Valmet Automotive GmbH

Project: Establishment of functional safety management and management of a hybrid feasibility study

Client: Valmet Automotive GmbH
Period: July 2018 – February 2019
Role: Functional Safety Manager & Consultant

Following the acquisition of a German engineering service provider by Valmet, I was tasked with establishing the functional safety (FuSa) discipline from scratch at the site in Munich. At the same time, I was asked to contribute my expertise to an innovative project for the customer Volkswagen.

My core responsibilities and results:

• Establishment of a standards-compliant FuSa framework: I designed and implemented the entire functional safety management system for the site. This     included the creation of fundamental guidelines, methodologies, strategies, and the associated templates and checklists to ensure a reliable and standardized way of working.
• Leading a feasibility study for VW: I supported a challenging concept project for VW, which involved retrofitting an existing diesel transporter with a switchable electric drive (a precursor to modern hybrid drives). I was responsible for conducting the feasibility study from a functional safety perspective to assess the technical and conceptual feasibility.
• Knowledge transfer and competence building: A key objective was to anchor the know-how in the company in the long term. I took on the active training and coaching of an internal employee to enable him to take on the role of Functional Safety Manager.

Project completion:
The feasibility study was successfully completed. However, at the end of the year, the end customer VW decided not to pursue the concept for strategic and technical reasons. After this key project for the department was dropped, I focused on finalizing the generic R&D documents. After the complete handover of all the basic documents and processes I had created, my assignment was completed as planned.

Project impact:
Not only did I deliver a critical feasibility analysis for a Tier 1 customer, but I also established a complete, future-proof R&D process landscape for Valmet. By coaching the internal manager, the company was empowered to manage future safety projects independently and in compliance with standards.