New rolling and processing technology packages to improve toughness and surface quality of steel rails: Siemens and Centro Sviluppo Materiali agree to cooperate on development

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies S.r.l. and Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A. (CSM), an Italian technical center, are joining forces to develop production processes and technology packages for rolling and processing high-quality steel rails. The goals are to improve overall toughness as well as rail head surface quality. They signed a cooperation agreement in early April, which will initially run for two years.

Andreas Flick, Chief Technology Officer at Siemens VAI Metals Technologies, said, "Within the scope of this cooperation agreement, we will be combining Siemens´ know-how as a full-line supplier of long-product rolling mills with CSM's many years of experience in the field of material research and process development. The goal is to offer customized technology packages which will enable rolling mill operators to produce rails that meet the current and future demands of international rail transport."

The use of high-speed trains for long-distance passenger transport calls for excellent quality of the rail head surface. On the other hand, the high axle loads imposed by freight traffic are placing increasing demands on the track bed and rails, with wheel loads of over ten tons often imposed on rail contact areas of just a few square centimeters. This requires rails that can not only withstand these high contact stresses but also have a high resistance to wear.

The cooperation between Siemens and CSM will consequently initially concentrate on developing a system for hardening the rail head. Starting from the metallurgical characteristics required for the rail head, technology packages will be created for the rolling and treatment lines in rail rolling mills, which are suitable for both new plants as well as for integration into existing rolling mills.

CSM is a private, market-oriented industrial technical center which focuses on research and development of materials and relevant processes. Headquartered in Rome, it has been actively involved in Italy and abroad since 1963 in the area of applied research on products and processes for steel manufacturing, energy and transportation, oil and gas and environmental technology.

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies S.r.l. is part of the Siemens “Long Rolling” business, and a technologically leading specialist in the equipment of long-product rolling mills.

Further information about solutions for steel works, rolling mills and processing lines is available at: http://www.siemens.com/metals

Please see: http://www.siemens.com/mt-picture/IMT201204105
(Simulation of stresses in a rail segment with the finite element method)

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products and solutions for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the Sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Divisions Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services as well as the Business Unit Metals Technologies. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/industry

The Metals Technologies Business Unit (Linz, Austria), part of the Siemens Industry Sector, is one of the world’s leading life cycle partners for the metallurgical industry. The Business Unit offers a comprehensive technology, modernization, product and service portfolio as well as integrated automation and environmental solutions covering the entire lifecycle of plants. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/metals

Based on Siemens (Industry Sector, Metals Technologies) information