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1 Airport Logistics News | March 2015 solutions

www.siemens.com/logistics

Airport Logistics NewsIssue 14 | March 2015

The perfect answer for torn and twisted bag tagsBaggage Vision System at Changi Airport Singapore and at Passenger Terminal Expo

Contents 3 news

Siemens at Passenger Terminal Expo

Upgraded check-in technology for Gatwick Airport

New cargo terminal in Istanbul

6 solutions LAS operates as an independent

company within Siemens

Setting the benchmark An interview on strategic

innovations

A concept for improved O&M Integral Asset Management at Madrid-Barajas Airport

The U.S. airport business Recent project wins and opportunities

18 visionMaking Hong Kong Asia’s leading cargo hubThe material handling system supplied to Cathay Pacific is fulfilling expectations

20 newsMakeover for LAX Terminal 1

Siamos Dashboard for improved efficiency

Continued on page 2

Siemens is currently testing the new Baggage Vision System at Changi Airport Singapore. The new solution is also one of the highlights that Siemens presents at this year’s Passenger Terminal Expo in Paris.

The Baggage Vision System helps solve the challenge of no-reads and pushes automatic baggage identification to a new level. The solution uses digital images of the bag and applies highly sophis-ticated and reliable optical charac-ter recognition (OCR) software to identify flight numbers and air-port codes.

Live trials have been carried out at Singapore Changi Airport. The Baggage Vision System is also Siemens’ Baggage Vision System helps

solve the challenge of barcode no-reads.

Bag tags are subject to a great deal of wear and tear.

2 Airport Logistics News | March 2015 editorial

a prominent feature at this year’s Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE) in Paris, where visitors can experience a live installation of the system at the Siemens booth. Changi Airport Group and Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions will deliver a joint presentation about their experience with the Bag-gage Vision System at the PTE.

And this is how the Baggage Vision System works: Multiple loadings and unloadings, especially in transit at hub airports, can subject bag tags to a great deal of wear and tear. Baggage labels can end up torn, twisted or badly worn out. Once a bag tag can no longer be read by the traditional laser-based Automatic Tag Reader, the baggage item has to be diverted to a manual coding sta-tion. Longer baggage processing time and higher cost are often the result.

The Baggage Vision System from Siemens determines the next flight and destination airport that are printed on the bag tag using a combination of OCR and barcode reading. The number of automatically sorted bags is thereby increased. Siemens has successfully used OCR in the automation of postal and parcel processes for many years.

Through the Baggage Vision System, pieces of missing information needed for baggage sortation can be recon-structed. Better recognition rates are the result, and short transfer times can be adhered to reliably. The proportion of late or mishandled bags is minimized significantly. The number of required workstations as well as the workload at manual coding stations is reduced, and staff resources can be reserved for the really tough cases. «

Dear Reader,

Our business unit Logistics and Air-port Solutions (LAS) will operate as an independent company under the Siemens umbrella. This announce-ment in June of this year marked the end of Siemens’ plans to divest LAS. That’s good news for us – and for you!

Continued from page 1

The perfect answer for torn and twisted bag tags

Key highlights of the Baggage Vision System

• Proven optical character recognition (OCR) technology

• The number of cameras varies according to the mounting position and width of the conveyor belt; 90, 180, 270 and 360 degree solutions are possible

• Baggage items travel at a speed of up to 1.5 m/s; the cameras are activated when a light barrier is triggered

• Fast recognition of information on torn and worn out baggage tags

• Less diversion of baggage to manual coding stations

• Lower handling costs

• Avoidance of baggage processing delays

• Ability to meet short transfer times

As an independent company, LAS can act more flexibly, quickly and competitively in the airport industry. Siemens will provide the required pre-requisites such as suitable financial resources and appropriate manage-ment structures and support, as our new CEO Michael Reichle explains on page 6.

Innovation continues to be a top pri-ority for us. We will further develop and expand our product portfolio, focus-ing on state-of-the-art products and solutions for the airport market. In this issue we provide you with an overview of our recent product innovations on pages 10 and 11.

Another key success factor is our customer proximity. To bring LAS close to where our customers are, we have further strengthened our setup in the United States, as reported on

pages 16 and 17. This is an example of our commitment to global tech-nological and operational excellence as well as regional customer proximity.

As you see, from both structural and technological points of view, we always have been and always will be optimally positioned to be your part-ner of choice. There are many prom-ising projects in the pipeline, and we are prepared to further expand our market share.

Our message to our customers and the whole airport market is loud and clear: LAS is here to stay!

Sincerely,

Michael H. LampenSenior Vice President Airport Logistics

In the Baggage Vision System, bags pass through a camera tunnel where images are captured and transferred to an OCR computer.

March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 3news

Logistics and Airport Solutions presents its complete portfolio for baggage, cargo, IT and service at Passenger Terminal Expo.

From March 10 to 12, 2015, airport industry decision-makers come together at Paris expo Porte de Versailles for this year’s Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE). The focus is on the latest projects, industry trends and developments – and naturally, Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions is one of the 160 exhibitors. The company is displaying its complete

Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) has awarded Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions a new contract to upgrade the first key area of check-in controls in the South Terminal. The order includes design, supply and commissioning of the system.

Matt Payne, Senior Engineering Manager for Baggage Projects at Gatwick, on the upgrade project: “The scheduled completion of the work by Siemens will enable Gat-wick South to increase reliability and maintainability of the check-ins, with the latest PLC technology uniformly being installed throughout the South Terminal check-in areas. This will in turn improve the overall performance and efficiency of the baggage handling operations, which will benefit both the airlines and passengers alike.”

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions secured this system-criti-cal project by demonstrating how it

portfolio for baggage, cargo, IT and service at PTE’s largest booth. Two special highlights are certain to attract visitors, namely displays of the Baggage Vision System and of the Siamos airport IT solution.

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions is also represented on PTE’s speaker list. Lim Yi from Singapore Changi Airport and Svetlozar Delianski,

Product Lifecycle Manager Airport Logistics from Siemens, are slated to hold a speech entitled “Keeping an eye on bag image recognition in BHS.” The starting point is Siemens’ Bag-gage Vision System, which combines optical character recognition (OCR) and barcode reading to determine the next flight and destination air-port. The solution increases the num-ber of automatically sorted bags. Siemens has successfully been using OCR in the automation of postal and parcel processes for many years.

Experts from Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions are eager to present the company’s portfolio – stop by hall 4, booth 1055 to learn more. «

Siemens at Passenger Terminal Expo

Check-in technology at Gatwick Airport to get an upgrade

An impressive booth and a speech on bag tag recognition are cornerstones of this year’s Expo presence

will meet key project deliverables while working in a live terminal envi-ronment. Gatwick’s South Terminal comprises eight concourse check-in

zones and more than 180 check-in desks. The airport serves roughly 38 million passengers a year flying to around 200 different destinations. «

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions has been contracted to upgrade check-in controls at Gatwick Airport.

4 Airport Logistics News | March 2015 news

Siemens’ baggage hanling system at Heathrow Terminal 2 measures

5.2 km in length

The opening of Heathrow’s Terminal 2 building – the brand new Queen’s Terminal – marks a milestone for Logistics and Airport Solutions (LAS) in the UK: The business unit has suc-cessfully delivered and implemented a new state-of-the-art, intelligent baggage handling system capable of processing up to 4,800 bags every hour.

Baggage handling system installed in Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport

Unique travel experience under a spectacular roof: a state-of- the art baggage handling system by Siemens is part of the brand- new Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport.

The project involved the design, supply, building and imple-mentation of all mechanical, electrical and control systems for the new baggage handling system. This included the mechani-cal installation of 116 new check-in desks, more than 1,500 single belt conveyor drives and lifting devices extending over 5,000 meters, and a range of baggage sorting equipment as well as automatic tag reader scanners and program controllers. The operation features 5.2 km of conveyors, covering 7,540 square meters and consisting of 850 tons of fabricated steel.

Commenting on the new baggage handling system, Dr. Thomas Bayer, CEO of LAS in the UK, said: “From drop-off to takeoff, the new passenger terminal sets new standards in the experience of international air travel with reduced transfer times, deskless check-ins and the smallest footprint of any operation of its kind all under one spectacular roof.” «

March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 5news

Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, USA, has entrusted Logistics and Airport Solutions with the long-term maintenance of its baggage handling system. The contract went into effect on July 1, 2014.

Two issues were particularly impor-tant for the airport: that the selected contractor be a partner and not just an outsource vendor, and that the final

price help the airport maintain its reputation as a low-cost location as measured by the cost per enplaned passenger. Siemens’ sales staff referred to contracts with airports, airlines and the Transportation Secu-rity Administration to demonstrate how Siemens works with its custom-ers to find the best solutions. On the cost front, an innovative staffing plan

allowed the company to come up with a competitive offer.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the eighth busiest U.S. air-port by total passenger boardings. The airport’s largest airline by passenger count is American Airlines. Previously, the city of Charlotte, the airport’s oper-ator, took care of maintenance on the baggage handling system. «

Siemens takes over maintenance for Charlotte Douglas

Turkish Cargo’s self-declared goal is ambitious: The division of Turkish Airlines wants to become one of the main players in the air cargo traffic between the West and the East by exploiting their location in Istanbul, sit-uated in the center of the world com-merce routes. In line with this goal, the company commissioned Siemens to equip a completely new cargo building covering 20,000 square meters on the airside and 20,000 square meters on the landside. The first expansion phase was completed by the end of 2014.

Milli Canay, Sales and Marketing Specialist at Siemens Turkey: “We are proud of our first project with Turkish Airlines. Our customer will be pro-vided with a faster and more efficient cargo handling system to meet the challenges of the strategically impor-tant location of Istanbul.”

New cargo terminal in Istanbul: LAS wins its first order from Turkish Airlines

Turkish Cargo has commissioned Siemens to equip a completely new cargo terminal in Istanbul.

Turkish Cargo has become one of the fastest growing players in the global air cargo industry. While operating to 239 destinations using the belly space of

Turkish Airline’s passenger aircraft, Turk-ish Cargo also has scheduled cargo flights to 47 destinations across the globe with its nine dedicated cargo aircraft. «

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions is servicing the baggage handling system of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.


Increased flexibility, speed and competitiveness Logistics and Airport Solutions operates as an independent company within Siemens

rates in aviation and parcel logistics. We will continue to invest even more intensively in products and solutions for these extremely attractive industry sectors. R&D investments are already planned,” said Reichle. “We have de-cades of experience, the innovation DNA of Siemens, a thorough knowl-edge of our customers’ processes and a deep understanding of future de-velopments in the airport, postal and parcel industries. We are now combin-ing these assets with the momentum of the new company. That is the ba-sis for the creation of continuous cus-tomer value – and that is what the new LAS stands for.” «

Creating continuous customer value is top priority for CEO Michael Reichle.

Logistics and Airport Solutions (LAS) will operate as an indepen-dent company under the Siemens umbrella. This announcement in June 2014 marked the end of Siemens’ plans to divest LAS. Michael Reichle took over as the new CEO of the entity in July 2014.

LAS remains a 100 percent subsidiary of Siemens AG. That means that Siemens provides the required prerequisites: suitable financial resources, appro priate management structures and support.

“Being positioned and continued as an independent entity under the Siemens umbrella is a unique process

and a very special opportunity,” said Reichle. “As a more indepen-dent company, LAS can act flexibly, quickly and competitively in the midsize environment of the courier, express, parcel, postal and airport industries.”

Customers will continue to profit from LAS’ strong worldwide setup and references. Independent local companies have already been founded in Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. The office in Dubai already existed in a joint venture structure. The setup of a legal entity in China is scheduled for April 1. In Germany this step will take place within a reasonable time frame. All countries without a LAS subsidiary will be served either directly by Germany or by a neighboring LAS subsidiary.

Siemens’ innovation DNA is a hall-mark of LAS, whose product portfolio is being developed further and ex-panded to stay highly innovative in all markets. “Experts expect high growth

“ Siemens is a local partner with a global presence.” Paul Won, Cathay Pacific Services Ltd. The complete interview is available on page 18.

March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 7solutions

Siemens’ airport innovations draw attentionRepresentatives from airports and airlines visit test sites operated by Siemens

Beijing Capital international Airport Co., Ltd., the company which owns and operates Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), recently visited Siemens’ new tilt-tray sorter test loop in Beijing. Siemens Manager Liu Ying Yi says: “We supplied the baggage handling system for BCIA’s new Terminal 3. Customer feedback and our experience from projects like this are the foundation for inno-

Visitors from Zurich Airport had a closer look at the SmartTilter being tested at the Siemens Airport Center in Germany.

“ Customer feedback and our experience are the foundation for innovations like our tilt-tray sorter.”

Siemens Manager Liu Ying Yi

vations such as our tilt-tray sorter. We hope there’s a chance BCIA will consider our sorter for their Terminal 1/Terminal 2 retrofit work and for Beijing’s future second airport.”

Sichuan Provincial Airport Group was particularly interested in Siemens’ tray innovations and airport opera-tion IT suite, Siamos, when they recently visited the Siemens Airport Center in Germany. The group oper-

ates eleven Chinese airports includ-ing Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Currently, a second airport is being planned for Chengdu. The airport will be the fourth largest hub airport in China, with 53 million passengers and two million tons of cargo annu-ally projected for 2030. The project is to start in December 2014.

Southwest Airlines, a major U.S. air-line that operates more than 3,800 flights per day, recently visited the Siemens Airport Center in Germany. While very impressed with all of Siemens’ solutions showcased at the test center, they were most interested in the VarioBelt 3000 belt conveyor and the Siemens self-check-in and bag-drop solution that affords travelers more flexibility and comfort. «


Setting the benchmarkAn interview on strategic innovations for customer needs

What is the basis for the innovations you develop?

Lampen: We have a long history of baggage handling solutions, and our customers value our experience in the field. We pioneered automated baggage handling solutions, tray-based baggage handling and a range of sophisticated IT solutions for airport logistics. This is a solid basis to build on for the present and the future.

Delianski: In the last two years, Logis-tics and Airport Solutions has under-lined its commitment to innovation and significantly increased the budget for research and development (R&D). We have aligned our R&D with our customers’ needs and have even taken the lead on some groundbreaking innovations. We have focused on and succeeded in revamping our portfolio, and also filled in gaps.

How do you anticipate your customers’ needs?

Lampen: We have reinforced our customer relationship manage ment (CRM) team, which is in close contact

with our customers. We are right there when our customers start planning new projects. This helps us understand their key objectives and the require-ments of all stakeholders involved throughout the entire life cycle.

Delianski: And there is also product life-cycle management (PLM). For us, PLM means close relationships to cus-tomers as well as airport consultants. This allows us to gain an excellent understanding of new requirements for products and solutions, and to set the direction for our R&D plans accordingly. PLM and CRM work together in a unique manner, and this cooperation delivers posi tive results.

How do you make sure the innovations work properly when you introduce them to the market?

Lampen: We run a major test cen-ter in Germany – the Siemens Airport Center (SAC) – where airport logis-tics innovations are subjected to in-depth testing. The SAC is a one-of-a-kind facility combining a showroom and test lab.

Delianski: At Logistics and Airport Solutions, we follow a very strict R&D process, at the end of which exten-sive testing must be carried out. Each and every requirement and feature we specify for a new product must be verified by a defined test procedure at the SAC. We simulate the product features throughout a designated lifetime before releasing the prod-uct. For instance, before releasing our tilt-tray sorter, we ran the tilt-ing mechanism through three mil-lion test cycles. This corresponds to an operation time of ten years. In addition, we built a sophisticated test loop in our testing facility in Beijing where we thoroughly eval-uated throughput and reliability. The consulting company we con-tracted to assess our product was impressed by the amount and qual-ity of effort we apply. Our new tray has survived over a million stop-start cycles carrying 50 percent more weight than maximum load. By running such tests we can be con fident that only reliable products are released. Our commitment is to deliver only the best products to our customers.

Experts for innovations: Michael Lampen,

Senior Vice President Airport Logistics (left), and Product Lifecycle Manager

Svetlozar Delianski


Setting the benchmarkAn interview on strategic innovations for customer needs

The Siemens Airport Center (SAC) in Germany

Let’s look into the future. What will the airport look like in ten, twenty years from now?

Lampen: Flying is becoming a more and more everyday way to travel. The airport logistics mar-ket is constantly growing and becom-ing more complex. Passengers now demand more convenience in the run-up to their flights – and short transfer times. Airports that are able

to provide this can differentiate them-selves for passengers, airlines and operators. And it’s these objectives we want to explore and support with our strategy.

Delianski: We expanded our port-folio to include self-check-in and bag-drop solutions to increase cus-tomer convenience and airport effi-ciency. We also developed sophis-ticated baggage storage solutions that allow airports to handle peaks

without having to expand their bag-gage handling systems. Image pro-cessing capabilities are at the heart of our bag-tag reading solution that uses text interpretation. This helps reduce the number of manually encoded bags and shortens possi-ble transfer times. Currently, we are thinking about redefining the bag-gage handling process. Once our ideas are verified by simulation, we will approach the next step in imple-mentation. «


Groundbreaking innovationsIn the last two years, Logistics and Airport Solutions (LAS) has significantly increased its budget for research and development. The company has succeeded in revamping its portfolio. Here are some major examples.

Baggage WarehouseA high-performance baggage storage system is especially necessary for airports that offer passengers early baggage check-in. At hub airports with a high number of transfer passengers, the storage system must act as a baggage buffer for peak operations. The new Baggage Warehouse from Siemens employs a high-bay warehouse and uses the Lift & Run system that has proven effective in distribution logistics centers for years. Lift & Run is considerably faster, and it is more economical and environmentally friendly than other systems available on the market. And this is how it works: Bags are stored in trays that are transported to the designated row. Lifts take them to the correct level. Each level has at least one shuttle that sorts baggage and collects it from passive storage positions. Thanks to inde-pendent shuttle operations, very high throughput is real-ized. Siemens has already successfully implemented the Baggage Warehouse at Dubai International.

Key highlights

• Significantly higher throughput with the Lift & Run system

• Low CAPEX

• Low electricity usage

• Adaptable to many building shapes

• Easy and economic to maintain

Baggage Vision SystemBaggage labels with barcodes can end up torn or twisted. Once a bag tag can no longer be read, the baggage item has to be diverted to manual coding stations. The Baggage Vision System from Siemens combines barcode reading with optical character recognition (OCR). The OCR technology scans and interprets the information on damaged bag tags and helps divert bags to their destination within seconds. Siemens has successfully applied OCR for many years, such as in postal and parcel handling systems all over the world.

Key highlights

• Proven OCR technology

• Fast recognition of information on torn or damaged baggage tags

• Less diversion of baggage to manual coding stations

• Lower handling costs

• Avoidance of baggage delivery delays

• Ability to handle short transfer times

solutions March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 11solutions

VarioBelt 3000Each airport has a unique architecture and setup. The bag-gage handling system, in turn, has to adjust to site-specific conditions. Through a high degree of modularity and flexi-bility, VarioBelt 3000 can be installed in any airport with a minimum of customization. VarioBelt components can be assembled optimally, whatever the layout: any combination of straight sections, curves, inclines and declines is possible.

Key highlights

• Speed of up to 5 m/s

• Noise levels in compliance with laws and customer regulations

• Easily adaptable to on-site conditions

• Cost-effective through simple design

• Fewer spare parts required

VarioSort TTS 1100Growing passenger numbers generally mean more bag-gage to be handled – and a higher volatility of through-put. Peak periods are especially challenging in view of minimum connecting times. The sorting area also has to handle additional functions such as load balancing for X-ray screening areas as well as feeding early bag stores and tray systems. The ideal solution is the Siemens tilt-tray sorter VarioSort TTS 1100, which integrates 20 years of experience gained in the airport and parcel logistics world.

Key highlights

• Scalable design and modular product components

• High throughput rate of over 6,000 bags per hour

• High-speed induction of 2,700 bags per hour

• Speed of 2 m/s

• Efficient control concept with a proven track record

• Highest availability and reliability

• Short assembly time

• Variable dimensioning in regard to belt width and section lengths

• Very maintenance friendly, for example through good accessibility and extensive use of off-the-shelf components

SmartTilterSmartTilter, Siemens’ solution for the dynamic tilting of tray conveyors, helps get baggage to its destination as quickly as possible. Traveling at up to 2.5 m/s, the con-veyor itself – including the tray – is tilted, and baggage can be offloaded to either side. What’s more, trays enter-ing the device can be tilted while moving. And while the first tray is being tilted, the next tray can enter the Smart-Tilter. This feature leads to a significantly higher through-put than with a static tilter. With its modular design, the Smart Tilter is an extremely flexible solution: Discharge points can be positioned very closely together, increasing capacity during high workloads. When throughput is low, discharge points can be reduced.

Key highlights

• Baggage discharge at speeds up to 2.5 m/s

• Cost-efficient

• Low space requirements

• Highly variable and scalable design

• Simple, repeatable modules


The SmarTray high-speed camera, laser and vibration sensor.

Siemens recently introduced the Integral Asset Management (IAM) service concept, which is tailored around the core customer values of high operational availability and reliability, investment protection and lowest possible operational costs. What’s more, it provides flexi-bility to deal with changing require-ments. With the implementation of the IAM concept at Madrid-Barajas Airport, Siemens proved the strength of this trendsetting solution in the fields of workflow and maintenance optimization.

At Madrid-Barajas Airport, Siemens is in charge of the entire operation and maintenance (O&M) for all four termi-nals with an overall hourly capacity of up to 16,500 pieces of baggage. The IAM concept allows a complex system with more than 100 km of conveyor lines and sorting facilities to be managed smoothly. Everything is con-trolled by a highly sophisticated IT system, and several hundred people are part of the on-site O&M team. Their efforts – and the key tools and solutions featured below – ensure proper baggage handling for the about 40 million passen-gers using the airport annually.

A concept for improved O&MIntegral Asset Management (IAM) from Siemens ensures smooth operations at Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain

Hand-held support for Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

The hand-held support as an extension of the Computerized Maintenance Man-agement System (CMMS) is paperless and environmentally friendly, and it also increases overall efficiency. It is a valu-able tool for on-site staff in charge of executing concrete work orders and repairs. The CMMS tool introduced at Madrid -Barajas Airport delivers routine maintenance schedules and makes them available in a customizable, user -friendly interface on a mobile device. Key features include the creation and consultation of new work orders, GPS

mapping of the installation, and the ability to keep track of progress as well as maintenance history.

Drives current signature analysis

Instead of servicing all equipment in an area at set time intervals, Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) pinpoints the equipment that has reached a maximum operating window and needs to be serviced. Equipment run times, start/stop sequences and other maintenance targets are logged in the so-called drives current signa-ture. Once preset values are reached, a message/report is issued regarding the equipment in need of maintenance. CBM helps the Siemens O&M team concentrate on actual issues and prob-lems to keep fault frequency down and systems running smoothly. The CBM has been parti cularly beneficial with motors in the tray system and in all belt conveyors.

SmarTray diagnostics

SmarTray identifies slight malformations and dents in the guiding rails of the tray system using a high-speed camera, a distance laser and vibration sensors. SmarTray runs automatically through the system as programmed by mainte-

The Mobile Maintenance Kit can be installed on

tablets to assist with the distribution and coordina-

tion of work orders.


nance personnel, and a system expert performs the evaluation remotely. A complete run-through of the whole tray system takes around eight hours, saving a lot of manual inspection work. If nec-essary, after inspection is completed, orders – such as those to repair or replace certain rails – are generated.

Advanced key performance indicator metrics

The concept of performance-based contracting is centered around an instrument that defines performance expectations in terms of outcomes or results. Typical KPI metrics cover attributes like availability, throughput, transfer times and left baggage, as well as local requirements such as adherence to health, safety and regula-tory measures. A prerequisite for the effective delivery of a performance-based contract is that the IT system for baggage handling be designed with the appropriate capture and recording mechanisms to assess the required met-rics. The Siemens IT software measures these KPIs on a daily basis.

Operations dashboard

Siemens has implemented its Data Visualization Service software for data logging and analysis. This software is a powerful tool for supporting O&M functions. With it, one can quickly orga-nize data and generate easy-to-analyze reports that support decision making. An advantage of the operations dash-board is that it ranks equipment faults

based on a matrix. This indicates which specific piece of equipment, in order of severity, the maintenance teams need to attend to. This information enables the team to deal with issues before they become significant.

Energy management

Siemens initiated energy measurement methods for various areas, making Madrid-Barajas Airport the first Span-ish airport to receive ISO 50001 energy certification. The technology monitors

Operational excellence

• Personnel qualification and skills development

• Work management (processes, systems and tools)• CMMS, hand-held support,

remote diagnostics*

• Quality management

• Customer interface

• EHS, with a focus on work safety

Continuous improvement• Maintenance engineering

• Modernization and upgrades

• Advanced condition-based maintenance methods• Drives current signature

analysis*• SmarTray – Diagnostic shuttle*

Decision Support• Performance management

• Advanced key performance indicator metrics*

• Data and information management• Operations dashboard*

• Historic analysis and scenario-based simulations

• Operational optimizations

Sustainability• Energy savings

• Intelligent and predictive shutdown algorithms*

• Long-term mutual commitment

*Covered in this article

The holistic IAM approachSeveral operational layers build upon one another

energy consumption daily and compares it to the amount of luggage processed to identify causes of higher-than-expected consumption. Siemens also kicked off additional projects, includ-ing implementing intelligent stand-by mode for high-speed lines, switching off redundant lines according to the flight schedule, and concentrating maintenance activities on drives with a disproportionate increase in demand. As a result of these and other activities, power consumption per bag dropped by approximately 30 percent. «

Madrid-Barajas Airport, Terminal 4


Innovative IT contract at Heathrow AirportEnhanced capacity analysis capability allows rapid assessment of proposed changes to airport infrastructure

The Siamos capacity management solution by Siemens will improve the passenger experience at Heathrow Airport.


Siemens, together with partners NATS, McLaren Applied Technologies and AVTECH Sweden AB, won a capacity management contract with Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), which is to run for several years. Enhanced capacity analysis capability, which is part of Siemens’ general airport IT suite Siamos, will allow Heathrow Airport to rapidly assess proposed changes to the airport infrastructure. This will improve the schedule planning process, assist in making the airport more efficient, and help Heathrow deliver its operating schedule to plan.

Dr. Thomas Bayer, CEO of Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions (LAS) in the UK, said: “Siemens is proud to be part of the team that will deliver the technology to improve passenger experience, reduce environmental impact and increase operational effi-ciency at Heathrow, one of the busi-est airports of the world. This project will provide a platform to consoli-date data from previously disparate sources, enabling a higher level of integration and consequentially improved airport capacity. The project will set the benchmark for global aviation.”

Set of analysis tools

Via a web-based portal, airport opera-tors will have access to a set of enhanced capacity analysis tools, spe-cifically configured to Heathrow and

the unique challenges it faces. This will allow the airport planning and opera-tions teams to assess the impact of vari-ous performance factors, such as taxi-way closures, apron restrictions, stand closure and reallocation, and air traffic control/ground movement procedures. Other problems such as schedule delays and weather conditions can also be incorporated.

Derek Provan, Director of Airside Operations at Heathrow Airport, said: “We are delighted to be working with

Siemens and their partners on the air-field capacity management solution. The innovation will make a huge improvement at Heathrow in regard to our capability as well as to reduc-ing our operating costs.”

This is the first operational con-tract for the Siamos capacity manage-ment solution. While the initial deliv-ery has been tailored to Heathrow’s particular specifications, the core sys-tem can be applied to other airport customers in the future. «

Derek Provan, Director of Airside Operations at Heathrow Airport

“ We are delighted to be working with Siemens and their partners on the airfield capacity manage-ment solution. The innovation it offers will make a huge improve-ment at Heathrow.”

Ground movement procedures are one of the factors monitored by the new capacity management solution.


A finger on the pulse of the U.S. airport business

Recent project wins at the airports of Guam, Atlanta and Los Angeles

Guam: baggage handling system for GuamInternational Airport Authority

Guam International Airport Authority (GIAA) awarded Siemens with a contract for the turnkey design, manufac-ture, installation, commissioning and testing of a new inbound and outbound baggage handling system. The project involves modernizing the current airport baggage screening systems, which are currently placed in the lobby area, and designing a checked-baggage inline system incor-porating the latest explosive detection system technologies. Close cooperation with GIAA helped in identifying and designing a system that meets the airport’s immediate and long-term needs. Work recently started on this logistically challenging project.

Atlanta: Concourse B cold bag storage for Delta Air Lines

Siemens was recently awarded a contract for the Delta Air Lines cold bag storage system at Concourse B of the Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. In the invitation-only bid, Siemens worked hard to come up with an innovative design that maximized the operability of the system and responded to customer requirements.

Staying in close contact with the customer throughout the bid and design process enabled Siemens experts to develop a solution that helps Delta Air Lines meet its opera-tional needs. The project is expected to last twelve months and is viewed as a strong first step in cementing a future relationship with Delta Air Lines.

Siemens has set up Airport Solution Centers (ASC) in Dubai, Germany, Portugal, Singapore and the United States to bring Siemens close to where its customers are. The hubs serve as the first point of contact for customers and pros-pects in the respective regions. Whatever the customer needs, the experts on location can take care of everything – from system concept through to design, engineering and execution. The experts at the Siemens ASC in the United States have a finger on the pulse of the country’s airport business.


The airport business in the United States is very dynamic. According to an IATA industry forecast for 2013 to 2017, the country will continue to hold its place as the largest single market for domestic passengers. For 2017, the prognosis is roughly 678 million domestic passengers, which represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.2 percent – an indicator of a mature market. The country can expect almost 178 million international pas-sengers in 2017 – over 28 million more than in 2012. This represents a CAGR of 3.5 percent.

Changes are expected as a result of the upcoming Version 5.0 of the Planning Guideline Design Standards from the Transport Security Administration (TSA). Many new and exciting technological innovations are antici-pated. One example is higher-capacity explosive detection systems with better screening algorithms. Baggage hand-ling systems will have to become faster and more reliable to handle the increased demands of these newer machines.

Passenger growth and developments at TSA are expected to result in a number of major airport renova-tion projects over the next three to five years.

Opportunities: trends in the midterm

Three questions for Andrew Savage, Head of the Siemens Airport Hub in the United States

Competition in the U.S. market is stiff – and nonetheless you report-ed some important wins in recent months. What’s the secret?

We take a careful look at the customer’s needs and what it will take for the project to be suc-cessful. Naturally, we have our proven solu-tions and draw on experience gained with air-port projects all over the world. But we also come up with the best-possible team. Siemens identified opportunities resulting from growing passenger numbers and tighter security guidelines. What kind of projects do you expect to take on over the next few years?As in the past, our business will continue to concentrate on modernizations, expansions as well as new projects. To deal with increased passenger numbers, we are looking at projects such as check-in-counter expansions. When it comes to stricter security standards, we’ll prob-ably be seeing a number of updates, for exam-ple to baggage handling systems.

What do you feel is the most important message for the U.S. market?Siemens is here to stay. We are committed to the airport business and our ambition is to be the solution provider of choice.

Recent project wins at the airports of Guam, Atlanta and Los Angeles

Los Angeles: renovating Southwest Airlines’ baggage handling system at Terminal 1

At Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 1, the out-bound baggage screening as well as the new inbound bag-gage handling system and all associated conveyors are being renovated by Siemens for Southwest Airlines. Competition with the other bidders was close, but what swayed the deci-sion in Siemens’ favor was an offer that was well aligned with the customer’s and the project’s needs. In the bidding phase, the sales and engineering staff worked very hard to produce what was clearly the best team, proposal and inter-view presentation. One thing joins Southwest Airlines and Siemens’ airport business in the United States – both compa-nies are headquartered in Dallas. (See article on page 20.)

Andrew Savage became the head of the Siemens U.S. airport business last year. He has been working for Siemens for nearly eleven years.

18 Airport Logistics News | March 2015 vision

In October 2013, the new materials handling system (MHS) supplied by Siemens went into operation at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport. What were some of the initial considerations that had to be addressed with the new MHS?

As an island, Hong Kong has always had limited space. That’s why we were looking for the biggest possible setup for a relatively small area. To support an annual throughput of 2.6 million tons of cargo, we also needed a reliable and efficient solution for multi-

level transportation. And we had a tight time frame with an opening date agreed upon with our major customer and the associated governing authority.

So what solution was implemented?

Supported by Siemens, the project team developed a new concept for our cargo terminal workflow that combines a Lift & Run system with a conventional elevating transfer vehicle (ETV) storage system. The intel-ligent and fully automated MHS solu-tion helped maximize usage of the site area. Through advanced technology and a new workflow application, we successfully reduced the waiting and

Paul Won, Head of Engineering at Cathay Pacific Services Ltd, reports on nearly one and a half years of operation of the new materials handling system at Hong Kong International Airport

Paul Won, Head of Engineering at Cathay Pacific Services Ltd

“ With infrastructure projects all over the world, we believe Siemens has the necessary experience to implement major projects like ours.”

Making Hong Kong Asia’s leading cargo hub

Paul Won, Cathay Pacific Services Ltd

March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 19vision March 2015 | Airport Logistics News 19

processing times of cargo handling at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal. Thus, we have changed the operational con-cept and thereby introduced a new ser-vice benchmark to the industry. Changed the operational concept? How so?

With the latest technology and refined workflow procedures, we changed the conventional “warehouse terminal” operation mode to “processing termi-nal” featuring just-in-time oper ations. We have everything well prepared in advance so that customers can enjoy efficient cargo collection with an extended cut-off time and signifi - cantly reduced waiting time for truck drivers.

Our goal was to increase the vol-ume and complexity of cargo process-ing step by step. Currently, we have six airlines in our customer portfolio: AirAsia, Air Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair, Royal Brunei Air-lines and Thai AirAsia. With a goal to offer a total solution for our custom-ers, we also expanded our services scope to include freighter ramp handling. We aim to provide custom-ers with a full span of services. Why did you choose Siemens for the job?

Whether in the bidding, design or proj-ect execution phase, in Siemens we had a local partner with a global pres-ence. With infrastructure projects all over the world, we believe Siemens

Since October 2013, Cathay Pacific Services Ltd has been operating one of the largest cargo terminals in the world – the Cathay Pacific Cargo Termi-nal at Hong Kong International Airport. Siemens equipped the terminal with modern storage and conveying systems. Some of the main features:

• Throughput of 2.6 million metric tons of freight per year

• Total floor space of around 240,000 square meters

• More than 6,600 storage spaces for unit load devices (ULDs), pallets and loose cargo

• Computerized warehouse man agement and order picking from Siemens

• Six airlines currently use Hong Kong’s new cargo terminal

Hong Kong’s new cargo terminal at a glance

Siemens’ state-of-the-art cargo handling system ensures efficient operations at Hong Kong’s new cargo terminal.

has the necessary experience to implement major projects like ours. We were also confident that the MHS would be delivered in the planned time frame – and it was.

So it sounds like you’re quite satisfied with the outcome…

Since the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal became fully operational in October 2013, we have been provid-ing efficient and reliable services to our customers. We are happy with the outcome so far. However, we will not rest on our laurels but continue to innovate our products and services to further increase the reliability, efficiency and visibility of cargo handling services at Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal. «

20 Airport Logistics News | March 2015 news

Airport Logistics NewsPublished by Siemens AG Logistics and Airport Solutions Bücklestrasse 1–578467 Constance, GermanyPhone +49 7531 86 01

Editor in chief: Birgit Jantschke, Siemens AG [email protected]

Responsible for content:Monica Soffritti, Siemens AG, Constance

Concept & layout: Agentur Feedback,Munich · www.agentur-feedback.de

Printing: G. Peschke Druckerei GmbH

Copyright: © Siemens AG 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used without express prior permission. Subject to technical modifications. Printed in Germany.

Photo credits: Heathrow Airports Limited, pp. 4, 14, 15; iStockphoto, pp. 5, 16 above and bottom right, 17, 20 above; Rob McKenzie Photography, p. 5; Corbis, p. 16 bottom left; Cathay Pacific Services Ltd, pp. 18, 19.

www.siemens.com/airport-logistics

Order No. A19100-V750-B129-X-7600 Dispo No. 12212 K No. 1221AL e 14/2015 FB 03151.0

Makeover for LAX Terminal 1Southwest Airlines has chosen Siemens to supply new baggage handling equipment

A relocated terminal entrance, a new security screening checkpoint, new and expanded dining and retail facilities, refurbished arrival and baggage claim areas, and even new passenger board-ing bridges: the list of changes now being made to Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is long. For the new outbound baggage screening and inbound baggage handling system, Southwest Airlines as the only carrier operating out of the terminal selected Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions.

“We chose Siemens for this project because they presented a solid team and solution throughout the evaluation pro-cess, giving us confidence in their ability to deliver to our standards,” says Don Ostler, Senior Project Manager at South-west Airlines. A proven understanding of airport logistics and a track record of suc-cessful projects all over the world also tipped the scales in Siemens’ favor. “We have worked successfully with Siemens in the past and value them as a reliable partner,” continues Ostler.

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solu-tions will take care of layout, engineer-ing, assembly, commissioning and inte-gration of the completely new system. The extension and conversion work of the baggage handling system will be performed during ongoing operations. Therefore, Siemens will make a special effort to ensure that daily operation runs smoothly during the transition.

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions is implementing a new outbound baggage screening and inbound baggage handling system for Southwest Airlines’ terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions is designing and implementing a Siamos Dash-board for Los Angeles International Airport.

Originally built in the early 1980s, LAX Terminal 1 is getting a facelift valued at $508 million. The goal is to transform the entire customer experi-ence, from curb to gate.

Completion for the baggage hand-ling system is planned for summer 2017, and all other construction activities at Terminal 1 will be fin-ished in 2018. «

Siamos Dashboard for improved efficiencyThe Airport Response Coordination Center (ARCC) at Los Angeles Inter-national Airport (LAX) monitors and manages airport operations during both normal operations and crisis sit-uations. In a recently signed contract,

Siemens Logistics and Airport Solutions (LAS) has been com-missioned to design and imple-ment the Siamos Dashboard at the ARRC. The Siamos Dashboard monitors many of the most impor-tant landside and airside opera-tions, and it helps identify the sta-tus of actual and anticipated critical airport resources. The overall objec-tive is to improve the efficiency of airport operations and the effec-tiveness of first responders.

LAS will tailor and implement its Siamos Dashboard solution based on SAP BusinessObjects. The solution will require inter-faces with existing third-party systems in order to obtain mis-sion-critical data from external sources. Project completion is scheduled for summer 2015. «

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