Ultrasonic testing station for wheel-sets of passenger trains of the Deutsche Bahn AG

Continuous improvements for track-bound vehicles, particularly high-speed trains such as the ICE or the TGV, require permanent development of the safety technology which in future must meet the quality standards expected from airlines. These new requirement present also a challenge for non-destructive testing. This paper introduces the recent development of system for ultrasonic inspection of wheel-sets. The fully automated testing station, named AURA, performs inspections of the rim and disk of wheel-sets after refurbishing at the maintenance facilities. Not only is the performance standard of AURA demonstrated, but also attention is drawn to the experience gained during operation of the tree AURA testing stations.