Safety at higher speeds and maximum availability.

Safety and availability in rail transport are of crucial importance, especially at a time when higher speeds and maximum reliability are being sought. Ultrasonic testing is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring these standards. It is used to detect potential defects in key components such as railway wheelset shafts, hollow shafts and wheel rims.

Actemium Engineer für nondestructive testing inspecting a subway

Wheels and axles are already subject to strict quality requirements during production. In the later life cycle of the axle or wheel, they must be inspected regularly during maintenance in order to detect cracks, for example, in good time due to the dynamic load on the components during operation.

Our inspection technology is designed according to the respective types of defect and the time of inspection, thus enabling the shortest possible cycle time. Depending on the local conditions and application, our products are available as stationary and mobile units. With our systems, we are able to test hollow shafts for wheelsets with longitudinal bores as well as wheel rims.

In order to meet the special requirements of the metallurgical industry, our NDT specialists develop custom-fit solutions for a wide range of quality demands for rail, aerospace, wind power and marine applications.

Typical types of defects

  • Cracks
  • Material inclusions and flaws
  • Defects

Materials

  • Different manufacturing processes require different NDT techniques and procedures (forged, rolled, pre-machined or final machined)
  • Different geometries: Sheets, bars, rings or complex geometries

Actemium Inspection Systems

Shuttle testing equipment for hollow shafts:

  • Testing during production of hollow shafts for wheel sets (Mini/Maxi/Multi-SHUTTLE)
  • Maintenance and repair of hollow shafts (Multi-/Mini-SHUTTLE)

UFPE Light test equipment for railway wheel sets

  • Maintenance of wheels

Ultrasonic inspection of hollow axles
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Wheel rim inspection of railway vehicles
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SHUTTLE INSPECTION SYSTEM

Ultrasonic inspection of hollow axles

In the railroad industry, hollow axles and hollow shafts with longitudinal bore are inspected at regular intervals with ultrasound. The SHUTTLE ultrasonic inspection system enables the detection of the possible defects in manufacturing and maintenance using local immersion technique.

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UFPE-LIGHT INSPECTION SYSTEM

Wheel rim inspection of railway vehicles

In the railroad industry, wheelsets of rail vehicles are maintained at regular intervals by means of ultrasonic inspection. The UFPE-Light ultrasonic inspection system enables the detection of two-dimensional material separations below the tread of railroad wheels over the entire circumference of the wheels.

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We are your NDT specialist.

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FAQ's

  • What are rail wheelset shafts and why are they important?

    Railroad wheelset shafts are important components of rail vehicles that ensure that the wheels run safely on the rails. They must be checked regularly for defects in order to prevent accidents.

  • What role do hollow shafts play in rail transportation?

    Hollow shafts are hollow bodies that are used to reduce the weight and improve the driving characteristics of rail vehicles. They must also be regularly inspected for defects to ensure safety.

  • Why is the regular inspection of rims important?

    Wheel rims are the outer rings of the wheels that come into direct contact with the rails. They are subject to high loads and must therefore be checked regularly for cracks and other damage in order to prevent accidents.

  • Wie oft sollten Bahn-Radsätze auf Defekte überprüft werden?

    Die genaue Frequenz der Prüfungen kann je nach Betriebsbedingungen variieren, aber im Allgemeinen sollten Bahn-Radsätze regelmäßig, mindestens jedoch einmal pro Jahr, auf Defekte überprüft werden.

  • What are the advantages of ultrasonic testing compared to other testing methods?

    Ultrasonic testing is non-invasive, highly precise and can also inspect areas that are difficult to access. This makes it particularly effective in the early detection of defects in railroad wheelsets and other important components in rail transportation.

Any questions?

Actemium Cegelec Mitte GmbH

Actemium NDS
Gutenstetter Str. 14a
90449 Nuremberg
Germany

 

Phone: +49 911 9943-0
E-Mail: info.nds@actemium.de