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Indicator Module for Train Brake Actuator

Andersson, Martin and Magnusson, Johan (2007) MMK820
Innovation
Abstract
This Master Thesis was executed on behalf of Faiveley Transport AB, Landskrona,
Sweden, between February and September 2007. The work was written under the
Division of Machine Design at Lund Institute of Technology. The Faiveley Group is one
of the world’s leading suppliers of railway systems and services, and the thesis was
conducted as a product development project with the objective to design an indicator
module for a train brake actuator. The main objective was to choose a suitable sensor and
to integrate it in a module that could be mounted on the actuator housing.
The actuator is a part of the braking system of the train and is connected to the pressure
sleeve assembly. Because of the brake block wear, continuously a slack... (More)
This Master Thesis was executed on behalf of Faiveley Transport AB, Landskrona,
Sweden, between February and September 2007. The work was written under the
Division of Machine Design at Lund Institute of Technology. The Faiveley Group is one
of the world’s leading suppliers of railway systems and services, and the thesis was
conducted as a product development project with the objective to design an indicator
module for a train brake actuator. The main objective was to choose a suitable sensor and
to integrate it in a module that could be mounted on the actuator housing.
The actuator is a part of the braking system of the train and is connected to the pressure
sleeve assembly. Because of the brake block wear, continuously a slack between the wheel
and the brake block will occur. The purpose of the train brake actuator is to
mechanically adjust this slack. This is done by managing the starting position of the
pressure sleeve assembly. The brake blocks have to be changed when they are worn-out
and this is manually supervised today. The main purpose of the indicator module is to
register the position of the pressure sleeve assembly and to indicate when the brake blocks
have to be changed.
In the first part of the thesis an examination and review of the sensors and techniques on
the market was done. A method to choose suitable techniques was presented and applied
in a weighted evaluation. The evaluation showed which techniques that was possible to
use.
The second part was a concept generation that started with brainstorming. The geometry
of the actuator made the placement of the sensor hard. The sensor had to be mounted
outside the actuator housing or inside the spindle and that made the selection of
concepts very limited. However, the brainstorming generated three concepts with five
different sensors. The concepts consisted of two linear solutions and one rotational
solution.To evaluate the concepts, four parameters were used; performance, cost, size and
mountability. The evaluation finally showed that a linear concept using an In Cylinder
Transducer was the best solution. One part of the ICT is a socket that is mounted inside
the spindle while the main part is a sensor element that operates inside the socket. The
socket is moving along the sensor element with the spindle while the sensor element
registers the displacement.
In the third part of the thesis the designing of the module took place. It was done with
the objective to create the module as compact as possible. Furthermore, the module was
supposed to constitute a mechanically working unit together with the sensor. A module
design was made in Pro/ENGINEER and was developed gradually through consultation
with the company. The final concept module consists of a plastic housing that includes a
spherical plain bearing and an EPDM rubber strip. The design keeps the sensor in place
and allows the sensor to work with non-contact, regardless of the radial movement of the
spindle.
During the thesis, information about a new sensor from the sensor distributor was
presented. This sensor is probably about to be released later this year (2007) and works in
a similar way but with a different technique. The new sensor will, like the chosen one,pass the requirements for this application, but it will be even better in three areas. The
sensor can handle the radial movement of the spindle without the use of rubber.It is
resistant against temperatures down to -40°C, which in the current ICT sensor would
require a part adjustment. Finally, the estimated price of the new sensor is lower than the
ICT. The recommendation of the authors is to perform the laboratory testing with the
final concept module. If the test results are successful a swap to the new and improved
sensor would be preferable. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Andersson, Martin and Magnusson, Johan
supervisor
organization
course
MMK820
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Sensor, actuator, train brake, indicator
language
English
id
1502682
date added to LUP
2009-11-24 15:33:59
date last changed
2010-02-01 14:40:04
@misc{1502682,
  abstract     = {{This Master Thesis was executed on behalf of Faiveley Transport AB, Landskrona,
Sweden, between February and September 2007. The work was written under the
Division of Machine Design at Lund Institute of Technology. The Faiveley Group is one
of the world’s leading suppliers of railway systems and services, and the thesis was
conducted as a product development project with the objective to design an indicator
module for a train brake actuator. The main objective was to choose a suitable sensor and
to integrate it in a module that could be mounted on the actuator housing.
The actuator is a part of the braking system of the train and is connected to the pressure
sleeve assembly. Because of the brake block wear, continuously a slack between the wheel
and the brake block will occur. The purpose of the train brake actuator is to
mechanically adjust this slack. This is done by managing the starting position of the
pressure sleeve assembly. The brake blocks have to be changed when they are worn-out
and this is manually supervised today. The main purpose of the indicator module is to
register the position of the pressure sleeve assembly and to indicate when the brake blocks
have to be changed.
In the first part of the thesis an examination and review of the sensors and techniques on
the market was done. A method to choose suitable techniques was presented and applied
in a weighted evaluation. The evaluation showed which techniques that was possible to
use.
The second part was a concept generation that started with brainstorming. The geometry
of the actuator made the placement of the sensor hard. The sensor had to be mounted
outside the actuator housing or inside the spindle and that made the selection of
concepts very limited. However, the brainstorming generated three concepts with five
different sensors. The concepts consisted of two linear solutions and one rotational
solution.To evaluate the concepts, four parameters were used; performance, cost, size and
mountability. The evaluation finally showed that a linear concept using an In Cylinder
Transducer was the best solution. One part of the ICT is a socket that is mounted inside
the spindle while the main part is a sensor element that operates inside the socket. The
socket is moving along the sensor element with the spindle while the sensor element
registers the displacement.
In the third part of the thesis the designing of the module took place. It was done with
the objective to create the module as compact as possible. Furthermore, the module was
supposed to constitute a mechanically working unit together with the sensor. A module
design was made in Pro/ENGINEER and was developed gradually through consultation
with the company. The final concept module consists of a plastic housing that includes a
spherical plain bearing and an EPDM rubber strip. The design keeps the sensor in place
and allows the sensor to work with non-contact, regardless of the radial movement of the
spindle.
During the thesis, information about a new sensor from the sensor distributor was
presented. This sensor is probably about to be released later this year (2007) and works in
a similar way but with a different technique. The new sensor will, like the chosen one,pass the requirements for this application, but it will be even better in three areas. The
sensor can handle the radial movement of the spindle without the use of rubber.It is
resistant against temperatures down to -40°C, which in the current ICT sensor would
require a part adjustment. Finally, the estimated price of the new sensor is lower than the
ICT. The recommendation of the authors is to perform the laboratory testing with the
final concept module. If the test results are successful a swap to the new and improved
sensor would be preferable.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Martin and Magnusson, Johan}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Indicator Module for Train Brake Actuator}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}