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Author: Prose

Requirements elicitation and preparation of test concept for perception system

Customer: Deutsche Bahn AG, DB Cargo AG, Germany

Project tasks

  • Elicitation of the requirements from the driving service regulations
  • Elicitation of system requirements
  • Design and coordination of the test concept

Our Approach

PROSE has been assigned by DB Cargo to develop a requirements catalog for the perception system, which corresponds to the requirements catalog for ATO GoA2 and GoA4 + Remote Supervision & Control in freight transport. This requirements catalog will be used to evaluate a technology partner for the development, installation, integration, commissioning, certification and testing of such a perception solution. The tests for the one-year trial operation until 2025 will take place on the Dutch part of the Betuweroute (from Kijfhoek to Valburg).

Customer benefit

With the assignment of PROSE, the customer benefits from PROSE’s extensive experience in the fields of ATO, sensor technology and architectures. For this, profound technical knowledge, but also very good knowledge of the market, technology and railroad operations are indispensable. Thanks to PROSE’s structured approach, a well-founded result is ensured from a broad analysis on the technical possibilities and business implications of automation.

 

Implementation of the approval project for lifting platforms used on tunnel maintenance vehicles

Customer: SBB Infrastructure, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Homologation management
  • Risk analysis on system level
  • Verification of stability by calculation
  • Verification of occupational safety, railroad safety

Our Approach

In a first phase, the basics for approval had to be elaborated for the two applications. Then, the feasibility was evaluated concluding a proof of stability, but also regarding commercial aspects. The necessary measures were derived here after to ensure safe operation. This report was discussed with the customer and the responsible authority (FOT).  In the second phase, the customer implemented the measures, PROSE controlled this implementation and prepared an evidence report.

Customer benefit

With the practical knowledge of the involved persons from SBB and PROSE, simple, cost-effective and practicable measures could be realized. The step by step process lead to legal certainty without investment before it was clear, that the project will reach its objective. By considering worker’s safety from the very beginning, the approval process could be simplified. Thus, no separate approval with a second approval authority was necessary, reducing time and costs as well as the related approval risk.

Advice on the implementation of ECM Regulation 779

Customer: SBB CARGO, ECM2 strategic fleet management, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Leadership coaching of the responsible head of strategic fleet management
  • Expert mentoring of the executing project employee
  • External workshop organisation for team development
  • Stakeholder management with management level, HRM, standards and regulatory bodies
  • Methodical tool development in the area of competence management
  • Strategic organisational development regarding structure and process organisation
  • Strategic knowledge management in quasi-governmental organisations

Our Approach

In a first step, the safety-relevant (ECM) activities were separated from the availability-relevant activities and documented in an external workshop. A competence matrix of the fleet management employees was created in several project work steps. PROSE then developed a target matrix on the basis of the content of the impending leap in standards from 2011/445 to 2019/779, whose delta on the actual situation can be used as the basis for strategic employee development and represents the comprehensive and detailed proof of competence in the forthcoming safety audits.

Customer benefit

The Head of Strategic Locomotive Fleet Management (ECM2) receives a comprehensive and detailed overview of the area of activity of his department and is in a position to document, reference and thus prove the ability to carry out these processes at any time and at the appropriate level in an audit-capable manner. Externally, this department achieves competence suited for the forthcoming re-certification to the new 2019/779 ordinance landscape. Internally, it serves as a practical example of the implementation capability within the framework of the CargoFit programme. Furthermore, process-related and competence oriented dependencies between the ECM2 activities will be established: safety, availability, system engineering and regulations are clearly documented and located.

Research project for an innovative concrete sleeper

Customer: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Experimental modal analysis on different concrete sleepers
  • Computational modal analysis FEM
  • Measurements in specially built test track
  • Measurements of TOR and sound radiation
  • Design and analysis of two sleeper types
  • Manufacture of sleepers by project partners

Our Approach

The new concrete sleepers were developed in cooperation with the Swiss concrete element manufacturer Vigier Rail. The existing sleeper types were first examined and analyzed using measurement technology and the parameters influencing the acoustics were analyzed.

Customer benefit

With this research project on an essential element of the track superstructure, PROSE wants to advance the industry – with less noise and simultaneously low wear and tear or lower life cycle costs. This benefit both the affected residents and the infrastructure contractors.

RAMS analysis of the Vivalto double-deck coaches

Customer: ATI (Ansaldo Breda, OFV and Magliola), Italy

End customer: Trenitalia, Italy

Project tasks

  • RAMS analysis guidelines
  • Safety analysis guidelines
  • RAMS analysis for the systems from ATI
  • Verification and validation of the systems from the sub suppliers
  • Documentation services
  • Protocol and test procedures
  • Study and analysis for CEI UNI 11170 application
  • RAMS analysis at coach level

Our Approach

PROSE elaborated the guidelines and the templates to realize the RAMS analysis. Furthermore, PROSE carried out a coach risk analysis and generated hazards (SFAS) relating to each system in the driver’s cab and the coaches.

Customer benefit

Thanks to PROSE‘s extensive experience with RAMS analyses and documentation services, the costumer was able to focus on the design. PROSE was responsible for the project management with the support of Ansaldo Breda’s RAMS office. Therefore, the approval of the RAMS documentation by Trenitalia was simplified and unproblematic. Furthermore, the Vivalto coaches are the first coaches to which CEI UNI 11170 was applied, which means that PROSE, ATI and Trenitalia can benefit from this experience for other applications in future projects.

 

Development of suspended monorail vehicles

Customer: Kiepe Electric GmbH, Germany

Project tasks

  • Mechanical design of carbody, vehicle interior and running gear
  • Mechanical system integration
  • Manufacturing supervision
  • Homologation management

Our Approach

In order to overcome the first challenge of creating the optimized vehicle for this particular application, PROSE developed a vehicle body that is constructed from aluminium extrusion profiles.
Moreover, the continuous low floor and wide-opening doors guarantee efficient passenger flow. The new vehicles for the Wuppertal suspension railway also offer high driver comfort.

Customer benefit

Given PROSE’s extensive experience in developing mainstream and special projects of all kinds, PROSE’s development team was able to successfully meet Kiepe Electric GmbH’s expectations. Furthermore, PROSE’s intercultural experience and capabilities are highly appreciated, playing a fundamental catalyst role in the current manufacture of the vehicles in Austria, Germany and
Spain.

 

Design of a 100% low-floor tram

Customer: CRRC Sifang Co Ltd, China

Project tasks

  • Tram concept
  • Design and development of bogie and carbody conceptual design and development
  • Electrical concept
  • Mechanical system integration

Our Approach

In cooperation with the client, PROSE developed the system specification for the whole tram and several of its components. One of the most challenging tasks in 100% low floor-trams is the design of the bogie, which had to be both compact and offer a quality ride. Single wheels were the solution.

Customer benefit

The newly designed 100% low-floor tram is a major upgrade of CRRC Sifang’s tram portfolio. The integration of CRRC Sifang’s production know-how and related processes into PROSE’s design work means lower production costs for CRRC Sifang.

 

Bogie engineering in Finland

Customer: Transtech Oy, Finland

Project tasks

  • Design and development of the bogie
  • Running gear design
  • Structural analysis
  • Simulation and analysis of running behaviour
  • Infrastructure test of structural stability and durability, and of load distribution
  • Detailed design for manufacturing

Our Approach

In this project, PROSE provided a full range of engineering services, including running-gear design for the whole vehicle, calculation of structural strength and durability, and detailed design. Simulation and analysis of running behaviour and measurements on Helsinki tram lines yielded important information on structural stability and durability and on load distribution.

Customer benefit

The result of the eight-month development period for the customer is a compact and robust powered bogie that is specifically suited to both Helsinki’s weather and the tram’s low-floor concept. In this process, the customer was able to concentrate fully on their core expertise, manufacturing, while PROSE took charge of developing all necessary documentation. As a corporately independent service provider, PROSE offered the customer system-oriented skills for the full life cycle of a rail vehicle.

Turnkey engineering for a freight wagon with sliding wall for high-speed operation

Customer: CRRC Jinan, China

Project tasks

  • Conception and development of the bogies, the car body structure and the sliding wall mechanism
  • Calculations of the running dynamics and the aerodynamics
  • Structural strength analyses
  • Preparation of component specifications, production drawings, assembly instructions and manuals
  • RAMS / LCC

Our Approach

PROSE performed the entire development process at several locations. PROSE can perform all services, e.g. engineering, design, analyses and calculations, project management etc., at several locations, which cooperate closely, but, of course, the internal communications between the various locations is also always ensured.
The manufacture and the approval tests were performed by the customer, but PROSE provided active support.

Customer benefit

Thanks to PROSE’s extensive experience with the various vehicle components at its various locations, PROSE can offer comprehensive turnkey engineering services. Our customer profits from PROSE’s know how due to the close cooperation and the mutual visits.

 

Adaption of German maglev train technology for operation in China

Customer: Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. Ltd (SMTDC), China

Project tasks

  • Modification of the German maglev train TR08 in line with the requirements of a commercial operation in Shanghai
  • Support of reassembly of vehicles in Shanghai, commissioning and the start of operation
  • Realization of a maintenance optimization program with quality control processes
  • Performance of employees training in vehicle mechanics and on-site vehicle assembly

Our approach

PROSE engineers, at that time as members of ThyssenKrupp Transrapid, supported the successful reassembly, commissioning and start of operation of the German maglev train TR08 for Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. Ltd. Thereafter the vehicles were modified in line with the requirements of a commercial operation in Shanghai. A suitable, adjusted maintenance optimization program with quality control processes was developed and established. Training for maintenance personnel was carried out. Until 2019 PROSE audited the world’s fastest train operation and its maintenance on a yearly basis.

Customer benefit

Successful operation of the maglev train in China was ensured because of PROSE’s yearly on-site inspections since 2011.

 

Development of a gauge-changing facility for operator MOB

Customer: Chemin de fer Montreux Oberland bernois MOB, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Feasibility analysis
  • Mechanical and control engineering development
  • Detailed Manufacturing Design
  • Strength analysis
  • Support Approval

Our Approach

In cooperation with MOB, PROSE has developed the gauge-changing facility in several phases from a simple prototype to a complex series production system.

Customer benefit

From an early stage of the development of the gauge change system, PROSE supported MOB in approval issues. The complexity of the numerous interfaces between the gauge-changing facility and the vehicles, the infrastructure as well as the train protection systems of MOB and BLS were taken into account by PROSE through a close cooperation with the involved partners. From the conceptual design to the successful commissioning, MOB could be supported solutionoriented and target-oriented from one source.

Turnkey Engineering for snowblower

Customer: ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • System engineering incl. consulting and weight management
  • Monitoring and elaboration of risk assessment according to CE
  • 3D design of complex devices incl. creation of production documents
  • FEM analysis of the supporting Structure

Our Approach

PROSE received the order from ZAUGG to realize, together with ZAUGG’s engineers, the complete mechanical engineering of the main assemblies, base frame and blower mechanics. The placement of the diesel units and hydraulic components were defined in close cooperation. The factors to be taken into account for the clearance gauge were also specified.

Customer benefit

Due to PROSE’s extensive system know-how, ZAUGG received all necessary documents to manufacture, commission and approve the snow blower on their own. With the technical competence in the development of complete vehicles, based on the long experience of PROSE engineers in lightweight construction, ZAUGG could successfully deliver the snow blower as a general contractor.

 

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