The Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket Division will be represented for the first time under the new name of Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions (VLS) at Automechanika 2024. The company, which has recently been bolstered by the integration of Vitesco Technologies, is investing even more energy in sustainable innovation, advanced technology, and customized solutions. The entire range of repair and service solutions for combustion engines, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles will be showcased at the booth at Automechanika 2024, and brought to life for visitors under the motto “Sustaining Motion. Pioneering Future.”
Aftermarket in transition: Three focus areas
Visitors to the trade fair can learn all about Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions in the forum on Level 0 at Booth A01. The exhibition booth will be divided into three areas comprising market-centric products, customer-oriented services, and future-ready technologies, which will all demonstrate how the Schaeffler division is supporting distributors and garages on their journey through the changing mobility ecosystem.
“Our presence at the trade fair demonstrates how strongly Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions is positioned and why we are such an important partner for distributors and garages,” says Jens Schüler, CEO of Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions. “As Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions, we are once again sharpening our focus on innovation, progress, and customer orientation and renewing our promise to be the ideal partner for our customers. Whether they need profitable, market- and garage-orientated solutions for combustion engines, hybrids or electric cars: We will support them all the way, delivering spare parts and repair kits in OE quality and with a service approach that is unbeatable in its customer proximity.”
Looking ahead
Electromobility, intelligent networking, and digitalization are all trends that shape the development of the industry and are indicative of a future market that Schaeffler is already working on today. The Schaeffler Mover – a scalable platform for autonomous shuttles that offers flexible adaptation to the respective application – is just one of the product highlights that will be presented in the area of future-ready technologies. The booth will feature a walk-in front section complete with steering system, chassis control, battery pack, and e-axle. The entire shuttle will be available to view in the outdoor area.
The OmniFusion 3D printer – a further exhibit at the fair – is also likely to attract a great deal of public interest. The printer, which uses a 3D printing method – also known as additive manufacturing – and works with multiple materials, will enable a rapid response to new market and design requirements in the future. Featuring special material combinations, this innovative method opens up almost unlimited possibilities in product and tool design, and supports the accelerated development of prototypes for optimum future prospects. And as a future without sustainability is inconceivable for a company, visitors to the booth will find the “sustainability pillar” nearby. They will have the opportunity to position material samples on a sensor and immediately find out more about their carbon footprint.
Products for a diverse market
Market-centric products will take center stage at the Schaeffler booth, with the company showcasing repair and spare part solutions for the current and future demands of the mobility ecosystem across five topic islands – transmission, engine, chassis, thermal management, and E-Powertrain.
The highlight exhibit for E-Powertrain, in particular, is likely of high interest, with Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions displaying the E-Axle RepSystem-G and the E-Axle RepSystem-M – garage-friendly solutions which allow transmission and engine repairs to be carried out in the e-axle of an electric Volkswagen Golf or Hyundai Ioniq instead of having to replace the entire unit.
An innovative second-generation INA thermal management module, the Schaeffler TriFinity™ wheel bearing nominated for the Innovation Award, the LuK K0 disconnect clutch repair kit for hybrid vehicles, repair solutions for the auxiliary drive, and a new generation of proven FAG wheel bearing solutions such as the FAG WheelSet are among the countless other solutions in this area.
Yet another special feature will be available to view on the presentation island for engines in the form of the NOx sensor from Vitesco Technologies, which is being showcased by Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions. The nitrogen oxide sensor – a future key product of Schaeffler Vehicle Lifetime Solutions – constitutes an addition to the range of market-centric products and enables the reliable monitoring of diesel emissions, thus supporting adherence to important standards and facilitating efficient and clean engine performance.
Providing the services that customers really need
The third area of the booth focuses on showcasing the company’s customer-oriented services, in particular, the successful service brand REPXPERT, which offers digital services and fast, easy access to relevant information such as manuals, tools, and training.
Plus, anyone wishing to see the E-axle repair kits exhibited in the market-centric products area in action will not be disappointed: The REPXPERT team will be performing multiple daily demonstrations to show just how easily repairs can be carried out on the transmission and engine in an e-axle using the E-Axle-RepSystems-G and -M. Finally, visitors to the booth will have the opportunity to test the Schaeffler OneCode – a QR code that can be found on every item of product packaging and provides relevant product information and repair instructions in a single scan. The code can also be used to check the authenticity of the product.
REPXPERT conference celebrates its premiere at the trade fair
Experts will be available across the stand to speak to visitors and answer any questions – after all, the aftermarket business is a people business. In the very spirit of this approach, the first REPXPERT conference for garages from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will take place in collaboration with partners GEDORE, BILSTEIN, MAHLE, ALLDATA, Continental, and TecAlliance on September 14, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., during which the organizers will showcase their latest solutions for professional repair shops under the motto “Future of independent repair shops.”
Furthermore, the Schaeffler division is once again inviting visitors to the Truck Competence Center on the open-air site in front of Hall 9. From Tuesday to Thursday, 1:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., company experts will be holding a workshop on friction-reduced FAG wheel bearings and explaining how innovative sealing caps contribute to greater sustainability.
Anyone wishing to take a short break from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair can also take the opportunity to prove their talent in the “SimRacing Challenge” and compete against other participants in a virtual race in the REPXPERT truck on the open-air site directly in front of the booth.