PHOENIX CONTACT | UPDATE - The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

F I R E – FA C T S A N D F I G U R E S City ﬁ res In history 64 AD Rome burned; ﬁ re allegedly set by Emperor Nero 34,000 people were killed by an Allied air raid in Hamburg in 1943 1,000,000 years old – the oldest remains of a hearth, found in South Africa 20,000 lighters have been collected by the National Lighter Museum in Guthrie, Oklahoma (USA) 1936 is when the Olympic torch relay was held for the ﬁ rst time; the ﬁ re was generated by a concave mirror in Olympia, Greece 1799 the year in which the ﬁ rst volunteer ﬁ re department was founded in Alzey, Germany Damage €1 billion worth of ﬁ re damage each year in the private sector alone 400 ﬁ re deaths every year, of which die due to ﬁ re gases, not from ﬂ ames die while asleep 95 % 70 % 6,000°C is what the hottest ﬂ ame, caused by burning dicyanoacetylene and ozone under high pressure, measures 1,200°C is the temperature of a forge ﬁ re 1,400°C is the temperature of a candle ﬂ ame 15,000,000°C is the temperature at the sun’s core 62,053 ha of forest and the town of Paradise burned down in 2018 in California, USA 13,200 houses were destroyed in London in the ﬁ re of 1666 Records 118 torches in 60 seconds – Austrian Egon Rusch set a ﬁ re swallowing world record 60.64 m height of the tallest bonﬁ re in Lustenau, Austria in 2019 Causes of ﬁ re in 2020 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 % 2 31 % 20 % 12 % 8 % 4 % 2 % 2 % 2 % 19 % Electricity Human error Arson Overheating Work involving ﬁ re hazards Naked ﬂ ame Self-ignition Explosion Other and unknown UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

Gernot Finis, Vice President and Head of BU Trabtech E D I T O R I A L Fire and Flames Dear Readers, Fire and heat are the main topics of this issue. Because if there is one thing that will concern mankind today and in the future, it is the fever chart of our planet. Heat that we ourselves cause by emitting greenhouse gases. Climate change, which promotes the spread of deserts and creates forest fi re belts around the world. Phoenix Contact has been committed to resource conservation and climate protection for many years. By joining the 2° Foundation, we are further underscoring our commitment. You can read a portrait of this organization starting on page 10. But heat does not always have to be negative. Life on our planet is only possible thanks to solar fi re. And plants are not the only things that can convert the power of our central star into energy. Locomotion can also be generated purely by solar power. Phoenix Contact is one of the sponsors of the RWTH Aachen University’s solar vehicle. We can harness more than just solar power. In Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, the energy of the earth is being tapped. And that incidentally produces a most welcome by-product. We reveal which one in the story starting on page 28. My world of work is also shaped by the vision of an All Electric Society. As head of BU Trabtech, I deal directly with the topics of lightning and surge protection together with my team – in other words, the protection of electrical and electronic systems. This topic is becoming increasingly important, especially against the backdrop of the increasing networking of technical systems and the resulting special characteristics. Take a look behind the scenes of our high-current laboratory starting on page 18 to fi nd out more! Fire is dangerous. And fascinating. It makes life possible. And it threatens lives. Phoenix Contact and its widely faceted product range are very close to the topic of fi re. With this in mind, we wish you great fun and interest in reading this issue! The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 3

The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine Fire Fire and heat from the earth, space, the atmosphere, or as lightning from the laboratory – topics of edition 3, 2021. Climate change is the biggest threat and the most crucial challenge facing our planet 08 Climate change and global warming Phoenix Contact is committed to Foundation 2°. What does this lobbying organization stand for? A visit to the offi ce in the capital | 10 We are not greenwashers Interview with CEO Frank Stührenberg – How sustainable is our commitment against the backdrop of the All Electric Society? | 15 4 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

S I G N P O S T The solar vehicle the embodiment of extremes – entirely solar powered 28 Forces of nature under controlled conditions: the Trabtech lightning laboratory 18 Cord Starke knows how to wrap cables with shielding 34 He knows how to deal with hot topics: COO Ulrich Leidecker in a historic forge 40 FIRE AND SPARKS The Lords of Lightning Surge protection for more than just your house and yard. Sparks are tested in the lightning protection laboratory | 18 SOLAR POWER Icarus΄ Chariot With just the power of the sun, 3,500 kilometers through the Australian outback | 28 INTERVIEW A Hotbed of Ideas When it comes to open platforms, open source, and control technology, he is an internationally sought-after expert | 40 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY Sluiced Hot With lithium extraction on the Upper Rhine Plain, Germany could once again become a raw material supplier | 24 LIQUID METAL Hot Cast How a crazy idea turned into a clever solution – and an entire manufacturing operation | 34 Editorial | 03 From the industry | 06 Behind the scenes | 44 Imprint | 47 Preview | 47 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 5

F R O M T H E I N D U S T RY A visitor to Bad Pyrmont: Spot The dog from a 3D printer Robotics from open source 3D printing The triumphant advance of robotics has picked up speed. A four-legged cyber robot named Spot recently wandered through the Bad Pyrmont location, inspiring ﬁ rst contacts with the topic of smart buildings. of 3D-printed components for which design data is openly accessible. The 2,000-gram robot And news has now come that there are brand new robotics approaches. Solo 8 is an open- source dog-like robot developed by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) in Tübingen and Stuttgart. The highlight: It consists almost exclusively can already jump waist-high. If he falls over, he gets back on his feet on his own. And thanks to the open design data, he is inexpensive. Any robotics lab can easily develop their own applications and share them back with the community. mpg.de/14983175/ vierbeiniger- roboter-open-source-open-source RecyclableBlades as one stop on the way to making the complete wind turbine recyclable. This goal is to become a reality by 2040. When it is realized, offshore wind power will be even more important as a building block in the ﬁ ght to preserve the climate. RECYCLABLE BLADES siemensgamesa.com Russia’s long line Nord Stream 2 doubles natural gas capacity In September 2021, the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline was completed after three and a half years of construction. It is the most controversial pipeline in the world, snaking along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 2 begins at Narva Bay and runs in two tubes for around 1,230 kilometers across the Baltic Sea to Lubmin in Germany. Lubmin is also the place where the natural gas from Russia is to be fed into the European distribution network. This will increase the total annual production volume to 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Given the EU’s goal of phasing out fossil fuels by 2045 at the latest, however, maximum capacity utilization will rarely be necessary. nord-stream.com Nord Stream 2 Russia Germany Turbine blade compost On the way to a completely recyclable marine wind turbine Siemens Gamesa has unveiled the ﬁ rst offshore wind turbine blade that will be completely recyclable at the end of its life cycle. The company calls the new development “RecyclableBlades,” and has already produced six of the blades in its rotor blade production facility in Aalborg, Denmark. The rotor blades are made of a combination of materials bonded into their lightweight structure using resin. The crux of recycling is the need to separate the resin from the remaining components. Considering that some 200 gigawatts of offshore capacity is expected to be realized by new wind turbines worldwide by the end of 2030 (as estimated by the Global Wind Energy Council), the importance of the ability to design turbines that can be recycled becomes clear. Siemens Gamesa sees the development of 6 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

F R O M T H E I N D U S T RY Steam for steamers Hydrogen direct-injection engine for heavy-duty applications The Cologne-based company Deutz has an excellent reputation, and not just among farmers. Whenever engines are needed to move heavyweights made of steel, the company founded in 1864 comes into the picture. The people of Cologne even remain loyal to this tradition when they use alternative fuels. The “TCG 7.8 H2” is a steel powerhouse that can be fueled with hydrogen instead of diesel or electricity. What’s special is that the six- cylinder engine burns the energy-charged gas directly and does not provide propulsion to driven parts via a fuel cell. This allows it to be based on existing engine concepts. On the test bed, the engine already runs at 200 kW. Deutz sees the current application primarily in the stationary sector and rail transport, because a hydrogen infrastructure is available there. But in the future, ships, and commercial vehicles on the road and in agriculture can also be equipped with the engine. deutz.com Straight to performance: the TCG 7.8 H2 Steel without coal Introducing a game changer in metal production Until now, the plan to produce steel entirely without fossil fuels has been wishful thinking. But for the ﬁ rst time, Sweden has succeeded in managing to do so entirely without coal or coke. Instead, for the ﬁ rst time SSAB Swedish Steel GmbH was able to roll steel that was reduced using renewable hydrogen at its Oxelösund plant. steelmakers succeeded in producing hydrogen-reduced sponge iron in a pilot plant. This iron sponge was the basis for the steel. The companies involved hope to scale the process to such an extent that they will then be able to launch “fossil-free” steel by 2026. If they succeed, Sweden could reduce its total carbon dioxide emissions by around 10 percent. The “Hybrit” project started in 2016 in cooperation with the mining company LKAB and the power provider Vattenfall. In June 2021, the ssab.com The road to carbon-free steel production is still long The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 7 The networked vehicle From means of transport to computer Cars are becoming networked, multifunctional vehicles that autonomously take their occupants from point A to point B, monitor themselves, and organize necessary maintenance appointments. Data about the vehicle is collected by the vehicle. The German Federal Ofﬁ ce for Information Security has now issued a warning on the occasion of the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich: cyber attacks against and through cars, even in manufacturers’ production environments, are possible. Those who are developing their vehicles into rolling mobility platforms must not stop at installing brakes and airbags: “We need a digital crash test,” demanded BSI President Arne Schönbohm. At the moment, the BSI is working on technical guidelines to regulate networked communication. Bsi.de

decision-makers in business and administration. We keep the dialog open and can mediate, even between very confl icting interests, such as between Greenpeace or BUND and energy-intensive industry. This doesn’t always happen in the public eye, but it is extremely important in order to really make a difference. S ite visit in Berlin. In keeping with the theme, shirt and pants stick to the body in the muggy capital city air. The weather forecast announces atmospheric trouble in the southern parts of the country. But in the offi ce of Foundation 2°, it is bearable. This is not due to the lack of air conditioning. Instead, it is because of the refreshing spirit that the activists here radiate. We have an appointment with Sabine Nallinger and Mikiya Heise. They are the foundation’s managing director and press spokesman, and they want to explain more than the Berlin-based company’s objectives. They are also supposed to tell us what they expect from Phoenix Contact as a sponsoring company. è The objectives of Foundation 2° are honorable and on the tip of everyone’s tongue. But what kind of foundation or organization are you? Nallinger: We are a lobbying organization. A lobbying organization for climate protection. Our goal is to keep global warming well below two degrees. As the latest IPCC report once again impressively demonstrates, we do not have much time left to do so. And we are an organization that gets very specifi c. In the foundation’s founding phase, we sometimes had to explain that climate change exists at all; it was not self-evident. The discussion in recent years about climate targets was also good and important, but that is now over. We need to get things done in Germany, in Europe, and globally. Sabine Nallinger is the managing director of Foundation 2° è Recently, the climate targets have been tightened up. Germany aims to be climate neutral by 2045. That’s a whole 24 years. Everyone wants to protect the climate, but anyone who tries to raise the price of gasoline, for example, will feel the wrath of consumers or shareholders. Aren’t we still in a phase where concrete changes in companies are often postponed until the day after tomorrow? Nallinger: Yes, of course. But the pressure is growing. Companies that no longer want to be the driven bogeymen come to us because they want to come out on top. We have an explicit mandate to push these companies, to give them impetus to move forward with their goals. We are closely interlinked with environmental associations, as well as with politicians and è When someone is liked by everyone, they don't hurt anyone. Is Foundation 2° popular? Nallinger: No. But we are moderators. And they must remain capable of dialog. This includes environmental groups and scientists, trade unions and industry, associations and the democratic parties. We have to make sure that the doors don’t close. The worst thing would be if the willingness to talk between the players broke down. But we are not popular, we do not give up our positions. We push the companies. We defi ne positions and initiate processes that sometimes mean painful changes within the respective companies. If we were too radical, we would lose our role as moderators.  The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 11

è How does the foundation ﬁ nd out what the companies are actually doing? Nallinger: Indeed, it is not that simple. We now have 31 companies on board. Our job over the next few years is to work with individual companies to develop their path to climate neutrality and to support them along the way. And always adapted to the respective situation on site or to the needs of the different industries. To do this, we need openness and transparency towards each other. But we are not inspectors. We want to work together to develop the toolbox that companies need for the path to climate neutrality. è To repeat the question – How do you prevent Foundation 2° from becoming a cover for greenwashing, i.e., the climate-neutral cover? Nallinger: In point of fact, we are very unsuitable for greenwashing, because being accepted into the foundation as a sponsoring company is not in and of itself an achievement. è That works. We are here and reporting on our own commitment. And so far, no one has been on site in Blomberg and checked to see what we’re really doing. But the media reported that Phoenix Contact is committed to Foundation 2°. Heise: That will never go away, of course. It will become even more attractive for companies to join Foundation 2°. In the beginning, companies that got involved with us still felt the pressure from the industry or associations. This has changed completely, now everyone wants to outdo each other in terms of being green. In our last report, we took stock of where our companies stand on climate protection matters. But also: Where are the obstacles, what is still lacking, and what support do they need along the way? Nallinger: Every transformation needs partners. And when it comes to climate protection, industry associations are not really the fi rst port of call; instead, it’s an organization like ours that credibly represents its goals. We stand exclusively and only for climate protection, and for nothing else. Publicly joining us and then doing nothing else makes no sense – that would negatively refl ect on the companies themselves fi rst and foremost. 12 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

G LO B A L WA R M I N G “Climate protection is the next industrial revolution. It needs new alliances.” Managing Director Sabine Nallinger of Foundation 2° è You speak of a community of sponsoring companies. How does this community work? Nallinger: One way is actually through meetings here on site, which take place regularly at the general manager and owner level. Then, in projects like “Way to the <2° Economy,” which we launched four years ago together with futurologists. The question was how and how quickly business will have to change in a 2° world and how companies can prepare for this. We have set up the framework for the topics of buildings, mobility, and industry: one year’s time, cross-sector ideas. The result was eight concrete projects. Aldi, Telekom, and EnBW, for example, have joined forces and turned parking areas that are vacant at night in front of supermarkets into electric charging stations, supplied with green electricity and organized with an app developed by Telekom. It’s a new business model. Something like this has a symbolic influence. The task is so big that we have to tackle it together. Another project has just been announced in spring, together with AGORA Energiewende and the management consultancy firm Roland Berger and 17 companies from energy-intensive industry. Industries as diverse as copper, steel, chemistry, and power providers are involved. We have identified 12 policy tools that companies need to make the transformation to carbon neutrality. The document has received much attention, both in the Bundestag and in Brussels. è Does participation industrial community also create competitive in this high-level advantages? Here, heavyweights are coming together on unusual terrain because exchange is promoted. Nallinger: That can happen, of course. But that’s perfectly okay and doesn’t get in the way of what we’re trying to do, which is to act together to protect the climate. We need to think in a whole new way. I hear it from industry: This is the next industrial revolution. It needs new alliances. Heise: Competitive advantages climate protection, that’s what we’re aiming for. And everything that is jointly created here will be published. We are not an elitist business club, but of course we welcome new value creation chains, new alliances, new cooperations. Climate protection as a business model – that is one of our goals. If money can be earned through climate protection, why not! for è What role does Phoenix Contact play in this – what input can our company provide? Nallinger: What we need is the most concrete insight possible into climate protection on the ground. Where is the shoe pinching, which processes need special attention, what is already being done? How does Phoenix Contact want to become climate-neutral and what does it need to get there? Can we help with scientific support or make obstacles visible so that the right political course can be set? è What is the hot topic at Foundation 2° right now? Nallinger: Due to the amendment of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act, it is more expensive for companies to consume their own produced electricity than to buy it from outside. So if a large company decides today to produce green power The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 13

G LO B A L WA R M I N G • Founded in 2012 as an initiative of CEOs, managing directors, and family entrepreneurs, including entrepreneur Dr. Michael Otto • The goal is to limit average global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius • The foundation works across all sectors, is a non- profit organization, and aims to answer questions relating to corporate climate protection. One way is through cooperation projects such as “Towards the <2° Economy” • Phoenix Contact has been a Foundation 2° sponsoring company since March 2021 31 partner companies support Foundation 2° 2° is the declared climate target of maximum global warming 250 million people will be affected if the sea level rises by “just” 50 centimeters 2012 is the year in which Dr. Michael Otto and others established the foundation 24 years in which the global community still has time to achieve the 2045 climate targets itself, it is effectively penalized for that effort. This massively supports fossil energy forms. It has to stop. Immediately. è Who is faster – politics or industry? Nallinger: Clearly industry. These companies are on the move internationally, watching the changing markets very closely. The German viewpoint isn’t the only one. All markets are on the move; sometimes the USA is ahead in terms of climate protection, sometimes China, and sometimes Europe. National views are playing less and less of a role in the developments. è Who is slowing down the process? Nallinger: Many business and industry associations. In this respect, the electrical industry’s umbrella association, ZVEI, is exceptional in the positive sense. And also still some representatives of the big government parties. Heise: That is also one of our tasks. When the new climate protection targets were announced, sharp dissenting voices immediately came from the business associations. That’s when we asked our companies to issue statements. And they did object, they clearly spoke out in favor of the agreed climate targets. But they also stated what it will take for us to achieve these goals. There is not just one voice in the economy. è How does this misperception come about from politicians and industry associations who believe that business does not want climate protection? Is this the Berlin ivory tower? Nallinger: You can see right now that climate protection is simply not suitable for election campaigns. The people responsible should actually say: People, changing the economy is necessary and it has its price. Instead, new goals are constantly being announced without any indication of how they will be achieved. We have to take a more long-term view; we are talking about billions of euros in investments that will have to be made before the end of this decade. To achieve this, companies need planning security today and the next federal government must create a reliable and secure framework. We are pursuing that aim doggedly, together with our sponsoring companies. Including Phoenix Contact. (aj/lo)  stiftung2grad.de/en 14 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

“We must undergo a transformation as well.” Frank Stührenberg, CEO of Phoenix Contact Interview Frank announced Stührenberg CEO that Phoenix Contact’s joined Foundation 2° in March 2021. è Question: What is behind the commitment of the Blomberg-based global market leader? Our self-image. As a family business from Germany, we have always thought sustainably. And of course, due to the size of the company, but also due to our own attitude, we feel an increasing social responsibility. All the more so given the greatest challenge facing us and future generations – climate change. è What does Phoenix Contact bring to the table? Our technology, of course. We are in the fortunate position of being able to develop and produce precisely the products that are necessary for a climate-neutral economy and life in the future. And our vision of Empowering the All Electric Society, which clearly demonstrates that technology is part of the solution. This approach is still new and very exciting for many decision-makers in business and politics. è And where can we use help and encourage- ment from Berlin? In communication to decision-making levels beyond industry and industry associations. We are very well known and present in our markets and organizations, but the opportunities of renewable power generation, smart grid technology, and sector coupling – and the impact on society as a whole – need access to a broader public. There is intensive discussion among CEOs at Foundation 2° in particular, which functions entirely across all sectors and includes dialog with politicians. Not only do we all speak plain language, the ideas outlined there are also carried back to the companies, just as I carry what we have discussed back to Phoenix Contact. è How do we avoid the risk of being seen as greenwashers? Through our actions. We must and will undergo a transformation within our company: for example, we must dramatically increase our own production of renewable energy. Of course, we cannot change some processes overnight. Our responsibility there is too great; especially toward our employees. But we are already researching, engaging, and investing in areas where our technology can be put to meaningful use in order to contribute to a climate- neutral society in the future. In this way, we can make a substantial contribution to achieving the Paris climate targets. (lo)  The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 15

On the Earth … After a journey of 149.6 million kilometers, short-wave solar rays hit the earth at 342 W/m² T he earth is getting warmer; that is now a recognized fact. And this warming does not have any natural causes, but is instead man-made. And it is happening much faster and with even more serious consequences than predicted just a few years ago. We show you the effects of global warming here in a graphic. Humans have been using the energy stored millions of years ago in coal, gas, and oil from primeval forests that have long since vanished, and thus releasing the energy stored in them on a large scale. As a result, the average temperature curve of our planet is on an upswing. This effect is accompanied by a growing world population that is accessing resources ever more rapidly in the desire for increasing prosperity. Ultimately, only technology can help to slow down and stop this disastrous cycle. Our path is clear: the fossil energy age must end. And the world must become an All Electric Society. (lo)  16

Extreme weather events will increase signiﬁ cantly and become much stronger Loss of biodiversity through species extinction due to limited adaptability of ﬂ ora and fauna Severe heat waves and periods of drought Melting of glacial ice reduces ocean salinity and weakens or stops the Gulf Stream, among other effects Greenhouse effect due to hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, etc. – caused by extreme livestock farming, agriculture, and fossil fuel combustion Increase in average temperature Signiﬁ cant rise in the sea level destroys habitats and triggers new waves of migration Rise in water temperature; melting of polar ice caps and glaciers; greater evaporation of water increases greenhouse effect; death of coral reefs and mangrove forests; reduced coastal protection 17

F I R E A N D S PA R K S C ynics would say that BU Trabtech is one of the benefi ciaries of climate change. After all, what is making our planet warmer in terms of increased temperature ends up in our atmosphere in the form of water vapor and energy, among other things. And those are the building blocks that create thunderstorms. Their intensity is steadily increasing. Arno Kiefer is not entirely comfortable with this bold assessment, however. The Director Market Development is the sales voice of the lightning makers. As he points out: “Actually, it’s not the number of thunderstorms that is increasing. What is increasing, is the combination of renewable energy sources, volatile energy grids, and all kinds of control electronics. And all of that wants and needs to be protected from overvoltages.” A focus of attention that not everyone shares. Arno Kiefer sighs. “First of all, every electrical system works without lightning protection. People don’t usually recognize the necessity for it until after damage has occurred. So they really don’t need us until it’s already too late. Even more so when you know that not every country has the legal requirements that exist in Germany.” Thunderbolt Lightning is a particularly impressive form of energy discharge. In a thunderstorm, it can let voltage of up to 1.3 billion volts loose (the current record holder in India) or have an enormous length of over 700 kilometers (measured by satellite over Brazil). Lightning occurs most frequently over Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo (up to 240 nights per year). And the longest- lasting single fl ash lit up the sky for 16.73 seconds (spotted in Argentina in 2019). In comparison, a “normal” summer thunderstorm seems almost like a mild breeze. Its lightning bolts rage among the clouds or race towards the ground with an average strength of around 100,000 amperes and a voltage of around 100 million volts. This is also possible in Blomberg: when all reserves are mobilized in the Phoenix Contact lightning protection laboratory, lightning intensities of up to 100,000 amperes are also possible here. “As a rule, however, we work with much less energy,” explained Arno Kiefer. “A natural lightning bolt will only enter the building with half its force: the other half is dissipated through the ground. And in the feed-in, the remainder is divided once again.” Tip to everyone present: Do not look directly into the light! Lightning is glaringly bright 20 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

The two experts are always in their element when it comes to taking test objects apart On the rack: Can this component withstand the enormous currents of a lightning strike? “Our sales documents are the physics book, the standards book, and the law book.” Arno Kiefer, Director Market Development Trabtech When voltage takes over Lightning is just one form of overvoltage that can cause damage to electrical and electronic systems. Albeit a particularly dramatic one with the greatest destructive potential. External lightning protection is required that dissipates the electrical discharge along a defi ned conductive path and does not allow it into buildings or electrical equipment. Even an impact some distance away can be enough to trigger damage to in-house installations. A completely different form of overvoltage occurs when large current collectors trigger switching operations. These switching operations cause highly unwelcome disturbances in power grids. They can be so strong that they also cause destructive overvoltages. other and an exchange of charges takes place, for example in conveyor belts in Logistics and Production. Sensitive electronic devices and equipment are affected in this case. After fi re and storm, overvoltages cause the most damage. In 2012, their share of total insured damage was about 18%. And the trend is rising because our modern world is becoming increasingly electronic and more networked. An increasing number of electronic devices that are increasingly sensitive determine everyday life in private households, and in commercial and industrial plants as well. At the same time, the potential of thunderstorms is not the only thing that is increasing. Our energy grids also have to cope with changing amounts of electricity as renewable power generators feed into the grid. The loads connected to the grid prefer to have a steady and consistent supply, and often cannot cope with fl uctuation. The overvoltages caused by electrostatic discharges are one order of magnitude lower. They occur when exposed conductive parts with different electrostatic potentials approach each Small laboratory with big successes The history of the “lightning throwers of Blomberg” began quite inauspiciously in a small building on the edge of the  The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 21

F I R E A N D S PA R K S large Phoenix Contact company premises. Plant 3 was the fi rst home of the surge current laboratory for many years. Numerous ideas were created there and people thought, tinkered, tried things out, and registered several patents. A small laboratory with big successes, as Arno Kiefer noted with pride. But at some point the space was simply no longer adequate – planning for a new building began. And why not think big while you’re at it! The business unit’s new home included a laboratory, was designed to take on representative tasks and housed the associated offi ces as well. In 2014, the building was ceremoniously inaugurated. In Blomberg in particular, the capabilities of the Phoenix Contact laboratories are spoken of with reverence. The lightning laboratory is located directly on one of the two power supply lines of the small city in East Westphalia. Due to a system fault, the lights in half the city actually went out briefl y in the early days. “This is technically impossible today, but of course it was pretty exciting back then,” Arno Kiefer recalled. A reputation as being one of the most exciting research laboratories of Phoenix Contact precedes the lords of lightning: particularly in the electrical trade, visitor tours with expert guides are highly coveted. A place for destruction Et voilà; today we are standing behind a large glass pane that separates us from the artifi cial natural events, and watching how Arno Kiefer and deputy laboratory manager Frank Schäfer try to push clamped-in safety modules to the limits of their load-bearing capacity. “And preferably a bit beyond that,” said Schäfer, who has worked with overvoltages for 14 years, with a grin. “Our laboratory is unique because we not only have extensive technical capabilities here. Instead, we can do all the testing required for any conceivable approval in the electrical fi eld. Our accredited laboratory is independent, so it also tests products that are not manufactured by Phoenix Contact.” Competitors’ products, too? “Yes, we have a special role here, and we are also bound by confi dentiality as part of this activity,” he added. New tasks The work there does not always involve conventional protection in the familiar AC power grids. The DC grids are increasingly coming into focus in the context of the increased expansion of renewable energies. Photovoltaics in particular typically produce direct current, which is not only fed into grids but also adapted via converters or stored in battery systems. “These different sources and their properties are still uncharted territory in terms of overvoltages and malfunction. We are researching at full speed in this area in order to develop tailor-made products for a wide range of plants in the future,” said Kiefer, who has few worries about his future prospects. (lo)  phoenixcontact.com It gets warm in here: 30 kV resistors with insulators In the “back ofﬁ ce” of the test room: 30 kV coils in front, 30 kV resistors with insulators (left), low-voltage resistors (right) 22 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

G E OT H E R M A L E N E R G Y Sluiced Hot Lithium is the gold of the 21st Century. This is because the modern world requires massive amounts for use in large-volume batteries, among other things. How nice it would be if the crumbly metal could be extracted from domestic deposits. Using environmentally friendly methods. Could this vision become reality? Lithium is extracted in industrial quantities in a ﬂ ow-through process 1. Lithium ions from the thermal water accumulate on adsorbent manganese oxide 2. In the second step, the adsorbent material is separated from the lithium ions with a desorbent and can be reused 3. The desorption solution is reﬁ ned to obtain a high-purity lithium salt The thermal water extracted in Bruchsal has a temperature of around 160°C and contains large quantities of dissolved substances from the Earth’s interior 24

T o clarify this question, we made an appointment to visit the site. In Karlsruhe. With both feet on the Upper Rhine Plain, which is located here. And with someone who must know the answer. Professor Jochen Kolb conducts research on this topic at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The experienced geoscientist and mineralogist knows the truth behind the report that in this region, the e-mobility’s gold practically comes out of the ground by itself. White gold Lithium does not occur in nature in its pure form; the alkali metal is far too reactive for that. As pure lithium oxide, it looks like crumbly cream cheese. But this reactive light metal is in great demand because it gives mobile energy carriers (i.e., rechargeable batteries) a long, repeatedly rechargeable, and robust life. The problems are that most of it currently comes from Australia or Chile and its does not necessarily enjoy the most environmentally friendly reputation due to its extraction methods. Depending on the type, batteries require about 80 to 130 grams of chemically pure lithium per kilowatt hour of stored energy. Approximately 10 kilograms of the rare metal are installed in a Tesla Model S. Far too few rechargeable batteries are currently recycled, as the power sources for e-vehicles simply last too long. Therefore, lithium must be extracted either from rock (Australia) or brine (Chile). Or ... The treasure under the Upper Rhine River ... it bubbles up at you. There are places in Mother Earth’s crust where thermally heated deep water gives off energy and also carries dissolved lithium and plenty of other desirable substances. This is exactly the situation that prevails on the Upper Rhine Plain. Even the ancient Romans knew how to make themselves comfortable here thanks to thermal baths.  The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 25 The hotter the thermal water, the more effective the power generation In Bruchsal, the boreholes go down to a depth of about 2,500 meters. The cooled thermal water is pressed back into the depths in a controlled manner

G E OT H E R M A L E N E R G Y Nowadays, there is less demand for a warm foot bath. Instead, the focus is on tapping deep layers of rock for geothermal power plants. In Bruchsal, the wells extend down to a depth of 2,500 meters, and in neighboring Alsace they are easily twice as deep. There are geothermal power plants in Bruchsal, Landau, Insheim, and in Soultz-sous-Forêts, Rittershoffen, and La Wantzenau on the French side. The 160-degree hot water from the depths is tapped by means of two boreholes. In the fi rst borehole, the hot water is pumped up and then it is injected back down through the second borehole at a pressure of up to 50 bar. The loop is almost closed in the ideal case because the hot water releases its energy through a system of heat exchangers. The energy is either fed directly into a district heating network or used to drive turbines that generate electricity. “However, that only makes sense when temperatures are very high, like they are in Iceland,” said Jochen Kolb. Extracting with ﬁ lters Kolb and his team are at their best when it comes to what the hot water transports from the depths. There is a considerable concentration of lithium in the hot brine. Enough to produce about 20,000 batteries each year from just one borehole for Tesla, for example. This makes interested parties sit up and take notice: in partnership with EnBW, there is the UnLimited project, which is fi nanced by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and will run for four years. Professor Kolb is an expert on deposits. Before taking up his professorship in Karlsruhe in October 2016, he spent 10 years working on raw materials geology in Greenland. In Karlsruhe, his team of around 40 employees conducts research on topics related to the extraction of gold, copper, cobalt, rare earths, and lithium. “We are an applied branch of science. We are developing models that industry can use to search for and extract raw materials,” Kolb said. In neighboring Bruchsal, he and his colleagues are on the trail of lithium in thermal water. But how do you get the raw material of the energy revolution out of the ground? Using a bypass system, the geologists want to tap into the circuit of the thermal power plant in Bruchsal. About 30 liters per second fl ow through the plant from the depths. The water is briny and carries about 150 grams of dissolved substances per liter, or about four and a half times more particles than in seawater. Of the 150 grams, about 160 milligrams are lithium. This is admittedly much less than in the saline formations of the Andes, where up to 1,000 milligrams are present. But the high fl ow rates in 26 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine Heat exchangers make the heat of the earth usable

the plants, ranging from 30 to 70 liters per second, make its extraction interesting. Initially, only a small portion is to be diverted and then run through the pilot plant. Lithium and other raw materials from the naturally heated solution are chemically and mechanically fi ltered out using a manganese oxide, and then the brine fl ows back into the system and is pumped back to depth. The manganese oxide is freed from its lithium load and recovered. The lithium chloride obtained can be used in precipitation reactions to produce either lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide for battery production. What worked in the laboratory in a test tube as part of a master’s thesis now has to work in a fl ow-through in the pilot plant. This is also the big challenge: “The system is installed downstream of the heat exchanger, but it works with hot water that is still 60 to 80 degrees and large amounts of unwanted solutes. “We expect lithium production in Bruchsal to be suffi cient to produce a battery for an e-bike every two minutes and a Tesla battery every 40 minutes or so,” said Professor Kolb. “However, we cannot estimate the size of the deposit yet. We don’t know the conditions below ground well enough to know when our salt reduction dilutes the deep water and results in a lower yield. Optimistically, we assume that the project will be eligible for funding for at least 20 years.” Proﬁ t and loss Geothermal energy is usually a side gig in places where there is no volcano heating the earth’s crust under the soles of your shoes. “Here in Bruchsal, it only works through grants, because the heat exchange, and therefore the heat output, is still too low. But the power station in Rittershoffen, France, is being used to dry crops for a starch factory. In Munich, an increasingly large share of the district heating network is being supplied by deep geothermal energy. That is working out great there.” But things get really interesting when the “white gold of electromobility” is yielded as a kind of by-product. And with minimal impact on the environment. “If you do it right, even the risk of earthquakes is safely manageable,” Kolb added. Combine heat generation with lithium yields from the geothermal plants, and the economic scenario changes dramatically. The consequences are not only positive, however. The scientifi cally motivated gold miner knows all about the hunger for rare metals: “It’s a bit like a gold rush right now in terms of demand. Many small companies are jumping in, too, and they are sometimes on the edge of respectability, where the stock market meets the marketing extravaganza. It can work, but it can also be a complete fl op.” So representatives of the automotive industry do not need The deposit expert knows his way around both mines and laboratories “This is minimally invasive mining. We’re not digging giant holes in the landscape; we’re working with two small boreholes.” Prof. Jochen Kolb, KIT Karlsruhe to set out for Karlsruhe yet. As Kolb put it: “In EnBW, we have found a partner that will work with us to build this fi rst pilot plant, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2023. If it works, then it’s up to the industry to get bigger plants up and running. I expect such a large-scale plant to require another fi ve to 10 years of development.” For those who are now impatient about the opportunities that the fi re of the earth holds in store in terms of regenerative energies and new raw materials: for geologists, who otherwise calculate in millions of years, fi ve to 10 years is the blink of an eye! (lo)  Enbw.com Kit.edu The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 27

When the RWTH Aachen University When the RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen University’s solar vehicle sets and FH Aachen University’s solar vehicle sets off, there is no way it can get too close to the sun. Because off, there is no way it can get too close to the sun. Because the power of the solar continuous burner is what drives the vehicle the power of the solar continuous burner is what drives the vehicle forward. But fl irting with the “fi re from the sky” is not without forward. But fl irting with the “fi re from the sky” is not without risk, even for the occupants of the renewable-powered racer. risk, even for the occupants of the renewable-powered racer. 29

Simon Quinker almost reverently demonstrates the details of the 2019 Sonnenwagen chariot “We were voted the best newcomer team in Australia in 2019.” Simon Quinker, Co-Team Manager of Sonnenwagen e.V. 30 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine I n 2015, a wild time began for a group of students in the old imperial city of Aachen. The backstory wasn’t about illegal substances or raucous nocturnal leisure activities. Instead they wanted to take part in what is probably one of the most unusual races on the planet – the World Solar Challenge in Australia. Every two years, teams from all over the world meet to cover a distance of 3,022 kilometers across the Outback using only the power of the sun. Back then, there was no German team in the Challenger class, which was the wildest class. The troupe changed that in a very assertive way, as Simon Quinker recounted with a grin. The Sonnenwagen e.V. team was founded very quickly. With energy and a lot of improvisation, the community that initially consisted of 20 and later up to 45 students managed to fi nd sponsors and build a vehicle from scratch. It also made the trip to faraway Australia a reality. “We didn’t just fi nish the race, which is something that only about half of all starting teams manage. We were even voted best newcomer team,” reported Quinker. The 24-year-old future industrial engineer specializing in machine building is currently in his fourth year as a member of the team as both the co-team manager and the person responsible for marketing. “We are an all-student team. And the six years that the Sonnenwagen project has been in existence is a long time:

S O L A R P O W E R 3,022 kilometers is the Australian race distance. the members change constantly. Those who have fi nished their studies start their professional life and leave us. As a result, we think in terms of seasons, each lasting two years – from one race to the next. We’ll start right after the race in Australia, entering a recruiting phase to fi nd new team members.” Morocco, not Down Under For Simon Quinker, it is important that membership in Sonnenwagen an activity alongside his studies. Although the inquisitive young engineers are supported by some faculties, nothing that the students contribute in terms of time and commitment is linked to their studies. Fields of study play a subordinate role: A large part of the team comes from machine building and electrical engineering, but computer scientists are also involved and tinker with the driving strategy, or industrial engineers organize sponsors and marketing. “The goal is to translate students’ theoretical knowledge into practical experience. And, of course, to do the race as a team,” he said. The other teams mostly complete their projects full time, taking time off from their studies for a year or a year and a half. Twenty-fi ve teams in the Challenger Class participated in the World Solar Challenge in 2019. Across all classes, there are between 60 and 70 teams worldwide, Quinker estimated. Since the Australian event will not take place in 2021 due to COVID-19, the Solar Challenge Morocco 2021 was launched as an event of a similar dimension. The marketing manager of Sonnenwagen explained the extent of the race: “In Europe, currently nine teams are participating in the 2,500 kilometers in Morocco. But these are THE nine. All top teams. Our Challenger competitors come mainly from Belgium and the Netherlands, all around 250 km away from Aachen. Of course, we all are equally enthusiastic about the entire topic, especially now with COVID-19, and we also exchange ideas. But as far as the vehicle or the technology is concerned, we’re keeping a tight lid on that, because that is where we compete.” Terminal block, not coal The sun racers are working with a high six-fi gure sum. Covestro is currently the main sponsor of the solar student movement. Phoenix Contact sponsors the team with connection technology. As Simon Quinker emphasized: “To us, under certain conditions a material service may be worth more than a monetary service, but they are usually combined. It’s important to us that our sponsors can technically identify with the racecar and can contribute in that area. We work closely with the companies that support us with their product range.”  High-tech meets Tupperware – the decisive factor is function Along with the project, the practical skills of the participants grow 31

S O L A R P O W E R “For our second race, we built a car that was absolutely competitive on a technical level. But the wind was very strong towards the end. We were far ahead, but then we went off the road and rolled over. All the safety systems worked; no one was hurt. The vehicle was damaged, but we were able to repair the car on site and then continue driving. In the end, we actually fi nished sixth because we had such a big lead. In addition, 500 is the number of kilometers a full battery can manage – with 5 KW/h! we were able to pick up two other awards, namely the Event Safety Award due to our behavior during the accident and the Spirit of the Event Award because, despite the accident and with our young team in only their second race, we kept going and arrived in Adelaide.” He pointed to the car: “Our drivers are students, but because of the size of the cockpit, we select ‘suitable’ statures.” 180 centimeters in height and 80 kilos in weight are the upper limits. Driving the car is a tough job; in Australia, you drive 300 to 400 kilometers at a time, with no windows and no air conditioning. Just one tiny air intake in the wheel arch provides a minimum of fresh air. Technological frontiers The 2019 solar vehicle relied on an arrow shape – elongated and narrow. For the fi rst solar vehicle, the Aachen-based company used a catamaran design. “Aerodynamics produces about 70 to 80 percent of the losses we have at speeds of around 100 km/h,“ Quinker explained. “In the 2019 solar vehicle, there was one steering system for the front and one for the rear, allowing the pilot to trim the vehicle perfectly into the wind. The orientation of the solar cells toward the sun is also extremely important. In fact, it would be ideal if they were vertical. We always have to make corrections and compare them to the simulations that are needed for a race distance. Every change we make is converted into race minutes.” The drive is provided exclusively by solar cells, which are specially manufactured for solar cars. The gallium arsenide cells feed their energy into the battery via interconnected modules and maximum power point trackers (MPPT). These ensure that different energy outputs of the modules do not lead to losses in the available total power. “In Australia, we start with a full 5 kW/h battery, which would get us about 500 kilometers without sun. 32

“We are absolutely at the limit of what is technologically possible. For example, the battery cells are extremely close together, especially for our application. They manage without cooling, as that would just be extra weight. We only get very low currents into the cells and we also only release very low currents. We drive at 100 km/h with about 1 kilowatt of power.” Hot behind A racing vehicle always involves risks. The safety regulations stipulate that the driver must be able to exit the car very quickly. At the last World Solar Challenge, a race car actually burned up. When you work at the maximum, in extreme cases a small error can trigger “thermal runaway” and the battery self-ignites. You don’t notice this beforehand, only when it’s too late. “When it comes to batteries, we collaborate with institutes, for example here at RWTH with ISEA (Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives), which works very intensively on electrochemistry and battery measurement. We discuss the design of the batteries with these colleagues to ensure that we also comply with industrial safety standards. All cells are tested again before installation to rule out errors. And we identify the cells with the highest energy density.” The toughest solar race in the world The World Solar Challenge has been held in Australia since 1987. It is held on 3,022 kilometers of public road across the Outback from Darwin to Adelaide. The car race for solar vehicles is considered the world’s toughest test. The participants start in different categories and mostly come from universities. During the race, the ultra-lights, which can reach speeds of up to 140 km/h, are accompanied by team vehicles designed to protect their alternating pilots from the extra-long road trains and hazards such as kangaroos or other wildlife as well. Repairs are allowed during the race. The World Solar Challenge takes place every two years, always in an odd-numbered year. Other races have sprung up, such as the American Solar Challenge in the USA, the South African Solar Challenge, or the European Solar Challenge in Belgium (Circuit Zolder, 24-hour race). This year, the Sonnenwagen will start in the Solar Challenge Morocco held from October 23 to 30. One full battery pack is enough for 500 kilometers of travel – without charging Wheels and rims are specially designed for solar vehicles; Bridgestone and Michelin produce the standardized tires. Otherwise, almost all parts are manufactured in-house and we even use 3D printing. The heatsinks for the taillights, for example, come from the Aconity 3D printer. In general, the students have access to state-of-the-art equipment: “Our latest achievement is a test bench for electric motors on which we can precisely measure and test the motors and the entire electrical system without the solar cells.” Around-the-clock operation “On World Environment Day, the new rules are announced. Then we have a good year to get a competitive solar racer up and running. After all, it’s about development and innovation, not about repeating and perfecting techniques that have already been tried and tested. At the moment, everything revolves around the new speedster. Before the race, sleep and lectures are reduced to a minimum: “We’re in the hot phase for Morocco right now, so we’re working in 24-hour shifts almost around the clock.” In the meantime, the third solar vehicle, which has been christened the “Photon Covestro,” is in Aachen and undergoing fi nal assembly. And since the Sonnenwagen crew is not only technologically up to speed with the vehicle but also fi t in the area of marketing and public relations, all interested parties can also use the social networks Instagram and YouTube to cheer them on. (lo)  sonnenwagen.org The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 33

L I Q U I D M E TA L T ime is the crucial factor.” These wise words do not come from the Analects of Confucius, but instead directly from Cord Starke. And they do not describe a basic philosophical attitude. Instead, they describe the technological trick behind Advanced Shielding Technology. Cord Starke has a degree in mechanical engineering with a specialization in energy technology. And when he talks about “his” development for shielding, the sparks start fl ying. After all, the engineer and his team realized a great idea with their special shielding for actuator and sensor cables. A terrible process Before we move into the facility where the fi rst automated production line of Advanced Shielding Technology is set up, Starke described the development’s history: “Our business unit management challenged us with a mission: Rethink shielded male connectors! Cable production with conventionally manufactured M12 males is infl exible and due to the large number of individual parts required, relatively ineffi cient. For every shielded cable in every dimension, we constantly require new connectors with all their component parts.” In addition to the sheer number of parts, producing the shielded male connectors in high-wage Germany is also a problem. Cord Starke shook his head: “As any engineer will tell you, this is a terrible process – the things fl op back and forth, the sleeve goes wherever it wants to ... The manual processing that has been necessary up to now is very, very time-consuming. Our goal was to increase the quality of the cabling, to automate it, and thus also make it faster and more economical. Simple, right?” Cord Starke was smiling when looked back at the how the challenge began. The team he is responsible for was interdisciplinary right from the start. “We started with colleagues from Production, the test lab, Development, and Marketing, and tried out various things in a hands-on way. In the process, we directly encountered various problems such as the design of angled connections or the shielding’s contacting, which is classically crimped directly onto the cable sheath. Or where the shield is pressed between two sleeves. “During one of our many brainstorming sessions, I actually came up with the idea of shielding with metal. We have been working with fully automated plastic overmolding “As any engineer will tell you, the manual processing of shielding is a terrible process.” Cord Starke, Phoenix Contact       36

Even angled connections are no longer a problem Cord Starke explained the idea from individual male connectors to automated production for a long time. Can’t we just pour liquid metal, in this case tin, around the shielding? Liquid plastic is also very hot, so shouldn’t the cables themselves be able to withstand hot tin? My background is in classic energy technology, so I have experience with thermodynamics. I was fairly certain that the heat in this process wouldn’t go into the plastic of the cable at all. Instead, it would straight into the metal mold.” Unshielded ﬂ ash of genius His fl ash of inspiration was the breakthrough. “The idea seemed so crazy that the team fi rst conducted tests. We designed and ordered molds in 3D. And in the company’s internal prototype shop, which is reserved for small series and sample start-ups, a tin bath and test devices were still available. “And then we just put our noses to the grindstone. We had briefl y tested the point at which the liquid tin would destroy the plastic of the cable, so we knew we had about fi ve seconds before it got too hot for the cable. After stripping the cable and placing it in our mold, we put on our safety glasses and with plenty of respect, heated up and liquefi ed the tin and poured it into the mold. Contrary to expectations, there was no explosion,” he told us with a laugh. The researching engineers were very surprised because after opening the mold, the cable and the metal shielding already looked ready for standard production. So it went straight to the test device, where high voltage was applied. And the very fi rst test showed that the shielding worked. Starke continued: “Then we had a small series with twenty parts produced. We measured the shield contacts in the initial series in the test laboratory to fi nd out its contact resistance. The standard permits 100 milliohm (mΩ), and we immediately had values below 1 mΩ, which was actually just the resistance from the tin itself. The next step was to send it to the conditioning cabinet, where the resistance may not change by more than 5 mΩ within the test cycles. Nothing happened there despite the attempted material destruction: there was no increase in resistance, even after hundreds of hours in the process.    Conventional connector assembly for M8 and M12 connectors 5. Trim braided shield 6. Put on shielded sleeve 7. Prepare the hand press 8. Crimp 1. Cut to length 2. Brush shield 3. Fold shield downward 4 Put on shielding foil The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 37

Cord Starke is certain that Advanced Shielding Technology is a quantum leap 90 degrees are no problem at all when shielding with the liquid metal, unlike in manual production Then came tests with high current. We ran two kiloamps (kA) across it, then three, fi ve, eight, twelve – again, nothing happened. With these results, we ventured out of our cover and presented the technology here to our business unit fi rst, so we could get an order to continue working on it on a larger scale. Because although we knew that it would make technical sense to shield with liquid metal, we needed to map that into production and develop manufacturing methods.” Starke grabbed his jacket and we changed locations from the offi ce to one of the production halls, where the fi rst fully automated production line for the hottest male connectors is being set up. From product to production It quickly became clear that the technology had enormous potential. It was worthy of being presented in the design meeting that is legendary at Phoenix Contact. In the weekly round attended by the leading heads of development, in which Klaus Eisert is still almost always present, the technological future of Phoenix Contact is discussed and signifi cant new developments are presented. And the grand seigneur of Phoenix Contact was also impressed. Starke was noticeably proud: “We got the input that our tool shop had already tried its hand at a similar development. At that time, they attempted to cast current bars for terminal blocks. The idea was based on a project at RWTH Aachen University, where experiments had been carried out with low- melting metal alloys for conductive tracks. They tried out heated ski goggles there, for example.” Some of the experts working there at the time now work at Phoenix Contact. That has paid off: by discussing that project with the experts, Starke and his team were able to track down important equipment. “In the basement of our machine shop, the melting crucible and the melting pump were still set up. We dragged them over to our area and got started. From the very beginning, the team from the in-house tool shop, internal machine building, Production, and Development had their eye on the various expansion stages of production up to Shielded around the corner 1. Prepare the cable 2. Pre-mold 3. Metal-mold 4. Ready for use 38 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine   

L I Q U I D M E TA L full automation. As a result, individual part, article tool, and machine design could be optimally coordinated. The clear advantage here is Phoenix Contact’s high vertical range of manufacture.” The fi rst pre-production series parts were created using an injection molding machine and special test cavities, i.e., molds that the team built. Numerous tests were necessary, partly because the tin was surprisingly aggressive. It attacks and dissolves all metal machine parts. Various coatings were tested to increase the service life of the machine. Squaring the circle They continued to test the pre-production series and push its limits. Cord Starke still marvels: “And we just couldn’t destroy them! They were top quality. Then we were off to Industrial Engineering to calculate the costs. And interestingly enough, it turned out that production with an interlinked plant would be highly economical, unlike the previous way of working with numerous manual processes.” The team succeeded in signifi cantly reducing the cycle rates in automated production compared to manual production. The liquid tin is fed in precisely metered quantities and in the thin application, requires only one second to cure. In addition, the number of parts required has been signifi cantly reduced from several dozen in the crimped version in previous production to just a few in automated production. In the new process, the thickness of the shielded cable does not matter at all in production – unlike before, when the cable always had to be thinner than the male connector and its shielding sleeve. Starke elaborated: “With the new process, we can shield cables with very different properties, up to 16 amperes of current. It helps that heat dissipation is also much better due to the ideal connection between the tin and the male connector. “We offer M8 and M12 as standard. And that includes an angled 90-degree version. The possible applications are enormous, because we are the only company in the world that offers shielded cables from fully automated production. And since good ideas should be protected, we have applied for various patents on the process and product.” A development with great potential, because Industrial Ethernet is gradually displacing the world of fi eldbuses, according to Starke. “The offi ce world and the manufacturing world are converging. And that means demand for shielded cables immune to outside infl uences is growing rapidly.” Cord Starke pointed to the impressive production line, where molten metal wraps around the cable in precise timing with the cycle: “It’s simply fun to work in a company where development at this depth is possible. Where else will you hear: 'It’s totally crazy, but do it anyway!' You’ll get time and resources, and support from our teams; then you’re ready to go. That’s what Phoenix Contact is all about, that’s our spirit.” (lo)  phoenixcontact.com Setup of a fully automated production line for shielded cables  39

I N T E R V I E W è Mr. Leidecker, you have been with Phoenix Contact for 27 years, head of the Industrial Management Automation IMA BU since 2016, and a member of the new Executive Board since August 2020. To what extent do you still have your ﬁ nger on the pulse of Phoenix Contact’s development? Far too little. Far too much. On the one hand, far too little, because I started as a sales engineer in this company and that is still one of my passions. I still program today, but privately, for my own home automation. And of course not on the level of our software development professionals at Phoenix Contact. But I basically understand what our engineers are developing. And that’s why I answered “far too much,” because I like to question the effort and benefi t of current projects once in a while. Of course the colleagues roll their eyes in response: my skills can’t stand up to any standardization or industrial requirement. è You are one of the most prominent advocates of issues such as PLCnext, openness, and new knowledge. Is that also how you describe yourself? Absolutely! I am a big believer in open source. It results in systems that are independent and open. Sharing, not keeping 42 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine things secret, is what protect our work. Collaborative work also adds an important social aspect, because knowledge connects people. I’m a big fan of Wikipedia, for example. That’s where the whole Wikipedia community edits, creating better systems for all of humanity. I see the advantage of our PLCnext Technology in a similar way. Even if there are voices that talk about the “consumerization” of industrial automation – to me, it is a main element and one of the cores of the brand. We are putting automation on a much broader footing and taking away its exclusive expert role. That makes it better in the long run. è Sort of the democratization of industrial automation? Would you please share an example? Take artifi cial intelligence for example. We will certainly not build up additional AI expertise, as we have done for industrial communications, for example. Let the AI experts of the world do that. But the products and solutions that the specialists realize for industrial automation can run on the PLCnext Technology platform. We test such solutions for compatibility and security, and then publish them in the PLCnext Store. And in the end, the customer who needs AI elements selects one of the AI apps presented there. Our expertise ultimately extends to creating platforms. In this way, we ensure that as many companies as possible benefi t. è Platform thinking, software products, services – how easy or difﬁ cult is it to establish this mindset in a company that historically developed as a hardware manufacturer? I see myself as a driver. And it’s true: A “product” like PLCnext or the sale of apps in the PLCnext Store is clearly different than dealing with our terminal blocks. In all respects. Combined with the basic idea of openness to all market participants – including competitors! Openness is always a bit of a gamble. Many people are not used to this, as we normally jealously guard our knowledge and products against prying eyes. However, our Vertical Market Management organization implemented in 2016 also demonstrates that we have evolved from a pure components business. Of course, this does not happen without friction against conventional patterns of thinking and success. Particularly in large-scale projects, such as the current battery storage system projects overseas, we are represented by so many individual technologies that we must not think small-small here. Instead, we need to understand things on the overarching level. We contribute much more than the components; we are also partners for solutions and try to understand the requirements. In fact, I vehemently advocate this.

è This viewpoint also changes the scale and public perception of individual projects. Entrepreneurship is never risk-free. And of course as complexity increases, so does responsibility. No matter at which point, whether for higher-value components or greater complexity. But now we are getting into areas that also have a greater public impact. This will challenge us, especially in terms of resources. But in all honesty, we are willing to take the risk because the prospects for success seem to be rewarding. è In your new role, you will also be responsible for business development in the USA. After Trump, MAGA, COVID, and climate change – are you still excited about the USA? And how! (grinning). Absolutely! Of course, as Europeans, we are united in our assessment of the last few years. They were diffi cult. I have not been in the USA since I took on my new responsibilities because the rules of entry prevented me from doing so due to COVID-19. But on the one hand, that’s changing. And we are very strong in the US anyway, we have our own production, logistics, and sales there. We will even increase this national autonomy signifi cantly in near future to be able to react even more robustly to things like political changes or threats such as pandemics. è How would you describe Phoenix Contact’s new role given the vision of the All Electric Society? Through our product range alone, we have always been in the fortunate position of being able to contribute a great deal to climate protection. And now we are basically becoming the benefi ciaries of a global trend because people are saying that within a certain period of time, all power will be generated from electricity. This is a great fi t with our vision of the All Electric Society, of course. What we need to focus on more strongly in the future is our own carbon footprint, so that we can also credibly represent our strategy externally and internally. We on the Executive Board are convinced that this is the right thing to do. Also out of inner conviction. We are really well-positioned in this respect, and also started earlier than many others. è Does the new vision also change our role in the public perception? As a company, we do not want to take a political position. But the All Electric Society is science-based; that’s indisputable. If someone is denying climate change, for example, as an engineer I represent the science. And I am unwavering. I can’t seriously discuss that. If someone is completely inaccessible to scientifi c arguments, you no longer have a platform on which “Entrepreneurship is never risk-free. As complexity increases, so does responsibility.” Ulrich Leidecker, COO of Phoenix Contact you can start a discourse. Not even with any administrators or politicians. In short, I think that we must and will also take a more frequent stand externally. è Phoenix Contact will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2023. What does “family-owned business” mean to you? Friendliness, openness, partnership, trust, a positive culture of errors – these are family-owned businesses. Knowing the people and the values that are important to the shareholders – that is family. Phoenix Contact is also an important part of my own family, and not just because I work there (far too much, they think). But my family knows the company, knows my colleagues, and also knows Klaus Eisert – that’s something completely different from working for a DAX company for maximum pay. Something like that shapes you, connects you, and allows you work here for many years. (lo)  The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 43

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S Building with vision Building innovation in Blomberg Things got underway at the end of August. After long planning sessions, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for a state-of-the-art new building at the company’s home base in Blomberg. It is not simply a weatherproof enclosure for further production processes, as CEO Frank Stührenberg explained during the ceremony: “This will be a building that shows how technology can be part of the solution to the challenges of the future.” A total area of 18,500 square meters will be built to the highest environmental standards and provide space for 400 workplaces in the future. In addition to the high insulation standard of the building enclosure, heat recovery via ventilation and air compressors, and highly efﬁ cient plant technology, a photovoltaic system with more than 750 KWp is being installed on the roof. The innovative ice storage system, which not only helps the building to maintain a pleasant climate and serves as a heating system but also temporarily stores the renewable energy and releases it as needed via heat exchangers, is likely to be groundbreaking. update.phoenixcontact.com Wisdom from OWL Clear patent leadership The innovative power of a company is difﬁ cult to measure. But one key performance indicator, namely patent activity, shows quite clearly that Phoenix Contact is a stronghold of technological development with national signiﬁ cance. For years, the Lippe Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Detmold (IHK Lippe) has evaluated data from the German Patent and Trademark Ofﬁ ce. In 2020, a total of 370 product ideas, technologies, and processes from Lippe were protected by patents. This is a good nine percent more than in the previous year. Surprisingly, this means that despite COVID-19, the previous highest values of 2012, 2014, and 2015 were almost equaled again.In the tradition-rich district of Lippe, Phoenix Contact is the lonely front-runner: with 196 patents in 2020 alone, we are the most patent-active company from Lippe. In the nationwide ranking, this is a proud 34th place. Internationally, the USA leads the ﬁ eld in patents with an effect on Germany, but it is closely followed by China and South Korea, which have recorded the largest increases here. Particularly in key digital technologies, the world’s leading minds are often based in Asia. “There is no sign yet of Germany catching up in digital technologies,” said Cornelia Rudloff-Schäffer, president of the German Patent and Trademark Ofﬁ ce. dpma.de Hot battle on the saddle Two Blomberg cyclists raise a record amount for a good cause In addition to an iron will, an iron behind was also required here: Oliver Wiehemeier and Sebastian Lutz swung themselves onto the narrow saddles of their racing bikes for 24 hours and pedaled the whole time. The effort was not a daring preparation for an ultra-triathlon; instead, it served a good cause. The two Phoenix Contact employees took part in the “Kilometers for Children” campaign. For each kilometer ridden, donations were collected for the German Childhood Cancer Foundation. Similar to a charity run, at the beginning of their campaign the enthusiastic cyclists did not know how much money they could raise through their efforts. It started in mid-June (“of all times, on one of the hottest weekends of the year”) at 6 p.m. in Reelkirchen near Blomberg in Lippe. The route took the workshop supervisor for screw production and the engineer in the Services Competence Center north. At around 4 a.m., the two men from Lippe reached the North Sea, rode a bit along the dike, and started the long way back. The most difﬁ cult thing for the two colleagues was the constant intake of food while cycling, because the body needs constant replenishment for such constant effort. Shortly before 6 p.m. the next day, the two arrived back in their home town of Blomberg-Reelkirchen. The proud reward for their praiseworthy exertion? They collected €21,000 the marathon effort and the two Phoenix Contact employees have the honor of achieving the second-highest-ever donation result of the “Kilometers for Children” campaign. 44 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S Creative minds and artiﬁ cial intelligence “Dualis Phoenix Contact” team wins international competition At Phoenix Contact, students in cooperative education programs are nicknamed “Dualis.” Bjarne Seen, Joshua Henjes, Philipp Olfert, and Henrik Folz adopted the name when they entered the “AI Data Comp” competition as the “Dualis Phoenix Contact” team. AI Data Comp is an international competition for artiﬁ cial intelligence, organized by the AI Market- place, an initiative of its OWL cluster management. frames into which glass panes are inserted, for example. For this purpose, the machine had to “learn” various proﬁ le shapes. With this knowledge, unknown proﬁ le shapes could automatically be detected and covered with foil. The goal was to make foiling machine setup much faster than before. It became a real The task was to optimize a machine that applies foil to window and door proﬁ les. In window and door construction, proﬁ les are the competition when the clock started ticking. After all, the teams only had 48 hours after the starting signal to solve the task. The students, all in their 1st semester, were not sure if they would master the challenge. But after the end The four successful Dualis from top left to bottom right are: Philipp Olfert, Henrik Folz, Bjarne Seen, and Joshua Henjes of the competition and an expert review of the submitted solutions, it was clear: Dualis Phoenix Contact had indeed won the ﬁ rst prize. With the budget of €10,000, the four young engineers want to implement a project in the AI reallab at SmartFactoryOWL in Lemgo. ki-marktplatz.com/en/ The face of Blomberg Architect of Phoenix Contact’s founding years has passed away Today, Eckhard Schulze- Fielitz is considered the most important protagonist of the German structuralism style. In 1955, the newly graduated architect founded a three-person ofﬁ ce partnership in Essen and made the acquaintance of an entrepreneur with whom he was to signiﬁ cantly shape the face of the East Westphalian town of Blomberg over the coming decades. which still characterizes it today. Klaus Eisert still remembers the beginnings of Blomberg’s construction activities well: “After initial experiences with outside craftsmen, we even had our own construction crew with ﬁ ve masons and building tradesmen. With its own concrete mixer, its own crane, and even a Hanomag caterpillar. We poured the ﬂ oor slab of the rear half of Hall 1 ourselves. More buildings soon followed.” From 1956 and into the This man was named Josef Eisert. He had an ofﬁ ce in the neighborhood and a small company for electrical connection terminals in the countryside. And it had a rapidly growing need for space. Since Josef Eisert was both a gifted engineer and interested in architecture, the architect and the engineer jointly developed the look of the Blomberg site at Flachsmarkt, 1980s, Schulze-Fielitz’s ofﬁ ce built numerous factory buildings, as well as the still-dominant administration building that has helped shape the skyline of the City of Carnations ever since. Eckhard Schulze-Fielitz passed away in Bregenz, Austria on September 1, 2021, at the age of 91. The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine UPDATE 3/21 45

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S Handball trophy from the printer club also bears the name Phoenix Contact Arena. Deserving players of TBV Lemgo receive a special farewell gift Handball is a piece of cultural heritage in East Westphalia. And as a member of the 1st Handball Bundesliga, TBV Lemgo is well-known far beyond the borders of the province. The DHB Cup that the team recently won has now become copyware. The former “Ballsport- In June 2021, TBV won the DHB Cup for the fourth time in an exciting elimination tournament. Finally, many a fan, including many Phoenix Contact employees, was able to sigh with relief after a long dry spell. At the end of the verein Lemgo 1911,” which founded way back in 1911, has had the ofﬁ cial club name “Turn- und Ballspielverein Lemgo von 1911” since 1945. This makes TBV Lemgo 12 years older than one of its main sponsors, Phoenix Contact. Tradition connects – in the meantime, the sporting home of the cult successful season, they had won all of their last games and then the six players said goodbye. As a very special farewell gift, each one was to receive a replica of the recently won trophy. Just the right task for Protiq. The 3D printing specialists, who have long been highly successful as a spin-off of Phoenix Contact, measured the original trophy and created a 3D model from the data. It was supposed to be true to the original, but slightly smaller than the template. The base received an individual inscription; then the data model was sent to one of the printers. In this case, a 3D printer that uses selective laser sintering to burn solid shapes into a special plastic powder made from environmentally friendly castor oil was used. It wasn’t a matter of just a few moments – the printer ran through the night, but printed all the cups in one go. After cleaning, the printed copies of the trophy were painted and presented to Andreas Sukop from TBV Lemgo. tbv-lemgo-lippe.de The overarching theme was the Visionary annual meeting The General Executive Board against a historic backdrop Once a year, Phoenix Contact’s general managers meet to coordinate joint strategies and business goals. While last year’s meeting could only take place digitally due to COVID-19, it was possible to hold a hybrid event in 2021. And it took place on very special ground: around 100 top managers met in the old German Bundestag in Bonn, with around 50 colleagues joining in digitally. phoenixcontact.com vision of the All Electric Society, including its implementation in the subsidiaries. The old seat of government of the Bonn Republic did justice to the importance of this topic, where numerous decisions were made that deﬁ nitely also had global signiﬁ cance. 46 UPDATE 3/21 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine New GM in Romania Customer orientation as a core competence Razvan Encica has been the new General Manager of Phoenix Contact Romania since the beginning of July 2021. The 36-year-old business information systems graduate brings along a wealth of experience based on his activities both outside and inside Phoenix Contact. He acquired knowledge of the process industry, among other things, when he worked as a sales technician for a company dedicated to heating systems for the oil and gas industry. In 2010, he joined Phoenix Contact as a ﬁ eld sales representative, not least thanks to the good reputation that the company has in southeastern European Romania, as he tells the story. The successful manager describes customer orientation as one of his core competencies. According to Razvan Encica, digitization is one of the biggest challenges facing his customers, while at the same time, it is their opportunity to continue growing in their home markets.

The next issue will be published in December 2021: Air Without it, our blue planet would not function. Air is a complexly balanced system of different gases. It is important for the creatures that breath it, and for numerous technological areas in which Phoenix Contact is active as well. OVER THE AIR 5 Baby Steps People talk about 5G as a matter of course, sometimes forgetting that the new cellular standard is not even available in industry yet. BUILDING AUTOMATION Innovative Fresh Air How a corporate building makes you feel like breathing. And what that has to do with building controls. INTERVIEW Down-to-Earth, Not an Airhead COO Torsten Janwlecke in an interview Imprint Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG Corporate Communications Lutz Odewald (Editor-in-Chief) Telephone: +49 5235 3-42153 E-mail: lodewald@phoenixcontact.com Design and implementation: Ralf Tegtmeyer, Christian Brill, Fabian Hayes Photo credits: Cover photo: © Shutterstock/Sergey Nivens © Shutterstock: 2, 4, 6/7, 8/9, 10, 14, 16/17, 19, 25, 47 Andre Köller: 2, 15, 18 ff., 28 ff., 34 ff., 40 ff., 44, 46 Lutz Odewald: 8 ff., 24 ff., From the industry: Frank Schröder, Deutz AG Geothermie Karlsruhe: EnBW – Uli Deck Sonnenwagen: Team Sonnenwagen e.V. Copyright © 2021 Phoenix Contact All rights reserved.