Thermography helps keep new train service running
A
Flir Systems product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 20, 2008
Flir Systems' ThermaCAM T400 will be used for checking the integrity of cable fixings on high-voltage jumper cables.
The Hitachi train that will serve the Channel Tunnel Rail Link travels at speeds of up to 225km/h and will cut the journey time from Ashford to St Pancras to 37 minutes.
Based on the Shinkansen, it has 24 wheel-sets, 16 of which are driven.
This provides the ability to meet timetables even with 25% of the traction equipment isolated.
The first consignment of the planned 29 trains is now in the UK and the focus is on building the support and maintenance structure to ensure these trains provide a quality service.
Hitachi Rail Maintenance Engineering Manager, Dan Barrett is overseeing the development of the maintenance programme.
Hitachi Rail Maintenance's engineering depot at Ashford has installed an MRX system that will automatically measure wheel profiles and shoe gear thickness.
Thermography was another 'must have' as far as Barrett was concerned, and as a result Hitachi Rail Maintenance has recently taken delivery of a Flir Systems' ThermaCAM T400.
"I've worked for other organisations that have not used thermography and have suffered repeat failures as a result", Dan explains.
He cites checking the integrity of cable fixings on high-voltage jumper cables as typical application.
These inter-vehicle cables from the secondary windings of the transformer terminate in sealed and watertight junction boxes.
"Having to undo those boxes just to check the fixings are torqued to the correct value is time-consuming and often fault inducing", Barrett adds.
"Without thermography there is no alternative as if a bad termination isn't rectified the contact will burn out and that will incur significant parts and labour cost".
"Using the ThermaCAM T400 this job will take seconds".
"All we need do is look at the thermographic image of cable for tell-tale signs of a loose connection - it's such an effective technology".
The inspection of high voltage connectors is another early application for the camera.
Traditionally contactor tips would be replaced, regardless of their condition, every six months.
Barrett said "Using thermography we can actually see if the replacement is necessary and we don't need to disturb a system if it's working fine".
Other planned applications include checking for loose connections and intermittent faults on relay panels and terminal bars; monitoring motor temperatures - specifically around bearings casings on blowers and HVAC fans; and checking high-resistance contacts on third-rail shoe gear cabling to prevent 'burn-up'.
Naturally the portfolio of thermographic applications at Hitachi Rail Maintenance will grow as the team becomes fully conversant with the technology.
The camera has been purchased for the maintenance facility and as a result a programme is now in place to train all technicians to use the camera and most importantly, to interpret its findings against benchmarks.
"As we learn more about the technology, we will apply it to more tasks", Barrett said.
"At Hitachi Rail Maintenance we will maintain our trains in the most effective way possible and that means spotting problems early".
"This camera is a very effective tool and if it saves us just one cable burn-up, it's paid for itself".
The ThermaCAM T400 provides an overlaying facility called Thermal Fusion.
This allows the automatic and seamless transition of images from thermal to visual and vice versa while retaining all measurement functions in both view modes.
In addition to thermal and visual imaging Hitachi Rail Maintenance was also attracted by the camera's large touch screen.
This allows sketching via stylus and speedy text entry via the touch screen QWERTY keyboard enabling the vehicle car identification number to be embedded on the infra-red image.
This ensures all the information is to hand for report generation.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Flir Systems
Other Flir Systems stories
-
Flir i7 investigates building faults
The Flir i7 infrared camera is designed to investigate faults in building fabric and operations, and check for electrical and mechanical faults. -
Flir adds microscopy accessories to SC5000 camera
Flir Systems will showcase microscopy accessories for its SC5000 research and development infrared cameras at Photonex 2009. -
Flir introduces electrical maintenance service
Flir Systems and Extech have come together to offer a service for finding and resolving electrical faults. -
Flir adds contrast optimiser to B600 camera
Flir Systems has introduced a contrast optimiser for the B-Series B600 thermal-imaging camera. -
Flir Systems to attend The Energy Event 2009
Flir Systems has announced that it will attend The Energy Event 2009 on 9-10 September.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,460)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (529)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,115)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (470)
- Production line blowers and fans (68)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (954)
- Consultancy and Services (915)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,091)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (810)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (187)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (202)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,193)
- Plantwide control (1,344)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (571)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (390)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,414)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,288)
- Industrial Motors (500)
- Linear Drives and Motors (117)
- Precision Motors and Gears (425)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,080)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,249)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (571)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (702)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (643)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (2)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (372)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (715)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (427)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (817)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,289)
- 2D CAD software (202)
- 3D CAD software (1,170)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (575)
- Data, document management software (319)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (15)
- FEA and structural analysis software (375)
- File conversion software, data capture (357)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (336)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (324)
- PLM and collaboration software (655)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (266)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (205)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (939)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,180)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (435)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (848)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (571)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (362)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (410)
- Engineering Training Courses (452)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (178)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (284)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,592)
-
Materials and Processing (3,015)
- Materials and components (2,254)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (465)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,594)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (483)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (502)
- Data loggers (424)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (640)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (752)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (425)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (157)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (513)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,249)
-
Powertrain Design (3,677)
- Bearings (968)
- Chains and belts (332)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,463)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (437)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,196)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (439)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (631)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (288)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (155)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (532)
- Linear Position Sensors (410)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (719)
- Pressure sensors (631)
- Proximity Sensors (708)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (558)
- Sensors (10)
- Temperature sensors (615)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,397)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,005)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,674)
