Application Note
Ensure rail safety with WearDetect: advanced real-time axle monitoring reduces downtime, increases reliability and improves overall asset effectiveness
Rail operators and maintenance teams can rely on WearDetect's advanced axle condition monitoring technology to detect faults early, streamline maintenance, and prevent costly disruptions
Background
Monitoring rail axles is vital for railway safety and efficiency but comes with significant challenges. Accessibility to remote areas, the large scale of railway networks, and bad weather often make inspections difficult.
Technological issues, such as inaccurate data, integration difficulties with modern systems, and unstable power supplies in remote locations further complicate monitoring.
Addressing these challenges is essential to ensure smooth and safe rail operations.
Challenge
Maintaining the reliability of train axles is crucial for both safety and operational efficiency. While traditional methods like manual inspections and periodic oil sampling play an important role, they can miss early signs of wear, leading to unexpected downtime or failures.
Research has shown that the natural landscape surrounding rail infrastructure can significantly influence the rate of axle deterioration. Rail networks with varied inclinations tend to experience higher levels of axle wear compared to flatter urban areas.
Solution
Real-time axle wear detection is essential for preventing unexpected failures, minimising downtime, and maintaining the highest standards of safety in rail operations.
WearDetect oil debris sensors address these challenges, using innovative technology to continuously monitor changes in wear debris in oil within the axle. By identifying small changes in wear rate, WearDetect provides a view right into the heart of the equipment, informing maintenance professionals at the earliest stages of wear, allowing time to schedule corrective action. Continuous real-time monitoring of axle wear like this, allows maintenance teams to identify faults early, focus effort where it’s required and reduce the risk of costly disruptions thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
WearDetect is an effective solution to the maintenance challenges that rail operators face today. It provides:
- Real-time monitoring: Tracks axle wear continuously to identify early wear and allow corrective action to prevent costly failures.
- Versatile integration: Functions as a stand-alone system or integrates with PLC/SCADA systems, or connects to an existing IoT platform for data visualisation and alerts.
- High accuracy and reliability: Monitors ferrous wear debris in oil-based systems, ensuring reliable axle condition assessments.
- Optimised safety: Protects rail axles and enhances the reliability of rail operations.
With WearDetect, rail operators can monitor axle health efficiently, ensuring smooth and secure rail transport even in challenging environments.
WearDetect, wear debris monitoring system, continuously tracks axle health to detect wear early and safeguard critical rail components
