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SAFERAIL prototypes minimise wheelset failures

Back to Media and Events $8M Saved Following Abington Consultation - Case Study 94 1 Million Pound per Annum Potential Savings Through Project - Case Study 167 100kW Electron Beam Machine for Framatome - Case Study 52 100kW Electron Beam Machine for Framatome - Case Study 52 10X Saving in Material Handling Costs - Case Study 438 15% Increase in Production of Flue Products - Case Study 440 1980s Material - A Question of Fracture Toughness - Case Study 407 20% Reduction in Project Management Costs - Case Study 436 20% Savings in Welding Operations - Case Study 437 A Crushing Reply - Technical Advice Casebook - Case Study 162 A Cut Above the Rest - Especially When It Comes to Titanium - Case Study 35 A Novel Approach to Offshore Wind Power ...But Where and How Much? - Case Study 413 A Novel NDT Technique for Inspecting Offshore Structures A Novel X-Ray Inspection System for Counterfeit Component A Tough Choice - Made Easier by Talking to the Right People - Case Study 381 Abington Work Behind Standards Revision - 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Case Study 85 Ethylene Plant Assessment - Case Study 126 European Space Agency Receives TWI Support - Case Study 388 Examination of Failed Fuel Nozzles - Case Study 239 Examination of Failure in Fir Tree Connection in Disc Explosion Damage Limitation - Case Study 34 Extra-Large Diameter Pipeline Inspection - Case Study 517 Extrusion Press Repair Avoids Replacement Cost - Case Study 102 Fabricator Receives Assistance under the REMTEC Programme - Case Study 484 Fast Results Achieved in South Wales - Case Study 121 Fatigue Life Analysis of a Stent - Case Study 256 Fatigue Performance of Locally Thickened and Machined Pipes Fatigue Strength of Steel RHS T Joints - Case Study 24 FEA Aids Design of Climbers' Snow Safety Device - Case Study 86 Fine Tuning to Spot Welding Kit - Case Study 87 Finite Element Analysis of Offshore Wind Turbines - Case Study 499 Flaw Assessment Saves Repair - Case Study 313 Flexible Risers - Is Repair a Viable Option? - Case Study 174 Foreseeing the Unforeseen - Case Study 354 Formula One Benefits from Electron Beam Welding - 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Simulated in the Lab - Case Study 374 Regional Technology Project Pops Welded Bubbles - Case Study 447 REMO – Online Remote Condition Monitoring of Tidal Stream Generators - Case Study 596 Repair of Hydropower Station Turbine Casings to a Tight Deadline - Case Study 246 Repair of Steel Viaduct - Case Study 101 Research Project to Bring Down High Cost of Autoclaving - Case Study 581 Residual Stress and Structural Integrity using Thermography Resilient Rubber - Case Study 107 Resistive implant welding of fibre reinforced thermoplastics Revalidation of Gas Field Facilities - Case Study 127 Rework of MCM Die Bonds - Case Study 89 RISKCalc in UltraPIPE in Texas - Case Study 350 RISKWISE for Tanks Applied in Malaysia - Case Study 351 RISKWISE for TotalFinaElf's Refinery in Belgium - Case Study 190 RISKWISE Software used in Japan - Case Study 318 RISKWISE™ RBI Planning Software - Case Study 444 Roll Bar and Cage Lead Time Reduced by 75% - Case Study 434 Rubbing Along Nicely …Tailored Training in Linear Friction Welding - Case Study 415 SAFERAIL Prototypes Minimise Wheelset Failures - Case Study 508 Search for a Welded Solution Ends with Election Beam - Case Study 379 Second Opinion Sets Client's Mind at Rest - Case Study 419 Self-Piercing Riveting - Case Study 151 Self-Piercing Riveting Case Study of Volvo FH12 Truck Cab - Case Study 154 Self-Piercing Riveting for Electric Window Winders - Case Study 157 Self-Piercing Riveting of Sunroof Framework - Case Study 156 Serious Savings from Service Assessment - Case Study 223 Shallow Cracks Help! - Case Study 74 SimCoDeQ - Process Monitoring of Composite Materials Manufacturing Simulation of Roll Cage Manufacture - Case Study 201 Simulation Tests Robot Feasibility - Case Study 47 Small Sample Analysis Solves a Problem - Case Study 73 Software for Plant Inspection Analysis - Case Study 194 Software to Predict Distortion and Improve Fatigue SOIMON – Fast and Reliable Technology for In-Situ Soil Inspection - Case Study 608 Solder Materials for use in 'Down Hole' Data Loggers - 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Case Study 338 WallJAM: Beat the Best! - Case Study 622 Warming to Friction Stir Welding - Case Study 451 Weldability of New Pipeline Steel - Case Study 23 Weldasearch for World-Wide Information - Case Study 75 Welded Afterthoughts…..Prompt A Closer Look - Case Study 375 Welding Improvements for the Maritime Industry - Case Study 501 Welding in Space – Who Needs Gravity? - Case Study 92 Welding Trials Permit Reduced Inspection Times - Case Study 44 Welding Up the Tubes - Case Study 260 Welds Before and After Underline Value of Butt Fusion Course - Case Study 348 Wet or Dry…Teletest Exceeds Expectations - Case Study 409 Winch Shaft Failures Diagnosed - Case Study 98 WIP Reduced by 35% in Manufacturing of Filter Units - Case Study 435 Wire/Ribbon Tape Automated Bonding - Case Study 19
 
Published on 15 February 2012
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SAFERAIL phased array France 1

The SAFERAIL project was completed at the end of 2011. The three year long part-funded project comprised TWI and 10 rail- related industrial partners, and has been successfully managed to investigate both track-side online inspection, and manual inspection of wheelsets.

The objectives of the project included producing NDT equipment prototypes which would minimise wheelset failures, improve safety and reduce maintenance costs using financially viable, ecologically sound, and efficient techniques which were accessible to all EU countries.

The development work was undertaken by European partners in Belgium, France, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal and the UK.

The techniques under investigation included high frequency vibration analysis, acoustic emission sensing, and thermography.. all track-side inspection techniques. The manual inspection techniques included alternating current field measurement, and phased array ultrasonics testing.

At its conclusion meeting the SAFERAIL consortium demonstrated the successful operation of several project prototypes designed to identify faulty axles, wheels and suspension.

 

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SAFERAIL phased array France 2

In a follow-on aspect to the work the consortium now hopes to develop the prototype technology to full commercialisation.

TWI was the co-ordinator of the SAFERAIL project, and was also responsible for the development of its manual phased array ultrasonic (PAUT) inspection techniques. The manual inspection PAUT system design comprises a number of inspection techniques, and probe and shoe designs, specific to the inspection area of the wheelset.

Off-the-shelf PAUT data acquisition kit was used. The value added by the SAFERAIL project lay in the development of the inspection techniques and unique deployment of the PAUT probes. Probe holders, including encoders, were developed within the project. These, together with Level Two written procedures, now offer reliable inspection solutions for both axles and wheels.

The successful implementation of the SAFERAIL deliverables, and subsequent commercialisation of the proof of principle prototypes, offers the rail industry several technical advantages which will increase the reliability of rolling stock operations and contribute towards the optimisation of operation cost efficiency.

The SAFERAIL portable phased array inspection system developed by TWI for manual inspection of wheels.

SAFERAIL is a collaboration between the following organisations: Alfa Products & Technologies, EMEF SA, Envirocoustics A.B.E.E., Feldman Enterprises LTD, Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), Technical Software Consultants Ltd, TWI Ltd, University of Birmingham, Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij De Lijn, VTG Rail UK Ltd. The project is co-ordinated and managed by TWI Ltd and is partly funded by the EC under the COLLABORATIVE Project ref: SCP7-GA-2008-218674.

For more information about SAFERAIL, please contact us.

For more information please email:


contactus@twi.co.uk