Your benefit
- Safety through monitoring of rail wear
- Early detection of rail defects
- Assessment of riding quality via automatic calculation
- Planning certainty thanks to comprehensive track information
- Individual reports as a basis for decision-making
- Basis for predictive maintenance
- Can be used during regular train operation – no track possession necessary
- Less endangerment to persons
Monitor wear via the rail cross section
Four light-section sensors measure the entire cross section with a frequency of 400 Hz. A laser beam is used to project a line of light along the cross section, which is then captured by high-performance cameras. The resulting actual profile is compared with the target profile. Differences are analysed and evaluated. In addition, parameters such as rail inclination and the equivalent conicity – the riding qualities due to the wheel-rail contact – can be calculated automatically.
Detect surface defects in the longitudinal profile of the rails
When measuring the longitudinal profile, wave-shaped indentations on the rail surface are detected and classified. This is done with three distance sensors that scan the rail at high frequency and determine the waviness with high precision for predefined wavelength ranges. Typical surface defects, such as slip corrugations, short-pitch corrugations, or squats can thus be detected at an early stage.
Analysis of internal rail defects via an ultrasonic system
The ultrasonic system detects faults in the rails, such as holes and cracks. The well-proven telescopic axle guides the wheel probes along the rail with up to 60 km/h. At the same time, ultrasound is emitted at several angles. Its echo is then received and analysed. The ultrasonic data is used, among others, to generate a side view of the rail and the detected faults. Pattern recognition software is used to identify and classify the faults.
Eddy-current testing
Eddy-current testing detects fine cracks in the surface of the running edge. Based on the results obtained, preventive measures such as grinding work can be planned in good time. This increases the rails’ service life as it prevents the rail surface from chipping off as a result of head checks. The system works at up to 60 km/h.
Rail joints and ride comfort
The axle-bearing acceleration measurement captures short wavelength ranges. Vertical accelerations reveal irregularities. The system can be used for automatic rail joint detection and for localizing corrugations. The use of acceleration transducers ensures flawless signal analysis at measuring speeds of 25 km/h and above. Plasser & Theurer also offers acceleration measuring systems for lateral axle bearings, bogies and railway vehicle bodies for all three directions.
Monitoring of rail fastenings and sleeper condition
Different track components such as rails (incl. weld joints), rail fastenings, sleepers, and ballast are recorded using high-resolution cameras and analysed with artificial intelligence. The analysis provides information on visible anomalies such as missing fastenings, skid marks, rail surface defects, sleeper cracks, head checkings, etc. The number of cameras and their image frames can be chosen according to the customer-specific requirements.
