ADVANCED
CONSUMABLES
GREAT IMPACT
RESISTANCE
MORE EFFICIENT
REPAIR
Rail crossings are located at the center of the switch; this key component blends the continuity of two railways and is subject to high stress. From a metallurgical point of view, the best suitable base metal to respond to this wear phenomenon is Hadfield 13% manganese austenitic steel.
Casting is the process used to make these complex-shaped Hadfield crossings, which must be durable and precise to withstand the stress they are put under once in use. This of course means they cannot have any defects.
During casting operations, however, it is possible for defects to occur, and if this happens, it is necessary to repair those, following a special welding procedure specification to ensure structural integrity. All repairs should therefore be qualified according to exacting standards and this is where welding consumables play a key role. It is therefore important that future repair operations should be considered during the manufacturing process.
For over 50 years, we have developed our knowledge, range of equipment, and extensive range of welding consumables dedicated to applications in the rail industry. Our products offer an advanced solution to protect and repair rails, increasing maintenance efficiency, as well as track lifetime and performance.
When Welding Alloys France was contacted by a customer operating in the rail industry, who needed an alternative rail casting repair solution, we were in a strong position to support them.
For several years, the customer had been repairing casting defects using stick electrodes, qualified and approved by the railway network owners. However, the customer was dissatisfied with their production process and during the initial meeting explained, they required improvements and innovations in terms of their quality and process productivity.
From a productivity perspective, it became clear that the customer needed to migrate from stick welding to a more automated welding process such as FCAW. They would also require the best-suited cored wire, capable of matching or improving the results obtained with stick electrodes, whilst meeting their end users’ requirements.
Welding Alloys sets the global standard for production of flux cored and metal cored welding wires for various applications, and therefore, was well equipped to respond to the requirements.
Challenge
Poor process productivity when repairing casting defects
Solution
Automated welding process and use of Welding Alloys seamless cored wire
Result
Improved quality and process productivity
After a thorough review of the customer’s needs, Welding Alloys France recommended ROBODUR M 13Mn-G, a seamless cored wire, as the ideal solution. In addition to the FCAW benefits relating to improved quality and productivity when compared to stick welding, ROBODUR M 13Mn-G was designed with the following key characteristics:
- This wire is chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) free, meaning that there would be no oxidation of the welding area. Therefore, the coloration of the crossing will stay homogeneous.
- The level of impurities (S & P) in the cored wire is strictly controlled, resulting in excellent impact test results.
With our advanced consumables and technical expertise, Welding Alloys was able to support the customer requirements in offering a solution to improve their quality and process productivity. After implementing our solution, the customer continues to deploy the recommended solution to their ongoing satisfaction.
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