“One-shot multi-material processes enable us to develop new structural concepts for the railway sector”
We are developing new structural concepts to make rail vehicles lighter through the use of composite materials
We are working on the development of a manufacturing process adapted to the size of the parts, the typology and the production rate, typical of the railway sector, using materials that comply with the appropriate specifications. We have devised a one-shot hybridisation concept ofmanufacturing processes that follows a vertical infusion process to integrate different organic matrix composite materials and long fibre reinforcement, such as foams or pultruded profiles, into the mould.
This type of one-shot multi-material processes, based on composite material with out-of-autoclave curing, are the most suitable for this type of structural parts in the sector.
The PIVOT2 initiative develops technologies that increase the operational reliability and sustainability of trains: it has implemented the aims of Shift2Rail, the first European rail research and innovation project focusing on market-driven solutions.
PIVOT2 aims to create lighter rail cars. This weight reduction will make them more energy efficient, more comfortable for passengers with less impact on the track, in order to increase efficiency and reduce the life-cycle cost of the entire European rail system.
Demonstrators to illustrate their application in industry
We are immersed in the conceptual design, detailed design and hybrid manufacturing process to eventually produce a series of scale demonstrators of some structural railway components. The media gallery details a scaled prototype of a carriage floor that meets all safety standards such as the Rail Vehicle Fire Protection Regulation #EN45545-2.
Furthermore, the result of our work was on display at the #TALGO stand at INNOTRANS2022 (Berlin), exhibiting a full-scale demonstrator of a #TALGO train carriage section.
It has been 100% designed and manufactured in Out of Autoclave composite materials with one-shot manufacturing processes, complying with the rail vehicle fire protection standard, #EN45545.
