Products Axle tester offers improved inspection quality, performance
GE Measurement & Control has introduced the Compact Hollow Axle Tester (CHAT), combining hollow-axle inspection mechanics and ultrasonic angle-beam probes with GE’s highquality ultrasonic instrumentation. For organizations with hollow axle
inspection requirements, CHAT significantly increases productivity and drives improvements in quality and traceability, the company said. Trains traveling at speeds greater than 124 mph (200 kph), as well as urban commuter and/or metro trains subject their hollow axles to increased strain, which puts their structural integrity and reliability at risk. As a result, hollow axles must be inspected regularly for early detection of flaws to assure the cracks do not propagate quickly. GE’s CHAT allows inspectors to perform regular evaluations and create dynamic inspection plans through fast data acquisition and image display with an intuitive interface and advanced software. “This product brings a new level of inspection quality and flexibility to the rail industry, at a significantly lower price than existing automated systems in the market,” says Dr. Pierre Marty, Senior Product Manager at GE. Benefits of GE’s CHAT solution include:
• Light and compact design enabling a single person to move the trolley around and operate it alone. • Ability to transport it in a small van without lifting tools. • Composite frame for electrical protection to operate where electrified rails are present. • Quick installation on site for immediate inspection. • Multi-Channel UT instrument USIP 40 in 2, 5 or 10 channels configuration. • Closed loop and seals for oil coupling to minimize oil spillage during inspection. • Quick inspection time: 8 minutes for the signal acquisition, and less than 15 minutes including installation and recording of results. • Large variety of probe holders for various bore diameters and number of probes for various specifications. • Compliance with all specifications for conventional UT inspection of hollow axles. GE supports CHAT globally, with comprehensive after-sales services and training programs.
Custom-designed connector for regenerative power In June, France’s Alstom, a world leader in the field of integrated tramway systems, delivered the first of its 32 Citadis trams to Rio de Janeiro. The new catenary-free urban light rail system is being specially constructed for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, and has been designed to consume less energy than traditional, catenary-based systems—a major savings that the city believes will make a big difference on the carbon footprint of the games. The Alstom technology that makes this possible is called Ecopack—a regenerative power system that collects energy during braking and stores it in supercapacitors. But getting Ecopack to work within strict size, weight and power specifications required revisiting the way energy is collected, transmitted and stored, which in turn meant a new 44
Railway Age
December 2015
kind of interconnect was needed. The Veam Power Plate connector, made by ITT Interconnect Solutions, is the component that solves this problem. A multi-pole power interconnection system suited for high-power applications in high-stress environments, Power Plate was customized for Alstom’s specific Ecopack requirements. The connector links the power equipment, which collects energy during braking, with supercapacitors on the roof of the vehicle that stores the energy for later use. “We needed a prototype designed from scratch, and we needed it quickly,” said Massimo Rigoselli, Technical Manager of trams at Alstom Transport in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, where the trains were designed. “ITT Veam delivered—they provided a model beyond our specifications, and met our deadline.”
Power Plate has been customized for Alstom’s specific Ecopack requirements.
With the delivery of the first Citadis tram to Rio de Janeiro this summer, Alstom announced that Ecopack, along with Power Plate, would become standard equipment on all Alstom catenary-free trains in the near future. The 28-km-long Citadis line , which will partially open in early 2016, is expected to be environmentally sound.