Induction heating solutions for the railway industry

Disassembling and shrink-fitting bearing and lock rings

Shrink-fitting uses thermal expansion to either fit or remove parts such as rings, gears and bearings on shafts. The benefit of using induction for this process is that it is very fast and controlled. Bearing rings, for example, can be heated in a completely uniform manner and removed while the shaft remains cold.

Fitting and replacing tyres

ENRX equipment makes replacing tyres a clean and easy task. A standard ENRX converter is fitted with a specially designed coil that heats tyres for quick removal. The same converter and coil is then used to heat the new tyres prior to shrink-fitting them on. The segments of an ENRX coil are movable, so that it can be easily adjusted to fit different wheel diameters. A centering device ensures that the tyre is securely and accurately held in the centre of the induction coil. Software built into the Minac allows the operator to preset the desired ramp-up times, power delivery and dwell times. This ensures that the correct surface temperature and heat pattern for the tyres are achieved while the wheels remains cold.

Fitting and replacing wheels

Traditionally, fitting or replacing wheels on shafts has required mechanical force along with hydraulics. The heavy equipment takes a long time to rig and there is a danger of scratching the shaft. With induction heating, there is no need for a heavy mechanical pulling device when removing the wheel. The two-frame mobile solution is fast and accurate, and there is no risk of damage to the axle. When fitting a new wheel, the entire wheel is heated with a multiturn cable fixed in a frame. To remove it, the outer diameter is heated before the inner hub of wheel. The whole process only takes about ten minutes.

Loctite connections

Slack adjusters for brakes and other joints which are fastened with red Loctite, need 250ºC to release the lock. ENRX equipment brings the metal up to temperature in a fast and controlled manner. The process causes less fumes that are easy to remove with fume extractor.

Induction brazing

Rolling stock components must be brazed to the very highest standards, and solutions must meet the railway industry’s exacting cost-control demands. Satisfying these demands has resulted in ENRX becoming the leader in brazing systems that are unmatched for productivity and reliability.

Induction straightening

Induction straightening uses a coil to generate localized heat in pre-defined heating zones. As these zones cool, they contract, ”pulling” the metal into a flatter condition. Induction straightening is extremely fast. The precision of induction also boosts productivity. For example, when straightening steel chassis, there is no need to remove heat-sensitive components. Induction is so precise it leaves adjacent materials unaffected.