Railway Wheel Additive Reprofiling via Laser Cladding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The frequent reprofiling of railway vehicle wheels due to wear results in increased maintenance and operating costs, as well as a limited life cycle for the wheels, necessitating frequent replacements.

Innovation Solution

A reprofiling method and system that uses a laser module to add filler material to worn areas of the wheel, restoring its initial profile through additive manufacturing techniques, thereby extending the life cycle of the wheels without the need for machining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional machining reprofiling is used to restore wheel profile, then the wheel profile is restored to original specifications, but the wheel diameter decreases and the wheel reaches a final wear limit requiring replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel profile restorationVSAvoidwheel life cycle

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of removing material to restore the wheel profile (conventional machining), the invention adds material through laser cladding to rebuild the contact surface. This inverts the traditional approach from subtractive to additive manufacturing, allowing the wheel diameter to be restored rather than reduced, thereby extending the wheel's service life beyond the traditional 530mm final diameter limit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of material removal to material addition. By using laser cladding to deposit filler material and rebuild the contact surface, the wheel diameter parameter is increased rather than decreased, transforming the end-of-life criterion from a minimum diameter threshold to a condition based on structural integrity and adhesion quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If frequent wheel replacements are performed due to wear, then adhesion between wheel and rail is maintained, but maintenance and operating costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion between wheel and railVSAvoidmaintenance frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of discarding the entire wheel when the contact surface is worn, the invention recovers the wheel by selectively adding filler material only to the worn contact surface area. This localized repair approach restores adhesion properties without requiring complete wheel replacement, significantly reducing maintenance frequency and associated costs while maintaining reliable wheel-rail adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Loss of substance

If conventional machining processes are used for reprofiling, then worn areas are removed, but environmental impact from machining processes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworn material removalVSAvoidenvironmental impact from machining

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of material loss during machining into a beneficial process by using laser cladding to add material. Instead of generating metal chips and dust that require disposal and cause environmental pollution, the process deposits filler material that becomes part of the wheel structure, transforming a wasteful subtractive process into a resourceful additive process that reduces environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach significantly reduces maintenance and operating costs by extending the life cycle of railway wheels, minimizing the frequency of replacements, and reducing environmental impact from machining processes.

Implementation Method 1

a reprofiling method... uses a laser module to add filler material to worn areas of the wheel, restoring its initial profile through additive manufacturing techniques

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser additive manufacturing: Laser

Implementation Method 2

add filler material to worn areas of the wheel, restoring its initial profile through additive manufacturing techniques

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser melting/sintering: Selective Laser Sintering

Data Source

PatentEP3147070B1Reprofiling method of a worn wheel of a railroad vehicle and associated reprofiling system

Publication Date: 2020.04.08 ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECH SAS

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AI summary

This method of reprofiling a worn wheel of a railway vehicle, said wheel having a contact surface intended to come into contact with a rail during the movement of the railway vehicle, is characterized in that it comprises, without removing the wheel from the railway vehicle, a step (150) consisting of adding a filler material to at least one worn area of said contact surface of the wheel.