XtraBlatt Issue 02-2020

INFORM
FUTURE LAB
TESTING
HEART AND
SOUL
The more thorough the testing of
material and machinery, the better the
outlook for subsequent breakdownfree
customer operation. With this in mind, Krone opens
a new chapter in quality assurance with its “Future Lab”.
The best machinery manufacturers have always tried
to put their money on safeguarding respective reputations
for tractor and implement reliability. And increasingly,
as machinery becomes more sophisticated and complex, as
the pressures to get a quality crop in are ever-greater in line
with larger farms, bigger herds and the demand for optimal
crop quality, downtime for expensive equipment out in
the field is a very expensive experience. So the pressure
continues to test every idea, design and material involved
the best way possible. Particularly in vehicle technology, the
effort invested in such testing is enormous – for example
by Krone.
“After all, our products represent investments of substantial
value, that in practice are subject to considerable wear
and tear. The more comprehensively testing is carried out
during even first development steps on the computer and
then right through to the final inspection before customer
delivery of a completed machine, the better its resultant
assurance and operational quality. In other words, value
retention for the customer remains acceptable”, explains
Jürgen Graumann. He’s manager of the “Future Lab” created
by Krone in 2019, although in official Krone formulation, it’s
called the “Validation Centre”.
BUNDLED KNOW-HOW
The term validation indicates the focal point of the operations
taking place in the Future Lab, located at Lingen in
German Emsland. “Our task is, above all, to utilise complex
modern measurement and testing technology, as well as
appropriate analysis procedures, to test the
functionality and robustness of components,
component groups and complete vehicles and
machinery. The data and information thus
collected flow finally as basic information into
product development and the production process”,
explains Jürgen Graumann. “This has,
however, little to do with the quality control
carried out by our colleagues, for instance
on goods coming into the factory or during
checks at the end of the assembly line before
delivery. The knowledge collected by our work
is applied much earlier. One can say the information we
secure ensures the constructive success of future products
– so that the name Future Lab fits very well.”
This materials engineer is fascinated, not only by the daily
work in the lab – which alone is enthralling enough, he
reckons. But mainly by the opportunity to plan from the
start such a test laboratory valued at over 20 m €. And to get
it working with a team and the very latest test technology,
representing a once-in-a- lifetime chance in a professional
career. “On top of this, the Krone Group puts its complete
know-how into the validation from both its divisions:
commercial vehicles and agricultural machinery. This produces
very many synergy effects, boosting our work results
enormously. A situation not to be found anywhere else in
the manufacturing landscape”, he states with noticeable
enthusiasm.
SIMULATING STRESS
And how or, indeed, what is to be tested in each case? There’s
an enormous variety of possible subjects. Too long to list
here, says Jürgen Graumann. But he mentions a couple of
the available facilities such as often very large test stands.
There’s also a test track and an outdoor area for trials. The
main work includes functional and long-term load tests
with the aim of literally discovering the limits of what is
possible with the material involved. Such tests take place
under an enormous number of simulated scenarios. “Krone
products must function reliably and continually under all
climatic conditions and weather zones around the globe. So
we test, among other things, electronic modules in a climate
chamber to ensure that influences such as temperature or
moisture content levels do not impact functionality”, he
explains.
“KRONE PRODUCTS
MUST FUNCTION
RELIABLY AND
CONTINUALLY
UNDER ALL CLIMATIC
CONDITIONS.”
JÜRGEN GRAUMANN,
FUTURE LAB MANAGER
As a further highlight, he names the road simulator, called
X-Poster in specialist speak. With this, among other things,
working life cycles of the drive train and
bodywork of truck trailers are reproduced.
The aim here is to simulate one million km
roadwork within a three-week trial – over
as many different types of road surface as
possible. “The collected data allows realistic
usage results to be fed into a computer
model for reliable information on lifetime
stress. The development steps, up to prototypes
and the later test phases of the
machinery, can in this way be substantially
more effective. This helps efficiency, because
prototype construction and the further steps up until
readiness for serial production are extremely cost intensive.
“Thus, the better we carry out our work in the Future Lab,
the less teething troubles to take care of later. Or, to stay in
health simile mode: prevention is better than cure. What
we have tested heart and soul is therefore very fit for the
future.” «
60 61