Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG

Take the Best: PistenBully!

Laupheim, August 26, 2004. The Olympic idea is a great thing. And so is being Number One. Because quality pays off. Especially when it’s based on the technical passion that goes into every single detail of a PistenBully. At Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG the passion starts in the production phase and continues in the after-sale period and in the manufacturer’s service work. Score one to nil for a well thought-out overall concept!


Kässbohrer’s top-of-the-range products. The PistenBully 300 and PistenBully 300 Polar are the best-selling models worldwide.

PistenBully vehicles win every comparative test of reliability and long service life. With a PistenBully you have a vehicle that is ready for use at any time. High investments in thorough quality assurance measures are an essential factor. When developing a new PistenBully the Kässbohrer team not only considers sales figures, but also performance, operating life and maintenance costs. In a word: the overall costs that accumulate in the course of a product’s life are just as important as the initial customer benefits. The innovative results of this in-depth development process include such brilliant features as the rope failure detector and SNOWtronic. The rope failure detector is an early-warning system that checks the winch rope regularly, detects even minor damage and transmits a warning signal to the driver. SNOWtronic is the intelligent, adaptive tiller control that permits a wide variety of ski-slope designs to be created and makes the driver’s task easier. Electronics have been in use on PistenBully vehicles for a long time now – with user benefit always coming first. On a multi-functional display the driver can see all the important information on PistenBully and tiller operating condition.

Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG invests a lot of time in the development and fine-tuning of components and integrates know-how it receives as feedback from the company’s business partners. Since the whole is always be better than the sum of its individual parts, our vehicle prototypes are tested so long in advance until we find the perfect solution for every single detail.

What is defined in product development is implemented consistently in quality assurance. For first-class products on which our customers can rely. Quality assurance work begins even before components are first delivered. Audits are carried out directly at the supplier, where methods and production processes are tested and documented. Delivery of components to our production plant is followed immediately by inspection of the incoming goods. Whether the parts are for use in series production or to be sold as spare parts: tough requirements such as consistently high material quality, accuracy of fit and long service life have to be met. A high-quality 3D measuring machine connected directly to the design department’s CAD system checks the suppliers’ parts to within thousandths of a millimeter and, of course, the quality of the material too.

Materials for the cabin are specially designed to withstand low temperatures; the cabin frame is of extra-strong construction. Every model in the PistenBully program complies with the legal safety standards for new vehicles. The cabin’s high safety level was confirmed by the industrial accident insurers’ audit and certification office back in 2002 – well before the legal provisions took effect. It’s a safer feeling to have it written down black on white.


In the test rigs the most varied stress scenarios are simulated and the relevant measurements taken and documented.

Two state-of-the-art test rigs test every vehicle for two or three hours according to the most varied stress and load scenarios. An automated program run simulates various types of terrain and operation. Engine control, travel and steering electronics as well as braking performance are tested, and the measured values evaluated and documented. The test rigs are both driven by two asynchronous electric motors with a braking performance as high as 2 x 160 kW; they exert the necessary braking torque on the PistenBully’s driveline. When operating as generators they produce as much as 150,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is fed directly into the main supply system. Unusual, but very satisfactory in terms of environmental protection, are the innovative ideas that give the PistenBully plant such an exceptionally positive energy balance. Waste heat is used as well: From the compressors, for instance, it heats the track production department in winter. Innovative thinking enhances environmental protection with such unusual solutions as these.

All engines for PistenBully models have been approved according to the Euromot 2 limits. In fact they not only comply with them but have been genuinely tested by the relevant government bodies. A subtle difference, but one that in our opinion matters a lot.

 

Final inspection marks the ultimate step of quality assurance. Any shortcomings recorded in the audit protocols are eliminated. After further inspection, documentation and signature, the vehicle’s final condition is certified. No PistenBully leaves the production plant in Laupheim without the approval of the customer quality center.


Engine control, travel and steering electronics and braking performance are put through an automatic test procedure.

Professional operation is always associated with the relevant service requirements. Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG maintains a widespread service network worldwide. Regional mechanics are never far away from customers, to make sure of rapid on-site support when it’s needed. Every vehicle can be given the very best after-sales support. On-site presence is often an important factor for customers. Our competent technical staff supports the customer when the vehicle is first started up, and from then on.

Service quality is an important PistenBully advantage. Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG provides a full-coverage maintenance and repair service. Within 24 hours an original spare part can be on its way to anywhere in the world. By specifying original spare parts customers safeguard the long-term profitability of their PistenBully investment. Wherever possible, parts needed for routine maintenance and those subject to wear are identical on several PistenBully models. This makes them available to the customer at short notice, and means that fewer different spare parts have to be kept in stock. Familiarization and training of mechanics and drivers take place more rapidly as a result. A PistenBully has a long reliable operating life. Parts subject to wear and those with safety relevance are therefore still available for PistenBully models that are over 15 years old.

An efficient service concept includes training courses, advice and the exchange of experience, and integrates the customer as a close business associate. Training our customers’ and contract dealers’ staff helps to keep the vehicles operational and fully utilized, as well as maintaining their long-term value. The customers’ drivers and mechanics are frequently able to handle problems without outside help. Every year 500 to 600 of them attend our training courses.

 

PistenBully. Tried and tested, many thousands of times over. At home on the ski slopes world wide, and in fact everywhere that performance counts. Low operating costs, rapid troubleshooting, long operating life and high value retention – these are the selling points in favor of a PistenBully. Innovative design keep these machines ahead and have made them the world’s number one in ski-slope preparation. Don’t be satisfied with anything less!


The customer is integrated into the PistenBully service concept as a partner, according to the principle: helping people to help themselves.