Train Maintenance Made Easy

Trains are now easier to maintain: European researchers are dealing with an important project in a train hangar in the UK. Experts working to make rail travel safer are developing new methods to control the axes of trains. This technology is based on ultrasonic testing and the first tests are carried out on artificially damaged axles. Small red cracks can easily be detected and measured. The same application is then applied on real axles. Engineers, for example, control the axle of this train and finally make a sound diagnosis. According to the researchers, this technique provides millimeter accuracy.

Stavros Avramidis, Control engineer

Mil Our experiments show that the smallest faults in the middle of the axis that we can measure are 2 or 3 millimeters in length and 1 can be millimeters long. These rates are better than the safety standards required by European train inspection legislation. So our chances of making mistakes are very low. One of our most important goals was to develop a system that could be adapted to different axle diameters and geometries. Because many types of axles in railways are used in different formats. There are differences in the number of critical zones on a specific axis, different front façade axles, or distances of these critical zones to the axle and the façade. So we had to develop a mechanism that could take all these different systems into account. Bu

Fast trains have hollow axles. Therefore, experts have to develop special sensors to examine these gaps and external diameter. They use hard gears for this.

Iván Castro, Industrial engineer

Ik We have combined 2 different techniques; ultrasound and electromagnetic technologies. The ultrasound allows us to monitor the outer surface of the axle. We use electromagnetic technologies for the inner surface. Then we collect this information and combine it in a special software. In this way, we ensure that we also maintain the 100 of the axle. Bu
This new and portable axle inspection system is faster, cheaper and easier than existing systems. In the case of complete approval of the system, this development is extremely good news for railways companies' maintenance units.

Sam Broujeni, Engineering manager

U The maintenance process was much more difficult. We brought the train into a hangar or a similar workshop, and cut it apart. Then the test was done. But with this new browser, we no longer need this kind of operation. Simply remove the end caps of the axle and place the scanner on the front of the scanner. So we can examine the entire body of the axle. Böylece

Researchers estimate that this new system could be in the market after about 5 years.

Source : I tr.euronews.co