Precise, reliable data
Optical and electrical sensors deliver the best data and minimalize interference by EM and RF, environment, or distance.
Analysis and Diagnosis, Maintenance and Repairs: Measurements in and for Railways
Predictive and condition-based monitoring are important to ensure safety, cost-efficiency and smooth and easy railway operation. Regular inspections and railway maintenance are mandatory to avoid poor conditions causing vehicle or infrastructure defects.
Highly accurate wayside train measurements and on-board monitoring systems, capturing either the vehicle itself or tracks, the overhead line and the pantograph, deliver important data and insights for modern maintenance solutions. From condition-based, to predictive maintenance or prescriptive solutions, the HBK physical world of sensors, test and measurement is connected to the digital world of simulation and modelling software and analysis.
Taking Advantage of Precise Measurement Data in Railway Maintenance
Reliable statements are essential to realizing the technical and economic benefits of available data. It is about protecting investments, operations and safety. Dependable measurements, therefore, are basic prerequisites.
Previous diagnosis or monitoring data usually only deliver downtime reports or measurement data lacking precision. Typically, such data shows a significant dispersion, and cannot be used for safe forecasting processes. Equipping the vehicle and infrastructure with dedicated measurement technology is, therefore, indispensable.
To reduce the risk of possible damage to the railway network and to save time, resources, and money, HBK delivers full measurement and monitoring solutions for vehicle and infrastructure via the TSI-SPOT®, as well as sensors and other components for customers to build up their own solutions.
Solutions for Infrastructure and Vehicle Maintenance
Wayside Train Measurement
Precisely evaluates the condition of the vehicle’s wheels, running behaviour and operating performance.
On-board Measurements: Track and Overhead Line
Sensor-based testing and monitoring of the position of the tracks and the condition of the overhead line while the train is running.
On-board Measurements: Vehicle
Sensor-based report if maintenance work on the vehicle is due.
Data Analysis and Process Data
Individually tailored to the customer’s needs. From overall data management to advanced data analytics using reliable modelling and analysis techniques.
Your Benefits
Cost reduction due to targeted maintenance
Maintenance planning and the prevention of damage save time, resources and money.
Flexible, modular setups
‘Plug and measure’ with modular DAQ systems SomatXR and QuantumX. Various sensor data can easily be integrated and analyzed.
HBK Measurement Systems for Reliable and Sustainable Insights
High-quality data is the basis for good maintenance planning. The modern and high-precision HBK measurement systems open new, future-oriented ways in maintenance and repair: from condition-based to predictive maintenance to prescriptive maintenance solutions for tracks, overhead lines, and the vehicle.
The term TSI-SPOT® designates HBK’s offering to the railway industry boasting an ecosystem of optical and electrical sensors, data acquisition systems – QuantumX and SomatXR – and software solutions for data analysis and simulation as well as linking with commercial data. Due to their open interfaces and high flexibility, these components facilitate the design of proprietary systems but also enable the use of optimally matched complete systems to meet the following aspects of a solution.
The TSI-SPOT® (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) approach in wayside and on-board measurements ensures innovative maintenance of vehicles and infrastructure and smooth operation of the overall system.
Mobile Monitoring System
Stationary Monitoring System
Questions? Contact us! We’ll be happy to advise you about the right products for your needs.
Wayside Monitoring
HBK offers a wide range of measurement solutions available for wayside train measurement and monitoring systems:
- Wheel defect detection
- Running beaviour measurement
- Horizontal, vertical and longitudinal force and vehicle weight measurement
- Axle counting
- Noise and vibration measurement
You can freely choose from a variety of technologies, whatever fits best with your requirements. HBK products cover electrical and optical strain gauges and accelerometers, even hybrid systems. Strain and piezo-based measurement principles are the technological basis.
HBK products are the core components in many leading wayside monitoring systems as well as in the HBK Argos® wayside train measurement solution line.
Argos® Wayside Train Monitoring and Measurement Systems (WTMS)
Offering various systems, Argos® WTMS not only assesses vertical static and dynamic forces as well as horizontal and longitudinal forces, but also evaluates operational behaviour and highly accurate wheel shapes.
The Argos® wayside train monitoring and measurement system offers infrastructure operators and rail companies the maximum level of safety and efficiency during operation by providing:
- Outstanding proven accuracy
- Open and flexible interfaces
- An immediate overview of the reliable data regarding the actual load on your rail network
- A fully installed system: sensors and measurement instruments are installed and put into operation by HBK or its partners
- Easy connection to the main control centres via interfaces
- A modular design that is continuously developed to adapt to changing application requirements – from cost-effective and simple to precise and efficient
Read more about Argos® WTMS
Benefits Argos® WTMS
- Supports modern and cost-efficient predictive maintenance concepts.
- Detects maintenance delays based on the running behaviour.
- Precise measurements of defects to the wheel shape. The detection of defects can be traced to good maintenance planning.
- Condition-based maintenance combined with time-based maintenance. Virtually no need for expensive repairs.
- Full quality control and complete maintenance during the vehicle’s entire service life.
- Assessment of suppliers and components (for example, regarding deterioration of mounted wheels on an axle).
Brochure Wayside Train Monitoring
Further information about HBK wayside monitoring and Argos® WTMS
Download nowOn-board Measurements and Monitoring Systems: Track and Overhead Line
The increasing efficiency demands of a growing rail transportation industry presents the challenge of prioritizing track maintenance before poor conditions cause vehicle damage.
HBK provides cutting-edge technologies that enable the industry to optimize track and overhead line maintenance planning. HBK system solutions and components provide completely automated, autonomous track condition monitoring systems – a complete setup including:
- Information regarding acceleration, strain and temperature
- Vehicle bus integration
- High-quality data evaluation and automatic report generation
- Position-based track monitoring on web
- Rugged solution with long-term reliability
- Fire-protection rated electronics (according to EN 45545)
Allowing customers to locate problem spots and assessing the severity of problems supports proactive maintenance planning.
Pantograph Monitoring
The correct contact between the pantograph and the catenary is mandatory for efficient train operation. To reduce the risk of possible damage to the catenary of railway networks, continuous condition monitoring of the condition of the overhead contact line in combination with the position along the track is mandatory.
HBK’s fiber optical measurement solutions can be used to characterize and certify pantographs, evaluate overhead power line conditions and control the line contact force as part of the complete setup with map-based position analysis in a scalable overall solution:
- Safe and accurate measurement on high voltage levels
- Evaluation of the overhead power line
- By acquiring optical sensor information in parallel to vehicle bus signals and position sensing (GNSS), a graphical map of the infrastructure and its need for maintenance can be built
Read more about pantograph monitoring here.
Questions? Contact us! We’ll be happy to answer your questions and advise you about the right products.
On-board Measurements and Monitoring Systems: Vehicle
On-board measurements of the vehicle signal if maintenance work or repair of the vehicle itself is due. Data, sent from sensors on the train via TSI-SPOT®, makes it possible to plan and implement action in time,avoiding breakdowns or even accidents.
HBK on-board railway monitoring solutions can also be part of your mobile testing for vehicle validation and verification. Here, extensive mechanical testing in labs and on tracks includes the approval of:
- Mechanical and electrical components
- Brakes
- The overall vehicle acoustics
Read more about railway testing here.
Brochure On-board Measurements and Monitoring
Further information about HBK on-board solutions for vehicle, tracks and overhead lines
Download nowData Analysis and Process Data
Reliable measurement data is key to making confident decisions, and in combination with a new generation of digital twins, aims to achieve a trouble-free and cost-effective interaction between vehicle and infrastructure.
As experts for high-precision measurement data, HBK – Hottinger Brüel & Kjær closes the gap between the physical and virtual domains. Good prognoses and high-quality statements can only be made by integrating precise and stable data into the digital twin. Accurate data underlines every statement, simply counting on models and digital mapping is not sufficient.
All evaluation and process data are tailored to the customer’s needs and processed in a way that allows the customer to immediately use the information for maintenance work.
For all parties, a profit situation is created: railway operations become more attractive and cheaper, rail customers benefit from punctuality and high-comfort trains. Residents are pleased with the reduction in noise, and railway companies save costs by fine-tuning maintenance work and a higher availability of infrastructure and vehicles.
In addition to HBK’s catman software, software solutions by ReliaSoft for product reliability and maintainability, and by nCode for product fatigue and durability, are also available.
