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AIMPLAS to Replace Metal in Railway Vehicles with Lightweight Composite Materials


AIMPLAS has participated in European MAT4RAIL project, which involved developing new materials and components to design the railway of the future. The aims of the project included reducing the weight of railway vehicles by replacing metal structural components with lighter ones made of composite materials and increasing vehicle capacity and passenger comfort using smart modular interior design.
AIMPLAS’ New Hybrid Resin Formulations
AIMPLAS’ role was to develop new hybrid resin formulations with improved resistance to flame propagation to be applied in fiber-reinforced polymers. Results are promising and the new formulations are expected to be of use in other sectors such as construction, the automotive industry and aeronautics.
Replacing Metal Components with New Material
Furthermore, the properties of these new materials were evaluated in structural parts in order to replace metal components. To this end, collaborative work was done to improve specific regulations on calculating fatigue requirements for trams. The work involved participating in processes to standardize the design and calculation of trams by means of sensor monitoring. Joins between dissimilar materials (composites and metals) were evaluated with the aim of improving them.
Modifying the Design of Cabins and Seats
The project also involved modifying the design of cabins and seats to create the cabin of the future by incorporating new technologies and communication systems. The goal was to increase safety, detect the presence of extraneous objects on the tracks and improve vehicle intercommunication. Modular carriages were also developed to enable a range of configurations thanks to multifunctional panels with different connections for devices.
Moreover, the new seating design will accommodate more passengers with greater comfort while offering more seating arrangement options.
Implementation of this project is expected to improve railway infrastructure in terms of costs, operations, reliability, punctuality, increased capacity and energy efficiency, and reduced life cycle costs.



Fecha publicación: 23/01/2020

Fuente: Omnexus (news)



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