Connectivity Solutions for the Future on Rails
Condition Monitoring for Rail Infrastructure
Efficient Fleet Management with Smart Typeplate
IoT@ZF – On Track for the Future
ZF presents technologies which improve the networking of complex workflows and thus simplify them. Many things in our daily lives are now connected electronically. Thus they can operate intelligently and simplify our daily life through digitalization.
This so called ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) holds great potential for the research and development at ZF to simplify also complex procedures in the industry with this technological progress.
Condition Monitoring for Rail with connect@rail
With the intelligent condition monitoring system connect@rail ZF demonstrates how integrated sensors and advanced data analysis tools can further improve rail traffic.
Predictive maintenance planning shortens or prevents shutdown and outage times for rail vehicles. It benefits public transit operators by lowering their operating costs and improving reliability for passengers.
Condition Monitoring for Rail Infrastructure
The Condition Monitoring for Rail Infrastructure enables to recognize the condition of the track system as well as anomalies in wheel-rail contact during operation. Damage and wear, such as wheel flat spots, are detected earlier. This will result in reduced noise emissions, benefitting operators, passengers, and nearby residents.
The measurement and route data is analyzed, evaluated and visualized in the ZF IoT Cloud. With the help of these real time analyses, the operator can plan the maintenance cycles based on actual conditions, boost efficiency and prevent unplanned standstills.
Advantages
- Monitoring changes in track conditions
- Monitoring wheel to detect wheel flats
- Latest, self-learning algorithm for learning the characteristics of each track
- Recommendations on necessary track maintenance work
- Easy integration into rail vehicles in line operation
Efficient Fleet Management
As part of the overall connect@rail system, the Smart Typeplate offers great potential for efficient fleet and maintenance management. Thus ZF has integrated a RFID chip with a unique ID into the transmission type plate. Product data (type designation, material number and technical details) can be accessed via this RFID chip.
Additionally the actual operating hours for the components can be determined. The system enables the operator to have mobile access to the product and maintenance data any time, from anywhere. This facilitates communication and efficient advance planning of maintenance and repair times.
Advantages
- Seamless, unequivocal detection of the components
- Automated, flawless identification without directly visible contact
- Paperless online documentation is accessible from anywhere via mobile or fixed end devices
- IoT-based service
- Easy communication between operator, costumer and service
