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Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) System

Drive complete rolling stock wheelsets over corresponding rail in controlled laboratory settings to replicate surface and sub-surface wear and other aspects of rolling contact fatigue, resulting from real-world wheel and rail contact. This turnkey solution enables engineers to better predict wheel set and rail life cycles, understand the implications of different materials and geometries on steering and durability, mitigate potential risks and minimize maintenance costs.

  • Rail and wheel set damage studies
  • Straight and Curved Rolling
  • Flanging
  • Wheel set centering
  • Mapping of lateral force vs Angle of Attack
  • Simulating normal and abnormal operation
  • Effect of wear on wheel set performance
  • Progression of track and wheel damage
  • Wheel Sets
  • Rail
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KEY PRODUCT FEATURES

Innovative Technology

Unique solution capable of performing rolling contact fatigue (RCF) testing on complete wheelsets

Accurate / Repeatable

Fixed (rigidly mounted) wheelset ensures that all loads are measured directly where they are reacted

Durable / Reliable

Rail carriage supported on hydro-static bearings, increasing accuracy, extending life and minimizing maintenance

First of a Kind

Displacement control automatically compensates for changes in wheelset loading

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

  1. Fixed Axle Drive (Hydraulic Motor)
  2. Wheelset & Rail test article
  3. 3DOF Load Cell (x2)
  4. Push-down Slip Actuators (x4)
  5. Moving Rail Carriage
  6. Push-up Actuators (x4)
  7. Longitudinal Drive Actuator
  8. Lateral Slip Actuators (x4)

Vertical

 

Force

667 kN

Displacement

63 mm

Longitudinal

 

Force

67 kN

Displacement

1.2 m

Velocity

1.6 m/s

AOA

40 mrad; Resolution 0.004 mrad

Wheel torque

4000 n-m

Wheel encoder accuracy
(0.024 mm on a 1 m diameter wheel)

0.0027 degrees

Minimum turn radius

300 m