WS-D1 flat position sensor

WS-D1 flat position sensor

Timely detection of flat spots on the wheelsets of a rail car is critical to the safety and reliable operation of the rail transportation system. Flat spots can be caused by permanent deformation of the wheel arch and lead to uneven wear of the rails, damage to the track material and increased noise levels during travel. A radio sensor is used to detect and eliminate such flat spots at an early stage. This continuously monitors the condition of the wheels during transport and reports irregularities.

Functionality of the wireless sensor:

The radio sensor is a wireless, autonomous device that is mounted on the bogie’s anti-lift device. It uses innovative sensor technologies to detect the vibrations and shocks of the wheelset. The collected data is checked for irregularities by the sensor itself using a special algorithm.

Data processing, analysis and algorithm:

Once the wireless sensor is in operation, it starts collecting vibration data from the wheelsets of the railcar during transport. These data are processed in the sensor. The sensor’s model is trained to identify flat spots by detecting characteristic patterns of irregularities associated with that condition.

Alerting and notification:

When the algorithm detects a potential flat spot, the wireless sensor triggers an alarm message. An immediate notification is transmitted to your portal via the connected telematics basic device and sent by e-mail message to a relevant group of people.

The alarm message contains information about the detected potential flat spot, the car number and time stamp, and the location of the shipment where the signs of a flat spot were detected.