Identifying new Fields of Application for Superconductors

Project Partner Johannes Gutleber

Project Lead Assoz. Prof. Dr. Peter Keinz, Mag. Philipp Topic

Team Members Jakob Kofler, Mathias Kindl, Jakob Spiess, Dominik Aschauer, Eva Drahoss, Christoph von Aufschnaiter

Identifying new Fields of Application for Superconductors

Final Presentation

Central Theme

Agenda

P Problem Description

M Market

C Competitive Analysis

T Technology Adaption

C Cooperation Partner Analysis

S SWOT Analysis

B Business Model Canvas

1 Uninterruptible Power Supply

2 Sorting Machines for the Fruit Industry

3 Large Loudspeaker Systems

1

UninterruptiblePower Supply

Uninterruptible Power Supply

Problem Description

Low efficiency

UPS systems are among the two top sources of energy waste in data-centers. Lack of efficiency costs medium-to-large facilities around € 100k per year.

Service requirementsBattery-based solutions must be substituted after five years of use and require regular maintenance.

Waste disposalCurrent systems base on batteries with harmful lead-acid chemicals.

Interview with Mr. Peter (Powersec), Mr. Roland (Hitzinger)


Market DefinitionGeographicLimitation to the European UPS market only

PurposeUPS systems designed for use in data-centers

SizeSystems beyond 50 KW; focus on 500+ KW facilities


Industry Value Chain

Interview with Mr. Herbener(Piller), Mr. Breitter (Riello), Mr. Steffen (Socomec), Mr. Roland (Hitzinger)


Market OverviewMarket volume

- Overall volume 2016: $900 Mio

- CAGR (forecast 2022): 1,0 - 1,4 %

- CAGR UPS >500 KW: 5 %

Market Potential- Q1 2017: 1.646 data-centers in Europe

- At least 15 all-new UPS systems required in 2017

- Projected investment volume: € 29,89 Mio


Trends & Customer Needs

Drivers of Data-Center market- Soaring overall data volume due to increasing usage of cloud based

applications- IT-Outsourcing tendencies of SMEs

Customer preferences- Demand for green solutions to comply with regulations- Strong need to improve efficiency and life-cycle costs of current

emergency systems

UPS market- Larger data-centers demand for larger UPS

Interview with Mr. Peter (Powersec), Mr. Kasal (e-shelter), Mr. Höbarth (Interxion), Mr. Roland (Hitzinger)


Technology Adaption

Technology Perspective

- MTBF (4:1) < 500.000 h

- Reaction time < 3 ms

- eco-friendly materials

Commercialization Perspective

- efficiency above 98 %

- Life-time of at least 10 years

- initial costs must not exceed

overall costs of current systems

Service Perspective

- maintenance as quick and easy as possible

- minimize wear and tear

Interview with Mr. Peter (Powersec), Mr. Kasal (e-shelter), Mr. Höbarth (Interxion), Mr.Roland (Hitzinger)


CompetitiveAnalysis

Industry Rivalry

- low growth rates (1-1,4%; 5%)

+ similar value proposition

Threat of New Entrants

+ Production facilities with high fixed costs

- forward/horizontal integration possible

Substitute Technologies

Dynamic: only feasible in large systems

Static: low efficiency

Bargaining Power of Customers

-high importance of each project

-fierce price competition

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

+ Standardised primary products

+little value added


Cooperation Partner Analysis

Hitzinger

Hitzinger is an Austrian company providing experience in producing static and dynamic

systems. Focusing on tailored power supplies, the Linz-based company turned over € 57 Mio in 2016.

Helmut Roland

Head of R&D

e-shelter

e-shelter is a data-center operator engaging in the DACH and CEE region and currently hosts 90.000 sqm of area. They focus on rather large facilities

ranging from 1 - 120 MW.

Walter Kasal

Technical Director Austria


SWOT Analysis

SO-Strategy

- Focus product development on achieving highest efficiency- emphasis on using

environmentally-friendly materials

Opportunities

- strong need for efficiency- demand for eco-friendly materials

- rising energy prices

WO-Strategy

- provide visible differentiation by strong relative improvement

- find ways for quick and easy maintenance (outsourced/ by construction)

ST-Strategy

- Ensure long lifetime to reduce life-cycle costs

- provide modular construction to facilitate partial installation

Strengths

- highest efficiency- longer life-cycle costs

- environmentally friendly

WT-Strategy

- consider new ways of financing (licensing)

- Offer All-In solutions

Threats

- low market growth- price-focused industry

- strong prejudices against new technologies

Weaknesses

- critical cooling system- high initial costs

- regular maintenance required

Technology

Market


Business Model CanvasKey Partners

- Partner for developing flywheel technology- Supplier for SC material

- Data centers

Value Proposition

- Technological lead- Competitive advantage

- Reliable Data Storage based on fast reacting and efficient energy storing systems

CustomerSegments

Partner for developing technology:- Flywheel Manufacturer- UPS Manufacturer who also produceflywheels (Hitzinger GmbH)

Their customers:- Data centers (E-Shelter)

CustomerRelations

- long-term personalrelationship - purchasing/leasing contract

Channels

- Project based knowledge transfer

- Customer service- Trade fairs

Key Activities

- provision of personnel forproject (R&D manpower)- Producing, distributing

Key Resources

- Technologie knowhow /network- Knowledge about customer needs- Distribution net- Market Knowledge

Cost Structure

- R&D project costs- Producing/Launching / Distribution costs

Revenue Streams

- royalty payments from licensing agreement- revenue from purchasing or leasing agreements,add-ons like servicing/maintenance agreements

CERN

CERN/Industry Partner


Q&A

2

Sorting Machines for the Fruit Industry


Problem Description

Miss-allocation of export fruits worldwide

30% of avocados shipped from Mexico

to Europe need to be disposed after

arrival

Limited inner quality analysis by current solutions

Validity of the most indicators such as

ripeness constricted

Interview with Marco van Renswou (Aweta), Federico Giudiceandrea (Microtec)


Superconductors in Sorting Machines

Structure of Sorting Machines

Sorting machines for fruits consist of three major components: the transportation, the measurement and the software module.

Application Area

The NMR’s would be applied in the measurement component. Superconductive materials are an essential part of NMR devices and would therefore play an important role in this new solution.


Market DefinitionGeographic: worldwide

Limitation: focus on apples, peaches, citrus fruits and pears



Interview with Federico Giudiceandrea (Microtec), Henk Reitsma (Greefa)


Market OverviewMarket Estimates (2016)

- Based on estimated turnover of the 5 key role

players (Maf Roda, Aweta, Compac, Unitec and

Greefa) + 30% combined share of smaller sorting

machine producers

- Estimated growth rate = 10% p.a.

- The sorting technology itself accounts for ⅕ of

the total volume

Interview with Henk Reitsma (Greefa)

280

Turnover for this

specific type of fruit

[in mln €]

180

150

200

100

50

0

Sorting machine units

Citrus Fruits / PeachesApples / Pears

180

250

300

140



Technological Perspective

- Shift to a non-destructive

analysis of the inner quality

characteristics

- NMRs in the industry not yet

recognized as potential

technology

Fruit Producer’s Perspective

- High demand in being able to

identify the ripeness and the

expected shelf life

- Smaller fruit producers merge

into larger cooperatives

- Requirements of uniform sorting

solution for all facilities

Interviews with: Federico Giudiceandrea (CEO, Microtec), Georg Kössler (Chairman, VOG)


CompetitiveAnalysis

Industry Rivalry

several machinery producers with similar

market shares


high capital and technology requirements

Threat of Substitutes

hyperspectral imaging


smaller producers merge into larger

cooperatives; competitors offer similar

solutions


most of the companies in this field are

vertically integrated, consequently

bargaining power of suppliers is low

Interview with Marco van Renswou (Aweta), Federico Giudiceandrea (Microtec), Georg Kössler (VOG), Henk Reitsma (Greefa)


Technology Adaption

Possible Solutions:

Multiple Adjacent NMRs Time Domain NMRs Reducing the Image Quality

“High rates of analysis are key!”(Henk Reitsma, Greefa)

Interview with Marco van Renswou (Aweta), Federico Giudiceandrea (Microtec), Manfred Spraul (Bruker)



Greefa

GREEFA designs and develops innovative and high tech sorting and

packing solutions for fruits and vegetables.

Henk Reitsma

Manager Electrical Engineering

Microtec

As the worldwide partner for the global wood industry, Microtec’s team members constantly create new approaches and

solutions to boost value in wood processing for our customers. Microtec

has been setting standards in the market since 1980.

Federico Giudiceandrea

CEO

Aweta

Aweta is an international organization, specialized in the development,

production and sales of technologically comprehensive sorting and packing installations for fruit, vegetables and

flowers.

Marco van Renswou

Team Manager R&D Sensors


SWOT Analysis

SO-Strategy

analysis of additional quality characteristics that other technologies can’t analyse (ripeness, compressive

strength)

Opportunities

growing market for sorting machines; demand for shelf life & ripeness

determination; low price sensitivity of customers

WO-Strategy

use economies of scale to reduce NMR costs; PR campaign about

superconductivity project to raise awareness of the technology and gain

momentum

ST-Strategy

modular structure of NMR component to integrate it in existing solutions

Strengths

non-destructive determination of ripeness, compressive strength, absence of seeds, cavities and density differences

WT-Strategy

leasing contracts with customers

Threats

decreasing number of customers due to creation of cooperatives; low

replacement rate of sorting machines

Weaknesses

cooling system needed; relatively low analysis rate; relatively expensive

Technology

Market



licensing partnership

external researcher

other cooperation partners from analogue industries

Value Proposition

innovative device for fruit quality determination

raising the awareness of superconductor technology

know how

CustomerSegments

development partner

external research partners

analogue industry partners

other companies in the market

CustomerRelations

contract based

long term oriented

Channels

project based knowledge transfer

Key Activities

adaption

partner agreement

knowledge sharing

Key Resources

technology expertise

market insights

Cost Structure

expenditure for Hackathon

depending on further research effort

Revenue Streams

royalties from licensing agreement

CERN


Industry Partner


Q&A

3

LargeLoudspeakerSystems

Large Loudspeaker Systems

Problem DescriptionElectrical Resistance

High electrical resistance leads to the following issues:

● less sound quality ● heat development of components

Tuning of alternating frequencies

Moreover speaker systems need a source of magnetic field, which is able to modify its strength quickly to adapt to different frequency ranges, in order to generate the best sound.

Compactness and transportability

The more compact and lightweight a loudspeaker is the easier it is to handle for installment companies.

Interview with


Demand for SuperconductorsApplication Area

Superconductive materials can be implemented into loudspeaker systems, especially in PA (Public Address) -systems. To be more specific, superconducting material can be applied on the moving coil to increase the quality of sound and on the connection cable between the central system unit and the single boxes.

Estimated amount per system

There has to be one drive unit (= moving coil) in every single box of the overall system and they are all connected with cables to the central unit. So exact material amount depends on number of single boxes and the distance between them.


Market Definition

Functional Segmentation

The market is limited to fields where an audio equipment for large scale applications is needed.

Like: ● sacral buildings● sports stadiums● open air festivals● fair halls

Regional Segmentation

We mainly focus on the European market for PA (Public Adress) -systems as there are the highest potential business partner for CERN.

Interview with Martin Rode (L-Acoustics), Markus Hammerschmid (D&B)



Interview with Andreas Steiner (WLM), Francesco Venturi (RCF), Martin Rode (L-Acoustics), Markus Hammerschmid (D&B)


Market OverviewMarket Size and Shares of Market Leaders in Europe:

Estimated market volume: ≈500 Million (European)

Estimated market potential:High saturation

Market Growth:depends on growth of connected markets (large public and private buildings with audio equipment)

Interview with Markus Hammerschmid (D&B)



Customer Trends

The desire for higher quality of sound is a worldwide consumer trend across various potential applications.

A significant trend is the renewal of PA-systems in stadiums as there is a noticeable shift towards PA-systems with higher sound quality.

Global Trends

There is a noticeable shift from the European market to the Asian market with its low-cost production focusing on the low-price segment.

However, the European market for PA-systems with its exceptional quality loudspeaker systems represents a barrier to competition.

Interview with Martin Rode (L-Acoustics)


Technology AdaptionFirst of all, a moving coil consisting out of superconductors has to be build which is able to deliver the required attributes for sound generation:

● strong, modifiable magnetic fields

● no electrical resistance○ no heat development

Second, integrate a sustainable decentralized cooling system which provides the temperatures for superconductors to work, while having no negative effect on main components like the membrane.

Third, exclude redundant components out of the system and establish a well working, easy to handle and efficient overall system (PA- system + cooling system)

Sound Quality Functionality&

Sustainability

Compactness &

Efficiency


CompetitiveAnalysis

Industry Rivalry

● medium industry rivalry on the European market

● Threat through growing Asian market


● Economies of Scale ● High technological complexity of tuning

the individual components ● Distribution channel ● Image

Threat of Substitutes

● Low-price segment ● MEMS - fast growing loudspeaker

technology


● Backwards integration is unlikely as the technological knowledge gap represents a very effective barrier


● Forward integration is unlikely as the technological knowledge gap represents a very effective barrier

Interview with Martin Rode (L-Acoustics), Markus Hammerschmid (D&B)



WLM - Wiener Lautsprecher Manufaktur

As an Austrian loudspeakers system manufacturer, WLM - Wiener

Lautsprecher Manufaktur manufactures, develops and sells high-end

loudspeakers systems. WLM was established in 2002 and all of its

products are made in Austria.

Andreas Steiner - WLM

Suesskind Audio

As an German loudspeakers system manufacturer, Suesskind Audio

manufactures, develops and sells high-end loudspeakers systems.

Joachim Gerhard - Suesskind Audio


SWOT Analysis

SO-Strategy

● increase the compactness and quality of loudspeaker devices to focus on an exclusive market (touring market)

Opportunities

● serving an exclusive market with the demand for high quality of sound and compactness (touring market)

WO-Strategy

● overcome cooling issues ● removal of redundant components● compactness of the entire

loudspeaker system

ST-Strategy● focus on exclusive customer segment● create awareness of image and price

segment ● penetrating a niche market

Strengths● compactness ● higher quality of sound ● no heat development ● modifying low, middle and high

frequencies

WT-Strategy

● research focus on cooling system ● outperform alternative technology

(MEMS) ● fast market entry

Threats

● Rejection of the technology● Far East competitor● MEMS technology

Weaknesses

● complex cooling system and its influence on components

● time and monetary investment

Technology

Market

Interview with Martin Rode (L-Acoustics)



● licensing partnership with high innovative company

● partner with sufficient market share

● partner with know-how and financial strength

Value Proposition

● next step change in evolution of loudspeaker systems

● knowledge for further development

● raising the awareness of superconductor technologies

CustomerSegments

development partner:PA-loudspeaker manufacturer(WLM, Suesskind)

and their customers:public and private event organiser and owners of event locations (in- and outdoor)

CustomerRelations

● based on contract

● long-term personal relationship

Channels

project based knowledge transfer

Key Activities

● research● building a

prototype

Key Resourcesknowledge about:

● superconductor material composition

● high-end loudspeakers

Cost Structure

depends on further research effort

Revenue Streams

regular royalty payments from licensing agreement

CERN


Industry Partner


Q&A

Identifying new Fields of Application for Superconductors

Documents

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