Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FR8RAIL IV (Use-centric rail freight innovation for Single European Railway Area.)
Período documentado: 2022-01-01 hasta 2022-12-31
The objective of the FR8RAIL IV project is to further develop technologies relevant for the rail freight sector to reach the goal highlighted in the Shift2Rrail Master Plan. The work is partly based on results achieved in the previous projects of the AWP 2015-2019 (FFL4E, ARCC, FR8RAIL I-III, and FR8HUB). FR8RAIL IV seeks to increase technical readiness of the specific technologies developed through innovation actions up to TRL 7.The following specific challenges will be addressed by the FR8RAIL IV project:
• Establish, develop and ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the S2R Master Plan, as referred to in Article 1(4) of the S2R Statutes.
• Contribute to the implementation of Horizon 2020 Regulation, in particular the part of the Smart, Green and Integrated Transport Challenge under the Societal pillar of Decision No 2013/743/EU.
• Contribute to the achievement of the Single European Railway Area, to a faster and less costly transition to a more attractive, user-friendly (including for persons with reduced mobility), competitive, efficient and sustainable European rail system, and to the development of a strong and globally competitive European rail industry; play a major role in rail-related research and innovation, ensuring coordination among projects within its overall programme. It provides all stakeholders with relevant and available information on R&I activities funded across Europe. It shall also manage all rail-focused research and innovation actions co-funded by the Union.
• Actively promote the participation and close involvement of all relevant stakeholders from the full rail value chain and from outside the traditional rail industry. In particular, it fosters the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC (8).
• Develop demonstration projects in interested Member States including those that do not currently have a railway system established within their territory.
• Establish, develop and ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the S2R Master Plan, as referred to in Article 1(4) of the S2R Statutes.
• Contribute to the implementation of Horizon 2020 Regulation, in particular the part of the Smart, Green and Integrated Transport Challenge under the Societal pillar of Decision No 2013/743/EU.
• Contribute to the achievement of the Single European Railway Area, to a faster and less costly transition to a more attractive, user-friendly (including for persons with reduced mobility), competitive, efficient and sustainable European rail system, and to the development of a strong and globally competitive European rail industry; play a major role in rail-related research and innovation, ensuring coordination among projects within its overall programme. It provides all stakeholders with relevant and available information on R&I activities funded across Europe. It shall also manage all rail-focused research and innovation actions co-funded by the Union.
• Actively promote the participation and close involvement of all relevant stakeholders from the full rail value chain and from outside the traditional rail industry. In particular, it fosters the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC (8).
• Develop demonstration projects in interested Member States including those that do not currently have a railway system established within their territory.
In Case of Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), a multitude of the CBM end to end applications including the developed digital border crossing solution and the advanced monitoring solution for both locomotives and wagons has been tested. This also includes the feedback loop between workshop and engineers as well as the modularization and integration of manufacturer guidelines across European entities.
For CBM Wayside Monitoring the labeling data through the employees of the maintenance ordering at DB Cargo has been challenged and labelling quality has to increase for the training of AI-models. The use of AI-models and the transformation of the processes that need the Ai-results are challenged in first cases. The results are presented in the reports and a Blueprint has been written for the implementation of other cases. Additionally proposed algorithm for specific case studies were developed (e.g. data harvesting process). Although a description of what is need to be implemented further in the Infrastructure Management management system to allow the transition to CBM (data management, data analysis, newer wayside systems, collaboration with operators,...) has been done. At least the validation of the method has been performed for wheel impact detectors since feedback from few wheels has been obtained.
DAC prototypes have been mounted and tested under winter conditions. After the decision of choosing the Scharfenberg coupler for introduction on the European rail freight market the work regarding the requirement specification for the integration of the coupler into wagons has been started up. Studies for hybrid couplers into Locomotives have been started, like crash worthiness and available space.
All deliverables and milestones within WP4 were completed during the reporting period. The results achieved have implications for the standardization of rail freight automation and will be utilized in subsequent research programs. Dissemination activities, including presentations at various events, have been conducted to share the contents of WP4 with the public.
In case of the Core Market Wagon the U-Frame is build and tested with connected Wheelset. The new aluminum bogie frame has been completed. The new aluminum bogie frame was completely manufactured and implemented into a bogie. Non-destructive tests (NDT) within the scope of 100%VT, 100%PT and 100%RT have been conducted. The FSW welding technology for welding of AL alloys used for production of the bogie frame has been verified successfully. We achieved the significant reduction of weight up to 900 kg for wagon. A lot of laboratory tests were performed with CMW incl. a field test on a relevant railway track. All these tests confirmed the fully functionality of the wagon development with all its innovations.
For the Extended Market Wagon a Lightweight chassis and running gear design including aerodynamic optimization has been realized. Topology optimizations were employed in the course of a design process, the ultimate goal of which was to identify a lightweight-optimized, force-flow-adapted design which balances functional performance, vehicle mass and manufacturability. In 2022, the primary focus was on the manufacturing and assembly of the wagon based on the drawings and specifications which were completed at the beginning of the year, in preparation for the display of the wagon at the InnoTrans2022.
In the field of Telematics and electrification, the activities focused towards completing the demonstrators of the intelligent wagon. These activities were focused on activities related to the integration of the demonstrator of the intelligent wagon based on telematics and electrification and to demonstration activities of the intelligent wagon based on telematics and electrification has been carried out including the CMW and the EMW.
In order to contribute to the field of Long Trains with Distributed Power, a concept for implementation of Distributed Power into regular operations has been developed. The outcomes of demonstration campaign in February 2021 have been analyzed including the deduction of further needs to refine Distributed Power technology. Finally, the preparation of further demonstration of long trains on European corridor section have started.
In order to contribute to the development of the Freight Loco of the Future, relevant functions becoming available thanks to the enabler DAC have been summarized.
For CBM Wayside Monitoring the labeling data through the employees of the maintenance ordering at DB Cargo has been challenged and labelling quality has to increase for the training of AI-models. The use of AI-models and the transformation of the processes that need the Ai-results are challenged in first cases. The results are presented in the reports and a Blueprint has been written for the implementation of other cases. Additionally proposed algorithm for specific case studies were developed (e.g. data harvesting process). Although a description of what is need to be implemented further in the Infrastructure Management management system to allow the transition to CBM (data management, data analysis, newer wayside systems, collaboration with operators,...) has been done. At least the validation of the method has been performed for wheel impact detectors since feedback from few wheels has been obtained.
DAC prototypes have been mounted and tested under winter conditions. After the decision of choosing the Scharfenberg coupler for introduction on the European rail freight market the work regarding the requirement specification for the integration of the coupler into wagons has been started up. Studies for hybrid couplers into Locomotives have been started, like crash worthiness and available space.
All deliverables and milestones within WP4 were completed during the reporting period. The results achieved have implications for the standardization of rail freight automation and will be utilized in subsequent research programs. Dissemination activities, including presentations at various events, have been conducted to share the contents of WP4 with the public.
In case of the Core Market Wagon the U-Frame is build and tested with connected Wheelset. The new aluminum bogie frame has been completed. The new aluminum bogie frame was completely manufactured and implemented into a bogie. Non-destructive tests (NDT) within the scope of 100%VT, 100%PT and 100%RT have been conducted. The FSW welding technology for welding of AL alloys used for production of the bogie frame has been verified successfully. We achieved the significant reduction of weight up to 900 kg for wagon. A lot of laboratory tests were performed with CMW incl. a field test on a relevant railway track. All these tests confirmed the fully functionality of the wagon development with all its innovations.
For the Extended Market Wagon a Lightweight chassis and running gear design including aerodynamic optimization has been realized. Topology optimizations were employed in the course of a design process, the ultimate goal of which was to identify a lightweight-optimized, force-flow-adapted design which balances functional performance, vehicle mass and manufacturability. In 2022, the primary focus was on the manufacturing and assembly of the wagon based on the drawings and specifications which were completed at the beginning of the year, in preparation for the display of the wagon at the InnoTrans2022.
In the field of Telematics and electrification, the activities focused towards completing the demonstrators of the intelligent wagon. These activities were focused on activities related to the integration of the demonstrator of the intelligent wagon based on telematics and electrification and to demonstration activities of the intelligent wagon based on telematics and electrification has been carried out including the CMW and the EMW.
In order to contribute to the field of Long Trains with Distributed Power, a concept for implementation of Distributed Power into regular operations has been developed. The outcomes of demonstration campaign in February 2021 have been analyzed including the deduction of further needs to refine Distributed Power technology. Finally, the preparation of further demonstration of long trains on European corridor section have started.
In order to contribute to the development of the Freight Loco of the Future, relevant functions becoming available thanks to the enabler DAC have been summarized.
The expected impacts are e.g.:
• A 10% reduction of maintenance operational expenses to increase rail freight business competitiveness by use of CBM
• A Reduction of the total operating costs for the vehicle and infrastructure by up to 30%, by use of the Extended Market Wagon
• An enhanced environmentally friendly performance through high energy efficiency propulsion systems by 10%
• A 20% punctuality increase for freight trains arrivals/departures to and from yards by use of realtime network management
• An increase in payload of 4-axle CMW to a level of approx. 900kg, respectively, weight reduction when empty CMW
• A 10% reduction of maintenance operational expenses to increase rail freight business competitiveness by use of CBM
• A Reduction of the total operating costs for the vehicle and infrastructure by up to 30%, by use of the Extended Market Wagon
• An enhanced environmentally friendly performance through high energy efficiency propulsion systems by 10%
• A 20% punctuality increase for freight trains arrivals/departures to and from yards by use of realtime network management
• An increase in payload of 4-axle CMW to a level of approx. 900kg, respectively, weight reduction when empty CMW