Rail Testing Centre

Rail Testing Centre

Each rail produced in Donawitz undergoes strict quality testing over its whole length (up to 120 m). Our state-of-the-art automated in-line testing center is essential to this process. Each rail in the production cycle passes at a velocity of 1.5 m/s through the testing center, which currently is comprised of five testing facilities.

1. KPM-Facility "Cold Profile Measuring"

The cold profile measuring facility is in operation since middle of 2004. It works by the laser light cut method and is equipped by 8 laser-camera units. All rails are measured along their entire length.

2. VT-Facility "Visual Testing"

100 % of the rail surface is tested for surface defects using five cameras and image processing. The VT facility for surface quality control in Donawitz is currently the first and only such unit worldwide. The staggering amount of visual data of 1.4 gigabyte per rail is processed in several high performance computer units.

3. FT-Facility "Flatness Testing"

This unit tests the vertical and horizontal flatness, as well as the straightness of the rails. The measurement is based on contactless laser measuring technology ("electronic ruler"). The measured values have a tolerance of 0.01 mm and are transmitted to a central computer unit, like all other test data.

4. ET-Facility "Eddy Current Testing"

The eddy current unit tests the entire head of the rail and the base, (incl. radii and angles) for defects close to the surface. As is the case with the other test units, detected faults are automatically and accurately marked on the rail using a paint spray gun and then tested separately.

5. UT-Facility "Ultrasonic Testing"

The ultrasonic unit tests the rails (head, web and base) for interior defects. Contactless water-jet coupling of the 17 probes as well as "squirter" technology make this unit one of the most advanced worldwide.

We can prove, with the aid of these state-of-the-art testing units that we operate within all national and international standards regarding high performance rails manufactured in a rolling mill.