railways assignment topic 1

8/17/2019 Railways Assignment Topic 1

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RAILWAYS ASSIGNMENT 14th of MARCH

RAILWAY VEHICLE MANUFACTURING

T E R E S A E C H A N I Z I R I A R T E

A N E F E R N A N D E Z B A R R A D O

A I N H O A L A C A L L E A S E N S I O

L I D E R O D R I G U E Z I N S A U S T I


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TABLA DE CONTENIDO

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 3

MANUFACTURING PROCESS ............................................................................ 3

1. DESIGN ................................................................................................................ 3

2. MATERIALS AND PARTS ...................................................................................... 3

3. MANUFACTURING ............................................................................................... 3

I. BODY ................................................................................................................ 3

II. BOGIE ............................................................................................................... 4

4. ASSEMBLY ........................................................................................................... 6

I. UNDERFRAME .................................................................................................. 6

II. SIDES ................................................................................................................ 7

III. BODYSHELL ..................................................................................................... 7

IV. FITTING OUT ..................................................................................................... 8

5. PAINTING ............................................................................................................. 8

6. TESTING ............................................................................................................... 8

7. DELIVERY ............................................................................................................. 9

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ............................................................................... 9

RAILS ................................................................................................................ 10

OTHER KIND OF RAILWAYS ............................................................................. 10

BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 12


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INTRODUCTION

The manufacturing process of a railway begins with the

technical design of the parts and ends when the new

train starts working on the expected way. The stages to

complete the process are: design, materials and parts

ordering, manufacturing, assembly, testing and delivery.

Not all the parts are manufactured by the same

manufacturer. Some manufacturers are assemblers of

many parts that are purchased from other suppliers. For

example, bogies are usually manufactured by an external

company and then assembled to the main body.

Manufacturing a railway is complex, expensive and risky. A lot of things could go wrong

during the process.

M NUF CTURING PROCESS

1. DESIGN

The project begins with the first outline design. This first concept is budgeted to check if it

can be manufactured at a competitive price, fulfilling customer’s specifications. These

specifications include: dimensions, capacity, speed, power requirements, reliability, door

engines, colours, seats, etc. The preliminary design gets more detailed when materials,

parts suppliers and deeper parameters are chosen. As it is the basis of the entire project,

the design process is one of the longest and most critical processes.

2. MATERIALS AND PARTS

Once the materials are selected on the design step they are ordered in long leads. For the

body of passenger coach aluminium is used because of its lightness and resistance. This

aluminium profile needs a special finish for unpainted vehicles. However, for most of the

remaining metallic parts (tram bodies, bogie frames, wagon chassis, etc.) structural steel

is the most common raw material. All the cables inside the frame are special fire proof andwith low toxicity grade.

3. MANUFACTURING

All the manufacturing process of the railway is carried out indoors in heated premises due

to the accuracy with which it has to be done. As it has been mentioned before, the parts

are manufactured separately:

I. BODY

The body of a locomotive is compound by different parts. These parts can be structural

members, ribs, bolsters or panels and can be manufactured either at the plant or


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contracted out to sub-suppliers. It is important that the parts are easy to assemble and

made of materials that can be processed with the equipment existing in the factory.

II. BOGIE

DESCRIPTION

Bogies are rotary devices composed of two or more axis (each one with two wheels) that

make possible the motion of railway vehicles. The manufacturing of this mechanism

begins with a very simple shaped steel plate and ends in a very complicated fabricated

design.

Bogies carry the motors, brakes and suspension systems in a tight envelope. In the

picture below different components of the bogie are shown and they will be individually

analysed:

• Bogie frame: It can be made of steel plate or cast steel. The structure shown in

the picture is formed by hollow section with the required shape.

• Bogie transom: Transverse structural member of bogie frame that also supports

the body car guidance parts and traction motors

• Brake cylinder: A brake cylinder is used to operate tread or disc brakes. The

bogies can be composed of one or two brake cylinders, depending on the design

features of the bogie.

• Primary suspension coil: It consists of steel coil springs. In the design of the

picture two of them are fitted to each axle box. They carry the weight of the bogie

and anything attached to it.

• Motor Suspension Tube: Usually, motors are suspended between transverse

members of the bogie frame. In these electric motors are situated between thesuspension tube and a single mounting on the bogie transom.


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• Gearbox: The gearbox is composed of the pinion and gear wheel. The second

one connects the train’s armature to the axle.

• Lifting Lug: Component that let to a crane lift the bogie without the use of tie

chains or ropes.

•

Motor: A motor is used to drive the axle through the gearbox. In each axle a motor

is placed.

• Neutral Section Switch Detector: Located in the leading bogie of the railway, it

informs when it is needed to switch off the current due to the information given

from a magnetic device.

• Secondary Suspension Air Bag: Most of the trains have suspension air bags as

the secondary suspension system. Compressed air systems supply this air.

• Wheel Slide Protection System Lead to Axlebox: Axleboxes are equipped with

speed sensors. These sensors are connected by cable from the end of the axle to

the Wheel Slide Protection.• Loose Leads for Connection to Carbody: Flexible leads connect the motor circuits

to the traction equipment of the railway vehicle.

• Shock Absorber: It is a component that reduces the vibration created by the

connection between the wheel and the rail.

• Axlebox Cover: Protection for the axle bearing lubrication and the return current

brush.

BOGIE FRAME MANUFACTURING

Shaped steel plates are obtained from a wide range of suppliers and carried to the factory

with previously established requirements such as drilled holes and inclinations on theedges (chamfers). When two of those components are joined, the two chamfers will form

a V-channel that is filled up later in the welding process.

After welding them, they are then assembled into large jigs. The cost of these jigs is very

high since they are unique for each bogie design.

To make a rigid structure, parts are sub-assembled into the jig and tacked together by an

experienced welder. In order to ease the process and reach all points, it is possible to

move the entire jig in three dimensions.

When the assembly is completed, it is moved to another jig which is connected to a robot

welding arm. This also moves in three dimensions. In this step, multi-pass weld is created

in the V-channels formed by the joint of two parts. It is specially used for huge

components.


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Once the frame is welded, all dimensions are checked on an automated line. Afterward,

everything is cleaned up and sent to paint. At this point, frames are first painted with

primer and then finished in a colour defined by the customer.

When everything is completed, the bogie assembly begins.

BOGIE ASSEMBLY

Regarding the assembly, all the parts mentioned above will be bought from other

suppliers and inserted one by one. The main parts of the bogie such as the wheels, axles

and brakes are first mounted in the frame. Then, the other items are mounted to create

the figure of a complete bogie. All is hand-assembled on large tables in cells.

Finally, the bogie will be tested to check that everything is working properly. In order tomeasure the weight on each wheel, a machine hydraulically applies a load to the work

piece. Then, to check that the loads of the four wheels are within the range of

specifications, adjustments are made.

4. ASSEMBLY

Once all the parts are manufactured they are brought together to be assembled. To join

the parts of the car body the aluminium profiles are mounted in jigs. Thereby, the body is

welded rigidly in the correct position. One more jig is needed to assist in the assembly.

The assembling order can vary depending on the manufacturer but the underframe is

usually the first part to build.

I. UNDERFRAME

The main parts of the underframe include, sole bars, runners, bolsters and transoms. It is

important to provide a camber to the underframe. The camber avoids the sagging in the

middle of the car shell. The underframe will be moved through different stations until is

completely finished.

As it can be seen in the pictures, the underframe is located in the assembly jig, where all

parts are laid out and welded. The underframe is inverted and bolsters are added, camber

is introduced and different sections are welded on. While the underframe is inverted the

buffing structure is added. Once the part is turned to its normal position the car end can

be welded and a completed underframe is manufactured.


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II. SIDES

The parts of the vehicle side are located in a series of jigs for the assembly and welding.

Welding the panels to the frame can cause rippling of the panel. Sometimes it is helpful to

clamp the skin under tension but usually post welding straightening is required. There are

two ways to add the windows into the sides; the body side panels can be cut out to place

the window or the sides can be assembled in sections with the window frames already

installed. Windows are made of glass that cracks when they break, do not explode. They

also carry an anti-vandal paint protection.

III. BODYSHELL

Once the different parts are finished, they are brought together in a jig for the final

welding. The jig clamps the assembly and aligns it in place before the welding is done.

When the welding is finished it is moved to inspection and straightening jig.

In some countries as UK vehicles are assembled by bolting sides, ends, roof and floor

together. Before attaching the car sides and ends, various brackets, pipes and cables are

attached to the underframe. Cranes are used to turn over the underframe and this makes

easier the welding of bolting of pipes, conduit and air reservoirs.

Currently trains are often designed to have aerodynamic shapes. As crashworthiness

standards need to be met, some protective structure will be needed as well. Usually a

steel framework is constructed and then the smooth, shaped end is mounted over it.

Some German manufacturers use steel and aluminium to get these three-dimensional

curved shapes. However, most manufacturers use glass reinforced plastic moulding.


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IV. FITTING OUT

Once the bodyshell is assembled, it needs to be fitted out. In this process cables, pipes

and air reservoirs may be included. At the next step, the installation of windows, interior

panels and flooring must be done. As for the floor, carpeting or vinyl can be used. From

this moment on, it is important to keep the place clean; this is why protective covering is

required.

5. PAINTING

Car bodies need to be painted to keep them clean and avoid graffitists. First, body filler is

used on the outside of the body and it is sanded to present a smooth finish before

painting. This is made to remove the impurities of the joining process. Before the colour

painting, the car body is painted with a special adherent paint to ensure the colour’s

proper bonding. After that, the body is painted with the appropriate colours and it is

varnished to harden it and make it graffiti resistant.

Nowadays, the painting process is essential and it requires equipment with dying facility,

fume extraction and fire protections.

6. TESTING

The testing process starts a lot earlier than the manufacturing process. For example, all

the propulsion kit is tested with a dynamometer to simulate the kinetic energy of the train

during downhill running or braking. The dynamometer excitation is controlled by acomputer, which is programmed to simulate the real load cycle of the railway on which

the train will be used. This way, the software can be tested before the hardware is

manufactured.

All the pieces of the train will be tested before assembly into the train. If the piece is

mechanical it will be dynamically tested. For example, operating a gearbox on a test rig to

verify it works correctly or maintains the correct temperature for the oil. Otherwise, if the

piece is an electrical or electronic item, the continuity or breaker tripping will be tested.

Once the pieces pass all the tests as satisfactory they will be assembled into the train.


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When the train is assembled it is tested again to verify that the equipment functions as

intended. There are two types of tests: dynamic and static tests. Static tests check areas

like electromagnetic interference emissions, functioning of the lights or the raising and

lowering of a pantograph. These tests are useful to verify if the wiring is correct through

the vehicle. Moreover, the power level, the braking, the warning information and lights, the

heating and cooling systems and the emergency backup battery are also statically tested.

Every piece of equipment will be tested on each piece of rolling stock and witnessed and

approved by an Inspector appointed by the customer.

7. DELIVERY

Currently, the different parts of the railways are mostly delivered by road since the bogie

and body are made for diverse customers. Not only for those who are in the same

country but also the ones that are around the world. Although this is the common way,deliveries can occur by ship too.

It is essential to pack the railway vehicle properly when is being shipped by road, sea or

even by plane. Usually, the bogies and bodies are shipped separately. If the process is

done by sea, careful protection is needed for the body and parts that are easy to damage

because of the seawater or the salty atmosphere.

With regard to the bogies, are packed in order to not to create wear caused by the

vibration of the suspension. The process involves crane what it is crucial to ensure the

docks that know how to manage railways. It is very difficult to move this part from one

side to another without damage.

Apart from the sea passage, there is another difficulty that has to be taken into account:

the railways vehicles have to be moved from the dock to the railway. The route is planned

before to ensure that there are no problems during the transport. Often the movements

have to be made at night because of traffic conditions and permission and assistance is

always needed from the local police.

When the first significant symbol of the order arrives to the customers, all tests must be

passed. If the customer is satisfied, the second delivery stage takes place: the other

elements are delivered.

DDITION L INFORM TION

It may be interesting to know technical characteristics of the trains to understand better

their manufacturing process. If a RENFE train with a maximum speed of 330 Km/h is

analysed, the following parameters need to be considered:


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LENGTH

The total length: 200 m

Intermediate cars: 13,2

m

Powerheads: 20 m

WEIGHT

Total weight: 322 t

Intermediate cars: 14 t

Powerheads: 68 t

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Track: Electric

Power: 4.000 kW x 2

R ILS

Throughout the report, it has been referring to conventional Renfe railways which have

two rails, the parts where is located the bogie. The train without the existence of the rails

would not move and therefore would not be fulfilling its role. Hence it is important to

mention and give some detail about the manufacturing process of the railroad tracks.

The method of manufacturing these elements is a steelmaking process that should satisfy

many technological requirements for the rails to meet their goals. These are usually madeinto pieces of 10 to 12 meters and are joining to form the entire route.

The rail section has this shape:

The top is called the railhead, the thin part in the middle is the soul and the lower part is

the shoe. Depending on the train that is being designed and where it would be located,

these dimensions suffer some changes to fit with the design.

These changes are done taking into account the bogie too, because as mentioned, it is

the part that links the body and the rails. The design changes also due to the

requirements, modifying some parameters as the total heights, widths (upper and lower),

tilt yard and the radius of curvature, for instance.

The rails are always placed parallel at a certain distance, which is called track gauge. This

distance varies depending on the country where the railway goes, so the overall design

and manufacturing of the rails also depends on this important fact. The gauge of the

national railway in Spain is 1668 mm, and 1435 mm for the high-speed rail-lines.

OTHER KIND OF R ILW YS

Despite having explained the conventional train that has two rails and having detailed itsmanufacturing process, it is worth to mention the different methods of "join the railway to


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the ground” that exist, as the rails are not the only ones that allow the movement of the

train.

Talking about these processes, the most notorious difference always appears in the

manufacturing of the rails or the manufacturing of the system that the railway uses to

move. By changing the method of operation regarding to rails, it changes also this

process, because it could disappear some pieces like the bogie and some new ones

could appear to meet the new requirements.

The three different trains that are going to be mentioned in this report are Monorail, Metro

and the magnetic levitation train.

Monorail, as its name says, has only one rail. The bogie should be different and there is

not track gauge, as there is only one rail, so the manufacture of the body could be similar

but not the manufacture of the bogie (picture).

The Metro is very similar to the local train but the difference is that the track gauge is as

the high speed rail-lines’ track gauge, it is shorter.

Finally the most different method is the railway that has movement because some electro

magnetic forces, the MagLev. It goes above the air and frictional forces could be

considered nulls. The problem with this kind of railway is the high cost of the necessary

infrastructure and therefore the high cost of the manufacturing process.

The MonoRail, the Metro and the Maglev are manufactured by very light materials an in

terms of manufacture cost, Maglev is the most expensive and after goes the Metro. The

MonoRail would be the less expensive to produce.


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BIBLIOGR PHY

Renfe Nuestros trenes: Avant Serie 114. [Online].

Available at: http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/nuestros_trenes/avant114_ficha.html

[Accesed 10 March 2016]

The railway magazine, 2005. Gestación y construcción del tren Talgo I, prototipo

experimental.[Online]

Available at:

http://www.vialibre.org/noticias.asp?not=1164&cs=hist

[Accessed 12 March 2016]

Railway technical web pages, 2016. Rolling Stock manufacturing. [Online]

Available at:http://www.railway-technical.com/Manufacturing.shtml


Rail Engineer, 2012. Biulding Bogies. [Online]

Available at: http://www.railengineer.uk/2012/05/16/building-bogies/ [Accessed 8 March 2016]

El Comercio LIMA, 2012. Así se fabrican los trenes de última generación para el Metro de

Lima. [Online]

Available at:

http://elcomercio.pe/lima/sucesos/fotos-produccion-trenes-ultima-generacion-metro-

lima-noticia-1503430


Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2015. Track gauge. [Online]

Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_gauge[Accessed 13 of March]

Proyecto Pragmalia, 2013. Rieles [Online]

Available at:

http://proyectopragmalia.blogspot.com.es/2013/02/353-recuperacion-de-rieles-

ferroviarios.html


Quora, 2015, Differences between the Monorail, Metro and local trains. [Online]

Available at: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-the-Monorail-

the-Metro-and-the-local-trains-in-India [Accessed 13 March 2016]

Taringa, 2015. The magnetic levitation railway MagLev. [Online]

Available at:

http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/1255276/Tren-de-levitacion-magnetica-MagLev.html


Docutren, 2003. Introducción a la historia del carril ferroviario. [Online]

Available at: http://www.docutren.com/HistoriaFerroviaria/Gijon2003/pdf/tc4.pdf


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