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INDUSTRY FOCUS RAIL
3D PRINTING RAILWAY SPARE PARTS BEARINGS MEET RAIL INDUSTRY DEMANDS
Hitachi Rail has selected ROBOZE’s ARGO 500 3D printer, enabling it to use industrial 3D printing technology – using materials such as ULTEM 9085 and Carbon PEEK – for the production of spare parts for its trains. As a result, the company can now replace traditionally machined metal parts, significantly reducing costs and delivery times.
The solution has been chosen to operate in Hitachi Rail’s high-tech factory in Naples,
Italy, and its new digital, state-of-the-art rail factory in Washington County, Maryland. This site will deliver a new fleet of 8000-series railcars for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as its first order. “Our partnership with ROBOZE underlines our commitment to delivering advanced, high- quality manufacturing for our customers. The partnership will enable us to harness 3D printing to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs for producing prototypes and railway spare parts,” commented Luca D’Aquila, COO Hitachi Rail Group and CEO Hitachi Rail Italy. Hitachi Rail’s choice to adopt ROBOZE technology highlights the growing importance of
additive manufacturing in the railway sector. This technology not only enhances production efficiency but also represents a significant step towards greater sustainability and innovation in the transportation industry.
Hitachi Rail Roboze
hitachirail.com
www.roboze.com
SUSTAINABLE FIRE PROTECTION SOLUTION SUITS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RAIL COMPONENTS
BÜFA Composite Systems has introduced BÜFA-Firestop-Gelcoat-S 320, an advanced and sustainable solution for fire protection in the railway industry. This new product is said to offer
outstanding fire retardant properties and meets the highest fire protection requirements, for example EN 45545-2, where it achieves classifications HL2 and HL3, making it ideal for safety-critical applications for interior and exterior components of rail vehicles in rail transport. This offers the highest heat deflection
temperature (HDT), as well as the lowest MAHRE value measured with the Cone Calorimeter ISO 5660-1, leading to significantly reduced heat release in case of fire, the company explains. GelCoat is part of the BÜFA-future product line and thus supports the growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions in the railway industry. It can be applied in various processes such as hand lay-up (HLU), resin transfer moulding (RTM) and infusion in the production of composite components. The gelcoat offers optimal viscosity and thixotropy for easy and efficient processing while providing solid mechanical strength. Thanks to its compatibility with BÜFA Tec machines, smooth handling can be ensured. “With the BÜFA-Firestop-Gelcoat-S
320, we offer a complete fire protection system that meets the highest requirements of the railway industry,” commented Matthias Bode, marketing and sales director of BÜFA Composite Systems. “The gelcoat combines outstanding safety, easy application and sustainability. Our ‘Make it Easy’ philosophy is reflected in our perfectly matched systems – customers benefit from a gelcoat that is suitable for many applications in the railway industry without compromising on safety or sustainability.” The BÜFA-Firestop-Gelcoat-S 320 extends the BÜFA-FireFox system used in closed processes and forms the basis for extensive fire retardancy in the railroad railway industry.
BÜFA Composite Systems
www.buefa-composites.com
NSK produces a wide range of bearings suitable for use in the European rail industry. Its RCT sealed-clean rotating- end-cap tapered roller bearings, for example, have been used in several European high-speed rail projects. RCT (Railway Cartridge Tapered) bearing units offer
reliability, long service life and safety. With innovative sealing solutions to ensure durability and optimal performance, these advanced bearing units accommodate high shock loads, axial loads, and static and dynamic radial loads. Solutions are also available for freight and subway
train axles, including spherical roller bearings and cylindrical roller bearings. Freight trains move at around 100 km/h, and have to endure much higher loads, so the bearing technology is completely different to axle-box solutions for high-speed passenger trains. Engineers in this segment can benefit from NSK’s expert technical support which specifying solutions. NSK also offers solutions for traction motors, where
requirements include power, sustainability and cost effectiveness. Traction motors in rail transport are subject to high radial and axial loads, and often have to endure strong electrical current and high speeds. To meet these requirements, NSK offers bearings with insulated coatings and high-strength cages.
Both NSK cylindrical roller and deep groove ball bearings find use in traction motors for rail vehicles since they are not only ideal for high speeds and loads, but also facilitate easy installation and disassembly. These bearing types offer two insulation choices on the outer ring: ceramic coating or PPS, a polyphenylene sulphide resin coating reinforced with glass fibre. Both coatings provide a high insulating resistance. Bearings that uses ceramic for the rolling
elements inside steel rings are also available for traction motors. These hybrid bearings are popular where high-grade electrical isolation and/or ultra- high speeds are necessary. In addition, gearbox bearings are subject to
intense shocks and vibration arising from wheels clattering along the tracks. These severe operating conditions demand regular bearing maintenance, spurring demand for solutions that contribute to extended maintenance intervals and lower costs. In light of such requirements, NSK offers tapered roller bearings with a specially strengthened cage (wider section) for robust performance and longer service life in gearboxes. This solution is witnessing great success in Japan and is now available to manufacturers in Europe.
NSK
www.nskeurope.com
50 DESIGN SOLUTIONS OCTOBER 2024
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