Virtual Sensors for On-line Wheel Wear and Part Roughness Measurement in the Grinding Process

Grinding is an advanced machining process for the manufacturing of valuable complex and accurate parts for high added value sectors such as aerospace, wind generation, etc. Due to the extremely severe conditions inside grinding machines, critical process variables such as part surface finish or grinding wheel wear cannot be easily and cheaply measured on-line. In this paper a virtual sensor for on-line monitoring of those variables is presented. The sensor is based on the modelling ability of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for stochastic and non-linear processes such as grinding; the selected architecture is the Layer-Recurrent neural network. The sensor makes use of the relation between the variables to be measured and power consumption in the wheel spindle, which can be easily measured. A sensor calibration methodology is presented, and the levels of error that can be expected are discussed. Validation of the new sensor is carried out by comparing the sensor's results with actual measurements carried out in an industrial grinding machine. Results show excellent estimation performance for both wheel wear and surface roughness. In the case of wheel wear, the absolute error is within the range of microns (average value 32 mu m). In the case of surface finish, the absolute error is well below R-a 1 mu m (average value 0.32 mu m). The present approach can be easily generalized to other grinding operations.

Dynamic optimization of track components to minimize rail corrugation

In this paper, the influence on corrugation of the most significant track parameters has been examined. After this parametric study, the optimization of the track parameters to minimize the undulatory wear growth has been achieved. Finally, the influence of the dispersion of the track and contact parameters on corrugation growth has been studied. A method has been developed to obtain an optimal solution of the track parameters which minimizes corrugation growth, thus ensuring that this solution remains optimum despite dispersion of track parameters and wheel-rail contact uncertainties. This work is based on the computer application RACING (RAil Corrugation INitiation and Growth) which has been developed by the authors to predict rail corrugation features.

A comprehensive method for the elastic calculation of the two-point wheel-rail contact

This work shows the method developed to solve the wheel-rail contact problem via a look-up table with a three-dimensional elastic model. This method enables introduction of the two contact point effect on vehicle movement using three-dimensional analysis of surfaces including the influence of the angle of attack. This work presents several dynamic simulations and studies the impact that the introduction of the two contact points on three dimensions has on wear indexes and derailment risk against traditional bidimensional analysis. Furthermore, it studies advantages and disadvantages of using a look-up table against an on-line resolution of the problem.

Design of an optimised wheel profile for rail vehicles operating on two track gauges

This paper sets out an optimum synthesis methodology for wheel profiles of railway vehicles in order to secure good dynamic behaviour with different track configurations. Specifically, the optimisation process has been applied to the case of rail wheelsets mounted on double gauge bogies, that move over two different gauges, which also have different types of rail: the Iberian gauge (1668 mm) and the UIC gauge (1435 mm). Optimisation is performed using Genetic Algorithms and traditional optimisation methods in a complementary way. The objective function used is based on an ideal equivalent conicity curve which ensures good stability on straight sections and also proper negotiation of curves. To this end the curve is constructed in such a way that it is constant with a low value for small lateral wheelset displacements (with regard to stability), and increases as the displacements increase (to facilitate negotiation of curved sections). Using this kind of ideal conicity curve also enables a wheel profile to be secured where the contact points have a larger distribution over the active contact areas, making wear more homogeneous and reducing stresses. The result is a wheel profile with a conicity that is closer to the target conicity for both gauges studied, producing better curve negotiation while maintaining good stability on straight sections of track. The paper shows the resultant wheel profile, the contact curves it produces, and a number of dynamic analyses demonstrating better dynamic behaviour of the synthesised wheel on curved sections with respect to the original wheel.

Estudio del rectificado de Inconel 718

[ES]Cada vez más industrias como las aeronáuticas o espaciales buscan nuevos materiales con excelentes propiedades hoy en día. Sin embargo, estos materiales suelen presentar hándicaps como por ejemplo su maquinabilidad. Mediante este TFG, se estudiará el rectificado de uno de estos materiales, el Inconel 718. Para conseguir los objetivos, este TFG se elaborará en varias etapas. Primero es necesario conocer las propiedades del Inconel 718 y analizarlas. Tras esto, se realizará el mismo proceso con el proceso de rectificado, haciendo hincapié en el desgaste de muelas; para finalmente, encontrar soluciones y alternativas que optimicen el proceso de rectificado. La ejecución de este TFG permitirá comprender y minimizar el desgaste de las muelas durante el proceso de rectificado.

Nuevos modelos y entornos de colaboración en la relación fabricante-distribuidor: el caso Hermeneus

A lo largo de este trabajo se realiza un profundo análisis de cómo está estructurado el sector de la distribución comercial y la evolución de las relaciones entre fabricantes y distribuidores en los últimos años, haciendo especial hincapié en las nuevas formas de colaboración surgidas a raíz de la existencia de un problema como es la pérdida de poder de negociación de los fabricantes o productores ante los distribuidores. Partiendo de estas nuevas formas de colaboración, ahondamos en el caso Hermeneus, un nuevo tipo de intermediario, que ayudándose de las últimas tecnologías de comunicación, permite poner en contacto a los fabricantes y productores con el consumidor final directamente, sin influir en los precios y márgenes que el primero crea oportunos.