Maurici Lucena Betriu Herschel and Planck Satellites Senet

SENER
a company
in expansion
Maurici Lucena Betriu
Managing Director of CDTI
Herschel and Planck Satellites
Senet
the importance of data
[ ARTICLE]
SENER,
a company in expansion
In 2007, we continue the journey we began in the last issue of the NEWS through the history of SENER, the
first multi-discipline Spanish engineering group, founded in 1956 by Enrique de Sendagorta; a group now
recognized all over the world for its many international projects, coordinated from its offices in Spain, Portugal,
Argentina, Mexico and Poland. The very same entrepreneurial spirit shown at the beginning has encouraged
the group to compete strongly in the international market: SENER is today a company on the expansion trail.
Current SENER offices at Las Arenas, Bilbao
The first SENER office was located on Ercilla
Street, Bilbao
[ ARTICLE]
SENER has grown remarkably in these 51 years, extending
throughout the world a work ethic based on a culture of excellence,
a sign of corporate identity that has been with the company since
it was established. Taking as points of reference innovation and a
commitment to quality and independence, from its first office in the
center of Bilbao the company has grown to what is today: an
international group with more than 1,700 employees. This expansion
has been the result of a natural evolution, driven by the pioneering
spirit that has characterized the company’s history and has raised
SENER to become one of the leading engineers worldwide.
Work being carried out by its professional staff includes some of
the most outstanding current initiatives, participating in projects
such as the Airbus A380, the Herschel and Planck satellites, Warsaw
airport, the Metro system for Santiago de Chile, the solar energy
plants Andasol 1 and 2, Ro – Ro ships for Navantia and the
European DIFIS system for the extraction of petroleum from sunken
ships among many others. In all its areas of work, be it in Aerospace
Engineering, Power and Process, Civil Engineering and Architecture
or Marine Engineering, the company is constantly setting new
goals, seeking new technological solutions for clients all over the
world.
SENER current position in world engineering would not have been
possible without a history of sustained growth, which has been
reflected in the opening of its new offices. Many of them were set
up to handle major projects, to have closer contact with important
clients and to offer continuous attention to markets with good
prospects in the medium term. But the story of SENER international
expansion is also a story of confidence, in that the company knew
how to spot business opportunities in scenarios as complicated
as the crisis in Argentina and in smaller, more competitive markets
like Portugal. In its growth plans, SENER has once again been
capable of looking beyond the present to offer its clients benefits
for the future.
In 1956, in Bilbao, the first Spanish engineering company registered
as such got under way. SENER was born in an office on Ercilla
Street, with the firm objective of presenting technically innovative
projects. Just three years later it opened a second office in Madrid.
It wasn’t long in winning significant contracts, and SENER soon
SENER clean room at Tres Cantos office, Madrid
became an engineering company to be reckoned with in the
international field in all its specific areas of business, co-coordinated
from offices in Bilbao, Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Clients such
as EADS, Airbus, Boeing, Navantia, Ferrovial, Repsol YPF... showed
SENER office in Valencia
their confidence in the quality of SENER engineering, as the company
embarked on a period of progressive growth. To its centers in Spain
were added new production offices in Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Mexico
City and Warsaw that became the branches of SENER in Portugal,
Argentina, Mexico and Poland and emblems of the culture of
excellence that distinguishes the company.
The arrival of SENER in Portugal in 1991 was the result of a
continuous presence in the country to carry out Civil Engineering
contracts. At that time the company took charge of designing the
project for the expansion of the Metro network in Lisbon, a very
successful task that led to others such as the Porto Metro and the
“Sul do Tejo” light railway... projects that required direct coordination
from the Portuguese capital. In 2003, the Lisbon office became the
headquarters for Portugal, and from then until now has become
one of the country’s benchmark companies in the field of Civil
Engineering, with projects such as the explanatory report for using
the Lisbon - Madrid rail line for mixed traffic, the Master Plan for
Bragança Airport and the construction project for a new highway
for the state-run company Estradas de Portugal. Apart from being
active in infrastructure, the Portuguese office also has good prospects
in the Energy field.
Along with civil contracts in Spain and Portugal, true to its founding
spirit, SENER has also been actively developing its maritime work
with engineering jobs for clients around the world and the birth of
its CAD/CAE/CAM FORAN system that has been adopted all around
the world. This activity has taken the group into Argentina, Brazil
and Paraguay with various naval projects, establishing the first
professional links with South America.
05
[ ARTICLE]
A few years later, in 2002, SENER made a definitive ‘landing’
in Argentina. On top of the marine contracts from the early years
it soon added Civil Engineering assignments such as work on the
Metro for the companies Subterráneos de Buenos Aires and
Metrovías, and in Power and Process, especially for Repsol YPF.
The excellent relationship between the two firms, which had been
collaborating closely in Spain for 30 years, and Repsol confidence
in SENER engineering, prompted the oil company to ask SENER
to set up in Argentina. In 2002, when the company opened an
office in Buenos Aires, it was at the time of one of the country’s
worst ever economic and social crises. It was a decisive moment
for SENER. Contrary to the general trend among most international
companies at the time, who were trying to get out of the Argentinean
market, SENER chose to stay in the country and wait for its
recuperation.
Now, the Argentinean office employs more than 150 professional
staff developing projects in Power and Process and Civil Engineering,
with clients that range from Repsol YPF to Petrobras, TGS, SolvayIndupa and ASTRA-Evangelista. SENER bet on Argentina turned
out to be double winner. Not only did the country’s economy start
to steadily recover, the company also won the confidence of clients
that are now vital to its business interests in Latin America.
06
And from there to Mexico, another of SENER traditional markets,
where it set up office in 2006. As happened in Argentina, the
company had various commercial ties with Mexico dating back to
the 1960s when a company called SENER MEX was set up. By
the beginning of the 21st century it was still registered in the country.
At this time Mexico was starting to undergo a period of important
national development, with good prospects in the area of Power
and Process that did not go unnoticed at SENER. In 2005 a strategic
alliance was created with Mexican engineering company III S.A. to
look for synergies in this field and to diversify into new business
SENER office at Tres Cantos,
Madrid
SENER office in Barcelona
areas. A year later SENER has a 40% stake in III, and together the
two companies are developing a number of important projects
such as the Termozulia combined cycle power plant in Venezuela.
It is a project involving more than 150,000 man-hours, in which
SENER is carrying out the basic engineering and III is developing
the detailed engineering.
This strategic association, that will keep growing in the future, falls
within the expansion plans for SENER in Central America, where
it is looking to increase the number of its civil contracts. For the
moment, tasks have been carried out successfully for the Mexico
City Metro, a viability study for purchasing an airport on behalf of
the Grupo Aeroportuario Pacífico (GAP) and an operational redesign
for the San José del Cabo Airport.
[ ARTICLE]
Equally, SENER keeps growing in Europe, a market with great
potential thanks to the incorporation of new member countries in
the European Community. At the beginning of 2007, a new
headquarters for Poland was officially opened in the center of
Warsaw for carrying out engineering projects both within the country
and in all of central and Eastern Europe. Having recently joined the
European Union, Poland is immersed in the process of developing
its civil infrastructure just as happened in Spain in the 1980s in
which SENER took an active part. This experience in the Spanish
market and in others of similar characteristics is being passed on
to the Polish market, initially in engineering for tranport infrastructure,
from highways, railways and metropolitan systems (Metro, trams,
light railkway etc.) to airports. Highlights among the tasks carried
out so far are the extension to the Fryderyck Chopin Warsaw–Okecie
airport, and a viability study for building a new airport in central
Poland. Work has also now begun on the engineering for a new
stretch of the A1 highway. Later on the company will also work on
architectural projects, on water schemes and ports, as well as on
contracts in areas such as Power and Process, in gas and bio
fuels, both of them very promising sectors in Poland. SENER has
already presented a proposal to build a natural gas terminal in the
Baltic Sea.
Fifty-one years have passed since the company’s founding, and
SENER has grown remarkably in its output, in its team of professionals
and with its commitment to society. With its vision set firmly on the
future, as part of a global industry, the company has consolidated
its position in the international engineering market. It has meant a
constant effort in polishing proposals, offering added value to clients,
and making sure all new start up initiatives are socially responsible,
in line with the company’s determined will to improve the environment.
Immersed in an intense process of international expansion, SENER
continues to seek out new horizons where it can apply its knowledge,
moved by the same youthful spirit with which it was born, beside
the sea, later to stretch out in a determined stride of excellence that
has taken it around the globe.
SENER office in
Lisbon
07
[ INTERVIEW]
Jorge Unda,
Managing Director of SENER
When the company was established in 1956, it was the first
Spanish engineering company to be founded as such. Today,
SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas is a point of reference in the four
business areas in which it is involved: in Aerospace, Power and
Process, Civil and Marine Engineering, which makes it unique in
Spain. There is no other company in the country that competes
successfully in all four of these areas. This doesn’t take into
account the activities of SENER Engineering Group, a holding
group that has shares in companies in the fields of Aerospace,
Energy and the Environment, such as Industria de Turbopropulsores
(ITP), Hisdesat, Galileo Sistemas y Servicios, Orbital Recovery
Limited, Exitt, Zabalgarbi and Tracjusa...
08
Jorge Unda has been Managing Director of SENER Ingeniería y
Sistemas since 1998. With a doctorate in Industrial Engineering
from the ESII de San Sebastian (the University of Navarra), he
has worked at SENER since 1986, occupying the posts of Project
Engineer, Project Director, Assistant Managing Director and, finally,
Managing Director himself. Before coming to SENER, he was a
research engineer at the Department of Applied Mechanics at
CEIT (the research center for ESII de San Sebastian) and assistant
professor for Cinematics and Dynamics of Machinery at the ESII
de San Sebastian. He has written or co-authored some 20 articles
for conferences and specialist technical publications, most of
them based on his research work at the ESII de San Sebastian,
the CEIT, and later at SENER.
1. SENER celebrated in 2006 its 50th anniversary. Having
achieved a half century of growth, where does it now stand
in the engineering sector in Spain?
2. And what about its global position?
A recent study, "The Consulting Engineering and Architectural
Groups, A Swedish and International Survey", published by the
Swedish Federation of Consulting Engineers and Architects last
November, placed SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas in 46th position
among the 300 European leaders in the engineering and
architecture sector. In Europe, we are regarded as a point of
reference in the area of Control and Actuation Systems, especially
for satellites. Today we have divisions (production offices) in Spain,
Portugal, Argentina, Mexico and Poland, from which we take part
in projects for civil engineering,
energy, gas and petrochemicals.
We also develop global products
like the FORAN system, a
CAD/CAE/CAM software package
for designing and constructing all
types of ship, which has been
licensed in many countries,
spreading the name of SENER
around the five continents.
The key
for SENER
is the people
who are part
of it
3. These production offices or
divisions of SENER outside
Spain have all opened in the last few years. What motivated
this international expansion?
Being close to your customers is decisive when new projects
arise, especially in the case of institutional clients, the principal
contractors of work in the civil engineering sector. Just as happens
in Spain, our international offices have emerged as a result of the
signing of important international contracts, as happened in the
case of Lisbon. But we have also set up offices to support
strategic partners, as for example with SENER Argentina.
With all these offices we look to carry out projects with engineers
[ INTERVIEW ]
from the host country.
We also try to make
sure that people from
each one of these new
offices undergoes a
period of training at
SENER branches in
Spain, so that they get
to know and assimilate
as much the values of
the company, that are
our sign of identity, as
the system of work and
the SENER culture in
general.
4. Can you highlight
some of the most
important contracts
being carried out at
present among the
divisions in Portugal,
Argentina, Mexico
and Poland?
In Portugal we can
point to tran sport
projects, like the new high speed rail line between Lisbon and
Madrid; in Argentina, the electricity generating plants (combined
cycle) at San Martín and General Belgrano; in Mexico, the project
for a combined cycle plant; Termozulia II, located in Venezuela;
and in Poland, the A1 highway that SENER is developing jointly
with the Polish company Trakt.
5. SENER gives a lot of importance to quality in all its projects;
to what extent does this commitment to quality contribute
to the competitiveness of the company, both in domestic
and overseas markets?
Quality is a factor that is a given for any company involved in
technology, as it is an indispensable element for competing in the
marketplace. But at SENER the commitment to quality goes even
further, to the point that we regard it as one of our three corporate
values, along with innovation and independence. This means that
we are looking for integral quality, not just in the products but also
in all aspects, from working conditions to respect for the
environment. SENER has always held the most advanced quality
certificates. It was the first Spanish engineering company to obtain
the ISO 9001 for all its work centers and in all areas, and currently
holds the new ISO 9001:2000 standard. SENER also has the ISO
14001 certificate for environmental management, as well as the
OHSAS 18001 for preventing accidents at work. In all its business
areas, its quality has been certified to international standards such
as EN 9100 in the aerospace sector, AQAP 110 and AQAP 150
for defense projects, ANSI, ASME and API for industrial contracts,
and PSS and ECSS for space programs.
6. As a pioneering company, a large part of the corporative
effort is centered on research. What is SENER’s investment
in R+D?
SENER has received various prizes in recognition of its investments
in R+D, which currently accounts for around 10% of resources
based on hours of work. That is because our aim is to present
the client with proposals that we weren’t asked for, that is to say
projects where we can offer added value solutions, novel ideas,
technologically advanced, that improve their business. Our
philosophy is that today we must learn about and discover those
projects that will have to be developed within ten years, when the
moment is right. One has to be prepared to face the demands
of the future, and this means anticipating the needs of society.
To achieve this, we must retain close links with the area of
engineering related to development and research: the universities,
the research centers, the departments of engineering schools…
we are always endeavoring to integrate professors, doctors and
specialists in our ranks and in our projects.
7. So has innovation been the key to keeping SENER among
the leaders of the engineering sector?
This capacity for anticipation has been, undoubtedly, one of the
tricks in making the company one of the leaders in the sector.
But the key for SENER is its people: the company will always be
as good as the people who are part of it.
8. Where do you want SENER to be in the next few years?
We want to grow, that is for sure, but maintaining the level of
progression we have had up until now. Growing for us is not the
same as getting fat: one has to grow profitably, with muscle.
SENER must increase its capacity to offer innovative and
technologically different solutions, to improve the quality of its
products, win respect with the environment, cut to zero the
accident rate at work, keep proposing technically advanced
projects to our clients… And we have to grow in people as well.
9. Lisbon, Argentina, Mexico, Poland… are you already
thinking of the next destination?
We will keep looking at how to consolidate our present offices.
Argentina, Mexico and Poland are still new experiences, and we
have to be able to integrate these offices into the common culture
of SENER. Our expansion must allow sufficient time to permit
identification with the values of the company. So it’s still a bit early
to know what will be our next destination. Time will tell.
09
16
25
summary
04 Article
SENER, a company in expansion
08 Interview
Jorge Unda, Managing Director of SENER
29
10 Tribune
Maurici Lucena, Managing Director of the Center for
Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI)
12 Up-to-date
Corporate
Space
Aeronautic and Vehicles
Actuation and Control Systems
Power and Process
Civil and Architecture
Marine
33 Group
35 Technology
DIFIS Project
36 In Brief
38 Profiles
Farewell to Vicente Cudós
39 Senet
The importance of data
Contributors:
Sergio Aladrén, Fer nando Alonso, Sergi Ametller, José Ángel Andión, Jerónimo Ángulo, Antonio Ayuso,
Aguinaldo Azevedo, Luis Bazán, José Manuel Belmonte, Joaquín Botella y Malagón, José Ignacio Bueno,
Juan Ignacio Burgaleta, Bibiana Carcelero, Pablo Campo, Alfonso Ceboller o, Carlos Compostizo, Gui llermo
Dierssen, Augusto Gómez, Iñigo Gurrea, Bob Hexter, Joseba Ibarbia, Amador López, Salvador Llorente, José
Carlos Martín, Miguel Méndez, Fernando Mosquera, Pablo Ortiz, Ángel Plaza, José Poblet, Indalecio Rodríguez, Carlos Sánchez, Alfonso Sanz, Pedro Sebastián, Lope Seco, Fernando Suárez, Gonzalo Urcaregui,
Eduardo Urgoiti, Ramón Vilardell, José Ramón Villa, José Javier Viñals and Borja Zárraga.
Cover pictures by courtesy of ESA
Published by: Gabinete de Comunicación de SENER.
Edit staff: Oihana Casas, Pilar García, Antonia Gutiérrez, José Luis Ostolaza
and Carolina Tébar.
Photographic documentation: Oihana Casas, Antonia Gutiérrez and Lourdes
Olabarria.
Layout: Míriam Hernanz.
Advertising: Lourdes Olabarria.
Legal deposit number:
[ TRIBUNE]
Space,
a good tool to aid the economic and
technological growth of countries
Maurici Lucena Betriu
Managing Director of the Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI)
In this pulsating 21st century, supremacy in Space technology has
become a decisive element for the United States and Europe, as
well as for emerging countries of great potential such as China,
India and Brazil. Nevertheless, in a world in which the effects of
economic globalization are ever more evident, Space represents
an appropriate meeting point for international cooperation, given
that the sheer magnitude of many Space projects can prove too
much for any one individual country to handle.
What is certain is that Space not only arouses interest in the field
of international collaboration. In the case of Spain, it is one of the
technological sectors most encouraged by the public sector given
the effects of its pulling capacity in R+D+i on other sectors of the
economy. As a result, Space activities contribute to raising
productivity, an aspect that the Spanish Government has highlighted
as a guarantee for long-term economic growth. It should not be
forgotten that the more intensive sectors in R+D+i are also those
that bring about the harmonization of the twin objectives of increasing
productivity at work and raising the number of jobs. This is due to
two reasons: on one hand high tech and knowledge intensive
sectors demonstrate higher growth rates for employment than
traditional sectors and create better quality and better paid jobs;
on the other, investment in R+D+i generates positive effects on
society, among which are improvements in productivity in other
areas of activity.
As a piece of significant data it should be noted - as indicated in
the Strategic Plan for the Space Sector 2007-2011 drawn up by
the Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI) –
that the Spanish aerospace sector accounts for 2% of the total
number of hi tech Spanish companies (100 companies out of a
total of 4,483). Yet it represents 14% of the value added component
and employs 13 out of every 100 posts in the sector. Of all the hi
tech sectors, it is the one that has attained the highest levels of
added value and job creation in Spain, recording average annual
growth rates of 7.6% and 16.5% respectively between 2000 and
2004.
As well as favoring greater growth in productivity, investments in
Space furnish society with services in important areas such as
scientific knowledge, the security of citizens and environmental
management – the prevention of natural disasters – through the
development of systems for telecommunications, navigation by
satellite and keeping watch on the Earth. This justifies investment
by governments in Space. The Information Society, for example,
receives a big boost from technology generated in the Space sector,
and the forecasting and solution of one of the great problems
currently facing the world, climate change, depends to a great
extent on applications developed in this sector. In short, the different
parts of the knowledge society characterized in this 21st century
could not understand each other without the multiple services that
Space systems offer citizens, and that importance will increase in
the coming years.
[ TRIBUNE]
THE PUBLIC SECTOR AS A DYNAMIC AGENT
As I said before, Space activity contributes in a decisive way to the
autonomy and independence of a country or political area, which
means Space requires a differentiated treatment in any developed
economy. Unlike what happens in other technology intensive sectors,
public investment in Space is not limited to budgetary items to
stimulate R+D+i activities. The public sector is also the main manager
and end-user of the technology that is developed.
The Spanish Government, in particular the Ministry of Industry,
Tourism and Trade, is well aware of the towing role that the public
sector needs to play to achieve desired growth in the Space sector
in this country. That is why it is involved in such a huge economic
effort. In 2004 the Spanish contribution to the ESA was 131.2 million
euros. The annual average increase in that contribution for the three
years 2005 to 2007 has been 14.3%, much higher than in the past.
Also, this year has seen a 10% increase in the budget dedicated
to the National Space Program and, moreover, the Cabinet has
already approved, as a preliminary measure, a further rise of 13.5%
for 2008.
In recent years the Spanish Space sector has achieved international
recognition that has translated into a growing contribution, in terms
of both quantity and quality, to leading European projects. Even so,
there is still an important stretch to run to reach the spot that
corresponds to the weight of our economy in the international
context. Aware of this reality, the CDTI, which represents Spain at
the ESA, carries out an active part in stimulating Space activities
in this country. Its aim is to consolidate the abilities that have been
acquired by the Spanish Space industry and by national scientific
groups involved in the sector. The CTDI also manages business
projects for the National Space Program and industry exchanges
with major scientific bodies such as CERN or ESRF, collaborating
closely with other organisms of the Administration responsible for
the direct management of Spanish investments in the leading
scientific institutions.
Also, various organisms developing space programs in Spain
delegate to the CDTI the management of their industrial components.
Among these are Hispasat, S.A., for the management of indirect
exchanges that derive from its satellites (HISPASAT 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D
and AMAZONAS); the National Institute of Meteorology (Ministry of
the Environment) for obtaining industrial contracts from the
organization EUMETSAT, and the public body AENA for the joint
participation and financing
of Spanish collaboration in
th e EG NO S sa te llit e
navigation program that is
led by the ESA.
In 2001 the Ministry of
Defense entrusted
the CDTI with t he
management of indirect
industrial exchanges for its
communications system
SPAINSAT/XTAR. With this
contract, the CDTI has
become consolidated as
the focal point and center
of reference for the Spanish Administration in the management of
space activities with industrial and technological components in
which Spain participates through different ministries and organizations.
Likewise, since 2006, the CDTI manages the support instruments
for aeronautical R+D+i, making it the reference point for the Spanish
aerospace sector.
It should not be forgotten that the Space industry is on its way to
becoming ever more competitive. This means that in future space
missions our companies will be obliged to take on higher level
technological tasks in keeping with the international economic
weight of Spain, a country that has consolidated its position as the
fifth economic power in the Continent.
Of all the hi
tech sectors, it is
the one that has
attained the
highest levels of
added value and
job creation in
Spain
11
[ UP
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]
New internal organization for SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas
The growing presence of SENER in the international arena combined
with the overall increase in company activity has prompted the need
for an internal reorganization that lays the foundations for future
development.
Under the new structure, which came into effect at the beginning
of 2007, SENER maintains its matrix role to which have been added
the following modifications:
12
Four Strategic Business Units have been created, each
headed by a General Manager who is responsible for
strategy and operations, with the objective of developing
business for SENER in a specific market area.
Ernesto Ferrándiz has been named General Manager of
the Civil Engineering and Architecture Business Unit with
José Gregorio Briz as Director of the Civil Engineering and
Architecture Department and Rafael Fuldain as Director of
Operations for Civil Engineering.
In the Power and Process Unit, Francisco Jiménez has
become General Manager and Álvaro Lorente Director of
Operations.
The Marine Business Unit comes under Luis García as
General Manager, being also in charge of the Marine
Engineering and Marine Systems Departments, while Rafael
de Góngora comes Director of Marine Operations. Finally,
the post of General Manager of the Aerospace Business
Unit has been filled by Rafael Quintana, with Jordi Brufau
as Director of the Aeronautics and Vehicles Department,
and José Julián Echevarría as the Director de Aerospace
Operations. Diego Rodríguez, who was named before the
restructuring took place, maintains his role as Director of
the Space Department.
At the same time, two new General Management
Engineerings, each headed by a General Manager,
have been created. The first, covering the work of the
Civil, Industrial and Marine Engineering divisions, has
Santiago Bannatyne as General Manager. The other,
including the areas of Space, Actuation and Control
Systems and Aeronautics and Vehicles, is led by Ricardo
Martin. They are responsible for guaranteeing the
efficiency, quality and innovatory capacity of the entire
SENER engineering team. Within the divisional structure,
José Miguel Hoyos has become Director of the Industrial
and Marine Division and Gabriel Alarcón Director of the
Barcelona Division.
Backing up these two is another new body, the
Procurement, Construction and Commissioning
General Manager. Organized as a cross-border unit, its
objective is to look after the purchasing and sub-contracting
needs both for projects and within the corporation itself.
This unit is headed by Eduardo Serrano as General
Manager.
As a global company with offices in Portugal, Argentina,
Mexico and Poland, SENER has also created the role of
Country Manager to coordinate local business for the divisions
and promote their growth.This move means that Lope Seco
has become Country Manager for SENER in Poland and Borja
Zárraga in Mexico, joining Miguel Méndez, Country Manager
for Argentina, and Aguinaldo Azevedo for Portugal.
The opportunities of the new structure can be summed up as:
taking advantage of synergies between the teams; the capacity to
develop multidisciplinary products; versatility and adaptability to
take on new openings in the market; and achieving the
competitiveness and constant stimulus needed to innovate and be
in the vanguard of technology.
OTHER SENER APPOINTMENTS
Barcelona Division
Iván Altaba, Chief of the Electro-Mechanics Section of the
Barcelona Division
Iñigo Gurrea Méndez, Chief of the Mechanics Section in Barcelona.
Óscar Julià, Chief of the Telecommunications Section of the
Barcelona Division.
Bilbao Division
Jaime Borrego, Chief of the Civil Engineering and Architectural
Section of the Bilbao Division.
Luis Ortiz, Chief of Project Control and Tendering of the Bilbao
Division.
Industrial and Marine Division
Jorge Contreras, Chief of the Processes and Control Section of
the Industrial and Marine Division.
Eva Sousa, Chief of the Electrics and Instrumentation Section
of the Industrial and Marine Division.
Aerospace Division
Juan Seijas, Chief of Engineering of the Aerospace Division
Valencia Division
Miguel Ángel Morales, Chief of the Civil Engineering Section of
the Valencia Division.
Procurement, Construction and Commissioning General
Management
Jesús Pena, Chief of Purchasing at the Procurement, Construction
and Commissioning General Management
Portugal Division
Darío de la Peña, Chief of the Civil Engineering Section of the
Portugal Division.
Communications Departament
Pilar García, Chief of Communications.
[ UP
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Jorge Sendagorta heralded by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur
of the Year 2006 in Innovation
Jorge Sendagorta, President and CEO of the SENER Engineering
Group, was heralded in February as the winner of the “Entrepreneur
of the Year in Innovation” prize awarded by services firm Ernst &
Young in conjunction with the IESE business school, the Vocento
Group and Fortis.
At a ceremony celebrated at the Madrid Stock Exchange and
opened by Esperanza Aguirre, Chairwoman of the Comunidad de
Madrid Regional Government, Jorge Sendagorta received the award
from Juan Costa Climent, President in Spain of Ernst
& Young Abogados.
Having joined the team of directors at SENER in 1986,
Jorge Sendagorta worked closely with his father Enrique,
founder of the company in 1956, to develop a process
to institutionalize the company and professionalise its
management system. In 1988 he led the preparatory
team in drawing up a first strategic plan and designing
a new organizational matrix that paved the way for
establishing the actual business lines. A company that
was dedicated initially to marine and industrial
engineering projects, SENER began diversifying into
the energy, chemical processing, civil engineering and
aerospace sectors.
At present, the SENER Engineering Group is a holding
company for a group that has expanded its engineering
activities into the fields of Aerospace and Environment.
At the same ceremony, the 11th edition of the awards
also recognized Eugenio Sánchez-Ramade and Javier
Sánchez-Ramade, Executive Vice Chairmen of the Sánchez-Ramade
Group, as winners of the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2006’ prize and
Félix Revuelta, Chairman of the Kiluba Group as ‘Emerging
Entrepreneur’. José Javier de Arteche, Chairman of the Arteche
Group, received the award for “Promoting Employment”; the RBA
Group, chaired by Ricardo Rodrigo, won the prize for
“Internationalization”, and Alfonso Soláns, Chairman of the Pikolín
Group, took the award for “Business Evolution”.
Ernst & Young Prizes 2006
winners
SENER receives the Made in Euskadi 2006
prize in recognition of its efforts in the international market
The Empresa Vasca y Sociedad foundation has awarded SENER
the "Made in Euskadi 2006" prize for the work it has carried out in
the international market. The 15th edition of the trophy recognizes
the international prestige achieved by the company throughout its
50 year history and the way it has helped spread the image of
Basque industry during this period. Jorge Sendagorta, President
of SENER, received the award at a ceremony held on 16 November
at the Herederos Marqués de Riscal S.A. winery at Elciego in La
Rioja province, designed by architect Frank Gehry. At the beginning
of the century SENER received from the same foundation the prize
for ‘Business Innovation’ for the application and continuing
development of management tools. This previous award, for the
year 2000, was received by Jorge Unda, Managing Director of
SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas.
Jorge Sendagorta during the
Made in Euskadi 2006 Awards
ceremony
Made in
Euskadi
2006
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Andrés Sendagorta
named as Third Deputy Chairman at AFARMADE
Andrés Sendagorta,
Vicepresident of
SENER
The Spanish Association for Producers of Armaments and Material
for Defense and Security (AFARMADE) has named Andrés
Sendagorta, Vicepresident of SENER, as its Third Deputy Chairman.
Andrés Sendagorta took up the post on 20 March, when a new
structure was announced at AFARMADE. He joins Francisco
Fernández, representing EADS CASA, S.A., who is the new Chairman,
with Humberto Figarola of Indra Sistemas, S.A., as First Deputy
Chairman and Francisco Torrente, representing Explosivos Alaveses,
S.A., as the Second Deputy Chairman.
Among the companies that have committee members at Aerlyper,
S.A., Amper Programas, S.A., Eurocopter España, S.A., GD Santa
Bárbara Sistemas, S.A., GMV, S.A., ITP, S.A., Instalaza, S.A.,
Navantia, S.A., PAGE IBERICA, S.A., Rodman Polyships, S.A.U.,
and SAINSEL Sistemas Navales, S.A. The Managing Director of the
Association is Carmen García-Valdés and José Antonio Bartrina
holds the post of Secretary.
AFARMADE is a professional association of private businesses, a
non-profit making organization with the objective of defending and
encouraging the common interests of Spanish manufacturers of
Armaments and Defense and Security Material.
SENER involvement in the defense sector includes the development
of engineering projects and the production of actuation and control
systems, missiles and their systems, guidance systems, and
technology related to ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance). Its work is some of the highest quality offered in
Europe, where the company is recognized as a center of excellence
in actuation and control systems.
14
Banking on conservation:
SENER signs a Voluntary Environmental Accord
SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas has signed a Voluntary Environmental
Agreement with the Department of Environment and Planning of
the autonomous Basque Country Government in Northern Spain.
It marks the company’s integration into the regional Aeronautical
and Space Cluster known as HEGAN and with it the promise to
introduce management systems that respect the environment.
This means that within two years the company must begin measures
such as optimizing production processes that favor the saving of
natural resources (water, energy, raw materials) and the control,
observation and reduction of emissions into the atmosphere. Other
objectives include reductions in the generating of dangerous waste,
the introduction of environmental management systems in line with
the Ekoscan Standards, the application of eco-design criteria in
production processes and the development of R+D activities that
are related to the environment.
HEGAN and the Basque Government reached the agreement in
December 2006 in Bilbao, after 12 months of work designing what
has become known as the ‘Sectorial Environmental Diagnosis’. As
well as SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas, a total of 18 companies,
representing 95% of the industrial activity in the Basque Country
region, have signed the pledge. The others are: Aernnova Aerospace,
Advanced Dynamic Systems, Aerospace Engineering Group, Burulan,
Desarrollos Mecánicos de Precisión, Electrohilo, Fundación Centro
de Tecnologías Aeronáuticas, ITP, Microfusión de Aluminio, Nuter,
Precicast Bilbao, Siegel, Subcontratación de Proyectos Aeronáuticos,
Talleres Aibe, Talleres Aratz, Tecnalia Aerospace, Tratamientos
Superficiales Iontech and Tratamientos Térmicos TTT.
Jorge Unda, Managing Director of SENER, during the signing
of the Voluntary Environmental Agreement
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The SENER Foundation
broadens its scope
Some of the students who were awarded grants from the
SENER Foundation in 2006
September took up a job in line with his
specialty in Spain. Jakub Sokolinski, a
Civil Engineer from the same university
in Wroclaw, stayed until July 2006 to
learn Spanish and train at SENER Madrid
before signing up in September for a
Masters course in Infrastructure and
Public Services Management at the CSG
(Centro Superior de Gestión), where he
is still studying. And lastly, Marcela de
L e ó n P é r e z , a C h e mi c a l a n d
Environmental Systems Engineer from
the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey
in Mexico, finished in July 2006 a Masters
in Technology and Management of
Energy Companies at the Fundación
REPSOL Higher Institute of Energy, a
course totally financed by Fundación
SENER.
In Spain, Fundación SENER is financing
one of the ETSI Navales prizes at the
Universidad Politécnica in Madrid that
rec o gni ze th e ac hie ve me nts o f
outstanding students taking the course
in computer programming languages.
In addition to its grants program, the Fundación SENER is looking
at new projects that could take advantage of SENER
technological experience to benefit society, contributing to the
improvement of systems and equipment for action groups such
as the handicapped and patients with injuries.
La Fundación SENER has begun a new process for seeking
foreign students who can benefit from the grants program it
launched in 2002. The foundation has contacted various
universities in Eastern Europe, from where selected students
will be able to continue their studies in Spanish and other
European academic institutions. At the same time, the foundation
has increased the number of
universities that the students can
attend, in doing so diversifying
the courses on offer.
Of the students who received
grants in the 2006/2007 course,
civil engineers Eliza Stefanska,
aged 24, from the University of
Krakov, and Andrzej Spurek, 26,
from the University of Warsaw,
are now working for SENER in
Valencia and Madrid, respectively.
Each of them is working on a
different project while taking
intensive classes in Spanish. This
will enable them to join postgraduate courses at Spanish
un iv e r s it ie s f o r t he y ea r
2007/2008.
As for the grant beneficiaries from
the 2005/2006 course, Sebastian
Maksym, an Electro-optical
Engineer from the Wroclaw
University of Technology in
Poland successfully passed a
Masters in Digital Signal and
Meeting of the SENER Foundation board in 2006
Image Processing at Cranfield
University in July 2006, and in
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Complete system for Attitude and Orbit Control (AOCS/ACMS) of
the satellites Herschel and Planck
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During the later five years SENER and Dutch Space (DS) have been
designing, developing, and verifying the complete system for Attitude
and Orbit Control (AOCS/ACMS) of the satellites Herschel and
Planck, within the scientific programme of the European Space
Agency (ESA). The project includes phases B, C/D and E, from the
preliminary design up to operation, going through detailed design,
development, units specification, subcontracts management, SW,
equipment and system development, system verification and
qualification.
Herschel and Planck satellites are included in the scientific programme
of the European Space Agency and form part of the “Cosmic Vision
Programme”, that includes the most relevant missions in science
investigation in space from ESA. Herschel was selected as the forth
“Cornerstone” mission, while Planck constituted the third “medium
size” mission.
Both satellites will be injected in two Lissajous orbits with different
amplitudes around the second Lagrangian point (L2) of the system
Sun-Earth that is approximately 1.5 millions of km of distance from
the Earth, in the line from the Sun to the Earth, in direction outwards
from the Sun System. Planck will be devoted to the complete
mapping of the celestial sphere with the objective of characterisation
of anisotropies in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), and
perform investigations about the theories of the origin of the universe,
from the Big-Bang to the inflation theory, the dark matter, etc; on
the other side Herschel is a scientific observatory with maximum
accuracy and performance in the IR observations, which function
will be the detailed observation of the different types of structures
in the universe, with the main objective of the analysis of their origin
and formation. For this purpose the satellite mounts the largest
mirror ever built for a space telescope, with 3.5 m in diameter.
The activity of SENER in the project
SENER has been in charge of the design, development and
verification of the complete Attitude and Orbit Control System
Planck satellite
(AOCS/ACMS), together with Dutch Space. The completion of that
system required very demanding capabilities for the sector, including
a complex internal organisation, and infrastructure for the support
to the project, great capabilities for interactions and industrial
m an ag e me nt a nd th e
a c h ie v e m e n t o f v e r y
demanding programmatic
requirements, which have
lead, for instance, to the
utilisation of up to 11 testbenches in parallel. The
excellent results achieved
have confirmed the capability
at SENER for leading a
complex and large System
with maximum criticality.
In the consortium with DS,
SENER acts as responsible
f or t he de s ign a nd
development of the complete
ACMS of Planck, as well as
for the integration and testing
of both Herschel and Planck.
Dutch Space concentrates
on the Herschel ACMS
subsystem, and common
areas.
The responsibility for the equipments and the associated
subcontractors has been distributed between the two companies
according with the role of each unit in Herschel and Planck. In
particular the project includes the management of eight
subcontractors around the world, including ANALYTICON (UK) for
the pointing budgets, TERMA (Denmark) for the onboard SW
engineering, Galileo Avionica (Italy) for the star sensors, Northrop
Grumman (EE.UU.) for the maximum
performance gyroscopic units, LABEN
(Italy) for the coarse angular velocity
sensors, TNO (Netherlands) for the
attitude anomaly sensors and sun
acquisition sensors, TELDIX (Germany)
for the reaction wheels and GMV (Spain)
for support activ ities in attitude
determination. Overall the activity of the
subcontractors exceeds the 17 million
euros.
Picture by courtesy of ESA
The excellent
results achieved
have confirmed the
capability at
SENER for leading
a complex and
large System with
maximum
criticality.
Herschel & Planck AOCS/ACMS
characteristics
The AOCS of both satellites constitutes
the largest subsystem in the platforms,
and includes all the elements needed
(equipments, functions, logic and
associated SW) for maintaining the
pointing profiles and stabilisation (attitude),
and the acquisition of the required position
(orbit). The produced system includes
equipments (senso rs, actuators,
computer, cabling, etc), that are managed
by the system logic with its associated
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Planck befote composing the telescope
Picture by courtesy of ESA
SW, in order to guarantee the correct behaviour of such equipments
as well as the elaboration of the information (including determination),
identification of the deviations and preparation and execution of the
commands for the acquisition of the objectives both in orbit and in
attitude. In parallel the failure detection, failure isolation and system
recovery are continuously running.
The SENER design for the Planck AOCS includes quite some
interesting particularities and innovations: first, on the contrary to
the usual spin stabilised satellite (stabilised using the gyroscopic
rigidity), Planck is not controlled in open loop from ground, but it
includes onboard the logic for the control decisions, performs the
attitude determination and prepares and executes the control
actions. Additionally, the angular velocity is only 1rpm, that allows
the usage of conventional Star Sensors even for this spin stabilised
satellite, and this way the same sensor is used with small SW
variation in both satellites. In order to avoid the usage of the sensor
in the limit of its capabilities the TDI (Time Delay Integration) has
been incorporated. This is the first time that Europe mounts in a
satellite such a conventional star sensor in a spinning satellite, and
is also the first time in Europe that such sensor mounts the TDI
technology. The Planck AOCS introduces the capability for execution
of frequent (every 30-45mn) with very small size (3 arcmin) and with
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accuracies without precedent in this
type of spinning satellites. The satellite
will be able to provide, under specific
conditions, accuracies in the order of
the arcsecs.
On the other side the survival of the
instrument forces to keep the satellite
spin axis always oriented close to the
opposite direction to the Sun, with a
maximum deviation of 10º, and it must
ensure, even with a failure, that such
angle is respected with a certain
margin, and that such excess is shorter
than 1 minute.
With respect to Herschel, the
performance of the AOCS is close to
the limit in the technology, and includes
the introduction of highest performance
rate sensors, and improvements in the
existing star sensors performance. The
AOCS includes as well a highly
co nst raining a ttit ude do ma in.
Finally, although missions and even
the satellites stabilisation in Herschel
and Planck are very different, a
maximisation of the commonality in
both satellites has been achieved, such
that all sensors in Planck are the same
as the ones in Herschel, except for
small variations and the elimination of
some of them not strictly needed in
Planck.
Launch foreseen for 2008
As a consequence of the commonality
of the orbital position, and the
commonality in the programme
(science), both missions are being
jointly developed within ESA, and both
satellites will share its launch. The same
industry, Thales Alenia Space France
(formerly ALCATEL) performs the joint
development of both satellites. Within this consortium also Thales
Alenia Space Italy (formerly ALENIA) is responsible for the
Platforms(Service Module), ASTRIUM GmbH is in charge of the
Herschel Payload, in which SENER also participates (apart from
the AOCS) providing the OBA (Optical Bench Assembly). The
programme Herschel-Planck has been the largest contract in
astronomy of the European Space Agency with the Industry.
The launch of both satellites Herschel and Planck is foreseen for
the end of 2008, and will be performed from Kourou by means of
an ARIANE-5 launcher. After the launch Herschel will be the first to
perform separation, and later Planck will separate, after the system
launcher-Planck performs the manoeuvres for Sun Angle and spin
rate acquisition. Both vehicles will travel in parallel the 1.5 million
km until they arrive close to the Lagrange libration point, and at
some specific point close to the target they will execute the injection
manoeuvres to acquire two Lissajous orbits with different amplitudes.
After this they will start the subsequent operations and observations
according to the science planning.
The AOCS/ACMS subsystem has already been qualified and is
being mounted into the satellites with the subsequent verifications
once integrated. The review of the delivery (DRB) will be performed
in second quarter of 2007.
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SENER takes part in the GAIA project,
the largest map of the Milky Way
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The future GAIA mission, due for December 2011, is a project of
the ESA to compose the largest map known for our galaxy. By
means of three telescopes and their corresponding instruments,
GAIA shall observe and catalogue one million stars, 1% of the stars
that inhabit the Milky Way. For five years, it will be recording the
distance between all these stars, their movements and changes in
brightness with sufficient precision for quantifying the early formation
and evolution of the dynamic and chemical formation of our galaxy.
It is furthermore anticipated that GAIA will discover hundreds of
thousands of new heavenly bodies and new evidence of relativity
and cosmology in general.
The technology involved in this project includes a payload module,
comprised mainly of a set of telescopes that shall give rise to the
most sensitive telescope with the largest focal plane ever constructed;
a service module, which contains the propulsion system and
communication units; a deployable sunshield and a solar panel
structure.
SENER is the contractor for construction of the deployable sunshield
that is 11 m in diameter and has 12 identical panels of simultaneous
deployment which fasten two thermal blankets placed in parallel,
whose mission shall be to preserve low temperature thus ensuring
the thermal stability of the optical elements. The blanket opposite
the sun is made of a reflecting layer and allows only part of the solar
energy to pass through to the shadow area (where the satellite and
instruments are housed). The deployment mechanisms, likewise
from SENER, include a system for synchronisation of the panels,
another for the absorption of the tensions from the differences in
temperatures and another for deployment based on springs with
a regulator.
In the same project, SENER is furthermore responsible for the
M2MM, the mechanism for pointing the secondary mirrors of the
telescopes. The M2MM provides a sub-micrometric precision
adjustment in 5 degrees of freedom that corrects telescopes
misalignments after the launch. The mechanism is designed for an
operational temperature range up to 110K, high thermal stability
and capable to withstand launch loads without “hold-down”.
GAIA set
GAIA deployable
sunshield
Dextrous Robot Arm,
an objective pursued for a long time by the ESA
The possibility of developing a robot arm for extravehicular activities
in space is an objective pursued for a long time by the ESA. The
Dextrous Robot Arm R+D program is part of this objective, an arm
of the size and dexterity of a human arm. Furthermore, this program
is aimed at the development of technology for the Eurobot mission,
a robotised service system for the ISS and planetary exploration.
In the two first stages, two teams in parallel designed the architecture
for the arm and developed and tested a typical joint. From these,
the team comprised of Galileo Avionica, SENER and Tecnomare
was selected for the third stage, after demonstrating high precision
with the prototype. As in previous stage, SENER shall perform the
mechanical design and manufacture of the seven arm actuatorjoints of varying characteristics. The main challenge shall be to
attain light and compact joints, integrated with their electronics and
Dextrous Robot Arm
a high level of sensorisation. Achieving these requirements calls for
a commitment between innovation and accredited technologies.
At the same time, SENER develops the automated tool interchanger
that allows the end of the arm to cover the spectrum of necessary
extravehicular operations.
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Shutter Mechanism
Generic Test Bench
for the Pleiades Satellite
for AOCS
Shutter
Mechanism for
the Pleiades
satellite
Any space program requires the corresponding test benches to
validate the subsystems comprising the vehicle. Benches that, to
date, have been designed predominantly from scratch for each
mission. New tendencies, however, aim at designs capable of
adopting terms such as reusable, modular and extendable. The
Generic Test Bench for AOCS (GATB is its English acronym) is a
scalable system that endows SENER with the ability to participate
in any validation campaign in the field of AOCS.
The PLEIADES program is comprised of two Earth observation
satellites and is led by the CNES, with EADS Astrium as prime
contractor and supplier of the satellite bus, and Thales Alenia Space
responsible for the high-resolution instrument. The instrument
incorporates a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the
diaphragm located at the end of the telescope to prevent the sun,
in an emergency, from illuminating and overheating the detection
equipment. SENER participates as a subcontractor of Thales Alenia
Space France for the supply of this mechanism.
The phase for the design of the shutter mechanism began in 2004
and was completed in mid-2005. Since then, the supply and
manufacture of all system components, their assembly and the
undertaking of an extensive testing campaign that included electrical
tests, functional tests at varying temperatures, vibrations, thermal
cycle and life testing have taken place. After having verified
compliance with the technical specifications, the delivery of the first
flight model was in September 2006 and delivery of the second,
final flight model is planned for the near future.
The GATB offers sequential validation, an approach reflected in the
following available verification phases:
• AOCS and Simulation SW executed on the same platform in real
time.
• AOCS SW executed in a flight processor –ERC32 or LEON–
separately from Simulation
SW, likewise in real time.
• AOCS SW executed in the
onbo ard compute r and
Simulation SW in a dedicated
computer. The corresponding
electric front-end is
responsible for the interface.
• Identical to the foregoing
except that this last phase
also includes flight hardware
–sensors and/or actuators –
in the loop.
Generic Test Bench
for AOCS
High Gain Antenna Gimbal for the
Mars Science Laboratory Mission
In the frame of a technical assistance agreement between the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the CDTI, SENER is participating
in the next NASA Mission to Mars. The name of the mission is
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and its main objectives are to
examine rocks and soils to determine the distribution and circulation
of water and carbon dioxide, whether frozen, liquid or gaseous.
The SENER contribution to the mission is the development of the
High Gain Antenna Gimbal Mechanism (HGAG) which enables
the bidirectional communication directly between the Rover in
Mars and the Earth. The HGAG is at two degrees of freedom,
elevation over azimuth, mechanical assembly that is located on
the Rover top deck for precise pointing of the HGA to Earth. Each
degree of freedom is driven independently with a motorized
mechanism to achieve desired speeds and accuracies. The
mechanism also incorporates a Hold Down and Release
Mechanism (HDRM) which will be released once the Rover touches
down the Martian ground.
SENER is currently completing the detailed design phase,
afterwards one qualification model and two flight models will be
produced. The MSL mission will be launched in the Autumn of
2009.
High Gain Antenna
Gimbal - HGAG
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Lineal actuator for the docking of spacecrafts
The International Berthing and Docking Mechanism (IBDM) is an
ESA program currently in development stage to produce berthing
and docking systems for small and large spacecrafts. SENER is
the main contractor for both the design of the system and the
overall control, as well as for various components such as the lineal
actuators used in the securing system.
The IBDM consists of two coupling systems, one “soft”, to catch
the craft and guide them towards the contact point with the main
structure, the other “hard”, for interconnecting the structural
elements.
The Soft Docking System is based on a mechanism with a play of
six degrees of freedom, using a system of shock absorbers and
closed loop control guide supported by charged cells and lineal
actuators developed by SENER. These actuators allow for a lineal
movement that can be monitored at all times. With a thrust of 2000
N, it is capable of very high speeds as a result of a design that is
based on brushless motors.
IBDM actuator
MDR and DR50. New deployment regulator range
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SENER deployment regulator range: MDR, DR12 and DR50
SENER has expanded the deployment regulator range for satellite
appendages deployment. This mechanism was developed and
space qualified by SENER some years ago. This system, which is
driven by torsion springs, includes a deployment regulator (DR) that
makes negligible the end deployment shock. This regulator is based
on the progressive fusion of a low melting temperature material,
arranged cylindrically in a sealed cavity where a protruding key
transmits heat to the low melting material. The heating key, together
with the internal wall of the cavity, rotates as the low melting material
changes from solid to liquid state in the zone contacting with the
heating key. The rotation speed can be adjusted just selecting the
quantity of energy provided to the low melting material per time
unit.
SENER has designed two new deployment regulators, one for a
smaller driving torque (MDR) adequate for mini-satellite appendages,
and other for a significantly higher driving torque (DR50). This last
one is designed to be used in the controlled deployment of the
GAIA thermal shield.
Optimum operation of the IASI aboard MetOp-A
The IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) instrument,
aboard the MetOp-A weather satellite launched on October 19,
entered Nominal Operation Mode last December 20. Since then,
it has been measuring temperature and moisture profiles of the
Earth's atmosphere along 30 bands perpendicular to the trajectory
the satellite describes over the Earth's surface. These bands are
covered thanks to the variation of the instrument line of sight.
With the entry of the IASI into Nominal Operation, the motion of
the mirror which sets its line of sight was activated, successively
sweeping the 30 interferometric measurement positions. Correct
mirror control and excellent pointing dynamics have been verified
by flight telemetry. SENER has designed, manufactured and tested
the electronic unit known as SCEU which controls and moves
the mirror.
Eumetsat ordered three MetOp satellites for which three SCEU
units have already been delivered. Each one shall command
several million scan cycles throughout the five years of nominal
life, ensuring high precision and pointing stability at all times.
SCEU FM3 Electronic Control Unit
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Test bed for engine TP400
Test porch for engine TP400
MLGD of the A380
SENER has fulfilled for AIRBUS Spain the certification
analysis of the Main Landing Gears Doors (MLGD) of
the A380.
These doors, the biggest composite ones ever
manufactured for a commercial aircraft, are composed
of two pairs of symmetrical doors: Wing Landing Gears
Doors (WLGD) and Body Landing Gears Doors (BLGD).
Both are placed under the fuselage and they consist of
a principal door and several auxiliary doors, which would
allow the partial closing of the MLGD during the
manoeuvers of takeoff and landing.
Structurally speaking, the above mentioned doors would
have a basic monolithic configuration of CFRP (Carbon
Fiber Reinforcement Plastic), which supposes a
technological innovation with regard to the designed
ones up to the date, with metallic hinge and actuation
fittings attached to previous main structure.
SENER project activities included the adjustment of the
general FE Models used for the calculation of load
distributions in each component of the structure, static
analysis, fatigue and damage tolerance analysis, and
the generation of the substantiation reports that has
been presented to the authorities to obtain the aircraft
certification.
The Main Landing Gears
Doors (MLGD) of the A380
SENER is cooperating to develop, produce and install one of the
test bed or OATB (Open Air Test Bed) for the TP400 new engine
which was developed by IT, company of the EUROPROP
partnership. This engine will be used by the A400M military
transportation plane that AIRBUS-Military is developing.
The test bed that SENER is doing together with ITP (owner of the
OATB) is located in Morón de la Frontera Air Base. This test bed
is one of the different test beds that are being done in Europe for
the breaking into period of the TP400 engine.
Contract between SENER and ITP includes the delivery of the two
most complex subsystems of the OATB. On the one hand, there
is the Structure subsystem that includes a reticular structure
formed by circular profiles. The structure design is optimised in
order to comply with all requirements of an acoustic reverberation
to properly issue the acoustic certificates of the engine during the
initial testing period. In addition, this structure complies with all
requirements of the static, dynamic and fatigue loads, among
others. On the other hand, there is the Fuel Installation subsystem
whose objective is to supply fuel to the engine during the initial
testing period. This subsystem includes a deposit, a pumping
system and an ERM (Measurement and Regulation Station) on
the OATB structure.
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Border Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
SENER participates in a study on the use of Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles in the border surveillance activities. The purpose of this
supporting activity is to present a structured analysis of the potential
contribution of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to peacetime security on
European borders. This project is performed by SENER within an
international consortium formed by companies from eight countries,
and is included in the Preparatory Action in the field of Security
Research for the VII Framework Programme of the European Union.
The study will include five steps: interviews to the final users;
synthesis in the form of generic situations, the requirements on UAV
systems able to handle these situations, the definition of realistic
UAV based systems, and the presentation of those results to the
final users.
Example
diagram of
possible border
areas for the
UAV
surveillance
NICE TRIP TILT-ROTOR. Aircraft - helicopter convertible
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ERICA - NICE TRIP project
NICE TRIP is the acronym of the European Project, Novel Innovative
Competitive Effective Tilt Rotor Integrated Project, inside of the
VI Framework Programme of the European Commission.
The Tilt-Rotor is an aircraft – helicopter convertible that has the
advantages of both systems: to perform landing and take off
approaches in small space, as an helicopter and, at the same time,
to fly with the efficiency of an aircraft; the Tilt-Rotor will reach cruise
speeds and altitudes similar to a turboprop, and will double the
helicopter usage range, due to a lower fuel consumption, keeping
the same vertical take off capacity. In the next four years, the basic
architecture will be defined, that will conclude in a real test
demonstrator, and later in the commercial phase.
SENER participates in this project, leading by Eurocopter and
Agusta-Westland, performing the design of components of the
rotor, of the drive system and the nacelle of the Tilt-Rotor. SENER
is collaborating since 1999 in different studies and critical technological
projects for the maturity of the European Technology, between of
them NICE TRIP represents the most advanced phase.
BIOSEN - Prototype physiological sensors for
Spain’s "Future Combatant"
BIOSEN
system
SENER has signed a contract with the Spanish Ministry of Defense
to develop "BIOSEN", a group of three prototype physiological
sensors for its "Combatiente Futuro" (Future Combatant) program.
The objective of the system is to monitor in real time the physical
state of soldiers, checking physiological parameters to detect
possible injuries, heatstroke, levels of fatigue, etc., in order to
improve the effectiveness of health care while in action and during
training.
BIOSEN must be an efficient, light and comfortable piece of
equipment that controls the soldier’s physical state 24 hours a day
without affecting his operational capabilities. Therefore, ergonomics
is a key factor in the success of the program. Another challenge
for the system is its reliability under different conditions of physical
activity. The BIOSEN system consists of a portable unit, fed by a
rechargeable Ion-Lithium battery. It incorporates a small, lightweight
processor with reduced power
requirements and a series of sensors
that measure cardiac and respiratory
rhythm, temperature and activity, as
well as an oximeter and a non-invasive blood pressure meter for
those cases in which medical aid is needed. The portable unit,
which is also fitted with wireless communications, collects and
processes information from the sensors and transmits the results
of the analysis to a combatant information system. The system will
be attached to the chest with straps and will incorporate ECG
( Ele ct ro ca rdio gra m) a nd res pirat ory rhy thm pro bes .
The development of BIOSEN involves both new technology and
existing concepts such as biomedical and wearable devices, MEMS,
distributed computing, wireless networking, motion tracking, MOTEs,
smart devices, and signal processing.
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Termozulia II combined cycle power plant in Venezuela
Draft of the Termozulia II combined cycle
power plant in Venezuela
The Venezuelan Electrical Company ENELVEN, adjudged to
JANTESA Company the EPC contract of the new Termozulia II
combined cycle power plant, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, whose power
will be 500 MWe. JANTESA, as well, has contracted Mexican
engineering III S.A., jointly with SENER, to develop all the activities
of basic and detail engineering of the Project.
The services of basic and detail engineering developed by SENER
for III S.A. include: the definition of the thermal cycle with its
corresponding balances, the definition of the systems and main
equipment of the Plant, the technical evaluation of these main
equipments - as the steam and gas turbines, main steam generators,
condenser and main plant pumps - and the development of the
Plant operation and control philosophy.
The Project includes two phases: the first one (March 2008), that
will be the commissioning of the two gas turbines operating in
Simple Cycle using liquid fuel, generating up to 320 MWe; and the
second phase (March 2009), including all the elements necessaries
to transform the Simple Cycle into a Combined Cycle, increasing
the plant power up to 500 MWe, being able to operate with liquid
fuel or natural gas.
Experimental plant of molten salts in the Solar
Platform of Almeria (PSA)
SENER has designed and built in the Solar
Platform of Almeria (PSA) with the collaboration
of CIEMAT, an experimental pilot plant of
molten salts. The main goal of this project is
to investigate and develop the receiver
technology and the molten salts storage
systems for solar concentration plants.
The working temperatures of this plant goes
from 260°C to 565°C. This ranges of
temperatures are the same that those on solar
plants with central tower and heliostats, for
electric generation. At the moment this is the
only installation available for the realization of
studies of R+D under these conditions.
From May 2006, the salts compound by
nitrates of sodium and potassium remain
molten with the contribution of the solar energy
reflected by the heliostats, supplemented by
electric heaters in the periods when the solar
field is not operative. Besides, in August 2006
the tests began to verify the design of the
solar receiver that incorporates two innovations
patented by SENER. In addition, these activities
are being of great importance to improve the
reliability of the storage systems with molten
salts.
View of the receiver's tests at the
pilot plant
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Future liquified natural gas terminal
to be located at El Musel, Gijón
ENAGAS has awarded to Sofregaz-SENER the basic engineering
for the future liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal which construction
will take place in new land reclaimed from the sea at the Harbour
Authority of El Musel at Gijón.
The terminal will initially comprise two liquified natural gas storages,
with a net capacity of 150,000 m3 each, that will be increased with
other two in the future, and a initial net send-out capacity to pipeline
of 800,000 Nm3/h. Also, a jetty will allow the unloading of LNG
carriers with a capacity up to 230,000 m3.
SENER has developed the set of documents that fully specify such
terminal suitable for the detailed engineeing and construction phases
that will start soon. Also, some official projects for the Administration
Authorities have been done.
With this new basic engineering on LNG terminals, SENER becomes
in a sure company to be referred in LNG projects, a sector that
offers good perspectives actually, with future terminals on study
stage or near to construction worldwide.
Terminal
de GNL
Puerto de
EL MUSEL
GIJÓN
LNG terminal location at El Musel, Gijón
First SENERtrough in the Andasol 1 solar plant
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The first parabolic trough loop with SENER technology, SENERtrough,
has been recently installed in the Andasol 1 solar plant, presently
under construction under an EPC contract by the JV COBRASENER in Southern Spain. The plant will generate 50 MW and,
based in the innovative molten salt thermal storage system, will be
able to generate energy with an annual capacity factor above 40%,
far beyond any existing solar plant.
SENERtrough system in the Andasol 1 solar plant
The patented SENERtrough concept has shown much better
mechanical characteristics than other existing designs, with sensibly
lower steel weight and construction man - hours. A new improved
version is under development. Besides in oil cooled parabolic trough
technology, SENER is presently working in direct steam generation,
central receiver and beam-down systems, molten salt storage and
other CSP components and technologies.
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Santiago de Chile Underground extension
present only in a few cities all over the world, as Paris, Mexico City
or Montreal.
Due to the great experience of SENER designing underground
systems, some technological innovations have been proposed like
the implementation of a multiservice network based on Gigabit
Ethernet and communication IP technologies that support all
communication, signalling, automatic driving and telecommand
systems.
This is the first job SENER develops for Santiago Underground, and
the second railway project in Chile, after carrying out in 2003 a
project for modernization of the power and signalling railway systems
of the Alameda-Temuco railway line for EFE, Company of the State
Chilean Railways.
Santiago de Chile Underground project
Santiago de Chile
Underground project
SENER is developing for Santiago de Chile Metro public company
the basic engineering for its Line 5 extension, running from Quinta
Normal existing station to Plaza Maipú new station. The new section,
about 14 km long, includes a viaduct of 3.5 km long, and will
incorporate ten new stations, three of them open air. Once works
are finished, Line 5 will have had duplicated its present length.
Chilean Consortium Ara-Ingendesa conforms, along with SENER,
the group awarded with this contract, designs the basic engineering
for civil works and architecture, and the station equipments project.
Particularly, SENER has designed functional and exploitation studies,
as well as the basic projects of systems that include energy, signalling,
automatic driving system, central command, communications and
track detailed engineering. These studies indicate that headway will
have to be less than 120 seconds (during morning peak hour), and
will be necessary to have a total fleet of at least 48 trains, each one
with a mean capacity of 1,000 passengers. It should been noted
that Santiago underground runs with pneumatic tyres, a system
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Expansion of the Algeria Underground
SENER, as part of the ENSITRANS consortium, is developing,
together with the Lisbon Underground, Ferconsult and TMB,
the studies for the expansion of Line 1 of the Algeria Underground.
This populous city, with more than three million inhabitants, also
has the first stretch of this line, with a length of 9.5 km, in an
advanced state of construction.
The expansions of Line 1 which SENER has carried out for EMA
(Public Company of the Algeria Underground) have initially been
the Hai el Badr – El Harrach extension and the Hai el Badr –
Aïn Naadja extension, both in the East part of Line 1, with a
total length of 7.6 km; after these two expansions, SENER has
recently been awarded the Taphourah – Place des Martyrs
extension, of 1.5 km in length, at the other end of Line 1, right
in the heart of the capital, the old quarter and the Government
centre.
These studies consist of drawing up the drafts and basic projects
for the infrastructures (tunnels, viaducts and stations) as well
as all the systems necessary for their operation (track, power,
signalling, communications and electromechanical installations).
Algeria Underground project
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Oran Tramway
SENER, as part of the ENSITRANS consortium,
is carrying out the project, support of request for
tenders and construction works management of the
first tramway line in the city of Oran by commission
of EMA (Entreprise Metro d’Alger). The budget of
the ENSITRANS contract is over seven million euros.
This line runs between Es Sénia and the future Bus
Station in Sidi Maarouf, with a total length of 17.7km.
The alignment has inverted L form, with one S-N
branch and the another in W-E direction. Both
branches join in the town centre, just in 1st November
Square, (ancient Place d’Armes). This configuration
allows the tramway to provide service to the
downtown and resolves the movements between
the East and South city areas, where both Universities
of Oran are located. The project recovers an old
popular transport system since there was a tram
line on Oran’s streets during the first half of 20th
Century.
The construction of this tram line is the most important
project that Oran faces to in these moments. Oran
is the second city of Algeria, capital of the West
region and it counts with a population over 1,200,000
inhabitants.
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Oran Tramway project
Prediction and protection system against lateral wind
in high speed rail lines
The increasing speed and the reduction of the weight of
the trains has provoked lateral wind, a non considered
factor not long ago, has become an essential element in
order to maintain high standard security levels in train
transportation of passengers.
Soon, the line between Madrid and Lleida will become the
first Spanish line to have installed a protection system
against lateral wind based in turnover risk prediction. This
system, designed by SENER, will permit speed adaptation
to reach a secure condition ten minutes in advance.
This system is based in the analysis of dynamic
characteristics of the trains, of topography, of surrounding
rugosity and their wind behaviour influence; the analysis of
the trace of the line to identify its most risky areas, the
development of a short term prediction model that will allow
to forsee wind speed and direction values in every point of
the line, and the analysis of the turnover risk associated to
the forseen wind values.
Twenty seven stations strategically located along the line,
each of them with three wind sensors, one barometer and
one humidity and temperature sensor, will be responsible
of wind, temperature and barometric pressure
measurements, of risk calculations and the establishment
of alarms that will be received in the Control Centre in
Zaragoza every time calculated risks go beyond an
admissible threshold.
Full scale test model of a
standard control station
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Nuevo “rissaga” warning system for the Port of Ciutadella
Project for Port of Ciutadella
Together with the Balearics Meteorological Center and the
Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA), dependant
on the Higher Council for Scientific Studies (CSIC) and the University
of the Balearic Islands (UIB), and the Oceanographic and Coasts
Engineering of the University of Cantabria (GIOC), SENER is carrying
out a viability study for a new “rissagues” alert system for Ciutadella
that is more precise and reliable than the existing one. The new
system will allow between 30 minutes and two hours advance
warning to be given before the arrival of this meteorological
phenomenon that creates a rapid rise or fall in sea level. The Director
of the Balearics Meteorological Center, Agustí Jansà, is coordinating
the project. At present, the Meteorological Center can only warn
of the risk that the phenomenon might happen, but without any
certainty.
The new system will base its forecasts on data retrieved from five
oceanographic sensors that the Balearics Ports authority have
installed around the islands of Mallorca and Minorca. Three sensors
have been located at water level in the Mallorca ports of Colonia
de Sant Pere, Cala Ratjada and Porto Cristo; another in Ciutadella,
on Minorca, and a fifth in deep waters midway along the main
channel between the two islands. A meteorological sensor has also
been installed at Cala Blanca (Minorca), where there is already a
meteorological station. During 2007 and 2008, in the months
between April and October – the “rissagues” season – the sensors
will provide information on the behavior of this phenomenon,
measuring oscillations at sea level and the speed of currents as
well as atmospheric pressure. When the analysis is finished, a study
will be made on closing the port, whether by lock gates or by
operating levels, to avoid damage caused by the “rissaga”.
The new “rissagues” warning system will be the first of its kind in
the world, although it will be similar in some respects to the tsunami
alert systems used in the United States.
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Project for Port of Ciutadella
Work finished on the Globalia aircraft maintenance center
at Palma airport on Mallorca, designed by Vicente Cudós
The Globalia aircraft maintenance center at Palma airport on the
island of Mallorca, a project designed and carried out by SENER,
was opened in November. Vicente Cudós, who managed to develop
excellent resistance and stability by making use of twin trusses,
carried out the structural plans for the hangar. This will allow the
building to be extended in the future without having to alter the initial
design. As a matter of fact, there are already plans to widen the
front of the building to 175 m, to fill all the space on the site allotted
by Spanish airports’ authority AENA.
The Globalia group (which includes the airline Air Europa) had
previously ordered a viability study from SENER to weigh up the
suitability of the project. This led to an open books, turnkey contract
to build the center. The hangar was designed by SENER to be both
a visible icon for the Globalia group at Palma airport, and at the
same time to answer the structural needs of the client: to be capable
of holding several aircrafts at the same time. To achieve this operational
flexibility, the Center (which measures 118.66 m wide, 75.05 m deep
and has a height of 20 m) was designed without using any intermediary
pillars. This enables the company to carry out maintenance on a
Boeing B-737-800 and an Airbus A-330 aircraft at the same time,
or as many as three B-737-800 simultaneously.
The contract with Globalia was worth in all 14 million euros, and
was completed satisfactorily within the 22 month timeframe.
The Globalia hangar at Palma de Mallorca
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Judicial buidings at Terrassa and La Bisbal d’Empordà
SENER is working on the Technical Audit of two judicial buildings
placed at Terrassa and La Bisbal d’Empordà, at Catalunya. SENER
has been contracted by Banesto, firm that has been working on
the financial business of the Surface Rights Contracts of the named
building s, a djudg ed to the ent erprise COM SA S.A.
The judicial building of Terrassa is placed in a 4,248 m2 area and
it has a total constructed area of 16,141 m 2 organized about low
floor, four upped level floors and two underground ones. On the
other hand, the building at La Bisbal d’Empordà has a total
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Perspective of the judicial building at Terrassa
SENER will be
working on the
Technical Assistance
Draft of the judicial building at La Bisbal d’Empordà
constructed area of 6,137 m2 in a 2,400 m2 area with low floor, two
upped level floors and an underground one.
SENER will be working on the Technical Assistance on three phases:
the first about revision of the Construction and Exploitation Projects
in order to develop a audit technical information of the named
projects; the second time about pursuit the construction process
and quarterly presenting advance information, in a real time of 22
months; and the last work time at the construction ending with the
creation of the final working information.
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Integral engineering for Navantia
SENER is carrying out a project for two twin Ro-Ro ships that
ferry company Acciona-Trasmediterránea has ordered from
shipbuilders Navantia. Our contract includes all the working
engineering activities, both basic and developed, as well as the
technical specifications for purchasing and homogenization of
the offers, registering the vessels with the Maritime Authorities
and the Registry Lists, and support at the production engineering
and actual production stages. In short, it means developing all
the engineering functions for a major shipyard – for Navantia
Bahía de Cádiz – making it an unprecedented marine engineering
project for the company.
To carry out the work, which will take 29 months, SENER offices
in Madrid, Valencia and Buenos Aires are all contributing. Also,
a temporary office has been set up at the Navantia shipyard in
Puerto Real, where both ships are to be built.
The vessels have been designed to operate on the Cadiz to
Canary Islands route and be capable of carrying platforms
(trailers without the driving cabs), double stack containers and
cars. They will have accommodation for 28 crew and 12 drivers,
and have four cargo decks (lower, main, upper and open). A
car deck is also being fitted in the steerage area of the bows.
Access for rolling cargo will be via a ramp to the main deck at
the stern.
The ships are 209 m long, measure 26.5 m at the beam, have
a draught of 7.1 m and a height of 7.1 m to the main deck.
Their gross weight is 29,750 tonnes and their deadweight 9,325
tonnes. They are equipped with four propulsory motors with a
total output (M.C.R.) of 41,580 kW, two controllable and reversible
propellors and two controllable prow propellors of 1,000 kW.
They can attain speeds of 25.5 knots and have a range of 3,000
nautical miles.
New Ro-Ro ships for Navantia S.A. project
SENER signs a contract with BAE Systems to use FORAN on
the CVF Project
British company BAE Systems Marine Limited has signed a
contract with SENER to use the FORAN system in developing the
first phase (initial design) of the CVF project to build aircraft carriers
for the Royal Navy. The agreement covers more than 100 licences
and broad technical support.
BAE Systems Marine carried out the signing on behalf of the
Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA), a consortium formed by the British
Ministry of Defence (MoD) and various companies from the naval
sector that will be carrying out construction work on the carriers
HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, which are due
to enter service in 2012 and 2015, respectively.
Aircraft carrier for the Royal Navy
Under the terms of the contract, FORAN can be installed in a
large variety of sites, including those of the MoD in Bristol; BAE
Systems Marine - Surface Fleet Solutions, in Glasgow; BAE
Systems Marine - Submarine Solutions, in Barrow-in-Furness; the
headquarters of ACA, in Bristol; VT Shipbuilding, in Portsmouth;
Babcock Support Services, in Rosyth; BAE Systems Integrated
System Technologies, in Bristol; Thales Naval, in Bristol; and
Kellogg Brown and Root, in Leatherhead. At the moment, FORAN
is already being used in the shipyards at Glasgow, Barrow-inFurness and Portsmouth.
The scale of the SENER supply package includes training,
installation, initial configuration and technical assistance, both on
site and from afar, as well as the development of specific applications
to link FORAN with the management systems being used.
Based in Farnborough in the United Kingdom and with a worldwide
workforce of more than 90,000 people, BAE Systems plc is the
biggest defense contractor in Europe and the fourth biggest in
the world. The company develops, sells and maintains advanced
defense and aerospace systems. Among other products, it builds
and maintains military aircraft, combat vehicles, surface ships,
submarines, radar, and systems for avionics, communications,
electronics and weapons.
BAE Systems Marine Limited is a subsidiary company of BAE
Systems dedicated to warship construction with shipyards at
Barrow and Glasgow (Scotstoun and Govan).
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Tugboats for Unión Naval Valencia
SENER is carrying out a complete basic engineering package
and steel and equipment specifying for two types of tugboat
for the Unión Naval Valencia. One of these types (numbering
four units) will be used for high sea rescue work, picking up
survivors, supporting personnel and teams from other vessels
and for fire fighting among other missions. With a total length
of 39.70 m, 34.52 m between uprights, 12.5 m in beam and
5.50 m high, the vessel will have a minimum cruising speed of
13 knots at full power and a minimum range of 6,000 miles
while cruising at 80% power.
The other tugboat will be of the Stern Drive Azimutal type,
specially designed for towing and escorting, fighting
contamination and fires, and collecting oil waste. Its main
dimensions will be approximately 34 m in length, 31.96 m on
the waterline, with a beam of 13 m and a height of 6 m. It will
have a minimum cruising speed of 13 knots at full power.
Stern Drive
Azimutal
tugboat
project
Tugboat for Unión
Naval Valencia
Container ships for Komrowski
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The Naval Gijón shipyard has delivered the Taipan, the first of four
container ships ordered by the German shipping line Komrowski.
SENER has carried out the design, contract and registration work,
as well as part of the detailed engineering. The other three vessels
are currently under construction.
The Taipan is 131 m long, 22.8 m in the beam, 11.9 m in height
to the upper deck and with a draught of 7.6 m. It is powered by
a main motor producing 9,600 kW at 500 rpm, two 800 kWe
auxiliary motors at 750 rpm, a 500 kW emergency generator and
a prow propeller producing 700 kW at 1,770 rpm.
Among its main innovations are a high degree of flexibility in loading
and unloading operations, thanks to the layout of its six holds; the
ability to load different types of container; its high speed (more than
19 knots) with a very low power/speed ratio; and a very high
stowage coefficient (useful cargo / deadweight).
Imabari extends its use of FORAN
In April 2006, the Japanese group Imabari
Shipbuilding signed an agreement with SENER
for the permanent use of the company’s
FORAN system. The deal was the culmination
of a pilot project started in 2005 in which the
group’s central technical office, based in
Marugame, produced a 3D model and part
of the information needed for constructing the
engine room of a typical VLCC (very large
crude-oil carrier).
Imabari then began a gradual implementation
of FORAN in its shipyards, starting in
Marugame with the detailed fitting out of
project 8060, another VLCC that is due to
be delivered in 2008 from its Saijo yard.
Other new end users continue to be included
as more work is assigned to the FORAN
section. Imabari has already asked for
additional licences to equip new work stations
at the Marugame yard and at its engineering
subsidiary in China between June and October
2007.
Imabari Shipbuilding
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Oil tanker for Sacor Marítima
2,500 m3 oil tanker project
SENER is developing the complete basic engineering system
and steel specification for a self-propelled 2,500 m 3 oil tanker
that will supply fuel in protected areas, ports and bays for the
Lisbon-based company Sacor Marítima.
The vessel is being designed to transport products with a flash
point higher than 60ºC, and able to operate up to 20 miles from
the coast. It will have a flat top, bow space for ballast, a cargo
area with a twin hull divided into eight H.F.O. tanks (four to port
and four to starboard) and two G.O. tanks (one on each side).
If necessary, one of the H.F.O. tanks can be used as a slop tank.
The side tanks with a double bottom will be used for ballast.
Also, on top of the cargo deck at the stern, the boat will have
a separate 30 m3 tank for carrying lubricating oil. A passageway
will connect the quarter and fo’c’sle decks. The rest of the
structure will consist of engine room, inspection decks and stern
storage space.
The boat will be equipped with a double propeller-rudder
propulsion system linked to 1,000 KW motors running at 1,800
rpm on D.O. In the bow, the motors will be connected to an
800 kVA electrical alternator.
The dimensions of the boat are 73.58 m in length, 68.82 m long,
with a beam of 14 m and a heigth of 5.60 m.
FORAN licenses for United Arab Emirates
During 2006, from April to December, Dubai Drydocks, the most
important Ship repair yard in the Gulf, with strategic plans to move
into New Shipbuilding, carried out an extensive trial of FORAN V60
on a real project. During this period training in all of the FORAN
modules was given in Dubai. At the same time, they were also able
to compare FORAN with Ship Constructor, their in house software
and Tribon on this same project. The final decision taken at the end
of 2006 was to install FORAN on a permanent basis with the
intention for it to be used in their New Shipbuilding projects and
some 40 licenses of the whole system are currently being used.
The project used for the evaluation was a semi submersible drilling
rig (two on order) for Aker Kvaerner Norway. The first hull will be
ready for delivery in mid-2007 and the second by early 2008. By
Dubai Drydocks
the third quarter of this year the facility will be geared up to build
two 50,000 dwt product carriers for a South Korean owner.
FORAN system
design
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New FORAN licensing contract in India
32
ABG Shipyard, the biggest new-build private shipbuilder in India,
has finalized a permanent licensing agreement for the FORAN
system.
ABG opinion of this system could not be more favorable, as can
be seen from recent declarations by its board of directors: “Last
year we were able to confirm the suitability of the system. Now we
are hoping to make FORAN a basic tool for achieving our objectives
of cutting costs and improving productivity in all the group’s
shipyards. We are proud to be part of the SENER family of FORAN
users.”
ABG is currently building a new yard at Dahej, in the North of
Mumbai, that will allow the group to not only increase production
capacity but also offer the flexibility needed to build all types of
ship. It is at this plant –built around two 400 m long docks and
equipped with top production methods– where FORAN will play
its main role in keeping with ABG policy of innovation, quality and
excellence in its products. Meanwhile, ABG employees are receiving
training in the electricity modules that will complete the application
of the system.
New FORAN agents in Asia
Bousted Naval Shipyard
Following the plans of the Marine Strategic Business Unit for better
world-wide marketing coverage, two additional FORAN agency
agreements have recently been signed in Asia.
Caidmark, a Malaysian company, specializing in engineering services,
software development and sales of engineering software has been
selected to promote FORAN in Malaysia and also in Indonesia
where they have an office.
In India, VEDAM Design & Technical Consultancy is a new company
that has been set up to provide Consultancy and Design services
for the shipbuilding industry. Their plan is to use FORAN for these
services and to aid SENER initially in marketing and sales of FORAN
and later to extend this help to the areas of training, maintenance
and technical assistance.
These two companies will reinforce the work of Seatech Solutions,
a Singapore based company currently promoting FORAN in
Singapore, Malaysia and India. Seatech has FORAN installed in
their Singapore office and has recently acquired licenses for their
Mumbai office.
Since 1999, FORAN has been used at PSC-Naval Dockyard at
Lumut, Malaysia. However in 2004, due to internal problems
of the shipyard, the collaboration with SENER was discontinued.
In August 2006 Boustead Holdings, a Malaysian Government
enterprise, took responsibility for the shipyard with the subsequent
name change.
As a result of negotiations with the new management towards
the end of 2006 and earlier this year, the collaboration with
Boustead has now been re-established. Since 2004 there had
been an almost complete turnover in personnel and a retraining
in FORAN V50 was necessary. This has been carried out
satisfactorily during recent months at Lumut and the yard can
now continue with the Patrol Vessel project, of which two hulls
have been completed and four remain to be built.
Once Boustead feels confident with their use of FORAN, then
migration to V60 for new projects will take place. In this sense,
a request for collaboration from SENER in new projects has
already been made.
ABG Shipyard, in India
New contract for the Marinha do Brasil
Last 26 October, SENER and the Marinha do Brasil signed a
licensing and services agreement for FORAN that includes the
installation of version 60 of the system at the Centro de Projeto de
Navios (CPN) and the Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro (AMRJ).
The deal also includes maintenance of the system for two years
and training Navy engineers to use the system.
Installation was carried out in January and the training programs
between February and April. The training consisted of courses
lasting between one and three weeks for teams of 24 engineers,
covering the disciplines of basic project, structure, armament and
electricity. The system is now fully operational.
This agreement continues a tradition of fruitful collaboration between
SENER and the Marinha do Brasil that began with a concession
to SENER to supply a package of equipment, software and services,
the result of a tendering competition run by the Brazilian Ministry
of Defense in 1997.
Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro
[ GROUP]
New project to generate high temperature solar power
electricity SOLAR TRES
SENER has formed a company called GEMASOLAR 2006 S.A. to
promote, build and operate a demonstration plant for using new
technology to generate solar powered electricity at Fuentes de
Andalucía (Seville, Spain).
The plant, the first of its kind in the world, will use molten salts
technology to capture and store thermal energy from the sun,
reaching new levels in the output of this type of power station,
almost three times higher than that of conventional thermo-solar
centers, without storage capacity.
The plant will be fitted with 2,600 flat, movable (heliostats) mirrors
that concentrate the sun’s rays on a heat interchange (receptor)
located in the upper part of a 130 meter high tower. The concentrated
thermal energy will allow, by way of an intermediate circuit through
which molten salts circulate at temperatures of between 260 and
560 ºC, the generation of steam to feed a 17 MW turbine and store
the excess in a cistern at 560 ºC. This tank will enable steam to be
kept for periods of up to 15 hours, guaranteeing electricity production
for about 6,500 hours per year, some 2.5 to 3 times more than
other forms of renewable energy such as wind or photovoltaic
power.
This type of plant, until now only tested in research and development
units in the United States, has been expanded and improved on
by SENER to attain commercial levels. To do this, SENER embarked
on a line of investigation that has allowed it to develop its own
technology for heliostats, receptor and salts systems that are being
experimented with at the Almería Solar Platform (PSA), with the
collaboration of CIEMAT.
To carry out the demonstration, known as SOLAR TRES, on an
industrial and commercial scale, the project already has the backing
of the European Commission through its V Framework Programme.
After a year of irradiation measurements, an ideal location has been
selected for the siting of the project in the town of Fuentes de
Andalucía, where authorization and licenses are now being sought
while preliminary engineering work is carried out.
The GEMASOLAR project will generate sufficient electricity to supply
some 30,000 homes.
ITP looks at creating a maintenance center for helicopter
motors in Albacete
Industria de Turbopropulsores, S.A. (ITP) is studying the possibility
of establishing a maintenance and assembly center for helicopter
motors in Albacete, in South Central Spain.
The proposed installations would cover an area of 5,000 m2, which
could be extended to 7,000 m2 to respond to future growth. Carrying
out the project would involve an initial investment of up to 13 million
euros, including the purchase of land, building work and the specialist
equipment needed for the maintenance of the engines. Some 75
jobs would be created for qualified maintenance technicians,
assemblers and management staff to cover the workload.
The project is based on the maintenance necessities of manufacturing
programs for the NH90 and EC 135 helicopters. ITP is already
working with the two suppliers of motors for the NH90, for which
the Spanish cabinet has approved the purchase of 45 units, with
the possibility of extending the order to 100. ITP is also the only
independent center worldwide that is authorized to carry out
maintenance of the PW206 motors that are being fitted to the 48
units of the EC 135 being acquired by the Ministry of the Interior
and that could also be fitted
to the new EC 135 helicopters
for the Ministry of Defense.
The project is part of the
framework to take advantage
of synergies that will arise from
the bid to promote the
development of the
aeronautical industry in the
Castilla La Mancha region.
This includes the
establi sh men t of a n
Aeronautical and Logistics
Industrial Park, the installation
of helicopter manufacturer
Eurocopter, and teaching
activities at the Albacete air
force base.
33
ITP: Operator at ITP
installations
Diesel plant at Terneuzen, Holland
The SENER Engineering Group (SGI) is behind a new project to
build a biodiesel plant at Terneuzen in the Netherlands that will
be capable of producing 200,000 tonnes per year from unused
soya, rapeseed and palm oils using De Smet Ballestra technology.
The plant will be owned by the Dutch company Biofueling BV, set
up at the end of 2006, in which SENER Engineering Group has
a 15% stake and the remainder is held by the Catalonian industrial
group Surroca. In choosing SENER as its industrial partner, Surroca
handed SGI responsibility for selecting the site for the plant, the
technology to be used and drawing up the viability plan for the
project.
Terneuzen was picked principally on logistic grounds, given its
proximity to Rotterdam, Europe’s leading commodities port, which
optimizes both logistic and trading costs.
Biofueling was presented to the local authorities at a public meeting
held in February, during which the agreement for taking possession
of the site was signed with the port authority. The plant will be
located near Dow Chemicals’ biggest complex in Europe.
Biofueling is negotiating an EPC contract with the joint company
set up by SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas and De Smet-Ballestra
to build the plant, which is expected to be operative by early
2009.
[ GROUP]
Tracjusa awarded the environment quality certification ISO 14.001
34
The Tracjusa pig waste treatment plant at Juneda (Lleida, Spain),
has been awarded the UNE-EN-ISO 14.001:2004 certification
standard for its environmental management systems.
The Juneda plant uses the VALPUREN process to treat 100,000
tonnes per year of excess wastes, that is to say those that
cannot be applied in the agricultural district where they are
generated. Developed by SENER and SGT,
the process is already a benchmark for good
environmental practices in that it recycles
fertilizer material from the waste, makes use
of its energy content and recuperates water.
The recycled fertilizer is a solid product, in
the form of “pellets”, the analysis of which
corresponds to an organic mineral manure
with a composition of 8:5:6 in NPK and 40%
in organic material. It can be transported
to and applied to distant agricultural areas
and has been proved to be more effective
than a chemical fertilizer of similar
composition.
The energy content of the waste, associated
with the biodegradable organic material, can
be recuperated through biodigestion in the
VALPUREN process, being transformed into
biogas that can be used in an adjoining cogenerating installation to produce electricity.
Finally, the water – which constitutes nearly
95% of pig waste – can be recuperated in
liquid form that can be condensed and used
in the co-generating plant, thus saving on
water supplies to the installations.
The heat requirements of the waste treatment plant are supplied
by a 16 MWe co-generation unit that also produces electricity
from a mix of natural gas and biogas, assuring high efficiency
energy management.
The SENER Engineering Group is the principal shareholder in
Tracjusa, with a stake of 35%.
Tracjusa
installations
SENER signed an agreement with Romsinn to build a
used oil regenerating plant
On 26 October, SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas signed an agreement
with the Rumanian company Romsinn to build a regenerating plant
for used oil in Zlatna (Rumania).
The factory will be equipped with technology developed and patented
by the SENER Engineering Group as a new method of extraction
using Interline solvents. The technology was demonstrated and has
now been functioning for more than six years at the Ecolube plant
at Fuenlabrada near Madrid.
The Romsinn factory will be built at Zlatna in the Transylvania region
and will have a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year. To feed the new
plant, Romsinn will be organizing a collection system for used oils
in Rumania.
SENER participates in technological
development projects for energy and the environment
In addition to innovatory activities linked directly to current energy
and environmental projects, SENER is taking part in various studies
and original projects involving new energy and environmental
technology.
It is participating in a project directed by the Center for Renewable
Energies (CENER), connected with analyzing the life cycle of different
types of technology that make use of biomass for creating energy.
SENER is contributing with its own experience in the study of new
advanced cycles for evaluating biomass, combined with reduced
levels of fossil fuels. Similarly, it is also involved in a project called
SOSTAQUA, financed by the CENIT Programme, in which a broadbased consortium of companies and research centers led by Aguas
de Barcelona (AGBAR) is tackling various aspects of the problems
connected with the sustainable management of water resources.
SENER is taking part in activities connected with the energy evaluation
of residues generated in the purification of water.
[ TECHNO LOGY]
SENER takes part in DIFIS, a research and innovation project
to remove oil from ship wrecks
The European Union is developing, in the VI Framework Programme,
a research study to the removal of oil from ship wrecks with an
innovating system. This approach will allow a fast intervention in
case of maritime disaster. The official name of the project is DIFIS
(Double Inverted Funnel for the Intervention on Ship Wrecks), and
is awarded to a project team with nine participants, including SENER.
The aim of this project is the study, design and validation of an EU
reference method for the prompt and cost-effective intervention
and remediation of tanker wrecks dealing with eventual leaks and
recuperating the fuel trapped in their tanks even at considerable
depths (about 4000 m). DIFIS, if successful, aims at a European
reference method on how to promptly intervene on wrecks in the
case of maritime accidents. It is foreseeable that this will have an
important impact in the UE’s and OMI´s standards and regulations
about how to handle and solve catastrophes with risk of spills.
The project participants are well known companies or institutes in
the off-shore industry. The following participants are working with
SENER on the project, MARIN, IFREMER, CEA, CYBERNETX,
SIREHNA, ISI, CONSULTRANS and JRC. In this project team SENER
is responsible for the early and the constructive design of the system
and the different elements.
The DIFIS system consists of a light, quickly deployable flexible
structure that should stay in place until all the tanks of the wreck
are emptied and the pollution threat eliminated. The proposed
method will be of general applicability as long the trapped pollutant
does not dissolve and is of lower density than sea water. So is the
gravity force that makes the task to raise the pollutant until the
upper reservoir. The leaking fuel is collected by a kind of inverted
funnel, consisting of fabric dome solidly anchored around and
covering completely the wreck. The collected fuel is channelled,
along with sea water, through a long, flexible riser tube into a second
inverted funnel close to the sea surface. This second inverted funnel
acts like separator and buffer reservoir, so has the function of a
terminal buoy, which keeps the whole riser line in tension and
provides for a rapid periodical unloading to a shuttle tanker.
As for the progress of the study, the project started with study
of the requirements of the system for the European seas, studying
the characteristics of the oil spills in the past. The functional and
design requirements were defined for the development of the DIFIS
system, for instance the environmental conditions, like the wave
heights, the currents and requirements for the deployment of the
system are determined.
In the early design different alternatives were developed for the
Dome, the Riser Tube and the Buffer Bell, for instance a Buffer Bell
with different capacities (1,250 y 6,250 m3) was developed. In March
2007 a scale model was tested in the off-shore basin of Marin, The
Netherlands. The study and dissemination of the DIFIS system is
scheduled to be finished in the middle of the year 2008.
35
DIFIS System
Riser Tube
DIFIS System
Dome
[ IN
BRIEF
]
Official opening for SENER in Poland
SENER opened its Warsaw office on 18 January. The event was
attended among others by Rafael Mendivil Peidro, Spanish
Ambassador to Poland; Jorge Sendagorta, President of SENER
Grupo de Ingeniería; Jorge Unda, Managing Director of SENER;
Lope Seco, Country Manager of SENER Poland and Sergiusz Najar,
member and board chairman of SENER Sp. Z o.o. (Ltd. Co.)
In Poland, SENER has participated in projects to expand the
Fryderyck Chopin airport and as a member of the consortium that
has developed the viability study for the new main airport. At present,
SENER is working on the A1 highway, in which it has a 50-50
partnership with the Polish Company Trakt.
Development plans for transport infrastructure are among the leading
challenges for Poland as the country strives to modernize its
economy. SENER is able to offer the guarantee of the experience
it has gained in countries in a similar situation to Poland, opening
up opportunities for applying its technical know-how.
Along with SENER other offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao,
Valencia, Lisbon, Buenos Aires and Mexico City, the opening in
Warsaw represents another stride forward in the international reach
of the company, enabling the group to offer integrated services to
central governments, regional authorities and companies.
SENER Polonia office inauguration. From left to right: Lope
Seco, Country Manager of SENER Polonia, Jorge Sendagorta,
President of SENER Engineering Group, Rafael Mendivil Peidro,
Spanish Ambassador to Poland and Jorge Unda, Managing
Director of SENER.
SENER opens office in Japan
36
SENER continues its growth with the opening of an office in Japan
to meet the increasing demand for FORAN-related services.
Ken Ito, a veteran of the shipbuilding industry with 30 years of
technical and management experience, will manage the Okayamabased office, which will provide consulting, training and technical
support to FORAN customers.
In the inaugural ceremony, held on 8 September with significant
attendance from Japanese companies, press and academic circles,
SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas’ Managing Director Jorge Unda said
that “we are proud to strengthen our commitment to the Japanese
shipbuilding industry with this opening, which coincides with the
50th anniversary of the establishment of our company, and we look
forward to building solid, long-lasting relationships with local
companies as we have done with European and American ones”.
In the same act, Ken Ito emphasized the potential of FORAN as
“the system of next generation for Japanese shipbuilders to survive,”.
Meanwhile Luis García, General Manager of the Marine Business
Unit of SENER, remarked the message: “we came to Japan to stay
for keeps.”
Asked why SENER had chosen Okayama as its first base in Japan,
Area Manager Alfonso Cebollero said: “the main reason for choosing
Okayama was proximity to customers, though lower operation
costs compared to bigger cities and its excellent infrastructures
were also taken into account.”
Okayama, a city of 650,000 inhabitants, is situated at the centre
of the Chugoku region, the Southwest of main island of Japan. It
is a central city of the Seto Inland Sea coast, where numerous
shipyards have been established.
Solar energy workshop held in Denver
SENERtrough system at the Andasol 1 solar plant
SENER took part in a workshop on solar energy through
concentration held in the US city of Denver between 7 and 9 March.
The event, sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
brought together the leading technological companies currently
operating in this field, as well as important R+D organizations,
electrical companies and independent generators from the south
west of the United States.
At the workshop SENER presented its SENsol, SENERtrough and
Heliostato products, as well as its projects under development,
SOLAR TRES and Andasol 1 & 2, attracting a large audience.
Andasol 1 & 2 drew particular interest, standing out both for their
technical capabilities and how they are being financed. From the
technical point of view, these projects are exceptional for incorporating
the first thermal storage system in commercial use in the world
using molten salts; from the financial, they are the first large scale
solar projects to be financed without resorting to an “ad hoc” turnkey
contract.
[ IN
BRIEF
]
Eighth International Symposium
on “The Frontiers of Basic
SENER prize for Final Project
Physics”
The Final Project in the field of Bio-engineering, “The modelling and
operational control of a robot for laparoscopic surgery”, carried out
by Jesús Morales Rodríguez, has won the prize offered by SENER
for 2007. The award is the result of a framework collaboration
agreement between the University of Malaga and SENER to establish
cooperation in R+D between the two entities.
Álvaro Azcárraga, Consultant of the Aerospace Strategic Bussines
Unit at SENER, took part in the 8th International Symposium on the
Frontiers of Basic Physics that was held in Madrid between 16 and
19 October and organized by the Madrid Polytechnic University
(UPM) in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Valencia
(UPV). Two Nobel Physics prizewinners, Douglas D. Osheroff and
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, attended the event.
The symposium has provided a meeting point for physicists and
scientists working in the areas of Higher Physics Energy, Theoretic
Physics, Astrophysics, Gravitation, Applied Mathematics and Basic
Physics.
Awards Ceremony of the Final Project SENER Prize
at Malaga University
CDTI visit to SENER
The Managing Director of the CDTI (Center for Technological Industrial
Development) Maurici Lucena, accompanied by Mercedes Sierra,
Director of Aerospace Activities of the CDTI and Andrés Zabara, the
National Director of the CDTI, visited the SENER Integration and
Testing Center at Tres Cantos (Madrid) on 7 February. The guests
were able to see at first hand the company’s capabilities in all these
areas, especially the R+D activities.
Some of the people attending the Symposium, from left to right:
Álvaro Azcárraga, Phyllis Liu, Douglas D. Osheroff, Pierre-Giles
de Gennes, Mrs. Pérez Yuste and Antonio Pérez Yuste.
Futur Civil 2007
Futur Civil, a course dedicated to the future of Civil Engineering
organized by the Higher Technical School of Highway, Canal and
Port Engineers of Barcelona, was held in Barcelona on 17 April.
The goal was to establish contacts between students and
companies. Xavier Pascual, from SENER Civil Engineering Section,
took part in a colloquium on Civil Engineering.
From left to right: Jorge Sendagorta, President of SENER Engineering
Group, Mercedes Sierra, Director of Aerospace Activities of the CDTI
and Rafael Quintana, General Manager of the Strategic Aerospace
Business Unit of SENER.
SENER participates in the
Passenger Terminal Expo Fair
SENER took part in the 11th edition of the International Passenger
Terminal Expo, a fair that between 27 and 29 of March in Barcelona
attracted more than 200 companies involved in engineering, technology,
design, consulting, and other suppliers to airport terminals. The company
presented its latest Civil Engineering projects in this field, among them
a viability study for a proposed new airport in central Poland (NCAP),
one for the expansion of Zaragoza airport and another for a hangar for
the Globalia group at Palma airport on the island of Mallorca.
37
[ PROFILES]
Review of the career of Vicente Cudós
38
Vicente Cudós has been one of the most outstanding aeronautics
professionals of the past 50 years, a national and international
authority on structural estimating, university professor and master
of many generations of engineers, and one of the main influences
on SENER work in the field of airports.
He began his professional career as a captain in the Aeronautical
Engineers’ Corps of the Spanish Air Force in 1953, as chief of Air
Training in Morocco and Representative for Civil Aviation in the area.
After three years he joined Agromán, where in a short time he
became Deputy Chief of the projects office and later company
agent. After that, he moved to Iberia, where he undertook various
duties (Deputy Director of Services, Director of Ground Installations
and Operations, in-flight engineering operations). While at Iberia he
managed many projects for hangars (including a world record one
for its structural light), workshops and flight simulators. He also
developed the company’s industrial area at La Muñoza near Madrid,
the catering services, and took charge of handling operations at
Spanish airports, designing many pieces of equipment.
At the Proyecta company, initially, and later at OPC, he designed
various airport terminals such as those at Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza,
Alicante, Valencia, Fuerteventura, Gerona, the T1Terminal at MadridBarajas, hangars, the engine testing tunnel at INTA, master plans,
runways like the 18R-36L at Madrid, platforms at the NAT at Barajas,
tunnels, underground passages etc. Among his most recent jobs,
now collaborating with SENER, the ones that stand out are the
expansion of the terminal building at Malaga airport, the new 0725 runway at Barcelona and the Globalia hangar at Palma airport
on the island of Mallorca.
His teaching and scientific work were also very extensive. He was
professor at the Schools of Industrial Engineers at Barcelona and
Aeronautics in Madrid, a regular speaker at conferences on structures
and airports, a member of technical committees, editor of standards
and author of various books, among which stand out “Cálculo de
Estructuras de Acero” (Steel Structures Estimating) and “Cuadernos
de Ingeniería de Aeropuertos” (Airport Engineering Records).
Among his many distinctions was being named Member of Honor
of the Engineering Institute of Spain. He also received the medals
“Gran Cruz al Mérito Civil” (for Civil Engineering achievement),
“Medalla al Mérito Docente” for teaching from ETSI Aeronáuticos,
“Medalla de la Carretera” (for roads) from the ICCP College, and
the “Sercometal Prize”.
FAREWELL TO “DON VICENTE”
On our journey through life we come across certain people who we
connect with through various links, be they family, affectionate or
professional. I have had the luck to share a large part of my
professional life with Vicente Cudós, both in the early years at OPC
– almost 30 – and at SENER.
From the pages of this SENER magazine I would like to express my
thanks and say farewell to Vicente, who passed away on 24
December. Although he was not on the company staff, he was
always very closely linked to SENER, as much from the professional
point of view as the family one. During this period of nearly 30 years,
I have had the pleasure to work very closely and personally with
Vicente Cudós on an endless list of diverse projects, the last of
which was the hangar designed by SENER for Air Europa at Palma
Airport, Mallorca, on which we worked together only on the initial
phase because of my own health problems.
Vicente Cudós
A great professional, boss, teacher and also a friend, Vicente Cudós,
“Don Vicente” for many of those who knew him, represented a form
and style of working in which came together all his technical and
managerial knowledge and his spirit of effort and excelling, making
him much more than just a great engineer. His capacity, strength
and teamwork, coupled with his eagerness to pass on his knowledge
to all those who worked with him (where the professor in him came
out), made him a point of reference for many.
In December 2005 he received the title of “MEMBER OF HONOR
OF THE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF SPAIN”. To recognize the
event, some of the people who collaborated with him in recent
years wanted to offer him a tribute. He could not accept because
of his state of health, and so we dedicate it to him in these pages.
For all that he has done, I want to tell him farewell, give him my
thanks, and to put on record that for many of us he was one of
those people who, as I commented earlier, are so important to us
in our passage through life.
“Don Vicente”, thanks, and see you.
Ángel Plaza Escudero
[ SENET]
Senet, the importance of data
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems have evolved greatly
in the last few years. Buy outs like the acquisition by Dassault of
MatrixOne or that announced by Siemens for taking over UGS
emphasize this evolution and will set the future pattern for the
positioning of these products in the marketplace. Dassault, for
example, now has three different PLMs: one focused on CAD tools,
another for small companies and now MatrixOne for the big
corporations.
Senet is the PLM of the SENER group, a tool that enables users
to create documents, promote them, sign for tasks, attach files,
and hand out approvals… and all this for what? The answer is easy:
to share. But with Senet the term
share takes on a wider meaning than
This year the Senet team
just making a file commonly available
faces a switch in projects by placing it in a specific archive or
from Senet 1 to Senet 2,
sending it out by mail. Senet provides
which will mean the closing much more complete information,
down of the Senet 1
from the point of sharing out
service. In this way, all effort documents as to which people can
will be concentrated on a see them and when. And it is not only
accessible to the people who generate
single tool, with the
the information, but also to the
consequent reduction in
members of Senet or other authorized
machines and systems.
persons. The information handled is
unique, avoiding confusion and
facilitating access. We can even share with our suppliers, clients
and companions.
At present some1,050 licenses have been taken out to use Senet,
and there are 1,050 active users, that is to say users who are able
to enter Senet and carry out tasks. The statistics of the server show,
for a determined period of time, an average of some 200 users at
any given time and approximately 50 tasks (nearly always large
ones) being carried out simultaneously, substantially higher figures
than those registered a few months ago.
Nevertheless, there is a revealing piece of information that shows
this increase in activity is insufficient – that the disc drives for sections
keep on growing and that a tool such as Senet should encourage
users to store project information on the PLM instead of leaving the
information in a space on a disc that can be changed by anyone
who has access to that file. Also, Senet allows a person outside or
who has recently joined the project to easily find the information
they need. For example, a worker can access the technical report
of a project from another section, or even from another department,
without having to change all the documents on the explorer or call
up the author of the document to request the file. Senet allows you
to search in an intelligent way.
The technical effort behind Senet
The team in charge of running Senet works on several fronts: in the
first instance looking at technical improvements to the service that
is offered, including the latest upgrades, optimizing speed of access
and reducing the level of stoppages caused by system overload.
In second place, they take care of explaining new functions for the
system, from the structure of the product to the simplest of tasks,
such as retrieving a report that contains all the documents included
in a project.
To carry out technical improvements to the service, older machines
are being renovated at the same time as the software for the system.
The present system is scheduled to change to the version 10.6.3
that will include a number of small improvements and, above all,
correct various bugs.
At the same time, to explain new functions of the system, the team
wants to boost the use of Integrations in Office, Project as well as
Workspace, as much for the prompt or temporary interchange of
information with suppliers as for the structure of the product. This
latter service demonstrates the great potential of a PLM system
and, although it is more geared to production companies, is already
used for many SENER projects.
The goal for 2007: from Senet 1 to Senet 2
This year the Senet team faces a switch in projects from Senet 1
to Senet 2, which will mean the closing down of the Senet 1 service.
In this way, all effort will be concentrated on a single tool, with the
consequent reduction in machines and systems. At present there
are approximately 54 projects in Senet 2, many of them closed
down. The transfer will involve a download of stored information on
to disc, to be later uploaded to Senet 2. Given that the metadata
information is not the same in each system, only the principal and
common files will be transferred.
Developing all the many possibilities offered by a PLM is only possible
when the whole organization is involved, not just the department
that creates the information. To facilitate understanding of the
system, the Senet team has drawn up a fast check guide available
in Tools -> Help, that gathers together tricks and tips for carrying
out some of the daily tasks on Senet.
39
Senet screen:
User's help guide
Senet screen:
Project
Senet screen:
WBS Task