Wheelset balancing (ICE and GERMAN RAILWAYS, Russia)

 

TIRA is the leading manufacturer of wheelset balancing machines in the European market.

 

The balancing of wheelsets for railed vehicles (locomotives) is carried out by specially designed, purpose-built wheelset balancing machines.

 

 

Topic: The real working conditions of a coasting wheelset are basically different to those produced by a balancing machine, as it is necessary to measure and record parameters such as unbalance, radial deviation and lateral wobble during production and maintenance. These are the main quality characteristics for safety and smoothness of a wheel assembly such as those currently used on high-speed railways. More often than not analyses and classifications are necessary as well which is why specialist wheelset balancing machines are commonly used.

 

Special technical features: The balancing speed is between 100 to 300 rpm. This allows for shorter driving and braking periods during the measurements.

The drive of a balancing machine is carried out by a friction drive, to avoid the long time it takes for coupling the wheelset to the drive motor by a propeller shaft. This allows quick changes of the wheelsets and to quickly identify faulty manufacture, which negatively affects the balancing accuracy. It also avoids the problem of fit tolerances, misalignments, and faults with the driving propeller shaft such as unbalances, joint restriction, single joint play etc. The friction drive will uncouple the wheelset after the balancing speed has been reached, hence the wheelset will turn trouble-free on the balancing machine, without any outside influences. By this method of operation, even with the low rotational speed, high precision on unbalance measurement can be achieved.

Depending on technological needs of production and maintenance respectively, we differentiate between two basic types of wheelset balancing machines, under-floor balancing machines and on-floor balancing machines.

On-floor balancing machines will be loaded and unloaded in the usual way by crane.

With under-floor balancing machines, the wheelsets can be easily placed and replaced by a ‘track-roll-on’ loading device. The balancing machine will be installed below floor level and the wheelsets will be rolled directly on the balancing machine and lifted onto the support bearings. After completion of the measurements, the wheelsets will be lifted back up to floor level and rolled on tracks leading away from the balancing machine.