DVS MACHINE TOOLS & AUTOMATION, 21.06.2023

PV1250 for the Future of Modern Rail Traffic

Long gone are the days of trains with spoked wheels. But today’s high-performance trains also make the manufacture of rail systems and railway wheels much more complex, and they require compliance with highly precise specifications.

DVS subsidiary PITTLER T&S, a provider of complex lathes with special functions, was commissioned by a customer from the rail transport sector to produce new railway wheels. In addition to the internal gearing in the wheel hub, the wheel hubs are also fitted with external locking bars, which serve as a bayonet lock. The new railway wheels not only shine in new splendor, they are also much more sophisticated and powerful.

Eisenbahnrad produziert von PITTLER T&S

Machine of choice

The modular system from the PV 1250 was used to design a suitable machine to process the workpieces. The PV1250 1-1 Y machine is considered an all-rounder for medium to large components. It is a vertical lathe with a multifunction head in combination with a tool magazine. The PV1250, which, as the name implies has a clamping range of 1,250 mm, enables easy locking of the approximately 1 m large wheels for the complete machining of the railway wheels.

The pivoting range of 270° of the B-axis of the flexible multifunction head, which has a fixed tool holder for turning tools and a fully-fledged milling spindle integrated on the opposite side, enables both turning and skiving as well as simultaneous milling on five axes in a single setup.

Locking bars on the hub of the railway wheel

Locking bars were fitted on the wheel hub for quick locking and thus easier assembly and disassembly. Due to the straight defined contact surfaces, however, they cannot be produced using the conventional turning process. They require a machine concept that includes milling. In combination with the workpiece size and the round workpiece shape, this severely limits the selection of potential production machines.

Internal gears in the hub of the railway wheel

Internal gears in the railway wheel are intended to increase the force transmission. In addition to the classic turning and milling processes, the PITTLER PV 1250 also offers the skiving technology, which PITTLER as the inventor has historical ties to. Compared to shaping, skiving also stands out in terms of workpiece costs and the possibility of turnkey machining, as shaping cannot be combined with any other processes.

Conclusion

As the PITTLER PV 1250 is basically designed as a lathe for medium-sized components, it is the ideal starting point for medium-sized, round workpieces, such as our customer's railway wheels. Thanks to its versatile use and wide range of possible technologies, it offers flexible machining beyond turning, such as when the workpiece characteristics prevent turning, as in the case of railway wheels.

Would you like to find out more about the PV series or other machines from PITTLER T&S? See our website for more information or contact us directly.