position measurement in railroad equipment

Gefran Inc. 8 Low ell Ave Winchester, MA 1-888-888-4474 w w w .gefran.com North America 01890 [email protected]

GEFRAN SOLUTIONS FOR RAILROAD MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT In the complicated railroad network system, the track infrastructure requires regular maintenance to remain safe, especially when high-speed trains are involved. In fact, the effect of a bad maintenance may be a "slow order", imposed to avoid accidents. Several are the required maintenance jobs: changing crossties, lubricating and adjusting switches, tightening loose track components, and surfacing and lining track to keep the tolerance within maintenance limits. Most of these jobs, like the process of crosstie and rail replacement, can be automated by using machines, like a track renewal train. Ballast needs maintenance, too. Over time, ballast is crushed or moved by the weight of trains passing over it so it requires periodical relevelling, cleaning and eventual replacement. If not regularly maintained, the tracks may become uneven causing different problems, up to derailments. Removing and cleaning the ballast from the shoulder is often sufficient. This process, however, can only be done a certain number of times before the ballast is no longer re-usable. In such cases, it is necessary to replace the ballast. The simplest way to replace ballast is to simply dump fresh ballast on the track, jack the whole track on top of it, and then tamp it down.

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Some companies are dedicated to the production of this specific type of machines. The design of this equipment requires a high level of expertise as it must deliver safety, efficiency, and precision to railroads companies, allowing them to get high cost saving and maximized productivity. The entire process includes equipment for material handling, ballast and rail unloading, railcar leasing and repairs, and more. Train cars used for dumping fresh ballast can reach a very high level of technology integration in order to be safe and efficient. GPS coordinates are used to define the areas where ballast has to be spread and the desired amount of ballast needed. The complete automation of the train by mean of hydraulic gates and controls allows to reduce the crew and, therefore, the potential for injury and exposure to ballast dust. The overall efficiency means a significant reduction in ballast and railroad costs. The gate control purpose is to make sure the car dumps the right amount of ballast. Gates are activated by welded hydraulic cylinders. Measuring the exact cylinders position allows the proportional gate opening adjustment. By using a linear sensor permanently mounted inside the cylinder, it’s possible to automate these adjustments directly in the master PLC, without any manual intervention.

Gefran produces an entire range of linear transducers based on different technologies and with different option to fit every application. The IC series is a resistive linear displacement transducer designed for the installation inside hydraulic cylinders. Consisting in a passive element, without any integrated electronics, it’s the simplest, most robust and cost-effective solution for mobile hydraulic applications. The RK5 series, instead, is based on magnetostrictive technology, providing high end performance and advanced options and interfaces. It is available with a flanged head for the installation totally inside the cylinder and it guarantees high accuracy and outstanding robustness.


position measurement in railroad equipment

Engineering