Audi 2014 Annual Report Download - page 101

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03 // Which supplier is suitable
for developing the electrically driven
compressor together with Audi
through to series production and
will ultimately be able to manu-
facture it cost-e ectively ? Within
the Audi Group, the search for
the needle in the haystack began for
the Regional O ces distributed
around the world. After all, the
more complex a component is, the
more requirements the future
supplier will also need to meet.
01 // Advanced development started in
Neckarsulm four years ago. In this process,
time is a decisive competitive advantage.
Direct paths were needed, coupled with
exacting quality requirements. All the
strengths and expertise had to be bundled.
Procurement and Technical Development
exchanged ideas several times a week to
come up with solutions quickly. Quality
Assurance, Logistics and Controlling were
also actively involved from the outset.
Genuine team play that allows everyone
to work together fast.
It all started with the goal
It all started with the goal
of improving substantially the sponta-
neity of boost pressure buildup and
of increasing the engine’s power output.
At the same time, the aim was also to
reduce fuel consumption and CO emis-
sions. The V . TDI engine obtains
its power from the boost pressure that
the biturbo builds up. This depends on
the energy in the exhaust gas.
The Audi developers came up with the
idea of using an additional electrically
driven compressor to speed up the
boost pressure buildup in the customary
biturbo. The result : direct response
and high torque even at low engine
speeds.
This innovative concept from the engi-
neers posed a real challenge for Audi
Procurement personnel : How can
I source a technology that does not exist
yet and is still at the development
stage ? We take a look behind the scenes
of procurement and show how the
electric biturbo made its way into pre-
production. Over the next few years,
the idea is then to fi t several model
series with this technology in series
production.
02 // The challenge : to facilitate exclusive
innovations for Audi and integrate these
worldwide into our models. The tool : strate-
gic supplier integration. Early integration
into the product creation process gives rise
to transparent and trusting partnerships
between Audi and its suppliers. With this
global cooperation, Audi is laying important
foundations for tomorrow’s business.
ILLUSTRATIONS : Lukas Bischo
04 // Mechanical know-how relating to
the conventional compressor and exper-
tise in electric drives – you seldom fi nd
these two areas of expertise under a single
roof. The Audi Procurement team checked
one parameter after another, whittling
down the potential suppliers all the time.
At the end of the screening process only
a handful of potential suppliers remained.