updateCustomer magazine of Deutsche Plasser

ISSUE 15, DECEMBER 2020

POST-ACCIDENT REPAIRStrukton once again puts its trust in Deutsche Plasser

SATISIFED CUSTOMERS WILL RETURN

03 Editorial

04 A blessing in disguise

06 Strukton once again puts its trust in Deutsche Plasser

08 In good hands

10 New machines for Poland

12 Retrofit now in Poland

14 A new take on Machine, Fleet, and Infrastructure

16 Dynamic stabilisation of new track types in the laboratory

18 Data protection – transparent and secure

20 New paths in welding technology

22 Bucking the trend of scarcity of resources

in railway construction

23 Service technicians on tour

IMPRESSUM

PublisherDeutsche Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen GmbHFriedrich-Eckart-Str. 35, 81929 MünchenTelephone: +49 89 93008-0Telefax: +49 89 93008-115E-Mail: info@deutsche-plasser.dewww.deutsche-plasser.de

PhotosDeutsche Plasser, Plasser & Theurer,www.pixabay.com/472301, www.pixabay.com/febrian eka saputra,www.shutterstock.com/wk1003mike

PrintedDruckwerkstatt, Wien

Contents

16

14

08

10

DP UPDATE 03

Dear readers,

We are looking back on a difficult year. A year in which we had to make do without many things and reduce our social contacts, both in our professional and private lives. Unfortunately, we have seen that the pandemic is here to stay and will not go away for some time.

In our company, we introduced comprehensive measures to protect our staff and business partners right from the start and have strictly adhered to the legal require-ments. We will of course continue to do so and hope that together we will manage to keep any adverse effects to a minimum.

From a health point of view, we do not know what lies ahead. From a business perspective, we are optimistic for the coming winter season, which we expect to be very busy again. Our service engineers will be on the road for you again and support you in the best possible way, circumstances permitting. In these difficult times, they have once again accomplished remarkable achievements and worked tirelessly for the availability of your machines. Page 23 shows some impressive figures on that.

I hope you will understand if a job has to be aborted or called off at short notice due to Corona. If that happens, we will find an alternative solution and ensure that we will be with you as quickly as possible.

In the coming year, too, Deutsche Plasser will always be there for you, and I hope I will be able to meet many of you personally once again. Unfortunately, this will not be possible at InnoTrans in April as it has been postponed to September 2022 due to the current circumstances. Deutsche Plasser will of course be present as an exhibitor at that event, as it will be at the end of May/beginning of June 2022 at the 28th Inter-national Exhibition for Track Technology (iaf) in Münster.

I wish you all the best for the end of the year and a relaxing festive season with your families. Stay healthy and get through the winter well and particularly through this difficult time. If we all stick to the rules – keeping your social distance, observing hygiene rules, wearing masks and regular ventilation (space – hands – face + ventilation) – I am confident that together we will succeed.

I wish you and us all the best. And most importantly, stay healthy!

YoursRalf LangeManaging Director Deutsche Plasser

EditorialRalf Lange

„We will also be there for you in the coming year and I hope

I will be able to meet as many of you personally once again.“

Ralf LangeManaging Director Deutsche Plasser

„

THE MACHINE IS NOW at our Leverkusen-Opladen workshop where the preparations for the repair and modernisation of the machine began in 2019.

A blessing in disguise

RETROFIT AND REPAIR AFTER A COLLISION

04 DP UPDATE

It all began with an accident. In 2018, the 08-16/90 compact tamping machine operated by Scheuchzer was damaged to such an extent during

a rear-end collision that the company wanted to scrap the machine. Then Deutsche Plasser received a phone call that would change everything.

Now the machine is in the Leverkusen-Opladen workshop and is not only being repaired but undergoing a full retrofit.

Tamping machines like the 08-16/90 are highly appreciated by many track construction companies. Scheuchzer has four of these com-

pact machines and for decades has been using them very successfully for projects in Switzerland. However, one of these ma-chines was severely damaged in a rear-end collision in 2018. At a first glance, it looked as if the extent of the damage would leave no other option than to scrap the machine. The company contacted Deutsche Plasser for a damage appraisal. This completely changed the sequence of events.

Repair and retrofit instead of scrapping

Scheuchzer had not realised that it was possible to repair the machine and upgrade it at the same time. At InnoTrans 2018, an initial conversation took place between Scheuchzer and Deutsche Plasser. It became clear that Scheuchzer had actually considered buying a new machine. However, one deciding point was that the 08-16/90 has ideal prerequisites for certain uses in Switzerland and that structurally identical machines are no longer manufactured. Repair and retrofit therefore presented an opportunity to continue operat-ing the well-proven machine – year of manu- facture 1993! The greatest challenge of the project was the customer’s specification to install a latest- generation Caterpillar engine. This is an

extremely powerful small en-gine that has sufficient power to drive the machine and also meets all current ecological requirements. Furthermore, the old tamping unit was to be replaced, a lifting and lining unit installed and the hydraulic system modified such that the conveyor on the trailer could be operated in accordance with the customer request. The re-construction of the main frame that will replace the original frame would require another great effort. In April 2019, the complete requirements specification went to Plasser & Theurer in Linz, where in the same year a separate design department specifically for retrofit projects was founded. By June 2019, all the technical documentation for the modification of the 08-16/90 had been prepared. Within a very short time, taking into consideration that around 85% of the machine had to be redesigned and the weight issue had to be solved because of the new engine and the new tamping equipment. Not to mention the fact that no other supplier would have had the technical know-how to carry out a retrofit of that extent on a machine of that age.

A question of economic efficiencyIn January 2020, Deutsche Plasser submitted the final proposal. The contract volume

corresponds to approxmately 50 % of the purchase price of an equivalent new machine. Since April 2020, the machine has been at our Leverkusen-Opladen workshop. Scheuchzer is very pleased that they will be able to operate their own machine again in future. We will keep you updated on the progress of this project in our next issue of DP update.

DP UPDATE 05

One of the main tasks during the course of the retrofit is the replacement of the old tamping unit by Matisa by a new one from Plasser & Theurer. The delivery of the repaired and modernised machine is expected for mid-2021.

Because of the upgrade of many components the main frame had to be re-designed and built. These works have

already been carried out by Plasser & Theurer in Linz.

06 DP UPDATE

Happy customers will return. The new project for the company Strukton proves this. A few years ago, we were able to successfully repair a post-accident machine of the Dutch construction company. Now the company contacted us again about a universal tamping machine Unimat 08-475/4S that had been involved in an accident.

During the recovery it became clear that the first 10 metres of the front wagon were completely destroyed. In 2020, the decision was made to have the machine repaired by Deutsche Plasser. It is anticipated that the repaired machine will be handed back to the customer next summer.

POST-ACCIDENT REPAIR OF AN UNIMAT 08-475/4S

Strukton once again puts its trust in

Deutsche Plasser

THE UNIVERSAL TAMPING MACHINE UNIMAT 08-475/4S of the Dutch company Strukton collided with a freight train in early 2019. In view of the consequences of the accident, the company initially wanted to sell the wreckage as quickly as possible.

DP UPDATE 07

The accident of the Unimat 08-475/4S happened in early 2019. The ma-chine was on loan to a company for a project. It was parked and

secured insufficiently, started moving and collided with a freight train. The conse-quences of an uncontrolled encounter of a track maintenance machine with a weight of around 800 tonnes could be seen clearly on the Unimat 08-475/4S (year of manufacture 2004). The first 10 metres of the front wagon were completely destroyed. There was no doubt for Strukton that the machine would have to be sold since it would be too expen-sive to repair.

Universal tamping machines are valuable

In June 2019, the machine was finally brought to our maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen, where it was initially stabled. The project was put on hold for about a year because the insurance claim process took longer than expected. After that, things took off. Strukton made the strategic decision to have the machine repaired. By then, the company had recog-nised the great need for universal tamping machines, especially these days.

70 pages of spare parts listShortly afterwards, work on the machine began. It was disassembled and examined thoroughly, including the part of the machine that was intact. A list of parts necessary for the repair was collated. The importance of and the work involved in this step is often underestimated. The list of spare parts alone that had to be ordered was 70 pages long.

Supply planned for mid-2021

At the end of September 2020, the diagnostic work was completed and a second offer was submitted. At Deutsche Plasser we antic- ipate to hand over the Unimat 08-475/4S in working order in the middle of 2021. We will keep you updated with more information on the progress of this project in the next issue of DP update.

As the insurance claim process took longer than expected, the machine was stabled at our maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen.

In the meantime, work on the Unimat 08-475/4S has begun at the maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen. At Deutsche Plasser, we will do out utmost to hand over the machine in working order in the middle of 2021.

Strukton recognised the great need for

universal tamping machines, especially these days.

08 DP UPDATE

Between 2014 and 2020 Plasser & Theurer delivered a total of 45 Multifunctional Track Infrastructure Maintenance Vehicles

(MISS) to DB Netz. Once the first vehicle was delivered, Deutsche Plasser took over the support of the fleet of vehicles.

Since then, six service engineers are on stand-by 24/7 exclusively for these machines.

In good hands

TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE NEW MISS FLEET

OF DB NETZ

The last GAF-Lae track working vehicle was handed over to DB Netz in July 2020. Like all other vehicles of the MISS fleet, Deutsche Plasser will provide the support throughout the warranty period.

DP UPDATE 09

DB Netz is very happy with the new maintenance vehicles from Plasser & Theurer. One reason for this is the excellent support they

receive from the service team of Deutsche Plasser. Florian Müller, who together with Peter Hoch-eder is responsible for the organisation of the six-men team: “Our job started before the first vehicle was delivered. We employed an addi-tional three service engineers for this project, and the whole team received thorough training in Linz.” In order to know the machines inside out, the training included work on the final assembly and involvement in the handover, in addition to the theoretical training. Further-more, special training was provided on the Palfinger cranes, which are installed on most of the machines as a main device.

Highly qualified service engineers

The high quality of this training now pays off. Each service engineer is capable of finding a solution to any problems arising and thus keeping the downtimes as short as possible. The organisation of the team is another crucial factor for the success of the project. The six service engineers are distributed over all the

regions of Germany to ensure short travel times to the work sites. Furthermore, the customer has direct contacts in the company who will organise any necessary assign-ments in the shortest time possible.

Support at night and at weekends

Since maintenance work is increasingly carried out at night and at the weekends, the service team is of course available during these times. Florian Müller: “Our nighttime support starts at 8.30 pm and finishes at 4.30 am. During the weekend we are on stand-by from Friday 12.00 pm to Monday 7.00 am. For DB Netz this means an exceptionally high degree of certainty. The high availability which has been contractually agreed would otherwise not be possible.”

Support through to 2022

The last machine of the new MISS fleet was delivered in July this year. The warranty period for each machine is two years, so the Deutsche Plasser service team will be on call for DB Netz until 2022. We will of course continue to be available as a service partner after that.

THE 45 MISS VEHICLES OF DB NETZ

MEASURING VEHICLES:1 GMTZ self-propelled track recording car3 DVT diagnostic power cars2 SPZ rail inspection trains

WORK VEHICLES:3 GAF track working vehicles2 TIF tunnel inspection vehicles3 LST control, command and signalling3 MFZ multi-purpose vehicles28 GAF-Lae track working vehicles

New machines for Poland

ACCEPTANCE

A UNIMAT 09-4X4/4S DYNAMIC for ZRK DOM at the works premises of Plasser & Theurer in Linz.

10 DP UPDATE

This summer, three new universal tamping machines were delivered to Polish customers. Our service engineers from the Polish office were at hand to assist with the acceptance and successful commissioning of the machines.

PPMT and Dolkom both decided to purchase a Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic.

DP UPDATE 11

The Polish railway construction companies PPMT, ZRK DOM and Dolkom are part of the Polish state- owned infrastructure manager

PKP PLK and bought several machines. PPMT and DOLKOM each went for a Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic, while ZRK DOM purchased two Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic and a 09-3X Dynamic. The latter had already been delivered in September 2019.

Equipment featuresWith the new machines, these Polish com-panies will operate the latest track main-tenance machines in Poland. The machines were manufactured to the new design and are the first of their type in Poland. They are all equipped with rotation speed modulation, a SmartALC with DRP (Data Recording Processor) recorder and a curve laser.The new rotation speed modulation makes it possible to modulate the rotation speed of tamping units during the individual work phases.  The system increases the rotation speed when penetrating the ballast bed. As a result, the tamping tines penetrate highly compacted ballast beds more easily. At the same time, wear is demonstrably reduced.

The integration of the Spot Tamping method for spot fault repair and diverse new features add to the range of applications of the SmartALC. This allows for all forms of operation – from optimising spot fault repair to large BIM projects.

Supply and commissioningThe machines were supplied between end of July and end of August 2020, following successful acceptance procedures at the Plasser & Theurer works in Linz. Accom-panied by two Polish service engineers, the acceptance procedures were successfully concluded and the machines handed over to the customers.In August, the machines were deployed for the first time in Malbork and Warsaw. During the first two weeks of machine operation, two

to three service engineers were present: the joint commissioning process, which lasted three days, was followed by a 10-day training programme for the machine operators within the initial deployments.During this time, our engineers provided advice and practical support to the cus-tomers’ machine operators and made sure that the machines work perfectly and are operated and used properly. This also ensured that the machines could be used to their full potential soon after delivery.

Satisfied customersOur customers are very happy with the new machines and the achievable work results. They particularly appreciated the assistance and training by our Polish employees. Including them in the acceptance procedure in Linz early on ensured optimum support of our customers.

All machines are equipped with the latest technology and so achieve excellent work results.

“This contract was a great pleasure for us. Our team was able to assist in introducing the latest track maintenance

machines on the Polish railway market and in putting them into service successfully. We are confident that these machines will make a big contribution to increasing

the quality of the Polish rail infrastructure.”

Wojciech MusialHead of Polish office

„

Modern &powerful

12 DP UPDATE

Bringing a used machine back to old glory and upgrading it at the same time – that was the remit from Mitor for our Polish office. The machine had been in use

successfully for many years and then went to a new home in Poland.

Retrofit now in PolandREPAIR & UPGRADE

WITH THE PLASSERMATIC 08-275 ZW SH, the Polish company Mitor purchased its first large machine.

DP UPDATE 13

The construction company Mitor has been working in railway con-struction for some time, but prior to the purchase of the Plassermatic

08-275 ZW SH, a single-sleeper lifting, lining and tamping machine for plain track and turnouts, had only been working with hand-guided machines. With this road-rail machine the company can expand its offering con- siderably. In addition, the road-rail technology offers maximum flexibility in usage.

Repair & upgradeIn order to increase and ensure the perfor-mance of the used machine for the long term, the new operating company decided to have it repaired and upgraded at the same time. This will safeguard the investment and ex-pand the machine functionality. Our Polish office was commissioned to carry out the work based on its long-standing successful cooperation with the company.

Work carried outIn the course of the project, the diesel engine and measuring transducers were repaired. The work pneumatics and hydraulic system as well as the paintwork of the machine were renewed. Furthermore, a SmartALC guiding computer was fitted to the machine for the first time. Compared with the previous gener-ations, the integration of the Spot Tamping method for spot fault repair and diverse new features add to the range of applications of the SmartALC. This allows for all forms of oper- ation – from optimising spot fault repair to large BIM (Building Information Modelling) projects.

Work carried out in the customer’s workshop

The engineers from our Polish office carried out the work in the customer’s workshop in Sleszyn. This made it possible to involve Mitor staff so they could familiarise themselves with the machine and the upgrades in the course of the project.

Machine operating successfully

Following completion of the work, the machine went into operation. The first experiences have been very positive: The operating com-pany and the machine operators are very happy with the machine and its performance. And the team of Deutsche Plasser Poland is at hand any time to provide support.

The used machine was put back to its old glory by our Polish office and upgraded at the same time.

Following completion of the work, the machine went straight back into operation.

“As we have been supporting the company Mitor in the area of hand-

guided machines for many years, we are pleased that we were commissioned

to carry out the repair and upgrade of their first bigger machine.”

Wojciech MusialHead of Polish office

„

14 DP UPDATE

Cost-efficiency remains the main goal of mechanised track construction. However, sustainability, digi-talisation, and life-long support for machines and customers have been shaping daily work routines more and more. The family business Plasser & Theurer has a proactive approach to this change. The Austrian full-range supplier is expanding its services using the strategy “Machine – Fleet – Infrastructure.” Innovative technologies and a global service strategy are key to the company‘s approach.

A new take on Machine,

Fleet, and Infrastructure

COST-EFFICIENCY & SUSTAINABILITY

WITH REGARD TO CUSTOMER SERVICES, Plasser & Theurer and Deutsche Plasser are both working on a continuous optimi-sation of the available options.

DP UPDATE 15

Machines offering complete system solutions for track construction and maintenance are among Plasser & Theurer‘s signature

products. They have laid the basis for the company‘s position as technology leader and will continue to be an important focus in the future.

Two very specific product lines dominate the range of machines

The first product line consists of machines produced using a platform strategy; they are in the “ModularCustomizing” category. High-performance tamping machines are the clearest example of how this manufactu-ring strategy works: customers have 100 configuration options they can use to turn ideas about their individual requirements into reality. “ModularCustomizing” makes fleet management much easier: standardisation not only makes maintenance and spare parts management more efficient, training and approvals also benefit from this efficiency. All modular extensions ensure uniform technical design and quality.The second product line comprises “Individual Design” machines. Custom-built with pre-mium precision, they are heavily inspired by customers’ practical experiences. A typical example is the recently delivered RUS 1000 S, a high-capacity machine. It combines track renewal with ballast bed cleaning. The machine replaces sleepers,

rail fastenings, and rails during a single track possession. At the same time, it also cleans the ballast bed. As the machine consolidates the ballast layer-by-layer and features integrat-ed tamping and compacting, trains can travel along the new track as soon as the main- tenance work is done. The SVB 800 ME, which was manufactured specifically for assignments in France, can handle similar tasks.

Customer Services boosts life-long support on an international scale

Machine reliability is more important than ever for companies operating track maintenance machines. This means manufacturers need to optimise how they provide support for machine fleets’ entire service life. Plasser & Theurer can rely on its recently reorganised global service network, which has been growing for decades and in which Deutsche Plasser continues to play a central role for Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.In addition, Plasser & Theurer is in the process of substantially expanding its service portfolio to meet customers’ needs for their machines’ entire service lives. This is a com-plex task for machines that have been operat- ing over 30 years.

VEDO and Retrofit get older machines back into shape

Two service offers are especially interesting for customers: the VEDO service package, which comprises all services required to return

a machine to top condition within the scope of the first general overhaul. Then there is the Retrofit programme: machines that are 20-30 years old are retrofitted so they can operate another 10 to 12 years. Retrofit has two major advantages: the machines are opera-tional again in only 6 to 8 months. And the cost-benefit ratio is excellent.

Maintenance contracts ensure availability of entire fleets

These maintenance contracts are offered for single machines or entire fleets. Either way, this guarantees maximum machine availability. A framework contract with DB Netz Instand-haltung secures the high availability of 45 machines in proven Deutsche Plasser quality. At Plasser & Theurer, a new international team is developing additional services that provide support for machines’ entire service lives.

Digital tools bring track maintenance and infrastructure closer together

Plasser & Theurer is using digitisation as a way to automate machines further. Most recently, the turnout tamping assistance system “PlasserSmartTamping – The Assis-tant” helps operating staff to manage the machine’s operating systems. And the potential for key players in infra- structure is no less exciting. They will appreciate how digital information about everything, from commissioning to proof of work, is always readily available. At the same time, Plasser & Theurer is also develop- ing digital tools that record the track in full. The EM100VT track recording car serves as a development platform: its measuring runs are twenty times faster than those per- formed with more dated techniques. The data it records forms the backbone of modern Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM speeds up structural planning, construction, and operation. It also decreases suscepti-bility to faults, makes costs more transpar-ent, and promotes cooperation between all project stakeholders. In addition, this high-lights Plasser & Theurer’s aim to offer railway systems substantial support in the digitalisation of infrastructure.

The RUS 1000 S is a typical example for a machine in „individual design“.

With regard to customer services, Plasser & Theurer and Deutsche Plasser are both working on a continuous optimisation of the available options.

16 DP UPDATE

Dynamic stabilisation of new track types

in the laboratory

P&T RESEARCH

In her doctoral thesis Sophie Feurig focuses on a detailed analysis of dynamic

track stabilisation in the laboratory. An in-depth understanding of the

system behaviour of the ballasted tracksparks not just her enthusiasm.

The Chair and Institute of Road, Railway and Airfield Construction at Munich Technical University (TUM) is the best address for well-foun-

ded laboratory analyses with practical rele-vance on the permanent way. When visiting the institution, it becomes obvious, straight away, where its passion lies: in the track as a transport route of the present and future. Professor Stephan Freudenstein, Head of the Institute, and Dr.-Ing. Walter Stahl, Deputy Head of the Institute, with their whole team exude this attitude of the unit. Numerous research activities in the testing facility show the complexity of traffic route engineering.

Analysing the effect on three types of track

For the DynlaTrack research project, Plasser & Theurer decided to use this passion for and know-how about the track and its components. The aim of the cooper-ation with TUM is to take account of the changing conditions in rail infrastructure maintenance and to present the subject academically in a doctoral thesis. The re-search focus is on how the new track types with additional elastic components influence the system behaviour of ballasted track and on how the machine technologies of the Dynamic Track Stabiliser (DTS) optimise the work results.

The DynlaTrack research project, which was initiated by Plasser & Theurer, looks at the three most common track sleeper types with standard fastenings used at Deutsche Bahn: prestressed concrete sleepers of types B70, B90 and B07So. They have not only a different geometry but, in combination with their respective rail pads, also different elastic properties. On the B07So concrete sleeper additional elasticity is introduced into the system due to a plastic pad on the underside of the sleeper. This elasticity has, amongst others, a particularly positive impact on the load distribution and consequently a wear-reducing effect on the track ballast.

Patience, rigour and, above all, persistence are characteristics required of the research project manager when setting up the experi-ments. Sophie Feurig is the ideal person for this. She is working diligently on her doctoral thesis and, within this project, is fully focused on dynamic track stabilisation.

Laboratory experiment, practice and simulation

complementing each otherOne of the challenges when simulating reality in the laboratory is that the DTS travels over the track at a constant speed on the work site. Since this is not possible to simulate in the laboratory experiment, Sophie Feurig

Sophie Feurig with Professor Stephan Freudenstein (right) and Dr.-Ing. Walter Stahl (left) in front of the test setup at Munich Technical University.

With a special adapted control system the dynamic stabilising unit provides results close to reality.

Three variants of track with different sleeper types form part of the experiment: B70, B90 and B08 with sleeper pads.

DP UPDATE 17

emulates an impact ramp via the control of the machine parameters which corresponds exactly to the impact of a DTS run over a track, previously measured in practice by the Institute of Road, Railway and Airfield Construction.The comprehensive sensor technology records deformations, accelerations and expansion. Between the individual test phases, the lateral track resistance is measured and docu-mented. Prior to the tests in the laboratory, extensive field trials and measurements on the real track were carried out in order to be able to design the test setup with all its interacting influences as realistically as possible. Before each variation of the track parameters, the test track in the laboratory has to be put back to its reference condition. Each time this is done, new track ballast is added, and the correct track geometry estab-lished, as is common in practice; the ballast under the sleepers is then tamped. This effort is required to ensure the same conditions for each variation of the parameters. At this point we would like to express our gratitude to Leonhard Weiss construction company for the accurate and careful work.

As a project partner of Plasser & Theurer, the infrastructure expert Samir Omerović is working on a numeric simulation model to complement the laboratory tests. Using the

Discrete Element Method (DEM) and modern computer technology, he is able to reproduce the heterogeneous ballast material with its discontinuous particle structure. Findings from practical applications and the laboratory serve as a calibration for his computational model. The Institute of Road, Railway and Airfield Construction also carries out simula-tion calculations as a basis and for validation of the test results. This procedure opens up further insight into a simulated reconstruction of the laboratory experiment.

The detailed analysis of the results has great potential: The basic research provides an understanding of the complexity of the track in the elastic ballast superstructure. Thanks to new materials and their impact on the working parameters, the capacities of this infrastructure are constantly expanding. And this wows not only the technical experts!

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE DTS DO?In track maintenance work, i.e. during lifting, lining and tamping, the ballast structure is loosened. As a side effect, the lateral track resistance decreases. The DTS counteracts this effect. The horizontal movement acting on the track combined with a load results in a shift of the grain structure. This promotes the man-made “settling procedure” of the track panel in the ballast bed. The resulting consol-idation of the ballast bed increases the lateral track resistance of the track panel. In practice, the procedure reduces the number of speed restrictions that would otherwise be necessary and increases the availability of the rail infrastructure.The DTS was already developed in the late 1970s. In many parts of the world, it has become a permanent part of track maintenance. Changes in track materials and new control elements of the DTS gave impetus for examining proven param- eters in the laboratory.

Repeated measurements of the lateral track resistance are part of the series of tests.

FACTS ABOUT THE DYNLATRACK TEST SETUP

• Standard cross section at Deutsche Bahn 6 m rails 9 sleepers 19 t ballast• 3 track types B70/B07SO/B90 SLEEPERS• Experiment with elastic sleeper pads• Variation in load and frequency applied by the DTS• Measurements of lateral track resistance

18 DP UPDATE

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. You have been working in the Quality Manage-ment department at Deutsche

Plasser since 2017. Can you tell us a bit about your professional training and employment history?I qualified as a systems engineer, dealing with programming and hardware, amongst other things. After that, I worked at a banknote printing company for several years; my last job there was quality inspector in the chip card manufacturing department.I then undertook further training to qualify as a QM officer and internal auditor. In 2017, I joined the Quality Management department at Deutsche Plasser, where I am now also the Data Protection Officer.

What attracted you to Deutsche Plasser in particular?For many years I have enjoyed travelling by railway, especially on the ICE. Thanks to this train, speeds of 300 km/h have become quite normal. Hardly anybody asks them- selves why a train can travel at those speeds. This interaction of technology, the rails, the track and the rail vehicles has always fasci-nated me; especially the effort it takes to set up and maintain the framework conditions that make such high speeds possible. When the opportunity came up to become part of the “railway system” and to contribute personally to ensuring this quality, I did not hesitate and applied – successfully – for a job at Deutsche Plasser.

I also consider the railway to be the most environmentally friendly means of transport and am pleased that I can contribute to a sustainable use of our resources.

Nice to hear that it has worked out so well for you. What do you consider to be your strengths?I am a good communicator and have good people skills. In addition, I am always interested in new things and am flexible. For me, cooperative relationships are very important, both within the company and with external business partners. That way we can ensure together that our customers receive excellent services.

You work in the Quality Management & Compliance department. What tasks does your job involve?I am responsible for quality management and quality assurance in Munich. I carry out internal audits and prepare external audits for certification. This is, for example, the ISO 9001:2015 certification or the supplier approval

INTERVIEW

JAIME GALLEGO

A conversationJaime Gallego

Quality Management / Data Protection Officer / Information Security Officer

„

Data protection –transparent and secure

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Jaime Gallego has been with Deutsche Plasser since 2017. In addition to his job in quality management, he has been the company’s Data Protection Officer since the beginning of this year. We talked to him about his duties in this job and what part data protection plays at Deutsche Plasser.

DP UPDATE 19

for Deutsche Bahn. I also accompany the external auditors during their respective audits.Together with our other departments, I devel- op Deutsche Plasser’s process landscapes. Here, we deal with all the processes required to guarantee a high-quality service for our customers.In addition, I am responsible for QM docu-mentation and compiling claim reports. Soon I will take on the role of Information Security Officer. I will have to ensure that the company’s IT systems are compliant, both with regard to software and hardware. The aim is to secure and protect the information stored by the company from unauthorised access internally and externally.

You are now also the Data Protection Officer of Deutsche Plasser. How did this come about?To ensure well-functioning data protection, a company should have a data protection team consisting of three departments, i.e. IT, Human Resources and Quality Management.

The IT department knows about the technolo-gies available and thus knows what is techni-cally possible. The Human Resources depart-ment is the one that has the most dealings with personal data, due to its function. Quality Management, on the other hand, has a wide experience of compliance with standards. The experience from other areas can also be applied very well to data protection.My predecessor was an external service provider who acted as my mentor and inducted me in the subject. He retired at the beginning of this year. I was certified by TÜV Süd, and then took on this role with great pleasure.

What part does data protection play for Deutsche Plasser?A huge part! We consider the personal data of our employees and business partners very important, and therefore, it should be protect- ed as best as possible. We do not consider the legal requirements for data protection as a burden but as guidelines that we would want to comply with of our own accord anyway.

How does Deutsche Plasser or do you as the data protection officer handle data protection?It is of great importance to me and the ma-nagement to create transparency about the handling and processing of data. As a basic principle, if a company processes personal data on our behalf, this has to be contractually agreed. The contract will state what this com-pany is and is not permitted to do with this data. Everything will have to be defined clearly,

e.g. for how long the data is processed and stored, what it may be used for and when it will have to be deleted. These rules of course also apply for us. They are important for pro-tecting the personal data of our employees and business partners. They in turn can ask for information at any time about which of their personal data is stored.

Thank you very much for your time!

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Best possible protection of personal data

20 DP UPDATE

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. You have been Deutsche Plasser’s welding ex-pert for over a year now and are

also in charge of quality management in Leverkusen-Opladen. Before we go into more detail, could you introduce yourself to our readers.With pleasure. I trained as a draughtsman, then did a degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on design at the University of Bochum in parallel to my employment. After that, I completed further training as a welding engineer at SLV Duisburg. In addition to that, I also have the visual inspection certificate for welds and am a qualified examiner for welder and operator exams.My first job was with an engineering consultancy where I worked in 3D design. After that, I moved to a crane manufacturer and worked as project manager for crane construction and load handling devices. There, I soon took over the responsibility for welding supervision. And since July 2019, I have been with Deutsche Plasser in Lever-kusen-Opladen.

What attracted you to Deutsche Plasser in particular? Why did you want to work there?I like the fact that the machines are not mass produced but that they are highly customised to the customers’ requirements. Accordingly, there is a wide range of engineering disci-

plines, covering almost all aspects of mecha-nical engineering on one machine. The actual trigger for me was a visit to the maintenance workshop during the “Night of Technology” in March 2019. From then on, I knew that I wanted to work there.

What does your job entail?My main job is the welding technology within my scope of responsibility. This also includes the observance and documentation of all the welding technology requirements defined in the applicable standards. There is a cross-over to quality management and my partial involvement in that department, including the responsibility to implement measures and define processes in order to be able to meet all the relevant specifications without any problems. Furthermore, I work closely with the works management to implement QM tools in the factory.

Back to welding technology. You are res-ponsible for non-destructive testing at Deutsche Plasser. What does that mean and how does this test procedure work?I am responsible for the non-destructive testing of the welds produced by us. De-pending on the component classification, either a visual inspection or extended testing will be carried out, for example, a magnetic particle test or a dye penetrant test. The visual inspection is here the most important test procedure. The welds will also have

Christian Greifelt has been with Deutsche Plasser since July 2019 and is the welding supervisor responsible for our maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen and our Munich workshop. In addition, he also works in the Quality Management & Compliance department and is responsible for the quality management in the Leverkusen workshop. We spoke to him to find out more about his impressions during his first year at Deutsche Plasser and his plans for the future.

WELDING TECHNOLOGYCHRISTIAN

GREIFELT

A conversationChristian Greifelt

Welding Supervisor /Quality ManagementMaintenance Works Leverkusen

„

New paths in welding technology

Welding works are discussed in detail before they are carried out.

DP UPDATE 21

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Quality Reports

Review ofRequirements

Technical Inspection

Subcontracting

Welding Personnel

Facilities

Production Planning

Qualification of Welding Procedures

WPS

Operating Procedures

Welding Consumables

Materials

Monitoringbefore Welding

Monitoring during Welding

Monitoringafter Welding

Heat Treatment after Welding

Nonconformity/Corrective Actions

Calibration/Validation

Marking andTraceability

Quality Circleaccording toISO 14731

to be accepted before they are no longer accessible, this is the so-called “acceptance of concealed welds”.

This is basically an examination of the weld, its correct execution and size. Depending on the inspection effort, 100 mm of the pre- sumably worst weld is subjected to a closer visual inspection. In addition, a time period has to elapse between welding and testing because due to the process conditions, cracks may only occur after several hours.One extended test procedure we use is the magnetic particle testing, as I mentioned before. This is a surface test procedure that can detect cracks in the surface.

There are other areas where non- destructive testing is used, aren’t there?Yes, a much bigger area is the non-destruc-tive testing within periodic inspections, over-hauls or after accidents. This is not within my scope of responsibility. There, tests are carried out on wheels and wheelsets, buffing and draw gear or bogie and vehicle body frames, to name but a few.This work is done by an external provider who has the relevant qualifications for the railway sector. The external testing coordinator has already been appointed. This is a person that looks after our maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen and our head office in Munich to ensure consistency in the super-vision of processes.

Are there any plans for this role to be covered internally in future?Yes, we are hoping to carry out this work internally as soon as possible. We closely cooperate with our external service provider. They support us and provide us with the opportunity to benefit from their practical experience. We will continue using this partner even after we have taken on the testing co-ordination internally. Since external super-vision is required by law, we will continue to cooperate with our partner.

What are the timescales for creating this role internally?We want to do this straight away; we have already scheduled the first training sessions. At the moment, many training providers do not offer the full capacity of places because they have to adhere to the social distancing rules due to Covid-19. Some training cour-ses have been cancelled or postponed. Our aim at Leverkusen is to have eight staff quali-fied to carry out visual inspections and three staff who are qualified to carry out magnetic particle and dye penetrant testing. We would like to achieve this within the next two years.

Could you just clarify why these testing procedures are so important?These inspections and tests provide impor-tant information about the condition and quality of components. With the use of acceptability criteria, a part can be evaluated

as to whether it meets the required specifica-tion, whether it can be re-machined or needs to be scrapped. Non-destructive testing does not affect the usability of the tested components.When the ECM directive comes into force, we will require a certified testing workshop. Although the legal provisions have not changed in principle, their implementation will now be enforced more stringently.

Training is an important issue in general. For welding, there are specific require-ments to be met by the staff, aren’t there?That is correct. A welder has to demons-trate his capabilities every three years in an examination. I am qualified to conduct these examinations. In addition, confirmation is required every six months that a welder has actively performed welding operations. This, too, is my area of responsibility.

Thank you very much for your time!

Christian Greifelt’s responsibilites include the examination of the correct execution and size of a weld.

As per guideline DVS 0711 and standard DIN EN ISO 14731, welding supervisors have a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. Christian Greifelt is very familiar with them.

22 DP UPDATE

Investment in the rail network is increasing, and with it also construction activity. In recent years, the railway construction sector has been increasingly

affected by the job market and skills shortages. At the same time, machine technology is evolving: Semi-autonomous systems and robotics are

no longer a far-off vision on railway work sites.

Bucking the trend of scarcity of resources in

railway construction

SEMI-AUTONOMOUS MACHINES AND ROBOTICS WEBINAR

101 viewers joined live

Against this backdrop, DVV Media Group and Plasser & Theurer held a webinar on 23rd September, which was moderated by Dagmar

Rees, editor of Eisenbahntechnische Rund-schau and Rail Business magazines. Four speakers had been invited to present their views on this topic, and they offered interest-ing insights in and outlooks for the current developments in the rail construction sector.• Mark Fisher, CTO, SPITZKE SE: Report on the current situation in track

construction

• Jens Bergmann, Chairman Network Planning and Major Projects, DB Netz: Automation in railway projects

• Gerhard Sendlhofer, Head of Track Work, Robel:

Robotics in track construction• Dr. Florian Auer, Head of Technology &

Innovation, Plasser & Theurer: Semi-autonomous machine systems – the work processes of the futureThe presentations were followed by a dis-cussion among the speakers. Ms Rees also facilitated questions from members of the audience which they were able to ask live.

Successful format101 participants attended the live webinar. In addition, the recording was made available on the DVV Media website and has been watched many times since. If you would like to watch the webinar yourself, please go to the following link:www.deutsche-plasser.de/webinar

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DP UPDATE 23

1.17 times around the world

SHORTEST JOURNEY18 km

LONGEST JOURNEY941km

STRONGEST MONTHMAY

71,307kmMAY

HIGHEST ANNUALDISTANCE TRAVELLED BY

A SERVICE TECHNICIAN

46,945 km

733,575 kmTOTAL KILOMETRES

79 journeys with the Trans-Siberian Railway

SERVICE TECHNICIANS

ON TOUR

Our service technicians are an important figurehead of our company and often the face of the company for the machine operators and crews. They are ready to support our customers in the use of their machines and ensure their highest possible availability. We have looked at what this means over the course of a year and found some impressive figures that we would like to share with you.

24 DP UPDATEwww.deutsche-plasser.de

28th International Exhibition for Track Technology31st May – 2nd June 2022, Münster

InnoTrans 202220th – 23rd September 2022, Berlin