"We focus on consistency and an integrated approach," explained Müller. Interdisciplinary teams of designers and engineers actively work for our international customers - in both the full-vehicle design creation and also in individual vehicle and product-specific solutions." Visitors can view one example of MBtech's competencies at the company's exhibition stand: A super sports car from a new German automobile manufacturer. Among other aspects, the MBtech Group was involved in developing and designing the plastic parts as well as the sealing concept - both fundamentally important to the low weight of the super sports car.

MBtech proves its cutting-edge capabilities in design and development tools at its EuroMold stand by demonstrating the areas of application and functionality of the Integrated Parametric Solutions (IPS).

MBtech is now one of the few companies authorized to perform precisely these conformity tests and award the corresponding certificates worldwide: The LIN Steering Group has accredited the Databus Validation Center in the MBtech electronics solutions segment as a LIN testing facility. "MBtech offers global responsibility and is excellently positioned with its highly comprehensive portfolio of devices for current and future databuses such as LIN, FlexRay, MOST and Ethernet," explained Roland Ziegler, Head of Validation & Compliance, in the electronics solutions segment.

Essentially, the authorization from the LIN consortium represents a re-certification. Because the renowned company, Micron Electronic Devices AG, in Neutraubling near Regensburg received the first LIN certificate in 2006 and in June 2008 MBtech took over their entire range of business activities. However exactly the same demanding requirements also apply to a re-certification: "Guarantying both the quality of the measurements and also their reproducibility demands compliance with strict requirements," emphasizes Klaus Fuchs, the former Head of Micron's Test Competence Center and now the Product Manager for the Databus Validation Center in the electronics solutions segment. "We are very proud that the LIN consortium has confirmed the successful work of the last two years with the re-certification. Micron has largely automated the measurements in order to exclude any possible manual errors and pass on the cost advantages to the customers." The former Micron AG employees possess a comprehensive range of experience drawn from numerous, successful projects in the LIN databus field - as well as the associated direct customer relationships to OEMs (such as interoperability tests and topology investigations), First Tiers (for example releases for OEMs) and semi-conductor manufacturers (such as component lists from the OEMs, for example). The re-certification as a LIN testing facility represents both the successful integration of Micron AG into the MBtech Group as well as the unrestricted continuity which customers can expect from MBtech. 

Since car manufacturers, suppliers and engineering service providers cooperate more and more in global networks, the project-related teamwork along with the product development process often requires high expenditure of time and extensive traveling. Particularly for testing of complex systems, the required equipment and skilled experts from the different parties usually have to meet at one location. This not only increases costs but also binds valuable capacities. In MBtech’s virtual HiL test center, all project partners meet online. A close cooperation is enabled despite long distances. The expert capacities are applicable in several projects at the same time. The software is based on PROVEtech: TA, the MBtech tool suite for test automation with its own work page, the test manager, as well as error simulation and diagnosis. In order to ensure the security and safety of sensitive data, a protected IT and network infrastructure with the appropriate authorization concepts are presupposed. PROVEtech: ViT supports development projects in the automotive electronics area at arbitrary locations - around the clock and around the world.

The MBtech Group image film opens with this scene and illustrates the hybrid concept: "A composite whole consisting of different modalities or processes, where the individual elements each represent solutions in themselves and their combination, on the other hand, creates new properties," explains the presenter, who guides viewer through the five minute film. He is also a hybrid: As a real person he presents MBtech's engineering competencies and as an abstracted, animated figure, he explains how the company supports its customers with regard to consulting issues. "We are hybrid," he says and demonstrates how MBtech's different segments profit from one another.

The film was created by SCHOKOLADE Filmproduktion in Stuttgart and was voted the winner in the "Sales Promotion / Marketing" category by the ITVA's jury. The award ceremony took place on the 26th September 2008 in the Crystal Hall at the Koelnmesse during a gala as part of the photokina. "We are very proud of this award," says Wolfram Motz, Head of Marketing at MBtech. "We hope that the film will address and attract a large number of young junior employees and potential customers, who discover the MBtech via the film and perceive us as a dynamic and modern company."

The CNG SLK proves MBtech's competence in the variant application for full-vehicle development

The CNG SLK clearly demonstrates the variant development competence of the development and consulting service provider from Sindelfingen. With this concept vehicle MBtech has independently realized the application of the powertrain and engine for natural gas including the development and adaptation of the combustion process, the drive electronics and individual components. ROTAREX Automotive provided the natural-gas relevant components such as carbon composite tanks, gas rail, pressure regulators, etc. The tests for the natural gas engine for the sports car were performed on MBtech's own engine and aggregate test benches. MBtech also faced the challenge of integrating the natural gas components into the existing installation space within the vehicle. The engineers then tested the development using both on-road tests and MBtech's own testing facilities. In the process MBtech was able to utilize both its own workshop for alternative drives and its modern driving dynamics measuring equipment. That the vehicle is on display in Aachen in its endurance testing trim displays the comprehensive capacity range of vehicle testing services. MBtech's experts and test drivers are available for their customers around the clock at the company's own proving grounds or for endurance tests on roads throughout the world. With this MBtech development study, which was not performed on behalf of a customer, the development and consulting specialist from Sindelfingen disproves the preconception that the use of alternative drive systems automatically entails a loss in performance. Successfully: The CNG SLK possesses even more power than a comparable series vehicle.

Concept vehicle in endurance testing trim: For viewing and driving

In contrast to other events and exhibitions where the environmentally-friendly sports car can "only" be viewed as static exhibit, in Aachen the CNG SLK is also available for the specialists to test drive for the first time: On the second day of the event interested congress participants can take the vehicle for a test drive together with MBtech engineers at the test track belonging to the host, the Institute for Motor-Vehicles from the RWTH Aachen.

The study was performed by employees from MBtech's consulting segment between April and August 2008. "With the study we address two questions", explained Marc Bayer, Principal at MBtech Consulting and responsible for the "Truck Monitor 2008" study: "What are the deciding criteria for purchasing a heavy commercial vehicle for the customers? And how well do leading suppliers on the German market fulfill these criteria?" The evaluation of more than 90 interviews which MBtech performed throughout Germany served as a basis. Both the decision-makers at freight companies and the drivers themselves were surveyed. The "Product characteristics", “maintenance”, “Purchasing costs", "Sales processes” and "Service processes" categories were investigated in the course of the study.

"The study largely revealed a familiar picture - however with numerous new facets on a market level", said Marc Bayer, summarizing the results of the "Truck Monitor 2008" study. Freight companies are facing increasing cost pressure and thus focus more in the overall operating costs  of their vehicles - the "Total cost of ownership" (TCO): "Lower fuel consumption, low repair and maintenance costs as well as long maintenance intervals are the central requirements which freight companies place on their flee", said Marc Bayer. Criteria such as reliability and the purchase price also play a key role in the purchase decisions. Financial service offers from the manufacturers’ banks which go beyond pure financing are only of moderate importance. Their importance lies significantly behind the services provided by the brand: "The best and lowest-cost vehicle is almost worthless if it is not backed up by a professional service network with the corresponding processes for repairs and spare parts supply", stated Marc Bayer. In addition to the density and availability, the fleet owners also pay attention to the service employees' level of qualification: The speed and quality of the service and repair work are playing an increasingly important role in competitive issues, revealed another facet of the study.

The majority of the freight companies regard technical innovations for heavy commercial vehicles, such as those presented at many of the stands at the IAA, objectively: Their central expectation - and thus the major area of activity for commercial vehicle manufacturers - is a continuing reduction in the fuel costs either through engine technologies or through better compatibility with eco-diesel. The continuous improvement in service - rapid, low-cost and high-quality maintenance and repair work as well as low-cost wearing parts – also ranked highly ranked on freight forwarders’ wish-lists. Customers from a diverse range of brands also demanded a tight service network. Innovations increasing commercial vehicle safety proved less homogeneous: "Safety yes, but as a standard feature please", said the consultant, Marc Bayer, when summarizing the results of the "Truck Monitor 2008" study. In view of the difficult cost structure companies tended to especially forgo additional extras such as the distance-keeping cruise control and the lane assistant. Even though the use of safety components have a positive influence on costs such as insurance premiums. Handling or driver cabin comfort are issues which the freight companies, in contrast to the drivers, barely take into account when evaluating a commercial vehicle. If these product features fail to increase the economy, then they play almost no role in the purchase decision.

"Because modern hybrid systems offer both passenger vehicle drivers and commercial vehicle or bus fleet owners clear benefits, I am absolutely certain that the market share for these vehicles will continue to grow strongly," explained Werner Kropsbauer, MBtech Group President and Spokesman. Consequently, the trend of offering vehicles with additional hybrid variants could substantially increase in the coming years - for both commercial vehicles and buses as well as for passenger vehicles.

However, the benefits which hybrid variants truly provide to the end customers and the additional costs for the manufacturers depend on the concrete realization and efficient development and production processes. As an engineering and consulting service provider, MBtech supports its customers - manufacturers and suppliers in the automotive industry - with a broad range of competencies throughout the product development process. These range from defining a suitable hybrid concept and developing the associated operating strategy to the vehicle-specific adaptation and integration of the hybrid components onward to prototype construction, driving trials and testing. MBtech is currently involved in a number of development projects of this nature.

For example, MBtech already offers support regarding the issue of which hybrid concept is best suited to which application. Recording driving profiles and load spectrums delivers a precise analysis of the operational area. MBtech then works together with its customers to develop the suitable hybrid concept and the correct operating strategy. An integrated energy management is the primary factor influencing the actual savings potential. MBtech contributes its experience in programming and testing control units to this area. The interaction between the programmed functions enables optimized operating phases in which, for example, the electric motor is simultaneously activated or the combustion engine shut down. The control units critical to the function of the entire vehicle are developed to series maturity using MBtech's own testing facilities.

MBtech's experts then integrate the selected hybrid components and systems into the powertrain and the vehicle electrical system. Also associated with this are adjustments to the entire vehicle and its peripherals - as well as the adaptation and application of engine and drivetrain in accordance with the previously defined operative strategy. MBtech constructs prototypes and single-run vehicles and tests these as well as the pre-series vehicles at its own proving grounds. MBtech has developed customized testing and inspection procedures which ensure that every vehicle reliably fulfills all of the requirements placed on modern hybrid technologies.

However, not only the technical aspect is important for the hybrid models' breakthrough. If hybrid vehicles are to succeed on the market, the costs for the end customers must remain manageable. This is above all the case when the conceptual design of the complex alternative drive, the series production planning and the supplier management all mesh optimally with each other. This is precisely where MBtech's dual competence comes into play: "Customers who involve MBtech in hybrid integration projects from an early stage not only profit from the technological know-how but also from the consulting competence," explained Hartmut Tresp, President of the MBtech Group. "The more complex the vehicle technologies become, the more important the profound understanding of all of the associated procedures becomes - this is the only mode to consistently implement our consultants' Lean Enterprise approach." MBtech has adapted its corporate structure to heavy demand for hybrid projects: A superordinate project house, headed by Martin Ott, handles the project management and integrates the essential know-how from the MBtech segments specific to the particular customer function. This structure also aims to expand the company's competencies in the alternative drives field.

Numerous reference projects have proven that the industry values MBtech's know-how. During the development of a diesel hybrid bus MBtech took on a comprehensive range of vehicle electronics tasks - from optimizing the operating strategy on the basis of the driving behavior and consumption simulations, the control unit integration and function simulation onward to high-voltage wiring. The operating strategy and the energy management, in particular, are the soul of the serial hybrid bus in which the diesel engine now serves as a generator, providing the electrical energy which is stored in batteries and utilized by the electrical hub motors for propulsion.
In addition, MBtech has completed a hybrid project for small truck models. MBtech specialists converted a number of series vehicles into parallel hybrid vehicles. The small truck can now be run using the 35 kW electric motor, the 92 kW turbo diesel or both engines at the same time. When braking the electric engine functions as a generator, transforming the energy generated into electricity which is then stored in accumulators.

Consistently utilizing the company's own innovations for differentiation

"Engineering and consulting service providers have to realize their own technological innovations in addition to customer projects," explained Werner Kropsbauer, MBtech Group President and Spokesman. "We regard our own innovations as a central strategic instrument with which we successfully position the MBtech Group with regard to the competition." At the same time it is also essential for expanding the group's business activities. For example, MBtech has developed its own software for hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testing. This software is utilized in the group's internal projects and is also available on the market as an independent and sought-after product solution.

Transparent innovation processes and innovation management

In order for a company to be able to generate and successfully implement its own innovations, the company must possess its own clearly defined processes and control instruments. In the first step MBtech constantly analyses current market developments and future technology trends. The insights gained from the analyses enable the experts to precisely define all of the relevant "search fields" for innovations. However, the projects defined from detailed market analyses can only achieve their goals when supported by motivated employees.

"The deciding factor for the success is bringing together the right minds, providing them with the necessary freedom for creative solutions and then also rewarding their performance accordingly," explained Hartmut Tresp, President of the MBtech Group. "In order to safeguard the success of our innovation projects in advance, we not only emphasize the targeted networking among the employees and establishing communities of practice but also the greatest possible transparency." This not only means constantly monitoring the progress of every development stage in a project; MBtech also prioritizes every project from the very beginning in accordance with the criteria critical to the future business success. By involving the customer at an early stage, MBtech succeeds in creating a win-win situation for everybody involved. In addition, all of the current and future customer projects also benefit directly from the experience and the results of MBtech's internal innovation management.

Implementing and learning from innovations for customers

Hybrid drive systems represent an especially good example of innovation processes in the automotive industry. Manufacturers and suppliers face challenges that they can often only master with support from experienced development service providers. As a result of its extremely broad spectrum of competencies in both the drive, electronics and vehicle development areas as well as in process optimization MBtech has the right answer to every question - beginning with defining and developing the hybrid concept to adapting and integrating the new components or systems into the full vehicle onward to prototyping & vehicle testing. MBtech is currently involved in numerous hybrid projects, handling a diverse range of tasks. In order to continuously expand and bundle the required competencies MBtech has adapted its corporate structure to handle the high volume of hybrid projects: A super-ordinate project house managed by Martin Ott is responsible for the project management and specifically integrates the know-how from MBtech's individual segments (vehicle engineering, powertrain solutions, electronic solutions and consulting) which is essential for the specific customer function. Depending on the requirements and project structure the teams are complemented by including competent specialists from MBtech's headquarters. This structure also aims to expand the company's competencies in the alternative drives field.