Rail is a growth market. How LAPP cables are making crucial connections in rail transport worldwide
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
THE LAPP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE
CABLEWORLDEDITION 18/2019
23HIG
HEST
RAILWAY
New jo
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How th
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10/11
CURIOUS FACTS
ABOUT RAILWAYS
Unusual records
on and alongside
the world’s rails
PUBLISHING DETAILS
RECOUNTED
Worldwide
system engineers employed on ÖLFLEX® CONNECT,
working a total of
engineering hours per day on customer solutions.
Published by U.I. Lapp GmbHSchulze-Delitzsch-Str. 2570565 StuttgartGermany
Project Manager, Senior Editor Dr Markus Müller
Concept, editingand design campra GmbHHauptmannsreute 2370192 Stuttgart Germany www.campra.net
Printing studiodruck GmbHTalstraße 6872622 Nürtingen
18/19
KNOW-HOW ON THE RAILS
Experts show where LAPP is
being used on railways20/21
MINIATURE WONDERLAND
Gerrit Braun from Hamburg
Miniature Wonderland on
model-sized connections
12SPECIAL TRAIN
Visit to the Swiss special
machine manufacturer Matisa
More than
138million different variationsare
possible with the EPIC® industrial connector.
Up to
13TONS
The weight of the heaviest cable drums in the LAPP warehouse.
Titl
e ph
oto:
Cul
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/Mon
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akus
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2 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FACTS | CONTENT | EDITORIAL
I enjoy driving, fl ying or getting on a train. Behind the wheel,
I’m totally fl exible. Air travel is essential for longer distances. And
on the train I can read, work or just relax – and avoid all the traffi c
jams. Demand for rail travel is on the increase, and not just in the industrialised countries of Europe
with their extensive transport infrastructure. The sector has
a particularly big future ingrowth regions.
For LAPP, railway technology is a sector where we can really
demonstrate our strengths. While others don’t start producing
until orders come in, we deliver right away. Even in tiny volumes and tailored to customer needs. We have 1.4 million metres of
railway cables constantly in stock. This means we can assist very
quickly. This issue tells you more about what happens to
these cables.
Yours sincerely,
Andreas LappChairman of the Board
SERVICE ON THE RAILS
06
24
NEWS
MORE ORANGE
News,
prod
uct
infor
mat
ion an
d da
tes
from
the L
APP
world
What’s that? We’re looking for
a creature at risk of extinction.
Enjoy working it out!
08STRONG RESULTS
In the completed 2017/2018
fi nancial year, LAPP continued
its growth and considerably
increased its turnover
22HELP AT THE
CLICK OF A MOUSE
The ÖLFLEX ® CONNECT CHAIN
confi gurator can be used
to design fully assembled
cable chains online
04BIG PICTURE
Cables from LAPP make
ocean-going yacht safer
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 3
4 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
WORLDWIDEBIG PICTURE
SAFETY ON A BIG VOYAGEThree weeks on the high seas are a real challenge – and can provide lots of lessons about life. The 17 metre Haspa is one of two yachts that the Hamburg Sailing Club (HVS) uses to train young people to be ocean sailors. They aim to minimise the number of technical surprises during their voyages on the North Sea and the Baltic. “Our yachts are high-tech ships with a great deal of safety-critical electrical and electronic equipment”, says skipper Wibke Borrmann. “We can only use the very best components.”
During the winter months, some of the cabling was replaced as part of general maintenance. As a result, three different ÖLFLEX® control cables from LAPP are now used. There are several reasons for this. All the cables are temperature resistant, as it often gets very hot below deck, and often frosty up on deck. In addition, the cables are halogen free, which means that in the event of a fire no corrosive vapours are released when extinguishing. And, of course, the cables are resistant to both fresh and salt water. Tin plating of the copper conductors over the entire length provides additional corrosion protection. So, set the sails, cast off and always sail close to the wind. Safely.
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 5
WORLDWIDE
It’s never too early to get young people excited about scientifi c subjects. There is a huge demand for new talent in STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That is why LAPP was pleased to be part of the 5th Baden-Württemberg inventors’ and discovers’ day. The event, organised by the element-i educational foundation, saw 50 skilled trade and engineering companies, along with educational institutions and museums, open their doors to nursery and primary school children.
A total of 30 children from the element-i “Bundle of Energy” nursery and the ele-ment-i “In Step” primary school went on a journey of discovery at LAPP, where they got lots of hands-on experience with technology. “It’s never too early to
start getting young people interested in technology. That’s why we were keen to take part in the element-i initiative. And it’s hugely rewarding to see the children’s enjoyment and enthusiasm,” says Nicole Schmolke, Head of Human Resources at U.I. Lapp GmbH.
Three discovery stations were set up for the young boys and girls. Supported by LAPP apprentices, the young inventors made a kaleidoscope out of cardboard tubes, and found out how electricity is produced from renewable energy and how network technology works. They were amazed at how small parts get to the right place in the warehouse as if by magic. At the end, each child was given a LAPP discovery pass.
New impetus for sales: To help get LAPP ready to face the challenges of the future, Karl Heckl (Photo) has taken over respon-sibility for sales in Germany in the position of Execu-tive Vice President Germany. “With his huge international know-how, Karl Heckl will provide
us with crucial support as we continue to grow”, says Matthias Lapp, CEO of U.I. Lapp GmbH and CEO for the LA EMEA region.
11 to 13 June:Expo Pack 2019Packaging innovations and America’s top suppliersGuadalajara,Mexico
24 to 27 September:TRAKO 2019International railway trade fair Gdansk, Poland
All trade fair dates atwww.lappkabel.com/
fairs
LAPP explains to its young guests how networktechnology works
Tomorrow’s inventors on a journey of discovery
HANNOVER MESSE 2019
NEXT GENERATION
SALES
TRADE FAIRS 2019
The ÖLFLEX® CONNECT Chaincatalogue provides fi rst-hand energy chain expertise
www.lappkabel.com/oelfl exconnectchain
Andreas Lapp (third from left) with German and Indian guests
WINE FESTIVAL
6 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
NEWS
“LAPP is a successful illustration of how to integrate refugees into training programmes and provide intercultural dual training. LAPP is most certainly a role model in this regard.”
ÖLFLEX® DCIn future, energy distribution systems will make ever-increasing use of direct current. LAPP is the fi rst major manufacturer of connection systems to face up to these challenges. The result: a number of new ÖLFLEX® DC cables.
EPIC® POWER LS1 TwistPlug in, turn the housing a quarter turn to the right, done. With the EPIC®
POWER LS1 Twist, LAPP off ers an alternative to the circular quick-lock-ing connector systems that have previously only been available from a few manufacturers. LAPP has developed a robust and practical locking mechanism.
ÖLFLEX® SERVO FD 7TCE A single cable from the control cabinet or converter through the cable tray to the machine, even in a moving cable chain, for static, fl exible or highly fl exible applications: The ÖLFLEX® SERVO FD 7TCE has been specially developed for the North American market. The standards that apply there have previously made it necessary to use diff erent cables. With the new product, this is no longer required.
Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Swedish Prime Minister,
Stefan Löfven, visited the LAPP stand at the Hannover Messe and
found out about the company’s latest digital developments,
including the Smart Cable Drum. The drum transmits the current
cable stock wirelessly to the cloud via a data portal.
Winfried Kretschmann (second from right), Baden-Württemberg Prime Minister
Ready for the DC Era
Handy and Robust
Angela MerkelVisits LAPP
PRODUCTS
HANNOVER MESSE 2019
EDUCATION
One Servo Motor Cable for Everything
Andreas Lapp (third from left) with German and Indian guests
WINE FESTIVAL
CulturalExchange
Workshops, dance and music performances, live cooking –
the15th “Stuttgart Meets Mumbai” wine festival thrilled the
2,000 guests. “Cultural exchange is something I’m really passionate
about”, said Andreas Lapp, LAPP CEO and Honorary Consul
of the Republic of India for Baden-Württemberg and Rhine-
land-Palatinate.
Welcome to Sweden. Representa-tives from LAPP and journalists from Germany visited industrial locations in Sweden, on a media tour to the Hannover Messe’s 2019 partner country. At the LAPP customer Modig in Virse-rum, the delegates found out how im-
portant connection solutions are
in the age of digitalisa-tion.
Välkommen till SverigeSWEDEN
Video of the visit: youtu.be/zDu4HqOoPbc
Photo: Modig CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 7
After LAPP had achieved a turnover of
more than € one billion in the 2016/17 fi nancial year,
the completed 2017/18 year saw growth of a further
12.3 percent to € 1,153 million. The number of em-
ployees increased by just under 12.6 percent to 4,245.
Earnings before taxes increased by 5.6 percent to
€ 58.6 million. “We are fully on track and, thanks to
our Strategy 2020 initiative, have been able to achieve
above-average growth for several years”, confi rmed
Andreas Lapp, CEO of Lapp Holding AG. The largest
growth was recorded in Europe, particularly as a result
of acquisitions in Finland, Poland and Switzerland, as
well as strong demand in the fi elds of industrial data
communication (IDC) and ÖLFLEX® CONNECT (ready
to use cable systems).
Signifi cant increase in turnoverOn balance, the considerable increase in turnover
was only slightly aff ected by the increased cop-
per price and currency fl uctuations. “In relation to
turnover, acquisitions account for an increase of
around three percent. This confi rms last year’s im-
proved performance, with operational growth of
around nine percent,” emphasised Dr Ralf Zander,
Member of the Board, Finance and Controlling.
In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa),
turnover increased by 15 percent to € 826 million.
Accounting for almost 72 percent of sales, EMEA is
LAPP’s most important market. Turnover in Germany
Higher turnover, more employees, successful investments. In the 2017/2018 fi nancial year, LAPP continued its growth course. Turnover and headcount both rose by more than twelve percent in the reporting period.
LAPP CONTINUES ONGROWTH COURSE
“We are right on course and thanksto our Strategy 2020,we are growingat a steady rate.”Andreas Lapp, Chairman of the Board of Lapp Holding AG
The number of employees
rose by just under
12.6percentto 4,245.
At all
18production
sitesLAPP improvedprocess stability and productivity.
The management team at LAPP is very satisfi ed
with the past fi nancial year (left to right): Alexander Lapp, Dr. Hilmar Döring,
Dr. Ralf Zander, Andreas Lapp and Georg Stawowy
8 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
WORLDWIDE2017/2018 FINANCIAL YEAR
Andreas Lapp, Chairman of the Board of LAPP Holding AG (standing) is expecting further growth
alone grew by nine percent to hit € 341 million. The
APAC region (Asia-Pacifi c including Australia and New
Zealand) increased its turnover by nine percent to just
under € 212 million. The Central and North America
region achieved an increase of 2.2 percent and hit €
106 million. Due to economic crises, sales revenue in
South America fell by 18 percent to € 8.2 million. The
2017/2018 fi nancial year was characterised by a solid
fi nancial performance. Earnings before interest, tax,
depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased to
€ 89.6 million (+10.6 percent). Earnings before taxes
(EBT) were at € 58.6 million (+5.5 percent). Due to the
increased balance sheet total and external fi nancing
relating to acquisitions, the equity capital ratio fell
slightly to 48.9 percent (previous year: 53.9 percent),
but is still at a high level. Member of the Board, Fi-
nance and Controlling, Zander said: “Overall, LAPP’s
fi nancial performance remained extremely robust in
the last fi nancial year.”
Investments in the futureIn the last fi nancial year, LAPP increased its invest-
ments by 29 percent to € 31 million. Alongside the
ongoing global rollout of the SAP ECC 6.0 software,
investments were made in machines, plant and
logistics in the sales and manufacturing companies.
The focus was on expanding project business and
increased digitalisation, but also necessary invest-
ments due to acquisitions. For example, production
capacity was doubled at the Indian production plant
in Bhopal, and the warehouse capacity there was ex-
panded by 70 percent. A new warehouse was opened
in Satteldorf (close to Schwäbisch Hall) specially for
project orders.
Signifi cant increase in employees worldwideThe number of employees was increased in almost all
subsidiaries worldwide. Recruitment fi gures in the
EMEA region were above average, with an increase
of 16 percent. Additional employees also came from
acquisitions. A focus area for human resources was
in organisational development, particularly the is-
sues of digitalisation and process optimisation. “We
want to make LAPP a learning organisation where
our employees’ life-long learning and the organisa-
tion’s ongoing systematic development are closely
interlinked,” emphasised Dr Hilmar Döring, Member
of the Board for Human Resources. He added: “LAPP’s
success can only continue if we keep our focus on
people.” With this in mind, a global training initia-
tive was launched so that all employees can receive
training on automation and industrial data commu-
nications.
Promising outlookLAPP got off to another good start in the 2018/2019
fi nancial year. “Provided that the global economy
doesn’t suff er another major downturn, we are ex-
pecting further growth throughout the current fi nan-
cial year,” said Andreas Lapp. Signifi cant momentum
is expected in Asia-Pacifi c and Europe, especially in
automation and IDC.
Turnover in the EMEA region
rose by 15 percent to € 826 million
and accounts for
72percent
of sales, making it LAPP’s most
important market.
31millionEuros
were investedby LAPP in
innovations.
Business fi gures at a glance
2016/2017 fi nancial year
2017/2018 fi nancial year
Change
Total turnover in € million 1,026.8 1,153 + 12.3 %
Earnings before taxes in € million 55.5 58.6 + 5.5 %
Employeesworldwide 3,770 4,245 + 12.6 %
Equity capital ratioin percent 53.9 48.9 - 5
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 9
57
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
60,000,000people travel by rail every day in Japan –
that’s more than anywhere else.
In Tangula (China) at an altitude of
5,068 METRES you will find the world’s highest railway station.
1st
RAILWAY LINE IN GERMANY opens between
Nuremberg and Fürth.
> 9 MILLION TONS
Total annual global rail production.
KILOMETRESLength of the Gotthard-Tunnel – currently the world’s longest railway tunnel.
At just 400 METRESin length, the rail network of the Vatican is the shortest in the world.
13.5 %INCLINE
on Line 28E of the tram network in Lisbon.
1804 Briton Richard Trevithick puts the world’s first steam locomotive into operation.
In
TRACKS THAT CONNECT
Graphic: Star Worbs Sources: Wikipedia (13), Hamburger Abendblatt, Statista, SBB Cargo Blog, FAZ
For more than 200 years, railways have done more than just connect countries. They cross borders and entire continents, bringing people and generations together, delivering goods to the whole world and even overcoming what seem to be insurmountable barriers. It’s a success story that is a long way from coming to an end.
07.12.1835
7,800 kmMoscow – Beijing"Tsar Gold"Cape Town – Dar Es Salaam 6,100 kmRovos Rail
9,288 kmMoscow – VladivostokTrans-Siberian Railway
124,000 kmChina85,513 kmRussia
43,468 km (6th place)Germany
293,564 kmUSA
SPEED RECORDS (monorail system)
MINUTESThe time it takes for the world’s longest train (the 7.3 kilometre BHP Iron Ore Train) to pass a crossing at a speed of 55 km/h.
603 km/h Shinkansen L0 (Japan)
581 km/h Maglev MLX1 (Japan)
517 km/h Maglev ML500 (Japan)
28 km/h
1,435MILLIMETRES
The standard gauge of European
railway lines.
THE LONGEST ROUTES
THE LONGEST RAIL NETWORKS
670 TONS – The average weight of a Series 4 ICE train.
The longest railway bridge in the world between Shanghai and Nanking in China.
Speed of the "Adler" (“Eagle”) and "Pfeil" (“Arrow”) – the first public railway services in Germany.
164.8 KILOMETRES
478 KILOMETRES The longest straight section of railway in the world through the Nullarbor Desert in Australia.
75 METRESunder water – The deepest section of the Eurotunnel between France and England.
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 11
Around 30 machines per year are precision tuned here in the final assembly building before delivery to the customer
Phot
os: M
atis
a
12 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
The plasma cutters get through a steel plate
several centimetres thick with all the precision of a Swiss
watch. The dazzling spot of light brightens up the slight-
ly dated industrial building. It moves along its computer
controlled path apparently effortlessly. An employee with
black protective goggles monitors the operation. After just
a few minutes, the plasma cutter has cut out a workpiece.
It resembles a bent human arm. It’s a relatively small part
but it will soon become part of something big in the adja-
cent frame production plant.
That might be a universal tamper, a track construction
train or a ballast regulator. High-tech in XL format. Where
exactly the workpiece will end up is precisely planned by
the engineers – in an office building 200 metres away as
the crow files. M-A-T-I-S-A can be seen in large black capi-
tal letters on the façade. The specialist in construction ma-
chinery for all aspects of laying and preparing tracks – the
full company name is Matériel Industriel S.A. – is based in
the Swiss town of Crissier. The site is just six kilometres
northwest of Lausanne, in an idyllic setting, surrounded
by craggy mountain peaks and with the sun reflecting
from the surface of Lake Geneva. Precision machines
“Quality, reliability,flexibility and know-howhave been our strengthsfor more than 70 years.”
Patrice Mesnage, Technical Purchasing Manager
PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY
Wherever tracks are laid, replaced or maintained, special machines from the Swiss company Matisa are used. A visit to the plant in Crissier reveals that LAPP cables provide the critical connections.Text: Thorsten Schönfeld
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 13
that have prepared the way for rail transport world-
wide and ensured its safety have been produced here
since 1945. “Quality, reliability, flexibility and know-
how have been our strengths for more than 70 years”,
says Technical Purchasing Manager Patrice Mesnage.
The 61-year old peers mischievously over the rim of
his glasses. The company has an unrivalled portfolio.
The third floor of the office building is the brain of the
whole operation. Mechanical, hydraulic and electrical
engineering teams come up with the ideas that will
later be made a reality in the production buildings.
The detailed work that this entails is illustrated by a
few figures. In a track construction train, for example,
a total of up to ten kilometres of cables are installed.
“There are also around 15,000 connections”, adds
Marc Vuillemier. As a result, according to the head of
electrical engineering development, this kind of pro-
ject can involve something approaching 500 hours of
Welding of the special designs requires experience
14 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
planning work. Particularly as diff erent
standards and regulations have to be com-
plied with for each machine, depending on
the country it will be used in.
Cables are crucially important as they are
used to control numerous concurrent pro-
cesses with perfect precision. “A track con-
struction train can lay 600 to 800 metres
of track per hour – accurate to the millime-
tre”, Mesnage explains. “The sleepers are
brought forward from the attached wagons
using a crane, where they are put in place
and the tracks are then laid on top of them.
This all happens as a continuous fl ow.” Which means
that the mechanics, hydraulics and sensors are con-
stantly communicating with one another. The cables
have to operate reliably and, on top of that, have to sat-
isfy specifi c requirements in terms of fi re protection
and ease of installation.
In the hall, next to the plasma cutter an employee is now
welding the workpiece into a steel frame, which is over
14 metres long and two metres high. It is lying on its
side, enabling the work to be performed ergonomically.
Sparks fl y. There’s a smell of burning. A fl ex screech-
es. There are no conveyor belts here and no robots.
Precision manual work and fl exibility are the order of
the day, as every machine is a one-off , adapted to the
customer’s specifi c requirements. “This welding work
demands a huge amount of experience.
There are not many specialists who can do
it”, says Mesnage, indicating a seam about
60 centimetres in length. Every seam has
to be perfect, as ultimately the fi nished
machine weighs around 80 tons. The hall
is around 50 metres long and currently
contains four frames. On average the time
from a contract being signed to delivery of
a fi nished machine is 18 months. Between
20 and 30 machines leave the plant every
year. Each one is unique, equipped with
the very latest technology and designed
for a service life of more than 30 years.
As a consequence, suppliers also have to guarantee to
maintain the availability of the products they install
for this period. “We depend on reliable partnerships”,
says Mesnage. That’s one of the reasons why Matisa
decided to collaborate with LAPP just over a year ago.
Another is fl exibility – in terms of both the company
and its products. The importance of the cables being
both robust and fl exible to use is demonstrated by the
wiring carried out in the electrical workshop and in
fi nal assembly.
Blaise Schopfer, the manager of the electrical work-
shop, shows how the cables are installed inside the
control cabinet and how each cabinet in the train is
connected. Although the machine itself is huge, when
it comes to the cables space is always at a premium.
All kinds of curves and corners have to be overcome. It
would be absolutely impossible with rigid cables. They
need to be as thin but also as powerful as possible,
whether they have a single or multiple cores. Accord-
ing to Schopfer, the wiring of a control cabinet alone
takes four to fi ve weeks.
While LAPP has been active in the railway sector in the
Asia Pacifi c (APAC) region for 14 years, the company
only ventured into the fi eld three years ago in Europe.
The Stuttgart-based experts have adapted two existing
products specifi cally for Matisa to cope with require-
ments in railway technology: the ÖLFLEX® Classic 110
HFS and 115 CHFS. As the abbreviations suggest, these
are halogen-free versions that comply with all fi re pro-
tection standards. Thanks to the thin-walled cable and
their fl exible cores, they can be installed easily, as
demonstrated.
Thefactory site covers
33,730square metres.
Matisa has a total of
8subsidiaries
around the world.
The company works with around 1000 suppliers.
“We depend ona reliable
partnershipwith suppliers.”
Patrice Mesnage
The precision plasma cutter
gets through the thickest steel
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 15
“Something else we really value about our collabora-
tion is the delivery terms. Because we produce custom-
ised machines, it is very common for modifi cations to
come up during production. This means we then have
to order subsequent cables at relatively short notice”,
Mesnage explains. Matisa purchases the products
from LAPP Volland, the Swiss LAPP subsidiary. Like
the company headquarters, they maintain a constant
stock of special cables.
This enables the cable manufacturer to not only deliv-
er quickly – if necessary within 48 hours – but also
with no minimum order quantity. This is crucial for
specialist companies that do not use large-scale series
production. As Thorsten Grünberg, Market Manager
Rolling Stock at LAPP, explains: “Cables are normal-
ly produced to order, so only after the customer has
actually ordered them. Every time a line is started up,
the fi rst 150 to 200 metres of cable cannot be used.” To
amortise the high setup costs and times, a manufactur-
er has to then produce a certain quantity. This results
in the high minimum order quantities that are normal
elsewhere in the industry.
Matisa itself also maintains a small intermediate ware-
house in an additional building. Drums containing var-
ious cables as a direct supply for production take up
an entire wall. This is also where the driver’s cabs for
the machines are pre-assembled. All in bright yellow.
Final assembly, in the building opposite, is where all
the parts fi nally come together to create the fi nished
product.
Employees screw things together, plug them in, con-
nect them, talk – and joke. Matisa emphasises the
importance of a good working atmosphere. Employee
turnover is very low. This is proved by the example of
two colleagues who recently retired after forty years
with the company. During this time, they have helped
create numerous Matisa innovations. At one end of
the building, a bright yellow prototype is waiting to be
completed: it’s a universal tamper with the code UC –
U for universal, C for continuous. While conventional
tampers have to keep stopping to compress the ballast
bed or correct the track geometry, a variable suspend-
ed tamper moving against the direction of travel allows
a continuous process to be achieved. As a result it runs
more quickly and cuts fuel consumption. The next gen-
eration in high-tech.
And the process of creating this Matisa machine start-
ed with a steel plate under the plasma cutter.
Electrical engineer Blaise Schopfer demonstrates the complex wiring of a train
A track construction train
can lay up to
800metres of track
per hour.
The trains weigh
80 tonsor more.
Matisa products have a service
life of more than
30 years.
16 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
Ballast regulators
A ballast cleaner lifts sleepers and rails to renew the ballast bed
Up to 500 metres long and with a wealth of high-tech equipment on board, they lay sleepers and rails on new lines in a continuous fl ow.
Track construction trains
If the track geometry requires correction, or the ballast has to be compressed, rail operators worldwide depend on Matisa tampers.
Universal tampers
For example, they are used for fi lling up sleeper bays, ploughing out surplus ballast and sweeping clean the tracks.
FOR BALLAST AND TRACK – IN ANY DIMENSIONSReliability and precision are the key features of Matisa products. No matter whether they are transport wagons for points, track inspection vehicles, ballast regulators, track renewal trains, track construction trains, tampers or ballast cleaners. In these steel giants, every detail is crucial.
The high-tech trains, for example, pick up the ballast stones, check their edges, sort out those that are blunt and then fill up the bed with fresh stones. When it comes to ballast, small differences can have a big impact. Only stones with fracture edges can interlock, which
creates a uniformly loadable and cushioning structure, providing a stable base for sleepers and rails.
The company’s most important products include plain line and universal tampers. Customers worldwide use them to correct the track geometry and compress the ballast.
The size comparison below shows examples from the diverse portfolio. You can find a complete overview at www.matisa.ch/en
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 17
Rail products “Made by LAPP” satisfy the stringent conditions for modern rail technology. Three train experts from LAPP explain where they are used and what they have to be able to do.
EXPERTISEON THE RAILS
Coupling
Braking system
Control cabinets
Driver’s desk
Drive motor
Braking systemTrain control
“An ever-increasing number ofcables have to fit in control cabinetsand cable ducts. The ÖLFLEX® TRAIN 301 TW can be installed easilyin small spaces thanks to itsexcellent flexibility.” Jürgen Beck, Product Manager ÖLFLEX®
18 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
Traction converter
Auxiliaryconverters
Passenger information system
Fans
Doors
Air conditioning
Lighting
Battery
WC
LAPP on trackYou can fi nd everything you need to know about connection solutions for railways on the following micro-site:
www.lappkabel.com/rollingstock
Contact personThorsten Grünberg, Market Manager Rolling Stock, has held various sales-based positions in railway technology over more than 20 years, including key account manager and director.
“A traction converter is a harshenvironment for cables withvoltages of up to several kilovolts and high temperatures. Our newÖLFLEX® TRAIN HT150 cross-linkedsilicon cable can withstand continuousconductor temperatures of up to 150 degrees Celsius.”Nils Albrecht, Market Manager Train, Germany
“ETHERLINE® TRAIN and UNITRONIC®
TRAIN cables from LAPP are the perfect solution for almost any data transmissiontasks for on board information.”Christian Illenseer, Product Management Automation
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 19
Mr Braun, do the railways in your Miniature Wonderland run on time? Gerrit Braun: Believe it or not, even we sometimes
experience delays or cancelled trains. Our technolo-
gy can go on strike too. The difference is that when
our trains don’t run, our visitors still have a great
time.
How do model railways differ from those in the real world? Mainly in terms of their size (laughs). Realism is
extremely important to us. We don’t want to lose our
sense of realism, but we do want to create a world of
wonder that all our visitors can lose themselves in.
Do you sometimes think back to the early days and have to pinch yourself when you see the queues at the entrance? Yes, our success story is like a dream. Early on,
my brother and I knew we wanted to set up our own
company – if we couldn’t be engine drivers. In 2001
Frederik called me and said: “Hey, Gerrit, I’ve got
an idea. Let’s build the world’s largest model railway.”
Initially, I was quite sceptical but then I started to
really come around to the notion. And with a two
million euro loan, we just went ahead and did it.
Behind your love of detail there’s an incredible amount of hard work and professional planning. How important is the quality of the products you use, for example all the cables?
As a child, Gerrit Braun always wanted to be an engine driver. Today, along with his twin brother he runs the world’s largest model railway. More than 1.4 million visitors flock to Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg every year. In our interview, the 51-year old reveals that his little world and the big one it’s based on actually have a lot in common.
“HEY, GERRIT, I’VE GOT AN IDEA!”
Around 1.4 million people visit us each year. Their
safety is the most important thing for us. That’s why
we make sure we only use quality products in all
areas, but particularly the cables. A cable fire can
start so quickly. We have more than 15 kilometres of
track, and we need cables with a cross-section of up
to ten square millimetres. If we didn’t use high-quality
materials, it would increase the risk.
What specific requirements do you have for cables? They’re similar to the real railway in many ways.
They have to insulate as well as being temperature
resistant, robust and flexible. We don’t use a 230
Volt power supply for our system. Pretty much all
cables are standard commercial products, includ-
ing the LAPP products we use. For example the
UNITRONIC® BUS CAN for communication between
the PC and control cards under the system and the
UNITRONIC® SENSOR for controlling the switches.
For many people, one of the attractions of building model railways is that you are never really finished. What are you currently building? We’re really moving forward. We are currently work-
ing on the famous Monaco racing circuit. When that’s
finished, our team will focus on the UK, which will
include an extension of our exhibition area in Speich-
erstadt. And at some stage we want to include France
and the Benelux countries. We’re never standing still.
Even if some of the trains don’t arrive on time …
21/12/1967Born in Hamburg
1994Owner and manager of the Voilà nightclub in Hamburg
2001Opens Hamburg Miniature Won-derland along with his identical twin brother Frederik and Stephan Hertz
2006Wins Entrepreneur of the Year award
2010Awarded the Ger-man Federal Cross of Merit
GerritBraun
20 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
FOCUS RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY
square metresof models created
over 795,000hours of
construction.
trains running on
15,400 metres of track.
million euro in costs
to date to build Miniature
Wonderland.
Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg is open 365 days a year, at least from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm. Exact opening times and more information on tickets can be found online.
www.miniatur-wunderland.com
1,499
1,040
>21
Phot
os: M
inia
ture
Won
derla
nd
Living the dream: Founders Frederik (left) and Gerrit Braun
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 21
Three stepsto a fi nishedconfi guration
1. Select cablesMore than 1,000
connecting, control and data cables are available for moving
applications.
2. Confi gurechain
Choose from 2,000 cable chains to fi nd the one that best
meets your needs.
3. Specifylayout
Design the chain layout to suit your
application.
In future, three steps and a few clicks will be
enough. While confi guring cable chains was previous-
ly a complex task, it’s now child’s play. The ÖLFLEX®
CONNECT CHAIN confi gurator from LAPP provides
a convenient way for users to engineer a cable chain
online. The confi gurator automatically eliminates risks
of error and always fi nds the best solution. It’s an im-
portant addition to LAPP’s growing range of fi nished
products. System solutions developed by a single com-
pany are growing in popularity because they deliver
excellent quality and save time.
No more incorrect confi gurations, everThe ÖLFLEX® CONNECT CHAIN confi gurator guides
you step by step through the choice of cable chains,
cables and appropriate accessories. It makes sure that
components are compatible every step of the way, es-
pecially when it comes to the cables’ minimum bend
radius. The cable chain must not have a smaller bend
radius than the cables, otherwise malfunctions may
occur and the cables’ life cycle will be curtailed. If
this is the case, the confi gurator will display a warn-
ing message and suggest other types of cable chain.
Other criteria include the travel length, acceleration,
temperature behaviour and shielding. The confi gura-
tor automatically excludes cables that are not suitable
for the application. If required, it can position separa-
tors and shelves and makes sure that the weight of the
cables is evenly distributed in the cable chain. When
the confi guration is complete, the customer receives a
personalised quotation. They can decide whether they
want to purchase the cable chain fully assembled by
LAPP or as individual components, with the option of
having the cables pre-cut to the appropriate lengths. If
the customer opts for the former, all components are
guaranteed to be in perfect working order and the fully
assembled chain will undergo extensive testing before
it is shipped.
Top-notch quality everywhere and every timeAs well as custom cable assemblies LAPP supplies ser-
vo assemblies for connection of servo drives in com-
pliance with leading manufacturers’ standards and
ready-to-install power chain systems. System solutions
are available worldwide and always off er the same
premium quality. Alongside the competence centre in
Stuttgart, the company has two other competence cen-
tres in the USA and Singapore, as well as a global net-
work of production sites for ÖLFLEX® CONNECT and
other products. No matter where in the world items are
produced, LAPP customers benefi t from short delivery
times and proximity to genuine experts.
The ÖLFLEX® CONNECT CHAIN confi gurator enables fully assembled cable
chains to be created easily online and eliminates sources of errors.
OPTIMUM CONFIGURATION
AT THE CLICK OF A MOUSE
The ÖLFLEX® CONNECT CHAIN confi gurator on the Internet https://chainconfi gurator.lappgroup.com
WORLDWIDE
22 | CABLEWORLD #18.2019
PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY
HIGHEST RAILWAY
Cables on demand: LAPP always has around 1.4 million metres of railway cables in stock.
Illus
trat
ion:
Jens
Bös
che
CABLEWORLD #18.2019 | 23
WORLDWIDE
POPULAR HEROThe orange is pretty hard to miss. And yet the vertical stripes have precisely the opposite effect. They help this little cinema hero to hide from enemies. Because he secretes a slime on his skin, he is protected from the poison of sea anemones, which allows him to hide among them. So predators go away with nothing. This creature, which lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is threatened with extinction, can live for up to ten years. More than 30 different types live in the oceans and only a few of them are orange. But the type in question obviously makes us laugh – as its name suggests. What creature are we talking about? You will find the solution at www.lappkabel.com/moreorange Ph
oto:
shu
tter
stoc
k
MORE ORANGE