Bogies

EcoActive Technologies

Safety, efficiency and flexibility are guiding principles in Bombardier’s product development. BOMBARDIER* FLEXX Tronic technology is an innovative mechatronic solution designed to reduce the mechanical complexity of any bogie system.

The challengeToday’s rail vehicles for high speed traffic obtain their running stability at the cost of poor curving behaviour. On the other hand, bogies of rail vehicles which can smoothly follow curved tracks show limited top speeds for stable running. This basic conflict entails increased wheel and rail wear of high-speed trains using curved lines as well as unnecessary high track forces.

In addition, bogies have to run on tracks with different characteristics, such as rail inclination or gauge clearance.This means that conventional bogies need to be designed with some fixed parameters forming a compromise and preventing optimal dynamic behaviour on the network. Heavy structures with a high level of vibration and noise are further consequences.

The solution: FLEXX Tronic technologyIn order to overcome these shortcomings, active wheel- set steering is required. FLEXX Tronic technology with its Active Radial steering and Stability control (ARS) system has proven its ability to bridge the gap between stability and curve-friendliness.

The ARS systemThe heart of ARS is an advanced controller, recognizing the current dynamic behaviour of the bogie and its wheel sets on the track, which simultaneously steers each wheel set individually into the optimal angle relative to the rails and suppresses each excitation of the wheel set initiated by track irregularities. One highly dynamic actuator per axle moves the wheel sets according to the set values of the controller without noticeable phase shift.

FLEXX Tronic Technology

Main features of FLEXX Tronic Bombardier’s FLEXX Tronic technology is based on the innovative mechatronic platform developed by the Bombardier Transportation R&D team.

It is a modular mechatronic technology concept for bogies: sensors, actuators and Plug&Play electronics are installed on the bogie. FLEXX Tronic leads to a reduction of the mechanical complexity of any bogie.

FLEXX Tronic can also be used to implement active comfort improvement and tilting.

Flexible, intelligent and durable The FLEXX Tronic technology can equip any FLEXX bogie. Due to the ability of true interoperability, FLEXX Tronic technology can be used on different national track networks, such as in Europe.

*Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

EcoActive TechnologiesFLEXX Tronic Technology

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Bogie equipped with FLEXX Tronic technology

The major benefits of the FLEXX Tronic technology are reduced wheel and rail wear – leading to considerably extended maintenance and exchange intervals – together with a reduction in vehicle mass, vibration and noise. The resulting diminution of track impact opens the opportunity of reduced track access charges for vehicles with FLEXX Tronic operated on networks, where performance-dependent fees have to be paid.

Highest emphasis is also laid on safety and reliability of the system. Besides comprehensive redundancy of the active system and its inherent self-diagnosis and condition-monitoring functionality, robust and self-adaptive electronics allow the quick exchange of a module showing the decrease of its performance prior to a noticeable deterioration of running quality.

Successful test runs A prototype bogie based on a type certified for a running speed of 160 km/h was equipped with ARS and ran stably at up to 400 km/h on a full-scale vehicle roller rig. Beyond that, follow-up trials on a real test track demonstrated the reduction of rail impact and rolling resistance. In July 2007, tests were performed at speeds up to 282 km/h, setting a new speed record in Sweden.

Major benefits of the FLEXX Tronic technology:• Track-friendliness• Weight reduction• Reduced energy consumption• Full interoperability• Reduced noise and vibration

ECO4 – Energy, Efficiency, Economy, EcologyThe FLEXX Tronic technology forms part of Bombardier’s ECO4* environmentally friendly technologies. Addressing the growing challenges among operators to reduce Energy consumption, improve Efficiency, protect the Ecology while making sense Economically, ECO4 is the concrete validation of Bombardier’s declaration – The Climate is Right for Trains*.

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