Siemens High Voltage Factory Tour in Berlin on 13th of October 2016

“Same, same but not the same”

While last year a group of members and friends of the German Australian Business Council joined a tour through the Siemens Medium Voltage factory, this year was all about High Voltage.
The tour took part on the 13th of October 2016 in the “Siemens Schaltwerk Berlin”, which is located in the Berlin district of Siemensstadt, were Siemens was once founded. This location is the biggest Siemens production location in Germany. After successful registration at the front entrance everyone was warmly welcomed in the information centre by the German Australian Business Council board members Simone Wienhausen and Sabine Pittrof.
After a short small talk the tour guide invited everyone into a separate room, where he gave a presentation about the history of Siemens and its importance for the whole Siemens group. He focused on the most important inventions and the different fields in which Siemens is currently operating. He proceeded to explain the need for different levels of current as well as the products produced in Berlin and their use within Medium and High voltage.
The tour started with an introduction to the Siemens products in the show room, where our tour guide already had to answer a lot questions regarding the products shown such as Vacuum interrupters, surge arresters and switching devices starting from vacuum circuit breaker to the high voltage gas insulated switching device.
On the way to the High Voltage Factory a highly appreciated shortcut was taken through the Medium Voltage Factory where some of the products were explained. The tour was continued through the High Voltage Training Centre for GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear) where we had the chance to get close to one of the very big devices. After visiting the part of the factory where the housing of the High Voltage products are produced our guide took the group to the assembly lines, where the large switchgear is put together and tested. For most, one the highlights was one part of the High Voltage test lab ( called “Parabelhalle”) with its massive test equipment which are up to 20 meters high.
We wish to gratefully acknowledge that the tour was made possible by Siemens Schaltwerk and are looking forward to the next tour.