Carriage casting: production features and technology
Railway transport is inextricably linked with the need to use strong and durable parts that ensure the reliability of the carriage structure. The most important component of the structure are cast parts, called carriage casting. It forms the basis of the carriage, takes on enormous loads and serves for years, despite difficult operation. Let's try to figure out how these important parts are made and what technologies are used today.
What is carriage casting?
Carriage casting is a term used to describe the process of manufacturing cast parts for railway carriage construction. This includes trolleys, couplers, buffer bars, pivot beams and other massive elements made by casting. The main feature of these parts is their complex geometric shape, high strength and low percentage of defects.
Production stages of carriage casting
The process of manufacturing cast parts is divided into several stages:
- Design and construction: a virtual model of the part is created with all the parameters specified.
- Molding: plaster or sand molds are created that follow the contours of the future part.
- Metal melting: the billet material (usually cast iron or steel) is melted in special furnaces.
- Casting: Hot metal is poured into a mold and cooled to room temperature.
- Cooling and cleaning: finished parts are freed from excess earth and slag, and treated with an abrasive material.
- Quality control: The finished part is tested for the absence of defects and compliance with standards.
Carriage casting dimensions
The size of cast parts varies depending on their purpose and scope of application. There are traditionally three categories in car building:
- Small car casting: small parts weighing up to 1 kg, such as rivets, locking rings, bolts and similar elements.
- Medium car casting: parts of medium size and weight (from 1 to 10 kg), for example, gears, cams, bushings and couplings.
- Large-scale carriage casting: massive parts weighing from 10 kg and above, including trolleys, wheels, cross beams and trolley frames.
The part category determines its production technology, strength requirements, and operating modes. The choice of the optimal size and type of car casting directly affects the reliability and durability of the car.
Modern technologies for the production of carriage casting
With the development of technology, new casting methods have emerged that improve the quality and efficiency of production.:
- Automated casting: using robotic arms to accelerate