Railway Test Benches

Railway Test Benches

Thanks to its long-standing experience in designing and installing test benches, Simpro has designed and erected an industrial complex, the Osmannoro Centre for Experimental Dynamics, intended for research activities and tests on rolling stock in order to get the relevant certification and type-approval, within the Osmannoro Technological Pole, in Sesto Fiorentino (Florence). A cutting-edge plant, unique in Europe, of the greatest importance for the Italian research in the railway sector, whose project also involved the University of Pisa, Florence and Naples.

The plan has been erected in an area of about 11,000 m², and consists of four specific buildings where test benches are subdivided by thematic areas:

• Building for Mechanical and Electrical Tests (PME);
• Building for Electromagnetic Compatibility Tests (EMC);
• Subsidiary Building, including a test bench area (axle fatigue, wheels and wheel set fatigue tests), a machine shop and utility areas;
• Power Supply Unit Building, including any electrical conversion appliance for multi-voltage power supply of rolling stock and equipment under test.

Roller Test Bench

By means of this bench it is possible to perform some tests on the rolling stock by simulating stresses and situations that, before developing this system, had been reproduced on rail. The system reproduces the same conditions found in the line, including the electrified power supply system as provided in the railway infrastructure.

The following tests can be performed:

• Check of traction systems up to six powered axes;
• Tests on wheel-rail sliding control systems;
• Determination of braking performances;
• Electromagnetic compatibility tests on the complete rolling stock.

Buckling Test Bench

This bench is designed to perform torsional dynamic tests capable of reproducing the stress generated by the curve entry of railway vehicles (locomotives, coaches, bogies, special vehicles).

In particular, the following tests are performed:

• Determination of body weight and centre of gravity;
• Buckling tests for bogie, pivot pitch and a combination of the two;
• Tests for determining the torsional rigidity of the rolling stock;
• Tests for determining the suppleness coefficient;
• Tests for determining the body-bogie torque;
• Tests for simulating the low-frequency vertical dynamics of the vehicle;
• Tests for simulating curve entry.

Axel Fatigue Test Bench

The axle fatigue test bench checks the conformity of railway axles subject to fatigue. Through different tests, it is possible to identify the full-scale fatigue limits of the axle material, according to the provisions of the reference standard, so as to define the inspection frequency for axles subject to rotary bending stress.

The following tests can be performed through this bench:

• Constant-amplitude fatigue test on axle body;
• Constant-amplitude fatigue test on axle coupling area;
• Block variable-amplitude fatigue test on axle body;
• Block variable-amplitude fatigue test on axle coupling area.

Brake Test Bench

The dynamometric bench for brake testing is capable of performing tests on brake discs, wheels with flanged discs, and brakes of railway vehicles, by determining the reliability and lifetime of the part under test. As this machine is installed in an experimental centre, such tests are not intended for the serial production of the above-mentioned parts, but have only an inspection purpose.

Several static and dynamic analyses have been carried out on the tested parts, monitored by the management software, which is required to acquire data and store the corresponding results on the control PLC.

Body Stress Test Bench

By means of this bench it is possible to perform tests on the body of railway and tramway vehicles. The purpose of such tests is to check the integrity of the body structure when being subject to stress conditions, by taking measurements that will be compared with previously defined parameters, in order to declare the part suitable, or not, for the subsequent assembly phase.

Pantograph Test Bench

This bench is capable of performing tests on railway vehicle pantographs, by determining the reliability and lifetime of the part under test. As this machine is installed in an experimental centre, such tests are not intended for the serial production of the above-mentioned parts, but have only an inspection purpose.

Several static and dynamic analyses have been carried out on the tested parts, monitored by the management software, which is required to acquire data and store the corresponding results on the control PLC.