Altitude

Transcription

Altitude

•couv Alt6 UK-SR1
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NEWS p.4 Climatology, 2004, the year of the hurricane/ Foundation, interview with Philippe Streiff, member of the jury for the 2005
Award/ Techno-shopping, a ski jacket that will warm your heart HIGH-TECH p.11 Aeronautics, innovation is in the air
PEOPLE p.19 Methodologies to innovate and resolve technological problems/ Interview with Bill Gates
February 2005
No 6
Altitude
ALTRAN’S
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
MAGAZINE
AERONAUTICS
INNOVATION
IS IN THE AIR
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/EDITO/
A NEW AND
VIBRANT
PHASE
/SUMMARY/
NEWS 04
04
2004 was an important milestone in the life of Altran,
particularly toward the end of the year. The Group's fourthquarter sales have never been higher and we have entered a
new and vibrant phase of our history.
This phase is the result of the technological expertise of our consultants. More
than ever before, we're using our skills to power innovation and design life as
we'll know it in the future.
> 06 THE CARIBBEAN
Together we will work to strengthen Altran's success in the
coming years.
Alexis Kniazeff
CEO of Altran
08 ALTRAN FOUNDATION
Interview with Philippe Streiff,
member of the jury for the
2005 Altran Foundation Award.
>
10 TECHNO-SHOPPING
A self-heating ski jacket for
riding the slopes in comfort.
HIGH-TEC H 11
In addition, our knack for attracting talent has also contributed to this
new phase. According to a recent survey published in Le Figaro
Entreprises newspaper, students rated Altran the 25th most ideal
employer in France, alongside prestigious names such as EADS,
Renault, PSA, L'Oréal, France Télécom, Total, and Danone. This is in
part due to the special relationships we have built with elite schools
and universities.
It is during this dynamic phase that I am working to put together a
new management team and I am extremely pleased to announce
the appointment of Christophe Aulnette, as Group CEO, effective
March 21, 2005. Christophe Aulnette is chairman and CEO of
Microsoft France since 2001 and Vice President Microsoft EMEA
(Europe, Middle East and Africa).
>
HURRICANES
More than 25 billion dollars in
damages in Florida last summer.
This has been made possible by our participation in a number of major
international projects that run the gamut of technological innovation - from
telecommunications to electronics to ground transportation to environment
to space to aeronautics. The dossier of this sixth issue of Altitude explores
the future of aeroplanes, which our Group experts are helping to define.
>
251, boulevard Pereire,
75017 Paris
www.altran.net
[email protected]
11 INNOVATION IS IN THE AIR
Technical and industrial technologies are meeting the needs of civil aviation, tackling the
challenges of growing air traffic, safety, and environmental awareness.
Altitude n°6
February 2005
Publishing Director:
Altran
Editors in Chief:
David Abrioux, Nathalie Mailharro
Editorial content::
PEOP LE 19
Hervé Audouin, Benoît Repoux,
Citizen Press
Design and page layout:
Citizen Press, 01 53 00 10 30
Publishing Manager:
Aurélien Coustillac
Art Director:
David Corvaisier
Page layout:
Marie-Laure Noel,
Fabienne Laurent,
Franck Widling
Editorial Secretary:
Véronique Boismartel,
Isabelle René
Cover credit:
> 20 NEW METHODOLOGIES FOR INNOVATING
>
Two Group specialists reveal their methods for innovating and
resolving their clients' technological problems.
23 BILL GATES
Interview with the man
who had the idea to put
a computer on each desk.
Christophe Ena/AP/SIPA
Production:
Sylvie Esquer
Printed by:
Maury
Copyright:
February 2005
N ° ISSN : 1767-9974
02
Altitude n°6 / February 2005
Altitude (Paris 2003)
If you would like
to subscribe to Altitude,
visit our web site at
altran.net
03
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NEWS
ALTRAN FORMULA 1
ALTRAN AND
THE RENAULT F1 TEAM
ARE MORE UNITED
THAN EVER
ALTRAN ROUND TABLE
ALTRAN ENVIRONMENT
PUTTING A STOP TO OIL SPILLS
The recent Erika and Prestige oil spills have
re-ignited the debate on transporting
hydrocarbons. The danger is real and
present: as you read this article, eight
million tons of fuel are crossing the world's
oceans on 250 tankers. Consultants from
Arthur D. Little, an Altran Group company,
conducted a study of 37 cases of oil
pollution and concluded that anxious local
authorities, angry fishermen, and concerned
ecologists sometimes tend to aggravate the
situation. They recommend an improved
environmental crisis management program
that incorporates law making, new chemical
processes and prospective studies.
Shelving the more vulnerable single-hull
ships, they argue, is not the cure-all some
believe.
As part of the International
Marine Science and
Technology (Sea Tech)
Week in October 2004, the
Altran Group company
Atlantide led a round table
discussion on marine
crisis management and the
role of information and
communication technology
in it. Themes included
crisis management players,
the exchange of
information between these
players, and achieving the
most from dialogue.
NOSTALGIA
American students are rebelling against today's increasingly tiny mobile
phones, turning toward the older but charming models of yesteryear. The
mythic Motorola Dyna Tac, which became the first portable cellular phone on
the market in 1983, is making an unexpected comeback - despite its somewhat
outdated dimensions (20 x 5 x 8 cm). Of course, it's more at home in a
knapsack than in a suit pocket. Some retro-technology fans go so far as to hook
up their mobiles to 1970s-style handsets. Why? It's less impersonal.
Motorola
THE ALLURE OF OLD TECHNOLOGY
Renault F1 Team
Émile Loreau
ALTRAN AT
SEA TECH
WEEK 2004
IN BREST
At the beginning of this year, Altran
and the Renault F1 Team signed
a two-year technological partnership
agreement that will affect the chassis
and transmission of the team's
racing cars, developed in Enstone
(close to Oxford). For over three
years now, Altran has been a partner
of the Renault F1 Team at their
engine-building headquarters near
Paris in Viry-Châtillon, helping with
research and engineering projects
for new materials, dynamic
modelling, scientific IT,
and industrial organisation.
ENERGIE
THE BUZZ
ABOUT BIODIESEL
In mid-October, the company Blue
Sun Biodiesel opened a factory in
Alamosa, Colorado (United States),
which will produce 680,000 litres of
biodiesel per day. Made from
soybeans or canola seed, this unique
fuel is being touted by partners like
DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen and
can be used for diesel vehicles
without further processing. A number
of manufacturers are interested, and
a soybean-based Brazilian biodiesel
was successfully tested on PSA
Peugeot Citroën cars.
RESEARCH
4
AN ELECTRONIC
SPINACH
SANDWICH
Researchers at the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology have concocted the
mobile phone batteries of the
future using a microchip and
spinach. Photosystem I (PSI), a
10- to 20-nanometer vegetable
protein that powers
photosynthesis, was packed into a
chip and exposed to artificial light.
Wrapped in a membrane, it
survived for three weeks in a dry
environment. Twelve percent of the
energy produced by
photosynthesis was converted into
electric energy. The next
goal is to achieve a 20%
output by adding more layers
of spinach.
BILLION
CUBIC
METERS
THAT'S HOW MUCH
CONCRETE IS USED EACH
YEAR IN FRANCE - ENOUGH
TO BUILD A ONE
KILOMETRE-SIDED CUBE!
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE VARIETIES HAVE
BEEN MAKING THEIR WAY
ONTO THE MARKET OVER
THE PAST FEW YEARS. THEY
CAN BE USED TO BUILD
ENORMOUS, EXTREMELY
RESISTANT STRUCTURES LIKE
THE RECENT VIADUC DE
MILLAU (FRANCE), WHICH
SPANS 2,460 METRES
OVER THE RIVER TARN.
Clément Perrotte
04
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NEWS
CLIMATOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
FROM BOOM TO VROOM
NASA
Picture a new kind of automobile
suspension system in which your car
stays smoothly on the ground, parallel to
the road while going round bends,
absorbing every little bump… and all this
without the body of the car moving. This
concept has been made reality not by a
motor vehicle equipment manufacturer
but by the high-fidelity speaker system
specialist Bose. Instead of using springs
or shock absorbers, the suspension sits
on an electromagnetic motor. A sensor
records each and every one of the
One after another, hurricanes Charley,
Frances, Ivan and Jeanne battered the
Caribbean and Florida in late summer
2004. According to Risk Management
Solutions, a California-based company
that specialises in the financial evaluation
of catastrophes, damages in Florida may
cost over 25 billion dollars.
11.80
THAT'S HOW MANY
SECONDS IT TOOK FOR A
38-YEAR-OLD GERMAN TO
COME UP WITH THE 13TH
ROOT OF A 100-DIGIT
NUMBER. THE PREVIOUS
RECORD, HELD BY A
FRENCHMAN, WAS 13.55
SECONDS.
06
Meteorological assessments are
constantly carried out to avoid risks.
Hurricane formation requires two
conditions: a sea temperature above
26 °C at a minimum depth of 50 meters
(the evaporation creates the initial cloud)
and a distance of a least 550 kilometres
from the equator, so that the earth's
movement deviates the winds that set off
the whirling movement.
It should be noted that the tsunami which
took the lives of 200,000 people in Asia
was caused not by a meteorological
glitch but by an underwater earthquake
that stirred up a massive amount of
water.
wheel's movements and programs the
motor to shift in compensation,
implementing one of Bose's flagship
innovations: the cancellation of a
bothersome noise by an opposite sound
wave. The trickiest part of the new
suspension system was developing a
very fast and reactive motor that can
support the vehicle's weight; it took Bose
24 years to accomplish this task. The
next step is to bring the concept in line
with industry standards and to assess its
economic viability.
THE
DISPOSABLE
RAZOR
GEOLOGY
DETECTING GROUND CHANGES
WITH A SPECIAL TEXTILE
A new synthetic textile made with fibre-optics is showing promise for the
prevention of surface collapse. Placed, for example, under a railway track,
this geotextile cloth provides information on ground changes. A warp in the
surface alters the characteristic wavelength of the light passing through the
fibre-optics; an alert mechanism goes off when a threshold is reached.
Furthermore, the material is impervious to electromagnetic interference and
resistant to corrosion.
ALTRAN HADRONTHERAPY
ALTRAN ALTRAN AWARDS
USING NUCLEAR ON CANCER
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND INNOVATION
To treat cancerous tumours, radiotherapy and chemotherapy use particle
beams - X-rays and electrons - that attack both infected cells and any healthy
cells that lie in their path. Hadrontherapy may be the answer to this major
paradox. The brainchild of particle physics researchers, this technology uses
light ion beams that only release their energy upon reaching their target.
Hadrontherapy accurately tackles deep tumours, which are often resistant to
classic radiotherapy, whilst preserving healthy tissue to the greatest possible
extent. This treatment is especially promising for eye and brain cancer. Altran
Technologies took part in this innovation, in particular by calculating the beams'
penetration of the tissue.
30 YEARS AGO
Bic
2004: THE YEAR OF
THE HURRICANE
In 1975, Bic®
launched its new
disposal (a.k.a. “onepiece”) razor. Easy to
use and reasonably
priced, it changed the
shaving habits of
people throughout
the world. Baron
Bich's ballpoint pen
company came up
with the simple idea
to use just half a
blade and to
manufacture a handle
with the money
saved. Eleven million
of these razors are
sold every day.
The Altran Awards recognize our top consultants in their respective areas of expertise. The first-place
winners were announced during a ceremony at the Palais du Luxembourg, in France, on February 22:
Laurent Staub (Ariane, France) in the Strategy and Management category; Yves Gigase (Altran Europe, Belgium) in Physical
Sciences; Arnaud Meurant (Alplog, France) in Information and Communication Technologies; Marc Moons (Altran Europe, Belgium)
in Electronics; Saso Jezernik (Berata AG, Switzerland) in Life Sciences; Christian Tasso (Altran Technologies, France) in Systems
and Process Engineering; Olivier Klotz (Altran Technologies, France) in Project Management; Richard Martin (Altran Corporation,
United States) in Transfer of Know-How; Marco Valentini (RSI Sistemi, Italy) in Capacity to Lead; Arnaud Peltier (Altran
Technologies, France) in Innovative Technology; Michiel Jak (Altran Tech Netherlands, Netherlands) in Innovative Offer;
Thierry Lelievre (Altran Technologies, France) in Creating Value. All the winners will soon be putting their Excellence Plans
into action. Altitude will keep you up to date on their progress.
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NEWS Altran Foundation
PHILIPPE STREIFF IS ON THE JURY FOR THE 2005 ALTRAN FOUNDATION AWARD
JEAN-LUC
DEHAENE
Questions for a fervent defender of handicapped people, keen
on overcoming their social exclusion.
Alt.: And now?
P.S.: I'm the technical consultant for the inter-ministry
delegate for handicapped people. I work on improving
Alt.: What kind of selection criteria do you look out
for as a member of the jury?
P.S.: I'll focus on my pet topics - cars and helping
handicapped people - and my colleagues will offer
opinions in their own areas of expertise. One thing I'm
sure of: technological innovations that help people with
motor handicaps have always been useful to nonhandicapped people. The infra-red television remote
control was invented thirty years ago for paraplegics.
It was then used by the elderly, and then by
the general population.
Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, granted the 2004
Kalinga Prize for the Popularisation of Science to the astrophysicist
Jean Audouze, Director of Research at CNRS and a member of the Altran
Foundation's Board of Directors. Mr. Audouze joins the prestigious list of French
Kalinga Prize winners: Jean Rostand in 1959, Paul Couderc in 1966,
and Yves Coppens in 1984.
08
DR
A MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD
OF DIRECTORS IS HONOURED
DR
Altitude: Why did you agree to
preside over the jury for the 2005
Altran Foundation Award?
Jean-Luc Dehaene: I think it's an
original kind of prize. The Foundation's
great willingness to work toward the
evolution and transformation of our
society is particularly interesting to me.
I have always felt this desire while
developing and implementing policies
in the positions I've held. It seems to
me that the Altran Foundation fits in
with the work I've been trying to do for
years, and that's the main reason I
agreed to preside over the jury for the
2005 Award.
Alt.: Why did the theme of the 2005
Award (overcoming social exclusion
through scientific and technological
innovation) grab your attention?
J-L. D.: This year's theme has several
facets, making it a particularly rich
choice. One immediately thinks of
overcoming the social exclusion of
handicapped people through scientific
and technological innovation, but there
are other forms of exclusion to
overcome that vary from one culture to
the next. I'm curious to see the kind of
projects we receive. I really hope to be
surprised by the unexpected ideas this
theme inspires.
In 2000, the Foundation rewarded
Dominique Grégoire for Tracilog,
an electronic intelligence system
that, when placed in isothermal
containers, can detect any break in
the cold chain. Since then,
Technigreg, the company
Dominique Grégoire created, has obtained a number of related
patents and caught the eye of many corporations. Air France, for
example, will be equipping its planes with the device.
2001 Award:
urban life
DR
Alt.: In what kind of vehicle?
P.S.: A modified stock-car - a Renault Espace without a
steering wheel or pedals. I tested it on the circuit
myself. It's the first device developed to help people
with severe motor handicaps get their driving licenses.
It's been approved by the French Transportation
Minister and the Road Safety Department. With it, I've
been able to get a lot of my autonomy back.
2000 Award:
food safety
Alt.: That idea is at the heart of the 2005 Award.
How did you find out about the Foundation?
P.S.: I've been involved with the Altran Foundation for
several years, and Michel Friedlander, who runs it, is a
friend of mine. I was on the jury for the 1998 Award, on
the theme “Technological innovation: Pain and physical
handicaps”.
Alt.: This year, too, you're on the jury for a subject
that's important to you.
P.S.: Yes. It's also the theme for the French handicap
law project. This law would improve the daily lives of
handicapped people, giving them more technical,
financial, and care-related resources, better access to
public spaces and buildings, and creating a countywide handicap centre to facilitate the administrative
process after the accident.
Flashback on three past winners of the Atran
Foundation Award, who all benefited from Altran's
technological assistance with their product.
Things are going well for Biobasic
Environnement, the start-up
company created in 2000 by
Julien Troquet who won the 2001
Foundation Award. Its process for
decontaminating soil in situ through
bio-remediation has been wildly
successful and is now moving to the international level. Biobasic
Environnement is currently conducting a pilot decontamination
project on heavy petroleum products at a Romanian oil refinery. An
important stride for Julien Troquet, whose company increased its
sales ten-fold in 2004.
2002 Award:
developing countries
DR
Alt.: So you started a new career…
P.S.: After the accident, my main wish was to stay in
the automobile milieu. It's my life, my passion. I started
out as an event organiser. Finally, in 1995, my dream
came true: I drove again.
passive security and prevention. I'm also interested in
the “post-accident” phase: life after the accident, getting
better compensation, etc. I also help handicapped
children take place in society through sports.
DR
DR
Altitude: A few words on
how you got to where
you are today?
Philippe Streiff: I've lived
two lives, one before being
handicapped and one
afterward… I started out in
motor sports (karting) in
1969, at the age of 14. I
kept moving up in
competitions until 1984,
when I took part in my first
Formula 1 Grand Prix. My
career came to a crashing halt in 1989, when I became
a quadriplegic in an accident in Rio de Janeiro.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
is overseeing the 2005 Altran
Foundation Award jury. We had
a word with this member of
the European Parliament and
former Belgian Prime Minister.
Guy Reinaud, president of ProNatura, won a Foundation Award for
a machine that produces biomass
charcoal. The first device was set
up in South Africa in the beginning
of 2004. Depending on its success,
other machines will be installed in
Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Chad. Biomass charcoal is a
cheap fuel made from carbonised agricultural waste. It replaces wood
and slows down deforestation in developing countries.
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TECHNO-SHOPPING
A SKI JACKET THAT WILL
WARM YOUR HEART
your jacket.
Of course, the jacket also
boasts “windcheating” fleece
sleeves, Gore-Tex® (the
waterproof, laminated material
that fights perspiration), chest
vents, and the sporty style we
expect from Oakley. See you on
the slopes!
Suggested price: 895 euros.
DR
Say goodbye to mulled wine
breaks and layers upon layers
of clothes! Oakley is proud to
present a ski jacket with
meticulously designed thermal
insulation: the removable,
inflatable AirvantageTM insulation
system. This is a high-tech
name for being able to create
an insulating layer of air inside
WALKING ON SUNSHINE
DR
It enjoys a sunny day as much as the next
gadget! Lexon's LA51 Hubble (8.5 x 5.2 x
1.8 cm) is packed with photoelectric
cells in a chic little case made of
aluminium and orange or blue injected
ABS plastic. This solar-powered FM radio
charges in four hours for three hours of
continuous use. Complete with earphones
and a scanner to search for stations.
DR
PAPERO
HAS GONE BILINGUAL
TWO IN ONE
DR
DR
Elegant, discreet, and sleek, Fossil's squareshaped ring-watch was designed by Philippe
Starck. Its petite size (the face is just 2 x 1.2
cm) and stainless steel make it a decisively
innovative yet timeless piece.
Finally; a truly interactive robot!
Nec's robot PaPeRo can now translate
sentences spoken into a microphone
from Japanese into English and vice
versa. When he made his debut
in 2001, he could already
recognise human
faces with his CCD
(Charge Couples
Device) camera eyes.
In 2004, he went
bilingual.
This high-end toy
is only available
in Japan.
10
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HIGH-TECH DOSSIER
> AERONAUTICS:
INNOVATION
IS IN THE AIR
12 / BOARDING IMMEDIATELY /
14 / FOCUS: A380, A NEW WAY TO FLY /
17 / AN EVOLVING AERONAUTICS MARKET /
18/03/2005
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HIGH -TECH
BOARDING
IMMEDIATELY
Innovation can help companies meet the new
challenges of civil aviation. New technologies and
industries come into play at each stage of development,
from aeroplane design and manufacture to flight
management. They can help companies deal with new
challenges linked to increased air traffic, safety, and
environmental concerns. Innovation is in the air.
According to many industry
professionals, wide-body
aeroplanes, which are more
profitable for airlines, represent
the future of civil aviation. The
A380 will have a capacity
equivalent to a Boeing 747 (level
1) and an Airbus A340 (level 2)
combined. The two levels of the
Airbus
aeroplane will be linked by this
staircase.
satellite data transmission technologies, for instance, have helped improve the exchange of information between pilots and air traffic controllers
to avoid any misunderstanding.
Airbus
NAVIGATION AND CONTROL
Another key innovation lies in navigation infrastructures. The idea is to optimise flight management, a goal that applies both to choosing the
Airbus
The wings of an A380 undergoing a fatigue test at Broughton (UK) in September 2004.
best flight routes and to ensuring that aeroplanes
stay on them. This challenge has been met by a
new generation of flight management systems capable of integrating the time factor in flight management. Finally, control infrastructures are crucial.
The spotlight is on GPS systems and new generations of radar systems that can pinpoint the aeroplane's position in order to eliminate any risk of
collision.
continued on page 17 • • •
Profile of an A380 in flight.
P ROJECT
A new business class
12
Altitude n°6 / february 2005
an updated interior design
with new materials and
colours to boost your
comfort to greater heights.
More than anything else,
Sascha enjoys the
interdisciplinary character
of this project. It constantly
calls for a wide range
of knowledge and skills
in the team - technical
and logistical know-how,
of course, but also interior
design, marketing,
communications, financial
control, market analysis,
and more.
Lufthansa
2
005 will be the year of the A380, which is re crowded. Yet, according to experts, air traffic is
programmed to start flight testing in the set to increase by more than 5% yearly for the
spring before taking its maiden commer- next twenty years. The A380, with its record 555cial flight with Singapore Airlines in the first quar- passenger capacity, represents one step towards
ter of 2006. This generation of wide-body aeropla- better managing this growth.
nes, launched by Airbus, will undoubtedly be one
of the major developments in 21st century aero- COMMUNICATIONS
nautics. It brings with it many technological and Other civil aeronautics solutions aim, among other
industrial innovations in response to the sector's things, to squeeze more aeroplanes into the allatest demands. Speed is no longer the name of ready congested airways. Technological developthe game: the new goals are elsewhere and inclu- ments are being made on new onboard systems
de managing the growth of this means of mass and ground aids to help guarantee safety, obtransport. With 1.5 billion passengers transiting viously a paramount issue.
through the world's airports
These developments are threeeach year, runways and the
fold. Firstly, in terms of comCivil aviation faces
skies are getting more and momunications infrastructure:
new challenges
Sascha, a consultant for
the Altran Group
company Eurospace,
contributed to the
development and
integration of a new
ESA
business class cabin for
the German airline
Lufthansa.
He is overseeing the
project for 30 aeroplanes
that are part of a 73-plane
intercontinental fleet. New
features include seats that
convert into two-metrelong beds, an on-demand
entertainment system, and
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Page 14
HIGH -TECH Focus
A380: A NEW WAY TO FLY
THE A380 IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT
TOMORROW'S PLANES WILL LOOK LIKE.
Airbus's upcoming wide-bodied aircraft features
a number of technical solutions designed to
transport more passengers in a wider plane
that is neither too heavy nor too large, with a
more powerful yet less noisy engine. What's
more, it will be cheaper to build and will help
create jobs in several European countries.
And now for a close-up…
Glare in the air
A new material called Glare,
made from layers of aluminium
and fibreglass, is used on parts
of the fin. Glare is 10% less
dense than traditional materials and is
resistant to both corrosion and fire.
A cleaner
network
More technology
means more
information transfer inside the
plane. To ease and improve this
type of exchange, network
architecture based on TCP/IP
technology (just like the Internet)
is included.
Talking to
technology
Shh! We're flying
A new keyboard and cursor
control unit (KCCU) has been
developed to enhance human-machine
relations. Much like a desktop computer
mouse, this device provides access to the
navigation screens.
The A380 offers a choice
between two possible engines:
the Trent 900, produced by the
British engine manufacturer
Rolls-Royce, and the GP7200, made by the
American company Engine Alliance. Both
are designed with future environmental
protection standards in mind. To meet the
challenge of noise reduction, engineers
enlarged the diameter of the fan at the
engine's mouth.
The rule of 80
The A380 was designed to fit
within an 80-metre-sided
square. It is 80 feet tall
(approximately 24 metres). With these
dimensions, it will be able to use the existing
runways and taxiways found in the world's
airports, not to mention fit in a hangar.
Pierre Mosnier
Weight watching
14
Several components of the
fuselage primary structure use
innovative composite materials
like carbon fibre reinforced
plastic (CFRP), which replace aluminium
and lighten the plane's load.
A well-wheeled
plane
The bulk of the A380 is
supported by underwing landing
gear with 20 wheels, along with six-wheel
interior sets. To put on the brakes, the
pressure of its hydraulic system will climb by
60% more than on other planes!
Thanks to Thierry, an expert at Altran Technologies, for his precious help.
15
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Page 16
HIGH -TECH
INTERVIEW
Dealing with growing air traffic
Thierry, head of the
CNS/ATM1 department
at Altran Technologies
Toulouse, gives us the
low-down:
“We've just been given a
huge project on the
airspace of Africa and
Oceania by the
International Civil Aviation
Organisation and the
International Air Transport
Association. We're in
charge of analysing the
safety of putting a new
concept in place to
reduce the minimum
vertical interval in a given
space. Today, planes must
be separated by 2,000
feet in these spaces and
we'd like to change that to
1,000 feet. We have two
objectives: one, to
increase the number of
different flight levels,
which would help improve
air traffic management;
and two, to do whatever it
takes to confront the
surge in air traffic in these
rapidly expanding
regions. This is the first
time Altran has been
involved in governing
international civil aviation
at such a high level.”
1. CNS/ATM: communication,
navigation, and surveillance for
air traffic management.
PLANES, TRAINS, AND TRUCKS:
MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORT FOR THE A380
Airbus
The A380 is produced in several European
locations, and bringing together all its
components on the assembly lines in
Toulouse is no easy task. The Bélouga, the
Airbus cargo plane normally used for
transferring parts from one factory to
another, is just too small for this mammoth
of a project! So Airbus had to come up
with a new tactic that uses other modes of
transportation. A specially designed boat,
the Ville de Bordeaux, shuttles materials
between Hamburg, Mostyn, Saint Nazaire,
Cadiz, and Pauillac in the Gironde estuary.
Barges are used for river transport. And
finally, the freight will travel down a new
wide-gauge motorway to reach the JeanLuc Lagardère factory.
16
An interview with Joachim Lau
Managing director at Askon (Altran group)
DR
DR
Supersonic flight for commercial
airliners is not over for good. Indeed,
business flying seems to be on the
verge of taking up where the
Concorde generation left off. During a
recent conference on aviation, the
American company Aerion unveiled its
plans for the SBJ, a supersonic twinengine jet. With a twelve-passenger
capacity, it will be able to fly 4,000
nautical miles (or 7,408 kilometres) at
cruising speeds up to Mach 1.6
(1,960 km/h). Other projects are also
taking shape, including Supersonic
Aeorospace International's QSST.
According to its creators, the original
design and delta wing shape should
allow it to fly 1.6 times faster than the
speed of sound without producing an
audible sonic boom.
AN EVOLVING AERONAUTICS MARKET
P ROJECT
Will supersonic
planes fly again?
Altitude: What are the
market's latest demands?
Joachim Lau: We see several
trends. For instance, the number of
passengers and cargo loads is
always growing, leading to traffic
jams in the skies, particularly in
Europe and around major
international airports.
The Airbus A380, with its
•••
maximum capacity of 555
passengers, is one answer to this
future challenge. Boeing, on the
other hand, has taken a different
approach: the increase of fossil fuel
prices has led it to focus on
efficiency.
The 7E7 Dreamliner includes a
number of systems such as ultramodern motors and an innovative
tyre concept aimed at optimising
fuel consumption. Moreover,
passengers are becoming more and
more demanding: they want to be
able to travel easily and
comfortably. And aeroplane tickets
must also be affordable!
Alt.: What added value do
technology consultants
bring? In what area is
continuation of page 13
ENVIRONMENT AND THE ENERGY CRISIS
While security and managing the growing passenger flow are both key in today's aeronautics,
other issues, such as economics and the environment, cannot be ignored. The prospect of an
energy crisis has led manufacturers to develop
aeroplanes that consume less fuel. The A380 will
consume 20% less than the Boeing 747, thanks to
a variety of innovations. First of all, all excess
weight has been trimmed from the aeroplane.
Composite materials have replaced parts of the
fuselage that were traditionally made of alumicontinued on page 18
•••
their expertise most
established?
J.L.: As in all sectors, airlines
often require expertise in new
areas. For example, passengers
now demand new levels of in-flight
entertainment, including films,
music, the use of a mobile
telephone, and Internet access. This
is the kind of “cross-industry”
expertise that Altran's consultants
can offer aircraft manufacturers
today.
Alt.: What innovations do
you think will become
generalised in the years
or decades to come?
J.L.: With the decline of fossil
fuels, new motor concepts must be
developed. One option may be to
use hydrogen as a fuel. The
challenge lies in finding ways of
shortening the excessively long
development cycles through the
use of simulation devices. Current
fuel consumption is also largely
linked to aircraft weight. The use of
modern materials, such as
composites, can contribute greatly
to solving this problem. Another
area of innovation is that of safety.
As I said earlier, air traffic is on the
rise. New airspace management
concepts are as important as
collision avoidance technologies.
In conclusion, following the
example of the first private aircraft
to reach outer space within the XPrize programme, high-altitude
flight and hypersonic aeroplanes
will surely make a comeback.
RECOGNITION THROUGH
DIGITAL FINGERPRINTS
The September 11th attacks have led to
increased investments in airport security.
Access to staff-only areas is now being regulated with
new identification methods. Aéroports de Paris (Paris
airports), for example, use digital fingerprint recognition
technology. Each employee's digital fingerprint is
recorded on a chip which is then placed on the back of
his or her badge. At each security check, the badge is
scanned by a device that matches it up to the central database.
The employee then places the passenger's finger on the device to
compare the fingerprint to the chip. Other biometrics-based solutions,
such as hand shape recognition, are in development.
17
18/03/2005
14:55
Page 18
HIGH -TECH
INTERVIEW
DR
Development Director
Denis Lacroix fills us in on
Amadeus E-travel's ecommerce solutions for
travel reservations.
« Amadeus E-travel mainly
works with three types of
customers: airlines (Air
France, Qantas, etc.), online travel agencies, and
companies that are
developing internal
reservation systems for their
employees (Oracle, Daimler
Chrysler, etc.). Tailored
reservation products are
available for each category.
The strength of Amadeus
E-travel lies in its
community-based bookings
system, located in a data
processing centre on the
Amadeus premises near
Munich, Germany. Rather
than having to install
Airbus
E-reservation takes off
additional programs,
customers simply link up to
the Amadeus E-travel server
via the Internet. Extremely
effective, with 200 million
dynamic web pages viewed
and a million tickets issued,
the system can be quickly
and easily adapted to any
company. Fifteen different
projects are now in the works
for new customers and to
improve the existing system. »
Amadeus E-travel, an on-line
reservation business unit,
operates since April 2002.
INTEGRATED MODULAR AVIONICS: THE STREAMLINING SPECIALIST
The concept of integrated modular avionics (IMA) is revolutionary from both a technical and an industrial standpoint.
It combines various software applications that were previously associated with different computers into standard
processing modules using the same operating system. IMA streamlines logistics while cutting costs and the amount
of equipment needed, offering greater flexibility in terms of maintenance. For example, it allows for the enhanced
treatment of electronic obsolescence.
•••
continuation of page 17
nium. The A380's hydraulic systems have also
been lightened, while the introduction of a new
network architecture has reduced the number of
cables required.
The A380's motors themselves consume less fuel
and are cleaner than those of previous generations. They even anticipate future pollutant and
greenhouse gas emissions standards. Similarly,
in an effort to minimise sound pollution, the plane's propulsion systems were entirely rethought.
But the airlines and the manufacturers are not the
only parties involved in environmental manage-
18
ment in the air transport industry. Ground operations play an ever greater, though often hidden,
role. Thus the availability of an electricity grid during stopovers helps meet an aeroplane's energy
requirements while limiting its gas emissions. The
sorting and reclamation of cabin waste may also
be organised.
Communications, navigation, and the environment: these various sectors of civil aeronautics all
call for major technological innovation. Countless
projects are under development, of which many
should soon take flight.
Next dossier : As China awakens
ALT6 (19/21) people UK-SR1
22/02/2005
09:35
Page 19
PEOPLE Trajectories
Two consultants with parallel careers
BIO
RIGOR AND CONTROL
>
Christian, a consultant for Altran Technologies Toulouse, took home the 2004 Altran Award in the Systems and Process
Engineering category. His quirky career path has taken him from the defence industry to aeronautics and naval technology
Christian, 39, saw the
Altran Awards as an
opportunity to take stock
of his fruitful career.
“Putting together the
dossier is quite a project:
you have to sum up the
path you've taken while
emphasizing whatever
components are
important in this type of competition. Even more
daunting, you then have to cram the last 15
years of your professional life into a 15-minute
presentation. It's a really intense exercise, but
the jury tends to seek out your strong points and
weaknesses.” Christian looks back on the
experience fondly. “It pushes you to look long
and hard at yourself, especially at the way you
operate as a consultant, at the way you've drawn
on your experience to prepare for the future. It
also puts you into contact with other consultants
who have similar or complementary profiles, and
you can share your experiences with them.” With
this prestigious distinction under his belt,
Christian will be undertaking the Excellence
Plan he's been working on for quite some time.
Stay tuned for an update in a coming issue of
Altitude!
Altran Awards: make the most of your talent
The Altran Awards identify and acknowledge the most talented Altran Group consultants. Excellence, innovation, and leadership… These three assets are
spotlighted in 12 award categories that reflect the diversity of the Group's consultants and careers. The 12 winners act as ambassadors for Altran, and get
the chance to put their Excellence Plan into action. You'll get to know them in the pages of Altitude throughout the year.
UNDER PRESSURE
>
BIO
Georges, a consultant for Logiqual (Altran Group), was a contender for the
2004 Altran Award in the Systems and Process Engineering category. His
experience in automobile equipment manufacturing got him to the final
round, where he joined 55 consultants from seven countries.
Just like Altran itself, Georges has a nose for innovation and
creativity. He's already filed 20 patents, some of which are in use
and yield a real competitive edge. Over the last four years, he filed
10 through his job as a systems manager for Siemens
Automotive, where he works on tyre pressure monitoring
systems. “These products are used on the Renault Mégane, the
Peugeot 407, the Mazda RX7, the VW Golf, some Jaguars, and the
Land Rover… all market leaders.” The Altran Awards gave Georges an ideal
opportunity to get the word out on his project. Despite seven years of
experience at Aisin Seiki, the subsidiary of a world-class Japanese automobile equipment
manufacturer, Georges is no stranger to uncertainty and stress. “The evaluation criteria are
qualitative, and we have no idea what other projects and consultants we're up against. I got the
chance to recap and assess my career path. I measured the quality of service I offer against that of
my Altran colleagues. I also formalised my future objectives to put together my Excellence Plan. It's a
great way to step into the future with a solid base under your feet.”
Pierre Mosnier
DR
to automobiles, setting him apart from the five other Spanish, American, and French consultants short listed for the award.
1988 > DEA (specialised
post-graduate degree)
in electrical engineering,
ENSEM (Nancy).
1989-1991 > Project for
Dassault.
1992 > Joins Altran
Group - works on the
Charles-de-Gaulle
aircraft carrier.
1993 > Receives
degree from the Institut
d'Administration des
Entreprises (Business
Administration Institute).
1996-1998 > Updating
of the Brazilian frigate
combat system.
2000-2002 > Project in
Germany for Cargolifter.
Projet 2002 >
Electronic systems
engineering project for
Volkswagen.
1990 > Engineering
degree from ESNMM
(École Nationale
Supérieure de
Mécanique et de
Microtechnique).
1994 > PhD in
energetics from the
École des Mines de
Paris.
1998 > Independent
consultant - Project
manager, climate
systems engineering.
1999 > Siemens
Automotive - Test
laboratory manager.
2000 > Joins Altran
Group - Systems
manager for Siemens
Automotive.
2004 > Begins work
on applying system
engineering in R&D.
19
22/02/2005
09:35
Page 20
PEOPLE Experts
Solving technological problems methodically in order to
improve innovation: several companies within the Altran
Group offer such methodologies.
Close-up on two specialists.
ACHIEL VERHEYEN
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER,
PHILIPS SOUND SOLUTIONS1
(DE VALCK CONSULTANTS CLIENT)
INTERVIEW
SYSTEMATIC INNOVATION METHODOLOGY:
TURBO-CHARGE YOUR THINKING
Altitude: Was exactly is your role?
I am Chief Technology Officer, which means that I am
very much involved in the policy and strategy of
Philips Sound Solutions, from a technical angle. My
strategic goals have to do with structural innovation,
road-mapping technologies, competency building
and mapping, business launching, etc.
DR
De Valck Consultants, an Altran company based in Brussels, has earned its fame on its
innovation strategy.
Philippe, a manager at De Valck
Consultants, explains: “Our services focus
on product and process innovation or on
solving strategic product problems. In 2004,
De Valck Consultants completed some thirty
innovative projects for clients in various sectors and industries. Our success resides in
three inextricable aspects of our approach:
an efficient methodology, a solid, experienced team, and a specific approach to project
management that gets the client involved. As
far as methodology is concerned, we developed our own
approach after intensive research that included looking
closely at Genrich Altshuller's TRIZ methodology.” TRIZ
offers the means of analysing a vast amount of data
(three million patents covering all sectors of business
and fields of knowledge) and of inferring new technolo-
gical trends. “Our systematic approach to projects has
enabled us to become highly efficient and produce very
high-quality innovative results.” A multidisciplinary team
lies at the heart of this approach. Philippe adds: “Our
systematic innovation methodology acts as a turbo charger for the team,” with nearly 135 experienced consultants, including some forty experts specialised in numerous areas. This methodology has also helped De Valck
Consultants position itself vis-à-vis its current and potential clients and enabled its consultants to develop professionally. De Valck Consultants has an international
approach that meets the needs of its multinational
clients. Thus, it has developed a network of partners with
other companies within the group, specifically in the
Netherlands and Spain. “With our experience and references, we can help them launch innovative projects.”
Contact: [email protected]
Alt.: What methodologies do you use
to better innovate?
A.V.: We have experimented with various well-known
methodologies. Currently, we rely on structured
brainstorming sessions as our main tool for
innovation. The challenge is always to get the team to
think outside the box.
Alt.: What are the main constraints of
methodologies such as TRIZ?
A.V.: You must understand that TRIZ can only work if
the methodology is fully integrated into the corporate
culture and viewed as a strategic tool to help
generate innovative ideas and concepts. This is
essential.
Alt.: In the future, do you think that
such methodologies will be used more
widely to promote innovation?
A.V.: We recently decided to create a new group
devoted to innovation, and I intend to create a
structured culture of innovation within that group.
From this perspective, I think that TRIZ can be a very
useful methodology. I will focus on promoting a
strong team culture, in order to make TRIZ as
efficient a methodology as possible.
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Founded in 1960, Synectics (Altran group) helps its clients develop and
generate innovative solutions in the areas of new product and market
development, sales engineering, and the dissemination of innovations
within organisations…
1. Based in Dendermonde, Belgium, Philips Sound Solutions (PSS)
is a business unit of Philips. PSS develops, manufactures, and sells
innovative products for three major markets: automobile, consumer
electronics, and personal computers.
Call Agency
20
thought patterns that stifle
your innate creative abilities.
Synectics has studied models that help redevelop cognitive functions and we have created hundreds of hands-on exercises that help
generate innovative thought repeatedly and almost at
will.” Over the last fifteen years, Synectics has worked
with Unilever on numerous projects and coached thousands of people in creative problem-solving.
DR
Jeff, a manager at Synectics, describes his job: “We act
as facilitators and catalysts to help our clients develop
new solutions. We coach them in integrating their organisational skills and advise them in designing and applying means of innovation and creation. We have also
developed a series of methodologies that help promote
creativity in each of the fields in which we work.”
He adds, “With age, people lose the ability to do things
as smoothly as when they were very young. Working in
a company, you acquire specific working habits and
21
22/02/2005
09:36
Page 22
PEOPLE Campus
FIRST STEPS WITH FORMULA 1
VENKATESH
NARAYANAMURTI :
No, Mark Caldwell is not the new driver for the Renault F1 Team in 2005. He is the winner of the first edition of the Altran
Engineering Academy, which means he’s helped the team get ready for this decisive season. Working alongside the team
and supported by his Altran mentor, Mark is perfectly poised to make the most out of the imagination and vivacity hat
wowed us during the competition. As part of the research and development department, he is seeing his dreams become
reality: he already has one car launch under his belt. For Mark, the upcoming Grand Prix will mark the end of this great
adventure - and hopefully the start of a brilliant career.
“DEVELOP OUTSIDE-THE-BOX
THINKING”
DREAMS CAN COME TRUE
Altitude: What is your division's mission?
Venkatesh Narayanamurti: Harvard sees itself as
an interface between engineering, applied
sciences, and technology. Our goal is to foster a
culture of discovery and invention, while supporting research. Nevertheless, teaching and education are as essential as research. We want the
next generation of students to be able to think
outside the box to solve practical problems.
There's no use in having brilliant ideas if you
can't put them to work. This is why programmes
such as the Technology and Entrepreneurship
Centre at Harvard (TECH), which allow our students to combine technology and entrepreneurship, are so important.
Alt.: How does Altran's involvement help you?
V.N.: The question is: How does one take an idea
and apply it? Altran has played a crucial role in
helping to develop TECH courses that answer
Alt.: How was this collaboration set up?
V.N.: Two years ago, we created a course on
Innovation in Science and Engineering. We were
struck by how much the consultants and researchers had in common. There is a true need for
our students to develop an overall vision, from
approaching a problem to choosing the strategies best adapted to solving it. The course was
so successful that we decided to look for ways to
extend its scope. Altran, as a staunch supporter
of innovation, seemed the perfect partner; they
have committed themselves for five years.
Alt.: What are your hopes for this unique programme?
V.N.: With Altran's support, we will be able to
extend this course and fuel others in the disciplines taught at Harvard. Today the university is a
research interface. With the TECH, and thanks to
Altran, it will become a must for anyone interested in innovation and entrepreneurship. All parties involved in the programme have gained from
it; it is a wonderful example of the symbiosis that
can develop between a university like Harvard
and the business world.
AN HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP FOR ALTRAN UK & IRELAND
As in Italy, Altran hopes to build an historic
partnership with the Junior Enterprise
movement in the United Kingdom. Along with
companies like Microsoft, Ernst & Young, and
Accenture, it took part in a conference on
putting together a confederation of English,
22
Although the first edition of the Altran Engineering Academy was limited to
the United Kingdom, thousands of requests for information came in from the
world over, and several hundred applications were submitted by non-UK
residents. Given this unexpected response, and to incorporate the
international ambitions shared by Altran and the Renault FI Team, the 2005
Altran Engineering Academy will be open to the entire world, in partnership
with Monster and the International Herald Tribune. Participants will compete
for the opportunity to have a six-month stint on one of the top teams in the
most challenging branch of the automotive industry. Many dream of such a
chance, but 2004 winner Mark Caldwell knows that the reality is even better.
And so, beginning on the first of March, check out www.altran.academy.com
and live in the fastlane!
Renault F1 Team
DR
that question, and bridge the gap between theory and practice. Someone who understands both
how a business operates and the technology
behind an invention is well placed to manage a
company that develops and sells products that
use that technology. Our university strives to prepare its students to meet such challenges.
Scottish, and Irish Junior Enterprises. In the
same spirit, a partnership agreement has been
signed with Westminster Business
Consultants, the Junior Enterprise of the fivecampus, 20,000-student University of
Westminster. It's also a first in England.
THE STUDENT
DR
Venkatesh Narayanamurti is Dean
of the Division of Engineering and
Applied Sciences (DEAS) at Harvard
University. With the support of Altran
and Arthur D. Little (Altran Group),
he has set up the first course of its kind
to focus on technological innovation,
developed by the Altran Group,
in collaboration with the university.
ROBERT MASON,
JUNIOR SENIOR
More than a year into
his tenure as president
of Westminster
by the Group: “Altran is
a partner with many
different faces. It's
Business Consultants,
the Junior Enterprise of
the University of
Westminster, Robert
Mason is a very busy
helped us join JADE
(the European
Confederation of
Junior Enterprises) and
provides support for
young man. In addition
to signing a
partnership agreement
with Altran UK and
Ireland and building a
our events. It's been an
essential resource for
improving our visibility
and attracting more
students.” Where does
Junior Enterprise
movement in the
British Isles, he has his
studies to think about
(he'll soon be adding a
he see himself in ten
years? “I'll be running
my own company,
thanks to the jumpstart
I got with the Junior
degree in finance to a
list that includes
Enterprises. Also, I
plan to stay involved
international relations
and diplomacy). This
ambitious go-getter
with the movement;
entrepreneurs are a
rare breed, and we
spoke highly of the
opportunities offered
need to help each other
out.”
23
ALT6 4decouv UK-SR1
22/02/2005
09:37
Page 24
BIO BILL GATES – OCTOBER 28TH 1955: Born in Seattle 1973: Enters Harvard University, where he meets Steve Ballmer, the current CEO of
Microsoft. As a student, he creates the programming language BASIC for the MIT Altair, the world's first microcomputer 1975: Founds Microsoft
with Paul Allen, convinced that the personal computer will soon be an indispensable part of all offices and households. 1995: Writes The Road
Ahead, a best-selling book on his vision for the future of information technology and its role in society.
PORTRAIT
BILL
GATES
in 8 questions
Corbis
Bill Gates is the face of Microsoft,
the very incarnation of the company
he created… and so, four years ago,
he handed over the controls to Steve
Ballmer. We fired some questions at
the man who had the ingenious idea to put
a computer on each desk.
“My qualities:
optimism and a sense
for engineering.”
What in your life is most important to you?
My family.
Your two best qualities?
Optimism and a sense for engineering.
Your two biggest weaknesses?
Before running a huge corporation, I spent a long time
developing a number of programmes on my own… And it's
hard to make that transition. I'm always tempted to be more
hands-on, to get involved in all the details, because I still
remember the days when I wrote code.
Who is your entrepreneur model?
It's hard to say. In his own way, Henry Ford was a great
entrepreneur. Edison too. There's also the Wright brothers,
even though, of course, their intelligence, which I would call
superior, never really translated into business success.
Who, in your opinion, is the next Bill Gates ?
Definitely not someone I know! He has to have a radical idea
in his head, one that could only come from a young person's
brain.
What was the last book you read?
To tell you the truth, the last book I read was on… malaria! The one I read before is much more famous: the biography of Bill Clinton. I've always found him interesting.
What music are you listening to these days?
The last U2 album and the soundtrack from “Shall We
Dance,” which is very good, as is the film.
The last film you went to see?
I just saw “The Motorcycle Diaries,” which I really liked.
Interview conducted at the last meeting of Club Junior Entreprises, an event that is regularly organised by the French Confederation of Junior Entreprises
(CNJE) in partnership with Altran.

Altitude

Transcription

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