVELOPMENT When its sheet metal roof is removed, a vehicle loses around three-quarters of its stability. Thanks to Technical Calculation, IVM Automotive puts the stiffness back into the convertible and cuts weight and development time at the same time. W FROM COUPÉ TO CONVERTIBLE We don’t know which team of vehicle developers transformed the Audi TT coupe into a roadster.
BUSINESS PRODUCTS PROJECTS PROCESSES BOULEVARD TIPS CAUTION: WILD ANIMALS CROSSING DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATERS A cult for 70 years It all started with a Kodak projector and a bedsheet hung between trees in a backyard: Richard Holingshead had to experiment for some time before his idea was at last put into practice. The big day was the 6th of June 1933: the first drive-in movie theater opened in New Jersey.
A journey back in time CAR MUSEUMS Artistically forged steel, gleaming chrome and fascinating forms. Veteran and vintage cars exude a magical charm and also provide exciting history lessons. OLDTIMER-TOUR Just over 15 years ago, the Association of German Car, Motoring and Technical Museums began to draw up a directory of all the vehicle museums in Germany. This work resulted in the “German Museum Route” scheme; all the known museums can be found along it.
offers not only an extensive collection of classic vehicles and modern racers, but also a realistic race simulator and a multimedia show in a separate cinema. The largest and also one of the most important collections of sports cars in the world is in the Automuseum Rosso-Bianco near Aschaffenburg (www.rosso-bianco.de): the vehicles exhibited come from over 50 manufacturers in all. NOT JUST FOR THE PURISTS The Dortmund Automobile Museum Dortmund (www.oldiemuseum.
Edscha AG Hohenhagener Strasse 26–28 42855 Remscheid Germany Telephone: +49. 2191.363-0 Telefax: +49. 2191.363-549 www.edscha.com IVM Automotive Holding GmbH & Co. KG Hufelandstrasse 13 80939 Munich Germany Telephone: +49. 89.31566-191 Telefax: +49. 89.31566-575 www.ivm-automotive.
