KontrollVahend ja Tehnika (KVT) OÜ
Exclusive representative
Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik GmbH, Germany
+372 6006190
+372 6006680


Railway industry


Railway transport

Test Railways HBM: advanced measurement technology for rail companies, rail transport and Railways

03-01_Rail-transport_400x300.jpg

The range of products and solutions for rail testing from HBM covers practically all areas relating to Metrology such as development work, testing, adjustment and monitoring.


Worldwide specialists trusted by scientific and technical knowledge of the company HBM from decades of cooperation with the railway industry and service companies.



Measurements on the contact line, and high voltage components

When measured at an introductory wire, overhead lines and high voltage components used in measuring technology special requirements. Exposure to high naprjazhennejshie the use of such standard equipment as electric strain gauges.

Numerous opportunities are opened with the new optical measuring technology based on Bragg gratings (optical strain gauges, survey devices, ON) ‒getting correct results when measured at the contact lines and high-voltage components.

Optical measurement technology for conducting rail tests

Powerful and isolated data acquisition systems

Studies of the individual components on a test bench

03-02_Componenttest_400x300.jpg

On performance components of the state Supervisory body (e.g. the Federal railway service) need to comply with special technical requirements. Typical examples are the test of strength, test handling and test braking. In practice the use of proven measurement technology ensures a high level of security and reliability of the measuring results.



Therefore, numerous state accredited testing centers use HBM measurement technology in the certification of components for railway transport, for example:

  • Functional tests in the analysis of loads and their components
  • Test on durability of the axles of the wheelsets, the bogie frame, functional, wheel sets, traction device and wear and tear on electronic devices and components of the permanent way
  • Experimental verification of the tensile strength of rail vehicles
  • Vibration analysis during operation
  • Metrological assistance during the implementation process of new components of the permanent way be tested in operating conditions
  • Study of the effect of vibration on the components
  • Planning, obtaining operational data and documentation of measurements while logging the current status
  • Measurement according to DIN 45672

Linear and acceptance tests

There are many practical examples and use cases of the system of collecting and processing the results of measurements in the railway industry. Whether it is the study of the dynamic characteristics of a railway car or check specific parameters: measurement technology HBM be invaluable in linear and acceptance testing.

  • Confirmation of compliance: studies of the transition curve and/or 190-meter deflection tramway the tape measure rail contact and traction
  • Detection systems unrounded wheels, of the station devices, the determination of the temperature of the rails, the system changes the railway track and platform scales

Measurements on the chassis and rail vehicles

The existing international standards (e.g. EN 15227) security vehicles have high requirements for rail tests. The goal of every new improvement is the improvement of the structures that contribute to the protection against failure and ensure maximum safety during accidents, impact loads and crashes.

HBM measurement technology helps with the following tasks:

  • Definition of criteria of safety of passengers and the control room at the time of the crash
  • The test of crash safety (crash tests) using the force sensors

Railway measurement

03-03_Road-tests_400x300.jpgRails as part of the permanent way of Railways, it is an object under a strong and constant load. In addition, failures due to changes in material properties, weather influence and impact the railway traffic can lead to various types of damage. HBM measurement technology helps in continuous monitoring of the rail network in single measurements on the tracks, for example, in the following tasks:

  • Measurement of forces, mechanical fatigue and overload, as well as methods for the detection of side theft of track, the longitudinal displacement path, ejection path, the horizontal displacement of the sleepers
  • Load measurement components of the railway track during the movement
  • Analysis of concomitant changes in the operation in the working conditions, for example, increasing the axial load, speed, etc.
  • The detection and subsequent monitoring of risk factors that can lead to a descent of a train off the tracks, and congestion due to: the influence of forces Y and Q, as with load, the ratio of descent of the carriage from the rails, centrifugal force, curve run time performance, violation of the stability, the forces of train movement, deformation of wheels
  • Control over the correct application of existing norms
  • Definition of the initial data for calculation of life cycle cost

Simulation and calculations

03-02_nCode_400x300.jpgIndustry software from HBM nCode was used in the railway industry in the 1980s, it is not surprising that many companies involved in design and maintenance of the trains continue to benefit from the latest generation of nCode software products.

Preliminary modeling of trains and bogies contributes to the optimization of the design in accordance with the fatigue characteristics, which in turn helps to reduce weight, reduce power consumption and wear of rails. Functional force measurements and overload in construction of railway trains and the track manufactured to prevent damage, and damage assessment. It is possible to identify problems before they will cause malfunctions, and therefore can be prevented serious crash and crash.

Main applications:

  • Fatigue tests of rail components ‒ wheels, bogies, wheelset axles, etc.
  • The study area load ‒ frequency detection of bursts, the frequency of shipments/stops in one hour by a mile
  • Fatigue analysis of structural elements
  • Analysis of ride quality ‒ the study of the influence of dynamic load, speed and rigidity of the track on the sample during the tests on friction and wear
  • Remote monitoring of rail track