EuroWire May 2021

Corporate News

CMS obtains Deutsche Bahn rail control certification

Contrôle Mesure Systèmes (CMS) has specialised for more than 30 years in the design and manufacture of non-destructive testing products. The company develops eddy current and ultra-sonic systems, and combines these two control methods on complete inspection benches. For several years, the company has been working on a system of rail inspection, composed of rotating probes. The principle is simple: two probes, placed on either side of the train, are rotated at very high speed in line with the rail running surface in order to detect possible surface/fatigue defects. For nearly three years, the company has been working on the mechanical and technical improvement of the device. An electronic distance compensation system has been designed to avoid position variations between the rail and the EC rotary probe. CMS has also worked on the ease of calibration of the device, so that it can inform the operator of the depth of defects found on the rails.

The robustness of the system was one of the key elements the company emphasised, since the device in action is subject to wear factors such as dust, friction, humidity and cold. The system is also designed to be easy to use and operate. When defects are identified, the control system sends information to the supervision of the train that operates a rail grinding device. The rails are checked again in successive passes to verify that the defects have been eliminated by the grinding operation. This is repeated as many times as necessary.

The approval issued by Deutsche Bahn is one of the most comprehensive in the field and is used as a reference. It is required in several countries to have access to the rail inspection market. To obtain the approval, CMS and its partner have had to carry out a series of tests with the organisation since 2017, and pass all of the accreditation stages. The company is now able to work in various countries with an efficient and certified system. Contrôle Mesure Systèmes www.cmseddyscan.com

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May 2021