Digital freight train by SBB Cargo: Pilot project was launched

SBB Cargo is a pioneer in the automation of rail transport. Now an international consortium has launched the pilot train "DAC+". On board is the automatic brake test from PJM, among many other features provided by international consortium partners. 

The consortium's goal is to advance automation and digitalisation in rail freight transport and thus, among other things, single-person operation. The centrepiece is the recently launched digital pilot train "DAC+".

More on this in the media info released by SBB Cargo:

https://news.sbb.ch/medien/artikel/116233/digital-freight-train-swiss-pilot-project-launched

 

20230117_134315-klein2023-02-16 09.28.33klein

Dynamic tests, instrumented wheel-sets and simulation for Rhaetian Rail

Projects always take our measurement technology team to particularly beautiful places. This was also the case recently in Switzerland. The Rhaetian Railway makes railway hearts beat faster. The track is one of the most beautiful in the world, and the Bernina and Albula lines are even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to the picturesque landscape, the technical requirements are fascinating. Typical for the metre gauge track are curves up to 45 m radius and gradients up to 70 ‰. The Allegra multiple-unit train made by Stadler AG, which is used on this line in various vehicle configurations, is perfectly tailored to these high line requirements. In order to test the running characteristics of different train compositions under special operating conditions, PJM was commissioned with running tests.

The project was carried out in several parts by the experienced system specialist from Austria:

  • In the preliminary stage, the wheel-rail forces as well as occurring buffer forces were determined by simulations. In this way, critical conditions or constellations could be resolved computationally. Another advantage is that this keeps the metrological effort to a minimum.
  • Instrumented wheel sets, accelerators, transducers as well as measuring buffers were prepared in the usual way at the company's location in Graz and then installed on the test vehicle at the RhB main workshop in Landquart.
  • The measurement campaign was carried out on the track between Poschiavo and Alp Grüm. In real operation, the running behaviour was tested under increased operating forces. The test runs took place in November 2022. The data analysis and report were recently completed.

Further information in the media release: https://pjm.co.at/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/PI-PJM-Rhaetian-Rail-Web-02-2023-EN.pdf

PJM-Rhätische-Bahn-klein3PJM-Rhätische-Bahn-klein4

Solar-energy for our measurement devices

Which solutions are the best? If they are environmentally friendly, easy to handle and reliable. For several months now, a solar panel has been  part of our testing facility team's equipment and supplies our measuring devices with solar energy. The panel can be set up in just a few steps, and a rechargeable battery guarantees a continuous supply even during tests and measurements lasting several hours.

Achieving climate neutrality depends on both large-scale measures and small steps. In the expansion of environmentally friendly rail transport, our digital overall system WaggonTracker is an essential contribution to modernising and making rail freight transport more attractive. In everyday life, we try to make our world a little more environmentally friendly with small contributions.

PJM_Solar_Panel_klein

A good start into a "projekt-rich" year

We have started into a project-rich year. Our laboratory team is currently working on new instrumented wheel sets. The engineering experts validate existing vehicles and optimise new vehicle designs using simulation and FE calculation. The test centre team is constantly on the road for vehicle tests. Our production team is constantly engaged in the production of our digital WaggonTracker technology. The projects of railway companies and vehicle manufacturers are carried out in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, among others.

PJM_final_low-097klein88-DSC00099kklein

Merry Christmas Wishes 2022

Have a Merry Christmas,

relaxing holidays,

and a great start into 2023!

 

New video: Automated brake test in operation

Automated brake testing is a crucial technology when it comes to modernising rail transport. The most important advantages are obvious:


- The time saved on a 500 m long freight train is close to 40 minutes
- Realisation of one-person operation
- Faster turnaround times due to faster handling


Check out how the automated brake test works in operational use in our brand-new short clip.

Styrian Export Award 2022 for PJM

PJM was awarded the Styrian Export Prize. Our digital technology for efficient rail freight transport convinced the jury of experts, who included criteria such as degree of innovation, market potential, sustainability and local value creation in their assessment.

The award ceremony at the Aiola Castle was the highlight of the Styrian Export Day, which was organised by the ICS (Internationalisation Centre Styria). The awards in the three categories (small, medium and large enterprises) were presented by, among others, Barbara Eibinger-Miedl (member of the Styrian government), Josef Herk (President of WKO Styria) and Jürgen Roth (Supervisory Board Chairman of ICS).

This is already the 4th award for PJM this year. A strong signal for PJM's innovative strength, but also for the importance of modern, efficient and competitive rail freight transport.

Credit: Foto Fischer

ICS_Exporttag am 15.11.2022ICS_Exporttag am 15.11.2022

Mobile calibration test rig for instrumented wheelsets

Precision is the top priority in metrology, and calibration is a crucial factor. To ensure measurement reliability even for projects on site, PJM has developed a mobile calibration test stand. The advantages:

  • After reprofiling the measuring wheel sets, recalibration can be performed on site.
  • The new type of test stand enables unprecedented performance.
  • The test stand is easy to transport and is therefore ideally suited for worldwide use.

The mobile calibration test stand has already proven its worth during the first "field test" and was used in a project for the Rhaetian Railway. Thus we can react quickly and flexibly to customer requirements even under challenging conditions. 

PJM_Mobiler_Kalibrierstand_cut_rz1kleinPJM_Mobiler_Kalibrierstand_cut_rz2klein

Optimised design for Stadler Rail AG

In the development of rail vehicles, a key factor is: as little material and weight as necessary, but as much load-bearing capacity as possible. Topology optimisation has been part of our everyday engineering work for years. Among others, Stadler Rail AG relies on our calculation know-how. In a current project, our engineering team is dealing with structural optimisation and strength verification of the wagon bodies of a local transport vehicle.

We think out of the box

We have a particularly effective and efficient engineering team, as experienced experts in design, calculation, simulation and certification work very closely together. Expanded by measurement technology specialists, we offer unique know-how in the product development of structural railway components. Our innovative strength is further enhanced by our distinctive out-of-the-box thinking: All engineering staff have many years of experience in the automotive and mechanical engineering sectors in addition to their railway activities. Therefore, we are not only engineering experts in rail transport, but also in projects in other sectors, such as the optimization of waste treatment plants or other mechanical engineering projects.

Best calculations for the future

With our concentrated knowledge in calculation, simulation and measurement, as an accredited testing laboratory we are well prepared when calculations and simulations are increasingly used for the approval of railway vehicles in the future. For all this, FprCEN/TS 17833:2022 comes into play, the "Guideline for the use of simulations to demonstrate compliance with technical and regulatory requirements".

We seamlessly dovetail our profound experience from worldwide test drives and approval trials with our engineering know-how. We link our empirical values from track tests with our design knowledge and thus create great added value for our customers.

Marketing1Marketing2

Technical article on condition based maintenance for intermodal train of Mercitalia

We have new reading material for you: The latest technical article in the German trade magazine "Eisenbahn Ingenieur" describes in detail how targeted monitoring saves costs, increases efficiency and enhances the safety of an intermodal train.

Technical article (in German language):

https://pjm.co.at/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/10_15_Petsching_Lorenzutti-Beleg-Web.pdf

 

 

Be up to date with our periodical newsletter

PJ Messtechnik GmbH
PJ Monitoring GmbH

Waagner-Biro-Straße 125
8020 Graz
Austria

Tel.: +43 316 228454
Fax: +43 316 228454-15
[email protected]

© 2019 PJ Messtechnik, PJ Monitoring. All rights reserved

WordPress Cookie Plugin by Real Cookie Banner