TWI’s assistance covers both railcar bodies and components and sub-assemblies, from the reliability of electrical connections to bogies.
A wide range of materials and fabrication techniques are used to construct railcar bodies, including aluminium, steel, stainless steel, MIG/MAG, spot welding, laser welding and friction stir welding. Whatever the approach adopted, the use of best practice and the search for future improvements are prerequisites for maintaining competitiveness. TWI assists with new build fabrication as well as contributing to strategies for achieving lowest cost through life-long reliability.
The broad range of areas where TWI contributes includes:
Rail car bodies: fabrication
- High-deposition-rate arc welding, laser, friction stir welding
- Low distortion fabrication
- Supplier audits
- Crashworthiness
- Detailed design and finite element analysis (FEA) modelling for structural integrity: fatigue and fracture
Rail car bodies: maintenance
- Non-routine non-destructive testing (NDT)
- Use of adhesives for repair
Bogies and axles
- Non-routine NDT
- Development of improved non-destructive techniques
- Advice on fatigue mitigation and detailed design aspects
- Risk-based through-life management aspects
Additional topics
- Input to safety cases
- Failure analyses
- Reliability engineering
Reliable application of technology requires a trained, competent workforce. The rail sector makes good use of TWI’s training courses. TWI is always pleased to develop a specific training course that fully meets the needs of individual Members. Such training can be delivered anywhere in the world.
For more information, please contact us.
