Triennial Report 2003 - CHARMEC

of laser-cladded railway steel was presented. The knowledgederived from this research, as well as from anotherresearch project into the microstructures under the cladding,is of great importance to us. The results will beexploited in a new eu project in the Sixth FrameworkProgramme.eu wants to triple the railway transportation volumein 15 years, and Sweden is in the forefront of developingtracks and trains for higher axle loads. As we see it, atwo-material rail is probably one of the best solutionsfor increasing the performance of rails and at the sametime reducing noise levels. The network within charmecplays a very important role in the successful eu-projectinfrastar within the Fifth Framework Programme. Therails developed in this project have now been subjectedto in-field testing for more than one year on the Iron OreLine in northern Sweden and in the Paris underground.The results are promising.Green CargoThe co-operation with charmec has been important inour evaluation of existing wheelsets and approval of newwheelset designs. The Centre’s researchers have beenactive in developing new wheelset designs for 25 and 30tonne axle loads which are now being implemented byus. Further, they have co-operated with us when testingand evaluating new composition brake blocks for lownoise freight transports. The charmec participation inthe eu-project ers is important for future developmentin this area.Lucchini SwedenA significant achievement in our co-operation withcharmec during the last three years has been the developmentof new freight wagon wheelsets for 25 and 30tonne axle loads suitable for the Nordic climate. Thesewheelsets have to fulfil stringent requirements to complywith various national and international standards. Thebrake test rig on our premises at Surahammar, earlierdeveloped together with Chalmers, has been extremelyimportant in this work. Further, the charmec researchwork at the Railway Noise Test Rig (rntr, also on ourpremises) is important for our long-term strategy to developquieter railway wheels. The charmec work onout-of-round wheels has been of great value in our workto improve our production techniques. Further, charmecpersonnel have assisted us in marketing and in technicalmeetings with customers.For the past two years our company (formerly AdtranzWheelset) has belonged to the Italian Lucchini Groupwith subsidiaries in several countries in Europe. Thecompetence and special knowledge within charmec havebeen of great importance in our co-operation with thenew owner, especially in our contacts with their researchand development department in Italy. Synergy effectshave already been achieved in that a new charmecproject on improved wheel materials to be conducted incollaboration with Lucchini in Italy has recently started.Another area of co-operation is the work on fatigue andcracks in railway wheels.SAB WABCO GroupThe ongoing renewal of braking systems for railwayfreight wagons is driven by requirements for higher trainspeeds, increased axle loads and lower noise levels. sabwabco is now developing a new generation of blockbraking equipment for the world market. A broad approachcombining theoretical models and results fromrig tests and in-field tests has been initiated by charmec.The block braking of freight and passenger wagonsshould be optimized regarding high braking power togetherwith low damage, low wear and low noise fromthe wheels. charmec’s involvement in the eu-projectEuro Rolling Silently (ers) is of great value for us. sabwabco is now also introducing modern computerizedcontrol systems for the braking of all kinds of locomotives,wagons and coaches. The corresponding charmecproject addresses the extremely high level of safety andsecurity that will be required for these systems.TrainTech Engineering SwedenThe co-operation with charmec has been of great valuein our work to enhance the performance of the x2 highspeed tilting trains. charmec personnel have been activethroughout the planning, execution, analysis and evaluationphases in our track force measuring campaign onx2. The methods and computer programs relating tohigh frequency train/track dynamics developed withincharmec have been implemented. This together withour employment of a PhD from charmec has increasedour knowledge and better equipped us in this importantarea of train operation. charmec personnel havecontributed to new wheelset designs for the x2 trains.charmec has made important contributions at ourannual meetings with Deutsche Bahn’s Research andTechnology Centre in Minden.65