STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 22, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) --SAB WABCO today launches its laser measurement technology at Innotrans 2004, a new way of keeping track and even be ahead of maintenance demands which will maximize uptime.
Unique in the rail industry, it offers numerous benefits to operators:
- Greater vehicle uptime
- Optimised wheel maintenance planning
- Better and more cost-effective allocation of skilled labour
- Lifetime documentation of wheel wear and maintenance
Cost-effective wheel maintenance is all about accurately predicting wear and tear. The new technology, named "Laser Measurement Technology" (LMT) performs a highly precise "drive-by" measurement of each wheel's profile, enabling accurate prediction of when maintenance or replacement will be needed. Until now, time-consuming manual measurement of each individual wheel has been the only way to detect wheel-profile wear and plan necessary maintenance, and this work can only be done by skilled journeyman technicians.
LMT changes all that. In September 2003, SAB WABCO subsidiary Gutehoffnungshutte Radsatz GmbH (GHH), based in Oberhausen, Germany, began testing a new laser system that measures the profile of individual wheels and wheelsets while the train set is driving by. The comprehensive information collected is transferred directly to a database where it can be instantaneously compared with previously collected data. This innovative method dramatically improves the accuracy of wear trend analyses and predictive maintenance planning. The first customer for the LMT was the city of Berlin's Tramway, which began employing the technology in August 2004.
The operating principles of the technology are laser measurement triangulation and silhouette, and they are capable of achieving a resolution down to an amazing 0.5 um (0.1 um with the silhouette method). Despite this accuracy, the measuring sensors can be placed in a normal maintenance environment, such as a train marshalling yard or the pit area of the workshop hall. The measurement sensors are compact and no special rails are required.
GHH's Laser Measurement Technology is a natural component of SAB WABCO's Lifecycle Service approach and commitment to building long-term relations with train builders and operators around the world. At Innotrans 2004 we will demonstrate how the Laser Measurement Technology works, and present stated operational benefits of the existing installations. To receive Laser Measurement Technology photographs please contact anette.gregow@sabwabco.com.
* SAB WABCO is a registered trademark.
About SAB WABCO
SAB WABCO is a leading supplier of brake, couplers and wheelset systems for trains and rail vehicles. The company offers complete, fully integrated systems as well as lifecycle services for every segment of the railway industry. Headquartered in southern Sweden, SAB WABCO employs about 1,800 people worldwide and has annual revenues of more than 325 million euros. It has five primary production units -- located in France, Italy, Germany and Sweden -- and sales and service units across Europe, Asia, North America and South America. To learn more about SAB WABCO please visit www.sabwabco.com.
This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net
The following files are available for download:
http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/09/22/20040920BIT21250/wkr0001.pdf