Today, Keller will introduce the basic components and status detection of railway bearings. Trains are different from other vehicles. The main difference is a pair of wheels. The wheels rotate around the same axis and are supported and guided by a pair of rails. Bearings are the connecting elements between the wheelset and the non-rotating parts of the vehicle. They must transfer the weight of the vehicle to the wheelset while providing smooth rolling motion for the wheelset.

Railway condition monitoring technology uses different maintenance methods
Railway preventive maintenance or replacement should be performed according to the service time
Condition-based monitoring, maintenance/replacement according to the status of the component
CBM strategy can make full use of the maximum life of each individual component, provided that its remaining life can be estimated:
There is a measurable parameter to describe the impending failure
Impending failures can be monitored and identified before causing an accident

These conditions are given for bearing failures, in which case the measurable parameter represents the energy dissipated from the bearing to the environment. Looking ahead, bearing damage leads to consequences, which include:

1. In the early stages of failure, the bearing will cause structural vibrations

2. As the damage to the roller track increases, the bearing will make noise, although the noise level is much lower than the ambient noise, it can still be detected based on the characteristic frequency

3. The bearing will get hot and noticeable from the trackside.

Bearing condition monitoring can be based on the evaluation of mechanical vibration, noise, heat, ensuring that there is enough time for maintenance or replacement, and if cost is not a consideration, it is best to monitor the bearing permanently.

Our railway solutions meet all axle weight and speed requirements and guidelines. They are used all over the world and are leading the industry, whether for urban applications, local transportation, standard gauge railways, high-speed networks or heavy freight.

Keller has stock of bearings for the railway industry. The following are some of the models in stock. If you need to know more models, please contact Keller customer service.