![Page 1: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway.
Conor O’Neill
Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail
Innotrans – Sept 2012
![Page 2: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Materials Drivers
Application – Passenger/freight.
Design – Structural requirements.
Cost – Economic considerations.
Manufacturing – Materials availability, manufacturability.
Repair/Maintenance – In-service issues.
Recycling – End of life considerations.
![Page 3: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Structural Materials – the choice…
Mild steel.
Aluminium alloys.
High tensile steel.
Composites.
![Page 4: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Composite – can it be done?
Current application:
– Secondary structures, interiors.– Driver’s cab, aerodynamic cover.– Insulation.
What’s next?
– Primary structure applications.– Integrated design philosophy.– Step change in manufacturing
![Page 5: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Composite – can it be done?
D-CAB
– EU FP6 project.– Existing design, new materials.– Fully composite.– Meets crashworthiness standards.
Full scale prototype:
– Mass saving: 40%– Part-count saving: 60%– Cost saving: 20%
![Page 6: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Blockers… Cost
– “Composites are expensive”. Mass
– “Lightweighting is not our main priority”. Implementation
– “We’re simply not set up to adopt composites”. Mindset
– “Steel and aluminium have well documented, predictable properties and are easily designed”.
End-of life
– “How do you recycle composite materials?”
![Page 7: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Benefits
Lightweight
– Energy reduction.– Increased load carrying capability.
– Reduced CO2 emissions.
– Reduction in wheel/rail wear.
Modular design.
– Risk sharing partners.– Interchangability.– Built-in insulation.– Complex aerodynamic structures.
![Page 8: Innovative materials in a sustainable freight railway. Conor O’Neill Rail Vehicles Manager, NewRail Innotrans – Sept 2012](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062801/56649e535503460f94b4886b/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
A shift to freight
Increased demand to reduce the mass of rail vehicles.
Move to high speed freight?
– Faster, lighter, more aerodynamic, …
Supplier development.
– Increased use of composites.– Supply chain shift.
Back to the future?!