RAIL SAFETY

New-weld System To Increase Rail Safety

Europe's railway networks have dedicated teams devoted to checking track safety, inspecting the metal for any cracks or defects that could cause problems. If a track needs stabilization, it is often of welded on-site. However, for track inspectors specialties, the have few tools to check whether the resulting welds are strong enough. Now, the researcher has developed a new tool for arranges regular simple test of the ultrasonic welding of the track added a much-needed layer of safety to the rail network.

Characteristics of this system:

1)This welding system check full volume rail welding in less than 15 minutes and it is very easy for operate.
2) It gives the position of the right size and locations that affect welding system.
3) It can also reduce the high rate of rejection.

There are an estimated 11 million welds on the European rail network, with around a thousand new ones added daily. If a new tools become available, the rise in rail speeds,and heavier freight train weights are all likely to create more rail breaks across the European network. 

Now, that the high speed network is expanding within Europe, the frequency of the inspection and maintenance has to be increased. Having a reliable, advanced and innovative system of inspection such as the Railect system will contribute to the establishment of a safer European railway network. The technology will also reduce maintenance costs on Europe's rail network, costs associated with the high rejection rates. And by boosting the overall weld quality, it will ensure a smoother ride on passenger trains.

Although they fix flaws on the rails, the welds themselves can suffer shrinkage, hot tears, slag inclusions, failure to fuse, and porosity. Weld joint failures account for 20% of all rail failures, because of the welds’ complex structure, geometry and thickness, it is difficult to check their strength and integrity of the volume beneath the surface. Indeed, because most checks are made with the human eye, a large number of welds with surface cracks are rejected even though they might be deeper inside. 

The project, named Railect, has built a testing device that clamps on to the rail. Ultrasonic transducers then effectively inspect the weld, while the defect detection software crunches the data to seek deep, internal volumetric defects that cannot be seen with the naked eye.  The obvious benefits for safety, the technology will also reduce maintenance costs on Europe's rail network, costs associated with the high rejection rates. And by boosting the overall weld quality, it will ensure a smoother ride on passenger trains.

Backed by a €1.1 million grant from the European Commission, Railect’s partners, from Britain, plus one each from Poland, France and Lithuania, have patented the technologies, and are working to bring it to market. Network Rail, the authority responsible for the United Kingdom's railway network, has already indicated it will buy 40 Railect units.