Milling of three different rail profiles

By OEM Update Editorial November 11, 2019 4:45 pm IST

Compared to grinding, the high-speed re-profiling of railway lines represents significant time and financial savings. Specially designed trains, operating at a constant speed of 700 meters per hour, machine the existing track profile. By removing millimetres of metal from the damaged surface, the track is restored to its original condition. This, on the-move application, requires specialised equipment to achieve optimum results, such as ‘train machine tools’ designed to carry dynamic rail milling cutters and inserts.

Global cutting tool manufacturer Dormer Pramet works in partnership with several high-speed milling machine manufacturers to delivery key projects around the world. One of these projects includes the milling of three different rail profiles for a customer in the Netherlands.

Dormer Pramet’s 600mm diameter dynamic rail milling cutter was able to machine the combined profile (60E1, 54E1, 46E3 1:40) and another profile 54E5 1:40, without having to change the inserts. Using the same cutting tools across several profiles is hugely beneficial as it saves both time and costs, reducing the number of tool change-overs.

Tomas Hantek, Application Manager for railways at Dormer Pramet, said: “As with all railway projects, each application is different from the next, so we regularly tailor our products to meet the need of the customer. It is very important we work closely with the machine tool manufacturer and rail organisation to identify where adaptions need to be made to achieve the desired results.”

The development of new rail technology is constantly taking place and modifications are needed on both sides to optimise the match between the machine and cutting tool. Dormer Pramet has adapted its popular dynamic milling cutter in various sizes, from 300mm to 900mm, with plans to develop a 1,400mm diameter version in the future. At present, Dormer Pramet has more than 50 dynamic rail milling cutters out in the market, including in the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.

Wheel returning

For more details on
Dormer Pramet’s railway assortment:
Visit: www.dormerpramet.com