What is a perfect vehicle? When all components are perfectly matched and function as a whole, the preparatory work (development and design) for the finished vehicle has been carried out efficiently and purposefully, the vehicle has been tested and ultimately fulfils all specifications and is authorized. The path to a finished rail vehicle is complex and requires many individual project steps, each of which requires expertise and experience. Not least in order to keep pace with the numerous innovations such as the 4th rail package.
In order to be able to fulfil these high requirements and tasks as a central partner, PJM has consistently built up specialist departments and infrastructure. There has been a number of innovations in the last few months in particular. Here is an overview of the Austrian system specialist’s portfolio.
by PJM Group
10 steps to the authorization of rail vehicles
The vehicle authorization process can be divided into 10 project steps, starting with project development and ending with commercial operation. The PJM Group has extensive experience and expertise in all phases. There are four main business fields:
1) PJ Motion has specialized in authorization management in accordance with the 4th railway package and project management. The range of services specifically includes concept development, requirement capture, verification management and application for vehicle authorization at the authorization entity until a successful product launch. The youngest company in the PJM network celebrates its first anniversary in October and has developed into a recognized project partner within short time. Nevomo, for example, relies on the expertise of PJ Motion, to ensure that the design of the MagRail Booster meets the stringent requirements of the railway industry. “We have successfully completed our first year as a start-up in authorization management for rail vehicles. We would like to thank our initial customers who have placed their trust in us to successfully support them in their projects and thus achieve their goals. We have a positive outlook for the future and look forward to many new and exciting projects with our customers”, says Thomas Hofer, CEO of PJ Motion GmbH.
2) As an accredited conformity assessment body, RCC Railway Competence & Certification specializes in certification and authorization management. RCC covers product certifications (‘Notified Body’ NoBo and ‘Designated Body’ DeBo) and certifications of maintenance organisations (ECM). RCC also acts as an independent safety assessment body (AsBo and ISA) and offers assessments and expert services.
3) As an accredited test center in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025, PJ Messtechnik carries out tests worldwide for the approval of rail vehicles. The test areas include vehicle dynamics, fatigue strength, brakes, acoustics and aerodynamics. The new pantograph division has already completed the expansion phase, meaning that PJM now also offers pantograph tests.
wheelsets and dynamic track tests for the new ÖBB Infra service jet.
In addition, PJM also specializes in the development and production of measuring wheelsets. PJM has made extensive investments in equipment and infrastructure to ensure the highest possible level of precision and flexibility. Since this spring, the company has had its own hall for the series production of instrumented wheelsets, which includes a mobile test rig and a dynamic test rig for end-of-line testing.
PJM also is a renowned expert in the field of engineering. Thanks to the close cooperation of experienced experts in design (CAD), calculation (FEM), simulation (MBS), measurement technology and certification, PJM provides a unique understanding of systems and know-how in the product development of structural railway components. The expertise is evidenced by the certification of the American ARR WABL Committee for strength calculation of wheels according to S-660 and S-669 standards.
The combination of measurement technology expertise, many years of experience in the field and in-depth theoretical know-how has transformed PJM into a relevant system supplier in rail vehicle engineering. However, it is not just metrological expertise that is important when implementing vehicle tests around the world. ‘We have successfully completed projects in almost all European countries, as well as in North and South America, Asia and Australia. This requires expertise in country-specific railway regulations, international project management, a local partner network and a flexible measurement technology team,’ says Martin Joch, CEO of PJ Messtechnik GmbH.
4) The fourth area of the PJM Group is the digitalization of rail freight transport. PJ Monitoring is the innovation leader in the international rail freight market and has put the intelligent goods train on track with the WaggonTracker system and automatic brake testing. The digital overall system, which is energy self-sufficient thanks to a wheel hub generator, fulfils a wide range of monitoring functions and is also the basic platform for automated brake testing. ‘Automation is the solution to the major challenges in rail freight transport. Only with automated applications can environmentally friendly rail transport become competitive, safer, more cost-effective, faster and independent of human resources due to demographic developments. Thanks to our WaggonTracker system, modern, digital freight transport is already on track and is being used by rail transport companies such as SBB Cargo, Mercitalia Intermodal and DB Cargo or wagon keepers such as VTG,’ explains Günter Petschnig, CEO of PJ Monitoring.
The question of added value in the railway industry
What has been the driving force behind PJM’s development into a major player in the railway industry? ‘Right from the start, it was very important to us to always be technically up to date, to build a stable company and to be a reliable partner – for customers and for our team,’ summarize the two PJM founders Martin Joch and Günter Petschnig. Every single project was completed successfully and on schedule. What other added value can PJM offer customers? ‘A deep understanding of railway systems. We know the challenges of our customers, from vehicle manufacturers to wagon keepers and haulers, large railway companies and smaller private railways. On the other hand, we have an immense breadth of experience resulting from the numerous field measurements, engineering expertise and the different areas. We combine all of this to create significant added value for our customers and users.’
Status quo of automated rail transport: an overview of the smart train functionalities
– Real-time brake analysis and brake system monitoring of overloaded brake systems and wear forecast (correct brake functionality with regards to the status of the main brake pipe, release times, loading and cylinder pressure at standstill and while travelling, brake energy analysis for early detection of defective and overloaded brake systems)
– Multi-diagnostic system for dynamic running condition monitoring to identify critical running situations and possible malfunctions (determination of running comfort, running stability and running safety)
– Monitoring of longitudinal, lateral and vertical impacts and their coordinates if limit values are exceeded
– Indicative derailment diagnosis with real-time warning to the train driver
– Real-time king-pin monitoring for reliable and safe detection of the correct setting and locking for trailer transport in the intermodal sector
– In-train communication for real-time data transfer between wagon and locomotive during the train ride to transmit safety and vehicle-related information
– Load weight monitoring to ensure that the vehicle has been loaded correctly and properly
– Automatic brake testing, which replaces the safety-relevant process completely automatically. Using a tablet, the time saved for the obligatory brake check on a 500-metre-long goods train is around 40 minutes.
Further information:
https://pjm.co.at/en/
https://www.pjmotion.at/en/
PJM at InnoTrans: City Cube / Hall A / 220
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