At a glance
- Accurate weighing and balancing are essential to prevent brake issues, wheel damage, wheel lock-up and safety risks in rail workshops.
- Uneven loads on wheel and axle often develop during maintenance and must be identified before vehicles return to service.
- TRAKMATE provides a purpose-built, workshop-focused system for accurate static rail vehicle weighing and balancing.
- Its flexible design supports consistent maintenance outcomes and more reliable rail operations.
Weighing and balancing are crucial in modern rail workshops. When rail vehicles are manufactured, repaired and maintained, they should return to service with correct weight distribution across wheels and axles to withstand heavy loads without compromising performance.
Without a proper weight and balance check after servicing, wheel-and-axle loads could become uneven, leading to brake lockups, wheel flat spots and premature wear. To manage these risks, rail workshops need rail weighbridges designed specifically for workshop environments.
The TRAKMATE rail weighbridge from Trakblaze is among the popular weighing systems, designed specifically for rail workshops.
In this blog, we explore the importance of precise weighing measurement and how a TRAKMATE supports consistent results in rail manufacturing and maintenance workshops.
First, let’s start with the importance of weighing accuracy in rail workshops.
Why Accurate Weighing is Essential in Rail Workshops
Here are the key reasons accurate weighing is crucial in rail maintenance workshops:
- Wheel and Axle Load Distribution: Wheel and axle loads can shift during maintenance when components are replaced, adjusted or refurbished. Even small imbalances affect how braking forces are applied and how traction is managed. Without accurate weighing, these changes can compromise vehicle stability and performance when they return to service.
- Prevention of Brake and Wheel Damage: When weight differences across wheels are not recognised, braking forces become uneven. This can lead to brake lockups and increase the risk of wheel flat spots during operation. Over time, these problems accelerate wear and lead to unnecessary maintenance.
- Rail Safety and Derailment Risk: Unbalanced rail vehicles put uneven stress on wheels and axles, which then transfers to the track interface. During braking or movement, the stress further increases beyond the tracks’ capacity, which could lead to derailment. Correct load distribution prevents these issues and helps you address imbalances before they contribute to such accidents.
- Protection of Rolling Stock and Track Infrastructure: Uneven or excess loads place additional pressure on rolling stock components and rail infrastructure. This leads to quicker wear of wheels, bogies and track assets. Proper weighing in workshops enables correction of these loads before they return to routine operations, reducing long-term damage and repair costs.
- Maintenance Accuracy and Compliance: Consistent and accurate weighing provides workshops with a reliable reference point. It also helps your workshop meet internal standards and regulatory compliance.
How TRAKMATE Transforms Weighing Inside Rail Workshops
TRAKMATE is a weighing and balancing system designed for the static weighing of rail vehicles within manufacturing and maintenance environments. Built specifically for rail applications, it provides workshops with a clear way to measure wheel, axle and overall vehicle weights.
Here is how TRAKMATE improves and modernises weighing within rail workshops:
Purpose-Built Weighing and Balancing for Rail Workshops
TRAKMATE is a dedicated rail workshop weighing system designed for static rail weighing and balancing tasks. You can deploy it to your workshop for rail manufacturing, repair, or maintenance. It is engineered for precision and accuracy, so you can rely on its measurement for optimal rail performance and safety.
The system works on all types of trail vehicles such as wagons, locomotives and freight trains. Thus, TRAKMATE is a trusted solution regardless of your purpose and the vehicle type you operate on. This specialised approach sets TRAKMATE apart from general-purpose weighbridges adapted for rail use.
Simplifying Accurate Wheel and Axle Weighing
Precise wheel and axle weighing usually involves complicated installation and calibration. However, TRAKMATE is easy to install and suits all tail types. Its heavy-duty build with overload protection feature prevents calibration drifts for long-term accuracy during wheel and axle weighing.
Moreover, its integration with a dedicated PC software allows you to record and store weight data for future reference and audits.
Improving Safety Through Balanced Rail Vehicles
Lightly loaded axles are more likely to lock or slide during braking, whereas heavily loaded axles require greater braking force, causing braking ineffectiveness. TRAKMATE helps you accurately balance axle loads before trains return to service.
Spreading weight across the wagon’s wheels and axles also prevents wheel wear. Moreover, uneven forces on the track are also reduced, protecting the railway infrastructure. With the track intact, you prevent the risk of derailments, contributing to safer rail vehicles and more predictable operation.
Supporting Smoother Operation and Better Efficiency
TRAKMATE enables even weight distribution, improving performance during acceleration, braking and cornering. When vehicles are properly balanced, you achieve reduced vibration and lower mechanical stress across suspension components.
From an operational standpoint, correct balancing also enhances efficiency. Minimising energy losses from uneven rolling resistance improves energy efficiency throughout the vehicle’s service life.
Heavy-Duty Design for Workshop Environments
Rail workshops require equipment capable of repeatedly weighing heavy rolling stock without compromising reliability. TRAKMATE is engineered to withstand massive loads without compromising accuracy. This durable rail weighbridge system enables you to weigh rail vehicles accurately in demanding workshop conditions.
Read More: The Difference Between Portable and Static Train Weighbridges
Cost-Effective System with Future Capability
TRAKMATE is designed to be user-friendly and affordable. It provides a simple way to accurately weigh rail vehicles without requiring major changes to your setup. This helps you add a reliable weighing and balancing process to your workshop while keeping the installation straightforward.
If your operations change, TRAKMATE can also be adjusted to work as an in-motion rail weighing system. This option offers you the flexibility to enhance its features over time while still benefiting from the reliable static weighing.
Accurate weighing and balancing are critical responsibilities in every rail workshop. Without a reliable weighing system, uneven loads on wheels and axles can remain undetected. This can cause brake problems, wheel damage and greater safety risks when rail vehicles return to service.
TRAKMATE gives rail workshops a purpose-built way to manage these risks in the workshop environment. It offers precise, repeatable weighing, ensuring vehicles leave the workshop balanced, operate smoothly during transit and maintain reliable performance. If you’re looking for a reliable weighing and balancing system for your rail workshop, TRAKMATE is a preferred option.
As a trusted rail weighing service provider, Trakblaze can help you address workshop weighing and balancing requirements. Contact us today to explore detailed information and system specifications.
FAQs
What types of rail workshops typically benefit most from installing a TRAKMATE system?
Rail manufacturing and maintenance workshops that need accurate rail vehicle weighing and balancing benefit most from installing TRAKMATE.
How does the optional in-motion weighing capability expand?
The optional in-motion capability enables TRAKMATE to weigh rail vehicles in motion, expanding its use beyond static weighing as your operations evolve.
What factors should a rail workshop consider when selecting a weighing system?
Rail workshops should consider accuracy, suitability for rail vehicles, ease of installation, durability for workshop use and the ability to support future requirements. TRAKMATE is the ultimate solution that addresses these requirements in a practical way.
