Robotics on track to boost rail travel
A fully automated robotic system is set to cut production time and costs for trains and tracks, and will accelerate the creation of the high-speed trans-European rail network. Background High-speed rail links are essential for the free flow of people and goods within Europe. So the EU is supporting the creation of a Trans-European Transport Network to speed rail transport markedly. The plains of France and Germany present few obstacles to 300 km/h rail travel as high-speed tracks can be laid relatively economically. However, in more mountainous regions, the European rail network has to continue to use the existing infrastructure. Lightweight, tilt-bodied trains using all-aluminium carriages and able to travel at speeds of 250 km/h on existing track are required for mountain passes. The wide variety of track gauges and tunnel heights in Europe require a multitude of wagon specifications, so it is essential to be able to switch rapidly on the production line between models to reduce manufacturing costs. Description, impact and results Pendolino trains are made from extruded aluminium which offers significant overall cost advantages but provides technical challenges. Strength, reliability and aerodynamic efficiency demand high precision. Current production methods employ traditional equipment to weld panels together and to cut out doors and windows. Any deformations must be corrected manually - a slow, expensive process. Robotics had proved uneconomical for small-series production as the robots were taught by guiding them through the sequence of positions for welding and cutting - and each side panel alone may require 25,000 spot welds. Transrail adapted a system developed for car-body production. The robot head follows a line defined in the computer-generated design, continuously monitoring and adjusting the path in response to feedback from specially designed laser sensors on the head itself. The trick has been the development of a sensor package able to function in a dirty environment, and an intermediate controller and storage unit (ICS) that converts data from the sensors into control commands for the robot. Heat generated by welding causes slight deformation of the aluminium, so real-time sensor control is the only way of compensating to ensure production of a perfectly welded seam. It currently takes a year to build an 11-unit train. By automating the process, the Transrail workcell cuts construction time by 10% and substantially reduces production costs. The result will be a significant boost to European competitiveness. Working partnerships Research within the Transrail Innovation project has resulted in development of the first fully automated workcells for assembly of wagon shells. The innovation combines laser sensors from German engineering research centre APS with a versatile gantry robot from Italian company Bisiach & Carru. The Transrail workcell has been tested on three versions of the Pendolino tilt-bodied train at Fiat Ferroviaria's Savigliano plant, near Turin. Coaches were built for a narrow-gauge Italian train, a broad-gauge Finnish model and a standard European unit, demonstrating faster production and marked reduction in downtime between set-ups. Project title: Transrail Fourth Framework Programme Innovation Programme Project reference: IN104301