Incubating innovation for 25 years  

Liters of ketchup, complex computer simulations and gut instinct. These are the key ingredients that go into developing innovations for the process industry at an Endress+Hauser site in Freising, Bavaria. The site had its genesis in a far-sighted decision and the passion of two individuals.    

In Freising, Bavaria, a team of about 20 undertakes basic and advanced development for flow measurement technology. Their goal? To push the boundaries and broaden the potential applications of existing technologies. All with a focus on the benefit to the customer.

“For us, success is measured in practical utility,” says managing director Wolfgang Drahm. He and his colleague Alfred Rieder established the development facility in the university town of Freising, a location with close ties to the Technical University of Munich, 25 years ago.   

Organizationally, the predevelopment facility in Freising is part of Endress+Hauser Flow, based in Reinach, Switzerland. “We were given considerable latitude for experimentation from the outset, and we’re still measured against long-term goals,” says Drahm, who values the privilege of working unconstrained by the demands of everyday business.

“We and the development department in Reinach form a single community,” adds Alfred Rieder. “We are committed to our mandate to serve our colleagues. So, we don’t just hand innovations over to them and walk away; we support them until the innovations are functioning properly at the customer’s premises.”    

According to Drahm, their developments are based on a certain mix of methods, not some secret recipe. The team members are very hands-on, setting up small-scale systems themselves, “although our customers may contribute the occasional bucket of ketchup or mayonnaise for us to test new applications or technologies on. That’s why, when it comes to staff, Drahm looks for a “gut instinct” for measurement technology.

“To create something new, you must be good at abstract thinking, and you have to understand that a measurement sensor is a masterpiece of engineering.” Digital tools, such as numeric simulation, are equally important. “This combination of human expertise and computing power does more than merely accelerate development processes,” says Alfred Rieder. “It enables breakthroughs of the kind not achievable in conventional testing environments.” 

One example of the Freising team’s innovation prowess is the Proline Promass Q – an Endress+Hauser Coriolis flowmeter that functions reliably and with extreme precision, even under the most challenging process conditions. The product is used in the oil & gas industry, where trade requires precision measurements, and in the food industry, where products must meet strict quality criteria.

“These types of use cases really highlight how much the role of measurement technology has changed. The instruments must provide not only accurate readings, but also comprehensive process information. They also need to be intelligently networked and deliver maximum resource efficiency,” says Drahm. 

Drahm and Rieder had both specialized in Coriolis flow measurement technology during their engineering doctoral studies at the Technical University of Munich. Both wanted to pursue a career in the subject after graduation. Hence, in the mid-1990s, they gravitated towards Endress+Hauser. “It was a dream job from the very beginning,” they say.

Their profound expertise and clear technological vision earned them considerable trust within the organization. Ultimately, their results and pioneering spirit opened the door to setting up a new research site. “We are very thankful that we were given the opportunity back then, and that the decision has worked out so well, even after 25 years. That’s mainly thanks to our wonderful, highly qualified team, who have helped write this success story.”