Smart precision turning lathe for the reconditioning of rail vehicle wheelsets
Project title
Smart precision turning lathe for the reconditioning of rail vehicle wheelsets
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Politechnika Wrocławska (Wrocław University of Science and Technology)/ Przedsiebiorstwo Projektowo Wdrożeniowe Koltech Sp. z o.o. / Lasertex Sp. z o. o. Przedsiębiorstwo Wdrażania Postępu Naukowo-Technicznego
Name of programme
Operational Programme Smart Growth
Competition
1/4.1.4/2017
Project value
PLN 9 938 012.65
Funding value
PLN 7 318 125.89
Project delivery period
01/06/2018 – 31/01/2022
Have a look at the outcome of our work
What problem does our project solve?
The objective of the project was to assign to the Accurate Smart Turning Lathe for Rail Vehicle Wheelset Remanufacturing the smart functions of self-recognition, self-correction and self-compensation of thermal and machining force errors, vibration dampening of the supporting structure of tool bodies and slides, and breaking of continuous chips that interfere with the remanufacturing process, are dangerous for the operator and interfere with remanufacturing accuracy measurements. The introduced smart functions are an innovation, not found in turning lathes for wheelset remanufacturing, and significantly increase remanufacturing accuracy and efficiency. Self-compensation of thermal errors is based on real-time temperature measurements of multiple points of the support structure and real-time determined machining errors using advanced artificial smart tools, which are automatically fed into the tool path and compensated in real time by the control system. Errors caused by machining forces due to the displacement of knives mounted in the slides are determined based on continuous measurement of the forces in the axes of the controllable tool slides. The determined error functions are entered into the toolpath and the errors are automatically compensated by the control system.
Who will benefit from the outcomes of the project?
The benefits of the innovative improvements to the turning lathe will primarily accrue to the lathe manufacturer, KOLTECH, through increased competitiveness in the global market. Significant benefits will also be gained by users of the Smart Accurate Turning Lathes through significantly improved productivity and accuracy of wheelset remanufacturing.
What was the most challenging aspect of the implementation of the project for us?
The major challenge was to develop and realise self-recognition and self-compensation of errors in a production turning lathe, something that no manufacturer of turning lathes has so far achieved.