RAWIS_machine
RAWIS_railway-wheel

Key Advantages

  • High-resolution inspection and fast scan speed
  • Automated feature detection according to EN 13262, ISO 5948, AAR
  • M107/208, IRS R19/3 and clients’ in-house standards
  • Evaluation algorithm with feature clustering for automated quality assessments
  • Automated reevaluation of inspection data based on various indications
  • Seamless inspection with phased array technology and robotics-assisted ultrasound technology
  • Testing of different wheel types, including wheels with a large diameter range, without conversion
  • Modular system design thanks to standard components for rim, hub and web enables easy procurement of spare parts and retrofitting
  • Efficient inspection within 1 wheel rotation for rim and hub
  • Automated loading process with wheel loading manipulator
  • Shortest floor-to-floor time

The Solution

With RAWIS, ROSEN has designed an innovative non-destructive testing system that enables the automated inspection of railway wheels during the ongoing production process. The system is designed and manufactured according to a modular principle to match the individual requirements of the customer and the production conditions – with the aim of ensuring maximum efficiency and performance.

In order to inspect all areas of the railway wheel, phased array ultrasonic technology is used to inspect the wheel rim and wheel hub in the immersion tank, while conventional ultrasound is deployed to inspect the wheel disc web. The UT probes, including the waterjet coupling, are fitted onto several multi-axle robotic arms capable of inspecting the railway wheel from all sides. For this purpose, the contour of the wheel disc is automatically scanned with a laser sensor prior to inspection. Gathered contour data is transmitted to the robots’ control software, guaranteeing the ideal position of the UT probe over the disc surface. This allows automated ultrasonic inspection of railway wheels during the manufacturing process, covering a wide range of products – independent of batch sizes and without any loss of productivity.

 

Main Design Features

  • Solid steel machine frame designed for the rough environment in the steel industry
  • Loading concept for automated and manual loading scenarios
  • Vertically oriented wheel in the inspection system
  • Stainless steel immersion tank with phased array probes for contact free rim inspection
  • Motorized linear axles with phased array probes for hub inspection
  • Web inspection with 6-axis robots and squirters
  • Water management for coupling
  • Measurement of the web contour with laser scanner
  • ROMIS frontend electronics with ethernet interface
  • Windows-based inspection software for automated data evaluation
  • Open design concept for easy maintenance