News - Page 5 - PJM EN

Measuring turnouts for voestalpine Railway Systems

In its business segments, voestalpine is a globally leading steel and technology group with a unique combination of materials and processing expertise. voestalpine Railway Systems, a subsidiary company of voestalpine AG with approximately 7.000 employees, is the global leader for railway infrastructure system solutions, offering outstanding products, logistics and services for rails, turnouts, signaling and monitoring applications.

In the current project, PJM has performed measurements at the turnouts in Vienna Liesing. The track next to the regional transport hub in the south of Vienna is heavily frequented since train run every 5-10 minutes. By using our measurement data, we determine the stress on the turnouts over a period of two years. Therefore, our team had installed the measurement technology in November 2020. The measurements are performed fully automated. The data will be transmitted to the PJM servers via mobile network. Parallel to this, data analysis will run over the next 24 months.

News - 01/07/2021

Mercer & TRANSWAGGON rely on our automated load monitoring system

Mercer is a full-service-provider for timber industry and wood owners. The portfolio of the German, innovative company comprises pulp mills and a saw mill in Germany. Hence, these figures clearly show Mercer's relevance on the European continent: Every year, Mercer purchases over 7 million bank meters of wood, among it 5 million round timber. Over 3,5 million tons of wood are transported by rail. All in all that's over 2.000 block trains per year.

Thus, Mercer Holz is one of the biggest wooden rail logistic providers in Europe. Wood is a very valuable raw material yet "difficult" for transporters. "Due to the different density and moisture, wood can differ in weight by up to 50%", says Jürgen Köhler, Head of Logistics at Mercer Holz GmbH. This is a great uncertainty factor having a significant impact on logistics: cost-effectiveness, security and error frequency. A perfect solution is the LoadMonitor-system by PJM. In addition to important data acquisition in real time via general monitoring functions, the LoadMonitor-system provided an automated loading process. "We need reliable, stable wagons and loading security - for both shipping companies and customers", summarizes Jürgen Köhler. Now. Mercer Holz has closed the gaps in the logistics process chain with the LoadMonitor. All essential information about freight wagons as well as an automatic loading control on site are covered by just one system.

Lothar Krebs, Deputy Sales Manager of TRANSWAGGON GmbH in Hamburg, brings a different perspective from the wagon keeper's point of view. "For our customers, a big issue is when vehicles are stopped or removed from the track. That costs time and money. His experience with the LoadMonitor-system: "The use of capacity has increased a lot. It's a great benefit that the loader can immediately see whether the wagon is overloaded or not". His conclusio: "The cooperation worked very well, as did the implementation of the PJM-system and the entire project management. The system runs very smoothly". He prognoses: "Digitalising rail freight is fundamentally correct and must be the future.”

Further information on our customers:

Mercer Holz GmbH

TRANSWAGGON group

News / Waggon Tracker - 11/24/2020

Powerful measurement: Impact tests for Innofreight's double container wagon

Physics is a defining factor in our everyday life. Recently, we determined the longitudinal forces and longitudinal acceleration of an 2x 30ft. InnoWaggon of Innofreight. Therefore, the measurements were performed with three different container types: An InnoTainer Coils, a RockTainer and a SlurryTainer to carry so-called lime milk. Lime milk is a mixture of marble, chalk and water used as filling medium and coating pigment in the paper industry. To go into detail, PJM was in charge to measure the force effects on the bumpers, the strength development in the pull rod and in the adapted longitudinal stops of the brackets. The impact tests were performed in Styria.

Innofreight provides innovative, patented rail freight cargo and logistic systems. Among other things, Innofreight is specialised on developing and advancing freight wagons.

News - 10/15/2020

Austria's VCÖ Mobility Award 2020 for WaggonTracker!

Our WaggonTracker-system was awarded with the Austrian Mobility Prize 2020 in the category "digitalisation". Federal minister Leonore Gewessler, ÖBB director Michaela Huber, Siemens Mobility CEO Arnulf Wolfram and VCÖ-CEO Willi Nowak presented the award to PJM-CEO Günter Petschnig.

The 59 members of the jury found: "We just realized that a digital system is not standard in rail freight transport. Thus, it is a big step to achieve a competitive position between road haulage and rail freight cargo. It is an innovation that was past overdue and which has great potential. A comprehensive data set is the basisfor modernisation and optimisation."

The top-class event was started with a talk of experts: Federal minister Rudolf Anschober and the guests mentioned above presented future concepts and projects. The event was hostest by TV-moderator Corinna Milborn.

VCÖ Mobility Award 2020

The Mobility Award 2020 presented by VCÖ is Austria's greatest competition for sustainable rail freight cargo and climate compatibility. Further information on https://www.vcoe.at/en

News / Waggon Tracker - 09/21/2020

Load measurement for industrial shredders by UNTHA

UNTHA is a well-known company specialised to design and construct industrial shredders. The areas of application range from recycling of waste wood and organic waste to many more recyclable materials. To shredder various types of metal, it needs high-performance shredders. When it comes to measure the strains and stresses of the shredder machines, UNTHA has counted on the know-how of PJM for various times. Recently, PJM had tested the metal shredder machines with 2 and 4 shafts. During the test phase, the torsional vibrations are tested while shredding different types of material. For long-term measurement, the test phase may take several weeks. The measurements of each shaft provide crucial results finding their way into further developments of the machines, e.g. to determine the level of motorisation.

The great challenge in measuring shredder machines is to link the contrast: The shredder process is very rough, yet the very sensitive devices must provide precise and reliable data.

Shredded material is the basis for reusing and recycling which is a crucial contribution to protect the environment protection and conservation of resources. We are proud of being part of this contribution!

News - 09/01/2020

Houska Award 2020: Nomination for Austria's greatest research prize

That’s a big thing: The Houska Award is Austria’s greatest research prize – and PJM has been nominated! A very renowned jury of experts and an advisory board has nominated the WaggonTracker-system for the Houska Award 2020.

This year, everyone has the chance to participate. It’s up to you do decide for the audience award, which is the 3^rd rank too and which comes with a prize money of 30.000 EUR. Make your choice till the 20^th of September – we are looking forward to your vote!

A short portrait on the nominated PJM project & voting (at the end of the page, in German language):

https://bcgruppe.at/project/waggontracker-bringt-digitalen-guetertransport-auf-schiene/

The Houska Award is endowed with 500.000 EUR and has its 15^th anniversary this year. The finale will take place on the 24^th of September in Vienna.

Get more on the Houska Award (in German language): https://bcgruppe.at/houskapreis/

Credit: GeorgWilke/BCGruppe

Houskpreis_Statue_GiveAways_©GeorgWilke-300x188

News / Waggon Tracker - 08/31/2020

200 km/h on the Westbahn: Vehicle tests applying a digital measuring system

The private railway WESTBahn is operating in 2-hours-cycles from Vienna via Linz to Salzburg. The fleet consists of double deck trains of the type KISS by Stadler Rail. Henceforth, parts of the fleet will be operated by DB. For the extended approval of Germany, PJM was in charge of the type tests in the field of brakes and acoustics. "The test runs were successfully performed in a very short time frame", says Martin Joch. The three main factors for this were:

Due to a limited timetable, the "Corona weeks" in March were ideal to perform the test runs.
To a great extent, the measurement chain was digitalised. The advantages of a digital measurement system are the reduced cabling efforts and a much higher interference resistance. Within a short period, our team had implemented a measuring system comprising 200 sensors.
The many years' experience and great committment of our measurement team.

The static tets, dynamic brake tests and tests of the wheel slide protection system were performed under varying conditions, such as differing conditions of the track and varying speed ranging from 80 to the maximum of 200 km/h.

News - 07/28/2020

Nomination of the Mobility Award: Make your vote, too!

Yeah! The digital overall system WaggonTracker has been nominated for the Mobility Award of VCÖ, the public-benefit organisation specialising in mobility and transport. A jury of experts had evaluated 385 submissions. The WaggonTracker-system is one of the top 5 nominations in the category “digitalisation”.

That’s great: Everyone has a say – by the online public voting till 27^th of July 2020. We would appreciate your vote:

Click on https://www.vcoe.at/voting/online-voting-vcoe-mobilitaetspreis-kategorie-digitalisierung

Drag the title “Digitaler Schienengüterkehr mit dem Gesamtsystem WaggonTracker“ into the field „Ihr Siegespodest“ and nominate 2 further projects.

The Mobility Award is Austria’s largest competition for climate compatibility and sustainable goods traffic. The winner will be awarded in September 2020.

The benefits of the WaggonTracker-system are clear: One digital overall system provides a wide range of functionalities and it combines monitoring and automation. Hence, digital railway transport is becoming safer, faster and much more efficient. All in all: It is more attractive. These attributes are significant to shift transport from road to railway. Furthermore, railway transport is eco-friendly and cheaper.

News - 07/16/2020

That rocks: Summer internship at PJM

"Learning the purpose of what you learn in school", that's the main motive of an internship. At PJM, 7 trainees get insight into our everyday business. "We want to give young people a chance to gain experience and get to know the railway business", say Martin Joch and Günter Petschnig.

In week 2 of July, three trainees started the "training on the job" at PJM, four pupils will start in August. We cordially welcome you at PJM!

Internship concept with man holding a tablet

News - 07/08/2020

Online-Workshop: Profitable modernisation of freight wagons

How to upgrade existing freight wagons without major financial expenses? How to install an automatic brake test on an existing rail freight car and to receive an accreditation? These questions and many more will be answered on 8th of July in the online workshop " Profitable modernisation of freight wagons".

Among the 4 experts is Alexander Schimanofsky, director of Railway Competence and Certification GmbH (RCC). RCC had supported the PJM-development of the automatic brake test by providing a CSM-compatible development process or normative analysis.

Thesafe.tech 2020 workshop is provided by TÜV SÜD and is held in German language

Get all the details on the workshop on: https://www.tuvsud.com/de-de/store/akademie/congress/automobil-bahn/safe.tech?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9ef6nIK46gIVywJ7Ch3y1QnNEAAYASAAEgLRxPD_BwE#tab_1581417874376122740812

News - 07/06/2020