Automatic detection of wheel profile wear

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for automatically detecting wear (V) of a wheel of a rail vehicle due to travel. According to the method, the rail vehicle travels over a measuring track (MS), the length (ZS) of which is known or ascertained to a highly precise degree. Furthermore, the number (AU) of wheel rotations (U) required to travel over the measuring track (MS) is ascertained. The current diameter (Dm) of the wheel of the rail vehicle is ascertained on the basis of the length (ZS) and the ascertained number (AU) of wheel rotations (MS). Additionally, the wear (V) of the wheel is ascertained by comparing the ascertained current diameter (Dm) with a reference value (Dn, Dm°). The invention also relates to a method for training an artificial intelligence-based algorithm to ascertain the current value of a geometric parameter (Sd, Sh, qR, S, HL) of the wheel profile of a rail vehicle and to a wear detection device (40).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Automated wheel profile wear determination

[0003] The invention relates to a method for the automated determination of driving-related wear on a wheel of a rail vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for training an artificial intelligence-based algorithm for determining a current value of a geometric parameter of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle. The invention further relates to a wear-determining device.

[0004] Rail vehicles are subject to severe wear during operation due to the exceptionally large masses they move, the resulting high energy flow, and the pronounced dissipation resulting from this high energy flow. This particularly affects the contact between the wheels of a rail vehicle and the rails on which they travel.

[0005] The wheel profile of rail vehicles, i.e., the part of a rail vehicle wheel that ensures stable contact with the rail, is manufactured by turning according to a standardized geometry (DIN EN 13715). Due to the dynamic metal-to-metal contact, the wheel profile is subject to significant wear. This wear can be divided into two components.

[0006] Part of this wear is due to rolling during movement, which is always accompanied by slippage and micro-sliding. This wear manifests itself, on the one hand, in a geometric change in the profile, which is "deformed" compared to the profile prescribed by the standards.

[0007] On the other hand, wear is due to the correction of profile changes. This correction is achieved by underfloor wheelset rotation (reprofiling), which constantly removes material to restore the (standard) wheel profile, which naturally entails a reduction in the wheel diameter.

[0008] To determine when reprofiling is necessary, it is usually customary to carry out periodic measurements of a wheel's diameter and profile using special equipment that measures certain geometric parameters of the wheel and its profile. When these parameters reach certain limits, reprofiling is scheduled. This is where the first problem lies: the use of most measuring instruments requires that the vehicle be stopped in a workshop suitable for wheel inspection (i.e., equipped with a suitable inspection pit) so that personnel trained in the use of these measuring instruments can intervene.

[0009] One of the required measurements is the diameter of the circle corresponding to point DO (see FIG. 1) of the profile, located at the transverse center of the profile. When measuring the diameter, the measuring instruments currently in use provide results subject to measurement error due to their operating principle. For example, some measuring instruments measure the flange diameter (diameter at the location of the vertex SP in FIG. 1), then measure the flange height (Sh in FIG. 1), and subsequently estimate the measured diameter relative to the center of the profile.

[0010] Other arc-shaped instruments (see FIG 2) are applied to the wheel tread and allow an indirect measurement of the diameter by measuring the curvature of the arc. In this case, small local deformations (flat spots), surface damage, contamination, etc. lead to measurement errors of an order of magnitude (millimeters) compatible with the operating limits. The error inherent in these measurements can (and should) be reduced by taking measurements in different sectors of the arc on the same wheel and then averaging the results obtained. This is particularly cumbersome, however, since at a given position with the vehicle stationary in the workshop, only a limited sector of each wheel is almost always accessible.To gain access to other or larger sectors, the vehicle would have to be moved so that the wheels rotate by enough degrees to make different curved sectors accessible to the measuring device. This is almost never done in practice because it is often too costly and because railway workshops are not always equipped to carry out such movements safely. The measurement error is sometimes so great that when the measurement reports from two successive inspections are compared, it is not uncommon for the diameter associated with one report to be larger than that associated with the previous report. This may obviously not be true due to the increasing wear of the wheels during service.

[0011] The value of the wheel diameter is important for the safety and reliability of the vehicle. Since it contributes to the determination of the instantaneous speed with the help of displacement sensors, the problem arises of reducing these measurement errors, verifying the accuracy of measurements taken with conventional methods and, if necessary, applying more precise innovative methods. Other geometric parameters of the wheel profile (which are also relevant for vehicle safety) also change constantly as a result of vehicle operation and usually approach their operating limits. Since these parameters (e.g. Sh = wheel flange height, Sd = wheel flange thickness, qR = wheel flange flank dimension) are also only determined during workshop inspections, the problem arises of estimating them more frequently using innovative methods.The task is therefore to develop a method and a device for the simplified determination of wheel wear on a wheel of a rail vehicle.

[0012] This object is achieved by a method for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle according to the independent patent claims.

[0013] In the method according to the invention for the automated determination of driving-related wear on a wheel of a rail vehicle, the rail vehicle travels a measuring distance whose length is known or determined with high precision. As will be explained in detail later, there are different methods for precisely measuring a distance. In the simplest case, the distance has markings whose distance is known exactly. When the rail vehicle passes the marking, the counting of the revolutions is started or stopped. Alternatively, the exact position of a rail vehicle can also be measured on the basis of a satellite navigation system, the measurement errors of which are corrected using additional information.

[0014] As explained in more detail later, a differential satellite navigation system is particularly well suited to highly accurate measurement of a test section covered by a rail vehicle. If the length of the test section is determined using an internal measuring device on the rail vehicle, wheel wear can be determined automatically and independently of the measurements taken by an infrastructure operator. However, with a one-off measurement, particularly by the infrastructure operator, the accuracy of the wear determination can be advantageously increased in areas where an exact measurement of the length of a test section using an internal measuring device is not possible. This can occur, for example, if no differential satellite navigation system is available in an area and the measurement of a simple satellite navigation system needs to be refined.

[0015] Furthermore, the required number of wheel revolutions for traveling the test section is determined. To measure the required number of revolutions, a position pulse generator is preferably used, which is fitted to an axle of a modern rail vehicle, in particular a modern locomotive. With such a position pulse generator, the instantaneous angular velocity of each axle is passed on to the safety systems as well as to the anti-skid and anti-skid systems. A modern rail vehicle includes a computing system with which the number of revolutions of each axle, and even fractions thereof, can be determined with a high degree of accuracy in a predetermined time interval or over a predetermined distance.

[0016] Based on the length ZS of the track and the determined number AU of wheel revolutions, the current diameter Dm of the rail vehicle's wheel is determined. The diameter Dm of the wheel is defined as the diameter in a measuring circle plane. The measuring circle plane is preferably located 70 mm from the inner face of the wheel.

[0017] The diameter Dm of the wheel is calculated using the following formula:

[0018] 7 Dm = — . ( 1 )

[0019] AU-Tt

[0020] A wheel on a rail vehicle has a wheel profile with a generative curve defined by standards, viewed in the cross-sectional direction. The generative curve has a bulge on the part facing the inside of the track and a slight taper on the part facing the outside of the track, the wheel flange. To simplify matters, this body can be approximated by a truncated cone. This special geometry of the wheels of a wheelset on a rail vehicle means that when an axle moves slightly in the axial direction, for example to the left, the left wheel ideally rolls on a disc with a slightly larger diameter than the right wheel. However, since both wheels are rigidly attached to the same axle and must therefore rotate in unison, i.e. by the same angle at the same time, a restoring moment is created on contact with the rail. This restoring moment lies in the running plane and returns the wheelset to the center of the track.In a straight-line motion, this practically results in an oscillating, approximately sinusoidal motion of the axle in the rolling plane. On the other hand, each individual wheel rolls moment by moment over an ideal point, the rail contact point, which is at a distance from the axle center that varies between a minimum and a maximum.

[0021] The point of contact, or more precisely the very small contact area, between wheel and rail describes an open curve with each revolution, since the end point of a revolution does not usually coincide exactly with its starting point. This is due to the "truncated cone" geometry of the wheel and the resulting transverse movements. However, the point at which the revolution begins and the point at which the revolution ends are very close to one another. It can therefore be assumed that the wheel travels a distance with each revolution which corresponds to the length of the open curve described above. This applies under the assumption that the wheel rolls without creeping. This length can be related to the average diameter of the open curve associated with each revolution.

[0022] If we also assume a sufficiently large number of revolutions AU and know that the wheel rotates on circles with alternating larger and smaller diameters, we can approximately assume that the average of the length of the curves described during each revolution is equal to the circumference of the circle corresponding to the point DO of the wheel profile in the measuring circle plane.

[0023] In reality, the contact between wheel and rail is not point-like, but occurs over a small contact surface. The dimensions of this surface, for the materials in question, are very small compared to the surface of a wheel with a diameter of more than one meter. Therefore, it can be considered that this surface can be approximated to a point and that, after a very large number AU of revolutions, the distance traveled by rolling on a circle with a diameter between a minimum and a maximum is practically identical to the distance that would have been traveled if rolling had occurred only on a disc of negligible thickness and a diameter Dm.

[0024] Assuming that the traveled measuring distance or path ZS is many orders of magnitude larger than the diameter of a wheel, which is about one meter, ie that the number AU of revolutions is so large that the average of the circles on which the path ZS is traveled practically coincides with the diameter Dm of the reference circle for the measurements, the value of the diameter Dm can be calculated according to formula (1).

[0025] Finally, wear of the wheel profile is determined based on a comparison, preferably by comparison, of the determined current diameter with a reference value of the wheel diameter. Wear is understood to be wear of the tread of a wheel of a rail vehicle which leads to a change in the wheel profile. As explained in more detail later, wear is characterized in particular by the variables wheel flange height Sh, wheel flange thickness Sd, wheel flange flank angle qR, and rollover S. The knowledge that these variables are related to changes in the wheel diameter is used here. For example, the wheel flange height Sh increases if the diameter in the center of the wheel is reduced due to wear, since the point DO in the center of the track profile is used as the reference point for determining the wheel flange height Sh.The flange thickness Sd, on the other hand, decreases when the wheel diameter is reduced due to wear. The flank angle qR also decreases due to increasing wear. The rollover S, on the other hand, increases due to increasing wear.

[0026] Furthermore, a so-called hollow run HL can also be determined as wear on the basis of the diameter Dm.

[0027] If significant wear is detected in the area of ​​point DO, this is referred to as a "false flange" or "hollow runout" according to standard EN 15313:2016(D) - SC.2.14.

[0028] A hollow run (HL) in the form of a false flange occurs when the outer running surface area is higher than the running surface in the measuring circle plane. A hollow run develops when significant running surface wear occurs in the area of ​​the measuring circle plane. Therefore, on the basis of the measurement according to the invention, an estimate of the hollow run, which according to the standard must not be greater than 2 mm, can be made.

[0029] Advantageously, the wear of the wheel profile is determined while the rail vehicle is in motion, and the rail vehicle does not have to visit a workshop to determine the wear. A visit to the workshop is only required when one of the automated wear measurements determines that a wear limit has been reached. Advantageously, the number of visits to the workshop can be reduced compared to the conventional procedure, in which the wear of a wheel profile is determined in a workshop itself. With the method according to the invention, the current values ​​that characterize wheel wear can be continuously estimated, and an inspection notice can be given in good time.The method according to the invention for training an algorithm based on artificial intelligence for determining a current value of a geometric parameter of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle is preferably intended to be used in the method according to the invention for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle in order to determine the wear on the basis of the determined current diameter of the wheel.

[0030] In the method according to the invention for training an algorithm based on artificial intelligence for determining a current value of a geometric parameter of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle, fabled training data are provided which comprise a value of a wheel diameter as input data and a target value of an additional parameter of the wheel profile as output data. Such an additional parameter or its value characterizes the shape of the wheel profile and thus also the rolling properties of the wheel. The wear condition of the wheel is characterized by these additional parameters. As already briefly explained, the wear is characterized in particular by the variables wheel flange height Sh, wheel flange thickness Sd, wheel flange flank angle qR, and the rollover S and hollow run HL.Here, "fabricated data" refers to training data that includes target data that can be compared with the algorithm's result data once the input data of the training data has been entered into the algorithm. The artificial intelligence-based algorithm preferably comprises an artificial neural network, which is adapted to the training data used for training during the training process. Furthermore, the algorithm determines a value of an additional parameter of the wheel profile based on the input data.

[0031] The algorithm is adapted based on the output data or result data of the algorithm and the output data or target data of the training data. If an artificial neural network is used to implement the algorithm, the weights of the artificial neural network are updated during the adaptation of the algorithm using an error function that incorporates the result of the algorithm and the corresponding target value of the labeled training data. The "comparison" is therefore carried out in such a way that the target value and the result of the algorithm are used as input values ​​for the error function during a training step, and the result of the error function determines the change in the weights of the artificial neural network.

[0032] The artificial intelligence-based algorithm is trained through the training process to estimate the additional wheel profile parameters based on labeled training data, which includes both measured wheel diameters as input data for the algorithm and target values ​​of an additional wheel profile parameter as the desired output values ​​of the algorithm. The training process can also be performed based on measurements of the additional parameters taken in the workshop during an inspection, so that the algorithm becomes increasingly more reliable and accurate over time.

[0033] The wear determination device according to the invention has a track length determination unit for the highly accurate determination of a length of a measuring track to be traveled by a rail vehicle.

[0034] Part of the wear-determining device according to the invention is also a rotational speed determination unit for determining the required number of wheel revolutions to travel the measuring distance. Such a rotational speed determination unit comprises a tachometer or angle sensor.

[0035] The wear determination device according to the invention also comprises a diameter determination unit for determining a current diameter of the wheel of the rail vehicle on the basis of the length and the determined number of revolutions of the wheel.

[0036] Furthermore, the wear-determining device according to the invention comprises a wear-determining unit for determining wear by comparing the determined current diameter with a reference value. The wear-determining device according to the invention shares the advantages of the method according to the invention for the automated determination of driving-related wear on a wheel of a rail vehicle.

[0037] Some of the aforementioned components of the wear-detecting device according to the invention can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of software modules in a processor of a corresponding computer system. A largely software-based implementation has the advantage that computer systems already used in the control of rail vehicles can also be easily retrofitted with a software update to operate in the manner according to the invention.

[0038] In this respect, the object is also achieved by a corresponding computer program product with a computer program which can be loaded directly into a computer system, with program sections in order to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle, if appropriate using suitable additional measuring sensors, when the program is executed in the computer system. Advantageously, such a computer program product can, in addition to the computer program, optionally comprise additional components, such as, for example, documentation, and / or additional components, including hardware components, such as, for example, hardware keys (dongles, etc.) for using the software. A computer-readable medium, e.g., can be used for transport to the computer system and / or for storage on or in the computer system.A memory stick, a hard disk, or another portable or permanently installed data storage device can be used, on which the program sections of the computer program that can be read and executed by a computer system are stored. For this purpose, the computer system can, for example, have one or more cooperating microprocessors or the like on iron.

[0039] The dependent claims and the following description each contain particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention. In particular, the claims of one claim category can also be developed analogously to the dependent claims of another claim category and their description parts. Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, the various features of different embodiments and claims can also be combined to form new embodiments.

[0040] In a variant of the inventive method for the automated determination of driving-related wear on a rail vehicle wheel, the length of the measuring section is measured in advance with high precision. As already mentioned, such a procedure is particularly advantageous when access to a differential satellite navigation system is not possible.

[0041] Alternatively, the length of the test section can be measured with high precision using a differential satellite navigation system while the vehicle is being traveled. A differential satellite navigation system is suitable for determining the position of a rail vehicle with an error of a few centimeters, or even a few millimeters with optimal signal reception. Particularly precise differential satellite navigation systems also evaluate the phase shift of the carrier wave and thus achieve accuracies of just a few millimeters. So if the start and end points of the route orIf the test section is on a straight line that lies entirely within an area covered by a high-quality differential satellite navigation system, it is possible to determine the distance ZS between the start point and the end point with high accuracy, which can be made available to an algorithm for calculating the diameter Dm of a wheel. The accuracy of the position determination depends on the distance of the satellite navigation system receiver from the reference station. As already mentioned, the length of the test section should be orders of magnitude greater, preferably several kilometers, than the diameter of the rail vehicle's wheels. This ensures that the number of revolutions is so high that the effects of lateral movement of the axles, also known as "snaking", can be neglected.Preferably, the measuring section is travelled several times and the measured distances are averaged.

[0042] In this case, the test section is preferably repeated several times. A statistical mean value of the length of the test section is then determined. The measured values ​​of the number of revolutions that deviate from a statistical mean value by more than a predetermined threshold are discarded. Finally, an average value of the number of revolutions is determined on the basis of the remaining measured values, and this average value is used as the basis for determining the statistically corrected current diameter Dm* of the rail vehicle wheel. The accuracy of the measurement result is advantageously further improved by averaging and discarding outliers. This is because the determination of a wheel diameter can be affected by a systematic error, which is mainly due to micro-sliding and slippage of the motorized axles.

[0043] As already explained above, the diameter of the wheel preferably refers to the center of the wheel profile at the point DO in the center plane of the wheel. The term "point" here refers to a projection or sectional view of a wheel. In three-dimensional terms, the "point" DO corresponds to a circle that revolves around the wheel profile in the center plane of the wheel. The center of the wheel profile is approximately in the area in which a wheel of a rail vehicle is in contact with the rail. The number of revolutions of the wheel and the length of the distance traveled or the measuring distance can advantageously be used to determine the wheel diameter Dm at the center of the wheel profile.

[0044] More precisely, the "point" DO can be defined as a small, elliptically shaped area that is slightly elongated in the direction of movement. The geometry of this contact area varies dynamically during rolling and is strongly influenced by the physical properties of the metals in contact (wheel / rail) and the mutual dynamic interactions due to the ride.

[0045] Preferably, a correction value after the replacement or reprofiling of a wheel is determined by first determining a first value Dm* of a current diameter directly after the replacement or reprofiling of the wheel, and comparing the current diameter Dm* with the value Dn of the wheel diameter listed in the design documents as a reference value. If necessary, an offset | Dn - Dm* | of the first value Dm* relative to the value Dn listed in the design documents is determined as the correction value. It is expedient to use this offset to correct the error that may have influenced the estimate of the diameter.This offset, whose value is calculated once as described, is then applied to all subsequent diameter estimates Dm, which are made using formula (1) and the statistical correction already mentioned, in order to eliminate the systematic error affecting the first value Dm* for this and all subsequent measurements. The first value of a current diameter, corrected for this offset, is also referred to as Dm° in the following and corresponds to the value Dn from the design documents.

[0046] Alternatively, the reference value can be corrected by the correction value to account for the systematic measurement error. This means that in this case, the first value Dm* is used as the reference value, and the wear is determined based on the difference between subsequent values ​​Dm of the wheel diameter and the first value Dm*. This advantageously compensates for a systematic measurement error.

[0047] Also preferably, a current diameter value corrected by the correction value | Dn - Dm* | is compared with the data entered for the safety systems and driving control systems of the rail vehicle and / or measurements performed during the last inspection, and corrections are made to these data if necessary. Advantageously, further measurement errors that have occurred in connection with measurements performed using methods other than the method according to the invention are also detected and corrected if necessary. In particular, safety-relevant and reliability-relevant errors can be corrected in this way.

[0048] Furthermore, a current value of at least one of the following additional geometric parameters of the wheel profile is preferably determined by an algorithm based on artificial intelligence on the basis of the determined current diameter Dm:

[0049] - the flange thickness Sd,

[0050] - the flange height Sh,

[0051] - the flange dimension qR,

[0052] - the overrolling S ,

[0053] - the hollow barrel HL .

[0054] Once the wear status of the profile of a rail vehicle wheel on the rolled strip has been determined using the current diameter Dm, i.e., at point DO of the profile, which is located in the center of the profile in the transverse direction, this information can be used to determine additional wheel profile parameters. Advantageously, additional wear parameters of the wheel profile are determined, on the basis of which a maintenance strategy can be defined.

[0055] In this case, in addition to the current value Dm of the diameter, preferably in addition to the deviation of the current value Dm of the diameter from a reference value Dm°, the determined operating conditions of the rail vehicle are also used as input data for the algorithm.

[0056] A correlation between the evolution of overroll S due to wear, in conjunction with the change in other parameters (due to the same wear), can be statistically determined during the algorithm training phase and subsequently refined during algorithm implementation. This makes the wear determination even more precise.

[0057] The operating conditions preferably include at least one of the following types of operating conditions:

[0058] - the average speed of the rail vehicle,

[0059] - the curve profile of the routes travelled by the rail vehicle since the last test measurement,

[0060] - the gradient profile of the routes travelled by the rail vehicle since the last test measurement,

[0061] - weather conditions during operation of the rail vehicle, in particular snow or ice,

[0062] - the general condition of the track used,

[0063] - temperatures prevailing during operation.

[0064] Advantageously, these influencing factors affecting wheel wear can be taken into account by the algorithm for determining the additional parameters that characterize wheel wear, making the final result for determining wheel wear on a rail vehicle more precise and reliable.

[0065] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures using exemplary embodiments. They show:

[0066] FIG 1 is a sectional view of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle,

[0067] FIG 2 shows a conventional curved measuring device for indirectly measuring the diameter of a wheel of a rail vehicle by measuring the curvature of the wheel profile in the circumferential direction,

[0068] FIG 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle,

[0069] FIG 4 is a schematic representation of a wear detection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0070] FIG 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for training an artificial intelligence-based algorithm for determining a current value of a geometric parameter of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle,

[0071] FIG 6 is a schematic representation of a training device according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0072] FIG 1 shows a sectional view 10 of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle, wherein the "length" L is plotted against the "height" H of the wheel profile (each in mm). The "length" L here denotes the radial extent of the wheel and the "height" H denotes the axial extent of the wheel. More precisely, FIG 1 shows two wheel profiles, a wheel profile N (drawn with a solid line) of a new wheel and a wheel profile W (shown with a dashed line) of a worn wheel. As a parameter of the wheel profile, a wheel flange height Sh is shown for the wheel profile N of the new wheel, which shows the height of the highest point of the wheel flange above the height of the wheel profile in the wheel center at the point DO. The wheel flange thickness Sd is also shown in FIG 1. The flange dimension qR is also shown, which represents the flank width of the wheel flange. Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a recess or .a hollow HL of the wheel profile of the worn wheel is illustrated. Also shown in FIG. 1 is the overroll S on the right side of the image. The overroll S represents a redistribution of the wheel material from the center of the wheel profile to the edge.

[0073] In FIG 2 two representations 20 of a conventional arc-shaped measuring device for indirectly measuring the diameter of a wheel of a rail vehicle by measuring the curvature of the wheel profile in the circumferential direction are shown.

[0074] FIG 3 shows a flow chart 300 which describes a method for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle.

[0075] In step 3 . 1 , the rail vehicle travels along a measuring section MS, whereby the length ZS of the rail section or of the measuring section MS is determined with high precision by a differential satellite navigation system.

[0076] In step 3.II, the required number AU of revolutions U of the wheel for traveling the measuring distance is determined.

[0077] In step 3.III, a current diameter Dm of the wheel of the rail vehicle is determined based on the length ZS and the determined number AU of revolutions of the wheel. In step 3.IV, the determined current diameter Dm is compared with a reference value Dn. In the event that the difference between the two values ​​exceeds a predetermined threshold value, which is marked with "y" in FIG. 1, the process proceeds to step 3.V, and a plurality of wear parameters V of the wheel are determined using an algorithm based on artificial intelligence.

[0078] In the event that the threshold value is not exceeded in step 3. IV, which is marked with "n" in FIG 3, the process proceeds to step 3. 1 and the process is carried out again after a certain period of time.

[0079] FIG 4 shows a schematic representation of a wear detection device 40 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0080] The wear determination device 40 has a route length determination unit 41 for the highly accurate determination of a length of a measuring route to be traveled by a rail vehicle on the basis of satellite navigation data SND.

[0081] Part of the wear determination device 40 is also a revolution number determination unit 42 for determining the required number AU of revolutions U of the wheel for traveling the measuring distance.

[0082] The wear determination device 40 comprises a diameter determination unit 43 for determining a current diameter Dm of the wheel of the rail vehicle on the basis of the length ZS and the determined number AU of revolutions of the wheel.

[0083] The wear determination device 40 also has a wear determination unit 44 for determining the wear V by comparing the determined current diameter Dm with a reference value Dn. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart 500 illustrating a method for training an artificial intelligence-based algorithm for determining a current value of a geometric parameter of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle that characterizes the wear V of a wheel.

[0084] In step 5.1, labeled training data TD are provided, which comprise as input data a value Dm of a wheel diameter and as output data a target value of an additional parameter Sd, Sh, qR, S, HL of the wheel profile characterizing the wear V of a wheel.

[0085] In step 5. II, a value Dm of a wheel diameter is entered as the input value for the ALG algorithm. Furthermore, based on the input data Dm, the ALG algorithm determines an additional parameter ZP of the wheel profile as the output value.

[0086] In step 5 . III, the algorithm ALG is adapted based on the value of the determined additional parameter ZP and the corresponding value ZP L this additional parameter which is assigned to the labeled training data TD .

[0087] In step 5. IV, a difference AZ between the determined additional parameter ZP and the corresponding parameter ZP L the labeled training data TD is determined.

[0088] In step 5 . V it is determined whether the difference AZ falls below a predetermined threshold value SW.

[0089] In the event that the threshold value SW is undershot, which is marked with "y" in FIG 5, the process goes to step 5. VI and the algorithm is made available for calculating additional wear parameters ZP as part of the method for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle. In the event that the threshold value SW is exceeded, which is marked with "n" in FIG 5, the process goes to step 5. 1 and the algorithm ALG is further adapted to the training data TD.

[0090] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a training device 60 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0091] The training device 60 has a Kl unit 61 which is designed to determine additional parameters ZP on the basis of input data Dm from fabled training data TD. The additional parameters ZP as well as the additional parameters ZP assigned to the fabled training data TD L are transmitted to an adaptation unit 62, which adapts the ALG algorithm of the AI ​​unit 61 to the received data ZP, ZPL. For example, the ALG algorithm is based on an artificial neural network with weights that are adapted to the target values. The received data ZP, ZP Lare also transmitted to a difference-forming unit 63, which determines a difference value AZP therefrom. Part of the training device 60 is also a testing unit 64, which, based on the difference value AZP, checks whether the algorithm ALG has already been sufficiently adapted to the training data TD. If this is the case, the algorithm is made available for calculating additional parameters ZP. Otherwise, the algorithm ALG is sent back to the AI ​​unit 61, and the adaptation process continues.

[0092] Finally, it is pointed out once again that the methods and devices described above are merely preferred embodiments of the invention and that the invention can be varied by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, insofar as it is defined by the claims. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite articles "ein" or "eine" does not exclude the possibility that the features in question may be present multiple times. Likewise, the term "unit" does not exclude the possibility that it consists of several components, which may also be spatially distributed. Regardless of the grammatical gender of a particular term, persons with male, female or other gender identity are included.

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for the automated determination of the driving-related wear of a wheel of a rail vehicle, comprising the steps: - Driving along a measuring section (MS) by the rail vehicle, the length (ZS) of which is known with high precision or is determined with high precision, - Determine the required number (AU) of revolutions (U) of the wheel to travel the measuring distance (MS), - Determination of a current diameter (Dm) of the wheel of the rail vehicle based on the determined length (ZS) of the measuring section (MS) and the determined number (AU) of revolutions of the wheel, - Determination of the wear (V) of the wheel based on a comparison of the determined current diameter (Dm) with a reference value (Dn, Dm°) of the diameter.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the length (ZS) of the measuring section (MS) is measured in advance with high precision.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the length (ZS) of the measuring section (MS) is measured with high precision by a differential satellite navigation system while traveling along the measuring section (MS).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein - the test section (MS) is repeated several times, - a statistical mean value of the length (ZS) of the measuring section (MS) is determined, - Measured values of the number (AU) of revolutions (U) which deviate from a statistical mean value by more than a predetermined threshold value (SW) are rejected, - on the basis of the remaining measured values, an average value of the number (AU) of revolutions (U) is determined and this average value is used as the basis for determining the current diameter (Dm) of the wheel of the rail vehicle.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the current diameter (Dm) of the wheel refers to the center (DO) of the wheel profile.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a correction value after the replacement or reprofiling of a wheel is determined by a first determination of a first value (Dm*) of a current diameter directly after the replacement or reprofiling of the wheel and by a comparison of the first value (Dm*) with the value (Dn) of the diameter of the wheel listed in the design documents as a reference value and this correction value is taken into account in the later measurement of a current diameter (Dm) for determining the current wear (V).

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein a value of the diameter of the wheel corrected by the correction value is compared with the data entered for the safety systems and driving control systems of the rail vehicle and / or measurements carried out during the last inspection and, if necessary, corrections are made to these data.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a current value of at least one of the following geometric additional parameters (Sd, Sh, qR, S, HL) of the wheel profile is determined by an algorithm based on artificial intelligence on the basis of the determined current diameter (Dm): - the flange thickness (Sd), - the flange height (Sh), - Wheel flange dimension (qR), - the overrolling ( S ), - the hollow barrel (HL).

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein, in addition to the current diameter (Dm), the determined operating conditions of the rail vehicle are also used as input data for the algorithm.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operating conditions comprise at least one of the following types of operating conditions: - the average speed of the rail vehicle, - the curve profile of the routes traveled, - the gradient profile of the routes traveled, - weather conditions during operation of the rail vehicle, - the condition of the track being used, - temperatures prevailing during operation.

11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, in which the artificial intelligence-based algorithm is trained to determine a current value of a geometric parameter (Sd, Sh, qR, S, HL) of a wheel profile of a rail vehicle, comprising the steps: - Providing labeled training data (TD) which contains as input data a value (Dm) of a wheel diameter and as output data a target value (ZP L ) of an additional parameter ( Sd, Sh, qR, S , HL) of the wheel profile, - Determining a value (ZP) of an additional parameter (Sd, Sh, qR, S, HL) of the wheel profile by the algorithm (ALG) based on the input data as output data, - Adapting the algorithm (ALG) based on the output data (ZP) of the algorithm (ALG) and the output data (ZP L ) of the labeled training data (TD) .

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the input data comprises operating conditions that occurred during use of the rail vehicle.

13. Wear detection device (40), comprising: - a route length determination unit (41) for the highly accurate determination of a length (ZS) of a measuring route (MS) to be traveled by a rail vehicle, - a revolution number determination unit (42) for determining the required number (AU) of revolutions of the wheel for traveling the measuring distance (MS), - a diameter determination unit (43) for determining a current diameter (Dm) of the wheel of the rail vehicle on the basis of the length (ZS) of the measuring section (MS) and the determined number (AU) of revolutions (U) of the wheel, - a wear determination unit (44) for determining the wear (V) of the wheel by comparing the determined current diameter (Dm) with a reference value (Dn, Dm°) of the diameter.

14. Computer program product with a computer program which can be loaded directly into a memory unit of a computer system, with program sections for carrying out a method according to one of claims 1 to 12 when the computer program is executed in the computer system.

15. A computer-readable medium on which program sections executable by a computer unit are stored in order to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 12 when the program sections are executed by the computer unit.

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