ULTRASONIC TESTING OF RAIL WHEEL DISC
As suggested by the
Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), a Research
and Development unit of Indian Railways, Durgapur Steel Plant
has taken several quality and process improvement measures to
improve and standardize hundred per cent ultrasonic testing of
rail wheel discs.
Accordingly, an online
ultrasonic testing plant for hundred per cent testing of wheel
discs has been procured and commissioned at Durgapur Steel Plant.
Besides, inspection at every stage has been strengthened and is
being monitored. Further improvement in the process of heat treatment
is being made to improve the level of fracture toughness of the
wheel discs. Durgapur Steel Plant has also been advised to install
a testing machine for this purpose to improve quality of this
device and safety standards of rail services.
After a number of
failures of rail wheel discs on coaches in service over the last
three years, resulting in derailments of trains, the Ministry
of Railways took up the matter with Durgapur Steel Plant, which
manufactures wheel discs for Indian railways, for improving quality
and standards of wheel discs to improve further safety standards
of rail services.
