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Railway Wheel Set Maintenance: Milling and Turning Technologies
Learn more about how railway wheel sets worldwide are maintained by milling and turning technologies. For more information, visit http://smtgroup.com.
Railway wheel sets around the world are maintained by metal cutting machine tools that remove surface defects and return the wheel to the proper tolerance for safe and efficient operation. The exact method, though, can be one of two options: milling and turning. Both are precision machining processes with the same end result: a round and safe re-profiled wheel. So what's the difference, and which process is right for your railway vehicles' wheel set maintenance?
Milling is where the cutting tool rotates rapidly to remove the metal from the workpiece - in this case, a wheel. The milling cutter body contains multiple blades that hold multiple carbide inserts - if one insert breaks, the machining process can continue without negatively affecting the finish or profile. This full profile milling process, often referred to as "wheel truing", manages extreme wheel wear conditions without having to undercut flat spots or other wheel defects. It is a straightforward process that is easy to set-up, operate, and maintain - it's no wonder that it has been the standard for freight and heavy commuter railroads.
In the turning process, it is the wheel that rotates while the single point cutting tool removes the metal. Most wheel lathes utilize Computer Numerical Control, or CNC, which allows for quickly changing between multiple wheel profiles. CNC wheel lathes were the first machines to offer integrated measurement, which allows for a precise cut as well as access to pre- and post-machining wheel data. Transit railways around the world, particularly lighter vehicles such as streetcar and light rail, look to turning for their wheel set preventive maintenance.
Both processes are precision machining operations for maintaining wheel sets while extending their livelihood. And with the introduction of the Stanray M-Series wheel truing machines, both utilize integrated measurement for a more precise and consistent machining process.
Which process is best for your wheel sets? Look at the severity of your wheel wear, the number of different wheel profiles that will be maintained, and the experience level of your operators to best make that decision.
Whatever the outcome, Simmons is proud to offer both technologies in a variety of underfloor and above-floor configurations - all of which are manufactured and assembled at our facility in Albany, New York. Contact us today to discuss properly maintaining your wheel sets.
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