magazine - Insinööritoimisto Comatec Oy

Comatec Group, Customer Magazine 1/2012
news
Alstom Grid
secures wind electricity for a
German tourist island
Juho Näivä
In biathlon, all the equipment must work smoothly
Comatec news
Oucons Oy in Oulu
Newcomer to the Comatec Group
Mika Kojonkoski
Passion to sports through technology
Honourable Mention
to Comatec
Employer of the Year 2011
news
Table of Contents
Editorial
...................................................
Alstom secures wind electricity
for a German ...................................................
tourist island
In biathlon, all the equipment
must work smoothly
– Biathlonist Juho..................................................
Näivä
Passion to sports through
technology
– Coach Mika Kojonkoski
.................................................
Comatec news
– Oucons Oy in Oulu, Newcomer to
the Comatec Group
– New office in Järvenpää
– New staff members
.................................................
In the spotlight
– Office Manager Tõnis Tiedemann
– Mechanical Engineer
Hugo Klaos
................................................
Employer of the Year 2011
– Honourable Mention to Comatec
...................................................
2 ComatecNews
Editorial
Lappeenranta and started the opera ons of the company
we established in Tallinn last year. Also exis ng loca ons
have had their share of the growth through recruitments.
It is noteworthy that since last summer manufacturing
industry jobs have moved out of Finland. Many of the
machines and equipment that we design are manufactured
outside Finland.
I
am wri ng this on the train from Helsinki to
Tampere. In yesterday’s mee ng of the Consulta ve Commi ee of Self-employed Persons of
Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company there
was a lively debate on the Finnish economy and
expecta ons for 2012, as well as on the financial
problems in the euro area and their impacts in
the near future.
According to Varma’s Chief Investment Officer Risto Murto,
the investors have now borne their share of Greece’s
economic problems. From now on, the problems will fall on
the taxpayers. The solu on will concern the debt problems
and cleaning up their consequences in the Mediterranean
countries in general.
It seems that to some extent, financial risks have decreased.
A er a short period of me, investments may revive at
even a larger scale than before and bring the long-awaited
growth in economy. That, if any, is the best medicine today.
Debate on the labour market rules is hea ng up and for a
good reason, too. Swedish models, for instance the prac ce
of employees not receiving sick pay for the first day of the
sick leave, give our neighbour a big compe ve advantage.
Tax compe on between countries takes business
to countries that support business through taxa on
instruments. Estonia is a good example of this.
Serious discussion on incen ves to extend work careers
should con nue. Although the direc on is right, current
solu ons are not sufficient. I think people should be given
more responsibility for securing their livelihood than our
current systems allow. Labour market flexibility is far more
advanced in Finland’s compe tor countries.
I wish you all the very best for the spring and
summer season ahead!
In our company, interna onal financial problems have
not affected investment ac vi es. The growth trend has
con nued posi ve. Last year, the volume of our business
opera ons grew by more than 25%. The pace has con nued
this year, as well. I believe that we can even exceed last
year’s growth percentages.
Aulis Asikainen
Group CEO
Since last summer, we have completed one corporate
acquisi on and one capital stock deal, opened an office in
Publisher
Edi ng and implementa on
Comatec Group, Kalevan e 7 C,
FI-33100 Tampere,
tel. +358 29 000 2000
www.comatec.fi
Insinööritoimisto Comatec Oy,
Taina Syrjänen, tel. +358 40 5931 259,
[email protected]
Cover: Alstom’s off-shore solu on: new
genera on 6 MW direct-drive wind
turbine. C/O: ALSTOM.
Feedback, subscrip ons,
cancella ons
Taina Syrjänen, tel. +358 40 5931 259,
[email protected]
Heikki Harri
Kirsi Huhtala
Taina Syrjänen
ComatecNews 3
Alstom secures wind electricit
German tourist island
The Borkum Island in the North
Sea in Germany is an extremely
popular tourist des na on.
The island is highly suscep ble
to power cuts caused by dal
fluctua on. Alstom has supplied Borkum with a MaxSine
Reac ve Power Compensator
to ensure that problems in the
electricity supply do not affect
the lives of the inhabitants and
especially the tourists. Germany is one of the countries that
have invested heavily in wind
power. New wind farms are
built con nually in Germany.
Alstom par cipates in one of
the latest projects in the Borkum West II Wind Farm located
in the North Sea, about 45 km
from the Borkum Island.
4 ComatecNews
The Borkum Island in the North Sea
in Germany is an extremely popular
tourist des na on. The number of
inhabitants of the island and the Town
of Borkum is slightly over 5000, but in
summer tens of thousands of tourists
come to this island of 30 km2. Borkum
is the westernmost and the largest of
the East Frisian Islands.
The electricity supplier of the island
is Ewe Netz, an electricity supplier
that operates in an area that stretches
from Hamburg to the Dutch border
in northern Germany. In Borkum,
the company’s main aim is to ensure
the availability of electricity also in
excep onal situa ons due to the
special nature of the island. The dal
fluctua on in the North Sea area is
so large that the sea level of the 25
km wide passage between the island
and the con nent is so low at low de
that ships, trawlers or ships’ anchors
may damage or even cut the two
power cables that connect Borkum’s
power distribu on network to the
grid on the con nent. Electricity
can be transferred in the cables in
both direc ons, depending on what
the power genera on/consump on
situa on is on the island.
– Alstom’s task in this project is to
ensure that problems in the electricity
supply do not affect the lives of the
inhabitants and especially the tourists.
We have supplied Borkum with a
MaxSine Reac ve Power Compensator
developed at our factory in Tampere,
Project Manager Lauri Kähkönen of
Alstom Grid states.
In Tampere, the tradi on of electrical
design goes back tens of years: Alstom
Grid started its opera ons as Nokia
Capacitors in Tampere. The company,
which was part of the French Areva
Group for a me, has been owned by
Alstom for two years now.
Alstom Grid specialises in power
distribu on networks. It has more
than 20 000 employees and more
than 90 produc on plants throughout
the world. The annual turnover is
more than four billion euros. The total
number of Alstom’s employees is 93
500 and the annual turnover more
than 20 billion euros.
ty for a
MaxSine Compensator for
special stabiliza on needs
The SVC MaxSine Compensator
developed in Alstom Grid’s Tampere
unit is designed for industrial and
wind farm applica ons that require
especially fast stabiliza on. It
efficiently compensates reac ve
power, stabilizes voltage, filters
harmonics and reduces flickering. The
compensator consists of ± 2 Mvar
power electronics units, incoming
feeder, step-up transformer and
cooling unit, as well as a control and
protec on system. The compensator
produces both induc ve and capaci ve
reac ve power.
– The MaxSine Compensator operates
as part of Borkum’s power distribu on
network. In a fault situa on, it
maintains the voltage within the
limits determined by the electricity
company by feeding either capaci ve
or induc ve reac ve power into the
grid. The capaci ve current increases
the voltage whereas induc ve current
decreases the voltage of the grid,
Project Manager Kähkönen explains.
Coopera on with Comatec
The MaxSine Reac ve Power
Compensator is located in an electric
equipment room made of a 40-foot
sea container. The room was designed
by Comatec and the conversion of the
container took place in Estonia, a er
which the components were installed
in it at the Alstom factory in Tampere.
– The design of the compensator
and installing all the components
in the container requires high-level
mechanical planning. As Alstom
does not need mechanical planning
exper se regularly, we turn to
outside experts when necessary. In
this case, the exper se was acquired
from Comatec, Project Manager
Kähkönen con nues. We have already
cooperated with Comatec and
delivered a similar compensator to a
wind farm in Ireland.
The manufacture of the compensator
required coopera on between
several actors. The container came
from Estonia to Tampere, where all
the necessary components were
installed in it. The layout design of
the container was carried out by
Comatec’s Asko Sireni, whereas the
mechanical planning was performed
by Comatec’s Henri Ollila, whose place
of work is actually at Alstom’s Tampere
factory. Ollila also designed the basic
structures for the container on its site
in Borkum.
A er tes ng, the container was
transported to Germany in December,
and the local Alston Grid’s unit
installed it and connected it to the
The MaxSine Reac ve Power
Compensator is located in an
electric equipment room made
of a 40-foot sea container.
grid. Alstom’s staff from Finland
went to Borkum to par cipate in the
commissioning and final tes ng of the
equipment. By now, the compensator
has already been handed over to the
client.
The number of wind farms
con nues to grow
According to researchers, one fi h of
the world’s wind power poten al is
sufficient to meet the whole world’s
need for electricity. At the moment,
wind power represents just a few
percent of all electricity on average,
but there are great differences
between the various countries. The
largest share of electricity is generated
by wind power in Denmark, a total of
20 percent. It is therefore no surprise
that wind power is developed and
wind farms built con nually.
Germany, too, is one of the countries
that have invested heavily in wind
power, although the share of electricity
generated by wind power is s ll just
a few percent. New wind farms are
being built there all the me. One of
the latest projects is Borkum West II.
The wind farm is located in the North
Sea about 45 km from the Borkum
Island. The total number of turbines is
80, and Alstom’s share in the electrical
equipment deliveries in the project is
significant.
ComatecNews 5
In biathlon, all the equipment
According to biathlonist Juho Näivä, the ski poles, skis, rifle and cartridges would not work properly
without technology and product development. Technology can also be u lized in training: you can
use a heart rate monitor, perform a treadmill test or model shoo ng. Even clothing has become
more and more technical.
– Finding the right equipment is the biggest challenge. Biathlon is an equipment-oriented sport,
says 20-year-old biathlonist Juho Näivä.
– The most important thing is that there are no weak links. Every single piece of equipment has to
work right, Juho sums up.
The ski poles transmit the power
The ski poles must be durable and sufficiently s ff. S ffness
is needed to transmit the skier’s power into the movement.
The product development compe on of the equipment
manufacturers has ensured that the ski poles are generally
good regardless of the manufacturer.
– The ski poles are quite advanced. They have a layer
structure and the material is mainly carbon: fullerene and
diamond. Quite o en they also contain tanium.
The skis are individuals
– In principle, every ski is an individual, says Juho.
The skis are made as individuals, not as pairs. The pairs
6 ComatecNews
are selected from among individual skis. You have to
find suitable pairs of skis for different weather and snow
condi ons. It is not enough that waxing is done right; the
profile and structuring have to be spot on, as well.
– The aim is to find a profile that suits the condi ons. It
affects the gliding proper es and contact with snow. The
way the ski contacts snow depends on its s ffness.
On a so ground, the pressure areas are longer and so er
than they are in wet condi ons. If the track is frozen, long
and even pressure areas create stable skiing proper es and
the ski should be s ff.
The pressure areas and s ffness can be defined by pressing
the skis against each other with skier-specific pressure. This
t must work smoothly
can be done manually. The importers
and ski manufacturers use devices that
define what skis suit each skier best.
Structuring affects gliding
proper es
The structuring of the ski base has
a significant effect on the gliding
proper es of the ski. In structuring,
a pa ern that suits the condi ons is
sanded on the ski base.
– At the elite level, skis are structured
a er each compe on. In wet
condi ons, the ski is loose and the
areas that press on the ground are
short. The p of the ski should be fairly
loose. Sanding devices are available in
some sports equipment shops.
Weather affects waxing
– If the compe on takes place in the
weekend, you spend the early part
of the week monitoring the weather
forecasts, Juho describes the feelings
before a compe on.
Waxing depends on the temperature,
humidity and wetness, snow type and
the length of the event. The upcoming
compe on is analysed carefully. The
main ingredient of ski wax is fluorine.
The amount of fluorine and the other
ingredients vary.
– The exact composi ons are big
secrets. The wax may be in the form of
paraffin, powder, gel or block.
When training, Juho waxes his skis
himself. In important compe ons
the job is done by a waxing specialist
friend. For a compe on, the skis are
given 5-7 layers of wax.
The rifles have individual
stocks
Biathlonists use a 22 LR calibre rifle
that weighs a minimum of 3.5 kg. A
straight pull bolt ac on is faster than
the earlier lock types. Juho’s rifle is
an Anschutz Fortner, which is used by
almost all Finnish biathlonists.
Every biathlonist’s rifle has a custom
made stock, usually made of
wood. You also see stocks made of
aluminium.
– There are a few carpenters who
specialize in rifle stocks. If you give
them good instruc ons, they can make
a stock that meets your requirements.
The shape of the stock depends on
the shoo ng posi on and the length
of the shooter’s arms. By varying the
dimensions and weigh ngs you will
find the best stock for the person using
the rifle.
The ver cal support underneath the
trigger for shoo ng in the standing
posi on is a feature introduced in the
2000’s. The form of the support piece
depends on the posi on of the fingers.
In general, the stocks are extremely
durable.
Cartridges for different
condi ons
– In biathlon, you use cartridges that
are designed for cold condi ons, Juho
states.
There are significant differences even
between the various loading series.
Target hi ng accuracy also varies. The
loading series have to be tested for
each rifle at the factory.
– You have to find an op mal
cartridge-rifle combina on. Training
cartridges can be bought off the shelf,
but the cartridges you intend to use in
compe ons should be tested at the
factory.
Power and future in the
youth
Juho Näivä is a young 20-year-old
biathlonist. He graduated from
high school in 2011. He has been
a medallist in about ten Finnish
Youth Championships, and his best
achievement is the silver medal in the
Finnish Junior Championships (under
21 years old).
– In Comatec, we respect the
perseverance that is needed to reach
the top. Suppor ng young athletes is
therefore a ma er of heart for us, says
Aulis Asikainen.
– Biathlon is a sport that requires
perseverance, stamina and highly
technical competence. Besides,
compe on at the elite level is
extremely tough. In this respect,
the similari es between biathlon
and Comatec are obvious, Asikainen
con nues.
– We follow closely how Juho’s career
in biathlon develops – by means of
top level technology as well, Asikainen
finishes.
ComatecNews 7
Passion to sports through
technology
Coach Mika Kojonkoski knows how to make an athlete succeed in
compe ons. Mere technology does not help anyone to reach the
top, but used in the right way, technology can provide ways to
mo vate athletes and make them passionate about their sports.
Kojonkoski, whose coachees have
reached the top in ski jumping,
is a member in the elite sports
transforma on working group.
Right technology plays an important
role in the mo va on of athletes.
– The ques on is of how to prepare
such an environment for young people
that they commit themselves to it.
Passion is based on mo va on,
and one has to understand where
mo va on originates from. When
athletes understand why things are
done in a certain way, they can commit
themselves to the training process.
Monitoring the development
Elite sports involve con nuous
learning and search for new things.
Measurement, assessment and
development of equipment can
enhance the performance and
mo vate athletes to train and adopt
be er techniques than before.
– The athlete is explained why things
are done in a certain way. The goal
is set fairly close and itemized into
control points on the path to the goal.
Then, a er two months for instance,
the performance is reviewed to see if
the goal has been reached. In order
to turn interest into enthusiasm, it is
important to measure and assess one’s
work. You have to choose the right
measures to assess the achievements,
and here, too, technology helps us.
Measuring and analysing results is
important for the development of an
athlete in terms of both commitment
and maintenance of mo va on.
Technology is a good handyman
Know-how and technological
development play an important role in
the crea on of mo va on. According
to Kojonkoski, however, technology is
not the master but a good handyman.
It will help gain an overall picture
of the situa on and its importance
increases all the me. Technology
provides the knowledge and
informa on that fuel the pursuance of
one’s goals.
8 ComatecNews
– In Finland, sports scien fic research
is highly valued and its level is high,
but applying the results to prac ce in
training s ll needs improvement.
Help in training
Technology helps in training.
Kojonkoski uses the take-off in ski
jumping as an example.
– The ski jumper has 0.3 seconds for
the take-off. In that me he moves 10
metres. In a training session, the ski
jumper does 10 jumps, which means
he trains take-off for 10 x 0.3 seconds.
– That amount of prac ce is obviously
not enough. Therefore, the solu on is
simulated exercise.
A force pla orm has four points
which measure the pressure in the
ball and the heel of both feet in each
movement. The results are used to
calculate the resultant force. Vector
graphics show how the pressure
should be distributed in the various
phases of the movement.
As each moment of the movement
is also filmed, the ski jumper gets
immediate feedback. He gets a be er
and deeper understanding of how to
repeat the movement to improve the
end result.
– Li le by li le, a er several
repe ons, he can apply what he has
learned to real life situa ons.
Kojonkoski is Finland’s best
known ski jumping coach
Mika Kojonkoski has coached ski
jumpers as well as ice hockey, volley
ball and Finnish baseball players.
Kojonkoski is, however, best known
as a ski jumping coach. He has never
counted how many medals his
coachees have won. However, the
Norwegian na onal ski jumping team
won 23 championship medals during
the nine years that Kojonkoski coached
it. In the previous seven years, Norway
had not won a single medal.
Comatec news
Oucons Oy in Oulu, Newcomer to the Comatec Group
Oucons Oy in Oulu is the latest company that has joined the
Comatec Group. Engineering Office Comatec acquired the
majority of Oucons Oy’s capital stock on 21 February 2012.
Oucons Oy will operate as an independent, development
and growth oriented company in the Comatec Group. It will
supplement Comatec’s exper se and add to our resources
in the design and project management of Bulk material
conveyor systems and thereby help us serve our clients
especially in the north of Finland.
Oucons Oy is an engineering office that specialises in
machine and process design. The company was established
in 1985 and it employs 9 people. Oucons Oy’s provides
machine and equipment design services to leading industrial
enterprises.
New office in Järvenpää
The number of Comatec’s offices increased in January 2012,
when Engineering Office Comatec Oy and Engineering
Office Keijo Kärki Oy located in Järvenpää concluded a
corporate acquisi on deal in which the design business and
personnel of Engineering Office Keijo Kärki were transferred
to Comatec. In Comatec’s organisa on, the Järvenpää office
belongs to the southern area and con nues opera ons in
the same premises as before under Office Manager Keijo
Kärki.
The corporate acquisi on is part of Comatec’s expansion
strategy, and the competent and experienced staff of the
Järvenpää office strengthens Comatec’s client rela onships
in the Central Uusimaa area and the Capital Region. The
corporate acquisi on strengthens Comatec’s exper se and
posi on as one of Finland’s leading providers of design and
exper se services in the metal and engineering industry.
Veli-Ma Kaunismäki,
M.Sc. (Eng.)
started on 1 February 2012 as
Head of Mechanics and Industry
Department in Vantaa.
Mikko Parikka, M. Eng.
started on 1 February 2012 as Design
Manager in the Electricity and Automaon Department. His responsibili es
cover project management, supervisory
tasks, and the development of business
opera ons.
ComatecNews 9
Comatec Employees in the spotlight
Comatec Estonia Oü started
opera ons in Tallinn Estonia
last autumn. Tõnis Tiedemann
works as Office Manager and
Hugo Klaos as Mechanics Designer in the Tallinn office. How
have things been so far?
– We have a really open work
atmosphere. At the moment, I feel we
have good possibili es for growth and
stability. The Comatec Group offers
an excellent opportunity to work in a
company with strong growth poten al.
For me, Comatec Estonia has been a
good move, says Hugo.
Hugo Klaos has worked as a mechanics
designer for 12 years. For the first
five years a er gradua on, Hugo
worked in medical companies and
Tõnis Tiedemann
Office Manager
designed a lot of different devices,
for instance periscopes. Later on, he
moved to industrial automa on. Tõnis
Tiedemann has worked in the industry
since 2000. To begin with, he designed
bridge cranes but later expanded his
scope of exper se to engineering
design.
– When I joined the Comatec Group,
I was looking for new challenges and
I wanted to work for an interna onal
company. I like my work very much. It
is interes ng and challenging. I can see
that things have developed in the right
direc on and the company has a solid
basis, says Tõnis.
– My job as Office Manager is to
make sure that things run smoothly.
I meet a lot of clients, and I also look
for new ones. When necessary, I also
par cipate in the design work, Tõnis
con nues.
– I am social by nature and have
several years’ experience of interac ng
with clients. My background
experience has developed the
technical and analy cal a ributes of
my brain. It is actually brainwork that
we offer to our clients, a er all.
According to both Hugo and Tõnis,
me management is the most
important aspect of their work. For
Tõnis, it means the management
of large en es, and for Hugo, the
priori za on of machine part design.
– I am an idea generator, says Hugo.
I like inven ng completely new
things but I also like to process my
previous work further. Some mes I
entertain myself by thinking of my
previous projects and trying to find
be er solu ons for them. This kind of
brain gym helps me encounter new
challenges.
10 ComatecNews
– My job is mechanics design
consis ng of preliminary design
and all the phases of design. I am
involved in the project from the
beginning to the end. Our projects
range from small connec on
boxes designed for the electronics
industry to large automated
warehouses equipped with
elevator systems.
Hugo is the father of three, the
oldest already at school age. Hugo
lives in Tallinn, although he does not
par cularly like living in town.
– I do, however, like the loca on of
my home by the sea. It gives me many
possibili es for outdoor ac vi es.
– I don’t have a special hobby, but I
try to keep myself in a good physical
condi on. The best way to do this is
sports. I read a lot and I also like to
listen to music, says Hugo.
Tõnis, who is s ll single, lives in a
beau ful area of the Nõmme District
of Tallinn, where the forest is right
outside the front door.
– I like endurance sports and fast team
sports. I keep myself busy by doing a
li le bit of sports, Tõnis says with smile
in his eyes – he has completed several
triathlons.
Hugo Klaos
Mechanical designer
Employer of the Year 2011
- Honourable Mention to Comatec
In 1983, Junior Chamber Tammerkoski granted the first
“Employment Provider of the
Year” Award to draw public
a en on to the importance of
employment provision. In 2002,
the name of the award was
changed to describe be er the
spirit of the mes. This is how
the “Employer of the Year”
Award was created.
The “Employer of the Year” Award is
granted to a company that operates
in the Tampere economic region.
Special a en on is paid to the rela ve
increase in the number of employees,
employee turnover, net increase
in the number of employees, and
job preserva on during the review
period. The age of the company,
field of opera on, profitability and
financial standing are also taken into
considera on. The members of the jury
represent employment authori es,
Ministry of the Employment and
the Economy, Tampere Chamber of
Commerce and the City of Tampere.
An honourable men on was granted to
Engineering Office Comatec Oy, which
started its opera ons in Tampere
in 1986. The company is a leading
expert organisa on in machine and
equipment design. It is an excellent
example of a growth company that
exports Finnish exper se to global
markets.
- Comatec Oy ac vely invests in the
development of its products and in
the competence of its personnel. The
company has succeeded in crea ng a
lot of posi ve atmosphere around it,
says the Chairman of the Jury, Erkki
Lydén from the Pirkanmaa Centre for
Economic Development, Transport and
the Environment.
- I am extremely happy of this
recogni on, says Managing Director
Aulis Asikainen. The whole personnel
of the Group has reason to be proud
of it. We have undergone a very
challenging period of three years, but
we have worked hard and believed in
the strength and growth poten al of
our company.
The Employer of the Year Award was
granted to Santen Oy, which specialises
in eye medicines.
The other company that was granted
an honourable men on was Bitwise
Oy, which specialises in challenging
so ware solu ons.
In the picture from le to right: Managing Director Jyrki Liljeroos and Research and Product Development Director
Kari Lehmussaari from Santen Oy, Jarno Hovi and Kirs Puus nen from Junior Chamber Tammerkoski, Managing
Director Tomi Mikkonen from Bitwise Oy, and HR Manager Tuula Korkeemaa and Managing Director Aulis Asikainen
from the Comatec Group.
ComatecNews 11
Comatec’s mining
knowhow includes all
sectors from the technical
design of the project to
installa on supervision
and project management.
We will par cipate in the Kaivos Mining
Exhibi on in Oulu in May 2012.
Our stand is 605. Welcome!
SOLUTIONS. PROJECTS. EXPERTS.
www.comatec.fi
BRAIN POWER FOR ENGINEERING