NOTE CAMP

ANYONE WHO VISITED CARINA CITY ON THE NORTH OF GERMANY, USUALLY RECOLLECTS TWO THINGS - FAMOUS KIEL SPRATS AND NAVIGABLE CHANNELS, WHICH CONNECTS TO BALTIC REGION WITH THE NORTH SEA. BUT THERE IS THE THIRD SIGHTS, ABOUT WHICH THEY DO NOT TELL TO TOURISTS FROM THE ELEGANT CRUISE LINERS - FACTORY, AT WHICH IS DONE THE ACOUSTICS ELAC.

Our permanent readers immediately will surmise, why to each participant in the press- stage they entrusted ship into [butylke]*. They will surmise and… they will be not right. Yes, small German firm Electroacustic, based by scientists and engineers distant 1926- m, was once tightly connected with the fleet - it developed the acoustic means of connection and sonars. But souvenir, as it was explained, had another value.

Ship theme in the history ELAC - these are only sound “Do”, very first note in the gamma. With the end of the war of the development of acoustical scientists they lost urgency, and firm, which had available already solid research department and production capacities, it was switched to the production of musical equipment -turntable record players. Which rapidly succeeded. To the middle of 50th ELAC it arose in the same league with the most distinguished German producers of consumer electronics. But following so the powerfully sounded note “Re”, as is known, follows “Mi”. For the different reasons the company began to lose profit, and at the end the seventieth it became bankrupt. Using moment, the Honeywell corporation puts in order to the hands of specialists in the sea location, and then are located buyers, also, to the everyday direction. However, to particular investors was reached only known stamp and glory of experimenter- innovators from audio industry.

New owners - present President Wolfgang John and heading the sales department of Dorothy Tomanek - accepted singularly valid solution. It was necessary to be switched from the vinyl record players, whose epoch concluded with the advent of with CD, to the fact that enjoys demand always and does not depend on variable situation - acoustics. Because of the resourcefulness of engineers and the reconstructed production the company returned to itself outstanding reputation and she became the fourth in the value acoustic firm in Germany with the annual volume of output of more than hundred thousand loudspeakers.

On that, than are unique developments ELAC, it always appears to describe occasion, as soon as this acoustics are tested. And not only, by the way. The ELAC high-frequency Heil emitters are also used by other producers. Danish Audiovector buys in the Germans only as acomponent and independently assembles. German Burmester uses already finished ELAC tweeter, but it's true, the price of such models does not descend below EUR 10000. Finally, components “of bellows” in the special performance are supplied even for equipping the most expensive automobile - Bugatti Vveyron - the 1001 hp car, but on these facts, which testify about prestige and level of their own achievements, ELAC does not accentuate the attention. Here, in the Kiel, generally everything is arranged so that, after falling here, you perceive itself with student-trainee in any very important and secret NII (Scientific Research Institute). To you like all explain and show, but they keep back something important.

Let's take the same Heil emitter. Director of production Thomas Werner demonstrates the work of the automatic machine, which performs only one operation - it drips the glue into the strictly defined places “of bellows” (process it is controlled by laser), it and then spreads before us all components of uncommon tweeter: “You look, investigate, yes although take to itself in the memory, but please don't take pictures or video of the process of storing the tape of the emitter”.
Secret process, using some intricate adaptation, is carried out by hand.

The same crape of mysteriousness surrounds the 4Pi supertweeter. Thomas again shows each component, in detail explains the operating principle, gives to feel the aluminum tape with a thickness only of six microns, and this tender component from the first touch becomes unsuitable - to now it is possible only reject it into the basket. When they ask Thomas, as assembling so massive and at the same time brittle a construction is conducted, it answers: “We have a specialist. But in it today output”.

The atmosphere NII strengthens the suspiciously small number of colleagues in enterprise - on the motion of excursion on the plant ([nemalenkomu], with area of 8000 [m]2) I counted about 20 people. Later to us they explained, as production is organized. The company of each colleague trains for several operations. The one who manages some by procedure exemplarily, for others he comes out as teacher, although in this case itself can count in the students in someone still. Using this simple principle, Germans knew how to fix whole system on the transfer of experience, and at the same time - quality control.
“Our task - to plan for each flexible schedule and to create conditions for the development of professional qualities, says Thomas, this is why there is no need for being present at the plant entire state of fifty people”.

And one additional observation. Usually the most complex operations try to entrust to technology in order to remove “human factor”. In ELAC all vice versa - with entire tendency to bring up specials-OVspecialist, in the firm are proud by irreplaceable masters. But entire command works so, as if it plays on the notes. For example, the machine tool, on which are made the magnetic systems, possesses excessive productivity. It was possible to establish rigging simpler and to put to it the pair of men on a constant basis. But Germans solved, which is better to start conveyor to the pair of days and almost by the entire command to make monthly standard, and after to again distribute specialists in other technological points.

“You do not fear, that the withdrawal of several irreplaceable colleagues for the company will be wrapped up by complications?” - I asked Thomas. - “People, which come to us to the work, remain for a long time. Many here work already 10 15 years. Probably, them simply everything is arranged”.

But there is one additional explanation to stability - uniqueness of equipment. It is difficult to use somewhere still work experience with it. The majorities of assembly lines or machine tools, on which is carried out yes at least the same coil of coils, is, in addition devised by heads and are built with the hands of specialists ELAC.

Process of development us they did not show, justifying this fact that there not on what to look - allegedly, you CAD did not see or regiments with the reference books? So I believed. Certainly, promising developments - this is the most important secret. I assume that ELAC are not principally dealt in licenses to its patents, although they could in this matter, probably wipe nose even to this monster as Bose. Then us they showed the result of the engineering searches not only in the form of slide- show, but also in action. The form of 16- centimeter woofer, whose diffuser accomplishes motions with the amplitude near 5 centimeters (in this case stroboscope makes it possible to see, that the voice coil completely leaves from the magnetic clearance, and rubber suspension it stretches as string), by itself it impresses. But indeed in this case - no audible distortions! How such is generally possible? Instead of the answer - smile. Thomas removes “crocodiles” dynamics, takes the woofer of another producer, decreases triply the power and only then connects him - it is heard this sound, as if driver now will tear on the part.

Nevertheless ELAC - this and actually NII, and already then - the plant, which generates to acoustician, which is exported to 40 countries of world. Here even there is its laboratory, where studies for the endurance of materials and the longevity of paint and varnish coats are carried out, the resistance of production to ultraviolet irradiation, to the heat and the 100-percent humidity is checked. The columns, placed into the closed cameras, pass the procedure of artificial aging. In the special damped accomodation several loudspeakers continuously roar and make noise with the maximum power. Meticulous Germans from time to time glance into their torture - not it is burnt-out whether that, it did not fall off, after which nod to each other “Gut” and imperturbable fill on the keyboard of computer some numbers.
Reliability, perhaps, one additional secret of the success of acoustics ELAC. 15-year guarantee with the constant consumer parameters - this is far from limit.

“A it is must whether more?” - I ask as by chance. - “A as! How you do think, why to you they did present the model of ship? You know, as this souvenir makes - they for long and tediously gather directly in the bottle. But, even knowing technology, will be able you it to repeat? I am confident, that years through to [desyat]-[dvadtsat] not any producer will make that which was possible to produce for us. But it means, we must care that our columns would work as new and many years later”.

But indeed it rights. Looking at the line, on which of fifty components by completely unthinkable means is gathered the coaxial handsome X-JET driver, you understand, that others even will not risk to be taken to make this complex emitter. This to you not to crack to catch in the Kiel molded edge. l

* about the history and the achievements of the ELAC company “Audio Video ” already told into №12/2001.