Hello Rolf,

your "Frohe Weihnachten und ein Gesundes, Erfolgreiches Neues Jahr 2017."
does look perfect. So - perhaps you're from Germany. Would be funny, because
I'm living in Germany near Nuernberg ... ;-)

Gemuetliche + ruhige Feiertage + einen gelungenen Jahreswechsel
(wish you pleasant holidays + a successful new year)

Greetings

Franky / Frank Herfert


Rolf worked for NSU in Germany on the Wankel as I understand it.


Paul Lamar Merry Christmas



Hallo Frank,

Yes, as Paul said, I worked for NSU on the Wankel engine development on
Manufacturing processes.
At one time two of us were proposing a steel liner in the trochoide. For
fastening we were trying soft solder that of course did not work. I had
one exemplar delivered to the trochoide grinding machine operator but he
screwed it up taking too much machining advance. It heated up and the
liner came off. It likely was a good thing because it would for sure
have loosened in a running engine. It was only 1 mm thick, that is too
thin. A thicker liner of special shape would work braced in (hartlöten)
at a bit under the Al melting point.

But is was all too late. NSU was going bankrupt. Die Landesregierung von
Baden-Württemberg, the local state government stepped in and negotiated
a deal with Audi. At that time I left, all looked bleak, a salary
increase was out of the question. I was in my building years and needed
a better income.

I grew up in Neckarsulm took apprenticeship at NSU, Maschinenschlosser,
machine fitter, went to the 'Staatliche Technikerschule' in Heilbronn
and moved up to the Process Planning Department (Arbeitsvorbereitung). I
had once a discussion with Dr. Fröde for about one hour trying to talk
him out of the Wankel engine with no luck. :-) He was the major force
behind its development. The phrase was coined: 'Kraft durch Fröde' in
Anlehnung an den Spruch von Hitler "Kraft durch Freude" when he wanted a
higher birth rate in his early days.

Anyway, I kept up my German well as I worked later in Canada for Lurgi a
subsidiary of Metallgesellschaft, Frankfurt that went bust when the
Austrian CEO at the time gambled 20 Million Deutschmarks away in trading
oil futures.

I am now retired and am experimenting with another rotary design that
keeps me busy and young.

Besten Dank für die guten Wünsche. Auch Ihnen ein Frohes Fest, Frohe
Weihnachten und ein Gesundes, Zufriedenes und Erfolgreiches Neues Jahr
2017.

Alles Gute weiterhin.
Rolf Pfeiffer


Translation :-)

Thanks for the good wishes. Also to you a Merry Christmas, Merry
Christmas and a Healthy, Happy and Successful New Year 2017.

Paul Lamar



Hello Rolf,

thank you very much for the description of your impressive + interesting
life.

And your German is so good - I wish, my knowledge of English would be on the
same level ... ;-) But I always have to use a dictionary - so thanks to
Langenscheidt, Klett, Cassel's ... ;-)

Well, the "unfriendly tackover" of NSU by VW was a "political" decision.
e.g. the Dresdner Bank, the Israel British Bank + E. Hutzenlaub were heavily
involved in that "deal" ...

Since, may be, 1965, it was clear to NSU, that they would need a "big
friend" with a lot of money ... There have been some rumors in those days,
that Curtiss+Wright + Toyo Kogyo / Mazda are interested to invest "into" NSU
...

Actually I'm re-manufacturing a database, so I do not have the time to look
for more details. But in fact I don't know more, than is written in some
books + I'm pretty sure, that you know "the story" already ... ;-)

With kindest regards


Franky / Frank Herfert


Hi Franky,

Ohne Herrn Hutzenlaub wäre der Wankelmotor vermutlich gar nicht
entwickelt geworden. Or rather:
Most likely would the Wankel engine not have been developed without the
efforts of Mr. Hutzenlaub.

A good book among the many others is this one:

"Wankelmut in der Automobilindustrie" von Andreas Knie (1994 ISBN:
3894041455)

It sure has been a long and thorny road. The Wankel has many good
features and a few drawbacks that can hardly be changed. Although
negative drawbacks can be reduced. Because of ever tightening emission
and fuel consumption restrictions its use 'as is' may be limited to
niche markets such as the experimental aircraft field. On the other
hand, that whole CO2 lie should be exposed as such. Perhaps new leaders
in key countries may change the present paranoia.

Regarding translations I often use google translate and find it very
good but its no 'cure all' system.
https://translate.google.ca/  it likely is also available in German with
the ".de" extension?

I am amazed however how much R&D is still being poured into the Wankel
development up to the present days.
If so many Universities and R&D personnel working on it, its continued
survival must be believed and expected.
To my estimation progress is needed in the combustion process by changes
to the approach. I have my own ideas but without resources I cannot test
it. In theory it should work well. However, without actual testing it
remains an 'idea' and, it has been said: 'ideas are cheap'. :-)
But I see further progress is possible.

Regards
Rolf Pfeiffer

We  are only about 5 or 7% behind the piston engine.
I think better ignitions systems are the answer.
That and better transmissions.

SAE Paper 2015-01-0382  Published in 04/14/2015
Confirms that.

Paul Lamar


Sometimes you have the image that politicians have the main job of fornicating with their clerical aids, and then decide going over all, specially the taxpayers, as in the old dirty movie: 'Dazzling saddles', by Mel Brooks, having any technical knowledge about the subjects they take decisions about is irrelevant, they seem moving by fear of being criticized and losing votes and their income, so, any campaign shouting high enough about them will make them change their minds.


In the recent attacks for tricks in emissions measurements, the engines, when someone was watching, behaved properly, and when not, acted wildly, as the employees in an office in some scenes in the movie: 'Brazil', but the true reason may be that no Automotive company will be allowed to have a major market or technology advantage over others, as the handicapped would fear for their lives, and start fighting hard with any means.


An ad about a mini-car with a 360 cc 2-Stroke engine in: 'Barn finds', pointed Mazda intended installing there their single Rotor Wankel engine, but other companies reunited to beg pity, 'Erbarme dich...'

Regards, + Salut †

José Gros-Aymerich

Madrid, Spain



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