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2006-09-05 Press Release
Thermoplastics elastomers help Durel with railway applications Durel choses Arnitel thermoplastics elastomers for durability and energy absorption as the best material in class for its patented railway springs.
Joint development between Durel GmbH and DSM Engineering Plastics has
resulted in a range of railway side buffer springs, draft gears and, in
more demanding safety applications, crash buffers capable of absorbing
large amounts of energy. The designs combine metal with Arnitel® thermoplastic
polyether elastomer (TPEE). Acting as a spring, Arnitel TPEE absorbs and
releases energy in predictable ways over a long service life, helping
trains to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop smoothly. Unlike metal
springs, Arnitel TPEE does not rust, deteriorate, fracture or lose its
springiness. In contrast to rubber, Arnitel TPEE does not lose its ability
to act as a spring over time -- the DSM material has a field life of at
least 20 years versus 5-10 for rubber.
Draft gear & buffers serve to smooth out train movement, providing comfort for passengers and protection against damage to freight goods from acceleration or deceleration shock. Crash buffers provide further protection, mandated on tank wagons carrying dangerous goods built after January 1st, 2005, as defined by transport of dangerous goods or RID regulations. The UIC/RID mandate, leaflet 573, also requires the retrofitting of existing European tank wagon fleets by 2010. “Our elastomer spring design objectives were three-fold,”
said Michael Schnaufer, Director of Durel GmbH
<- Photos: <- Crash buffer (red) from EST before collision (DSMPR153b)
and after (DSMPR153c). The yellow triangle visible on the pre-collision
system indicates that the buffer is in a normal state; components are
changed out if the triangle is no longer visible (and, of course, when
the buffer housing is peeled back by a collision). ETQ standard buffer
(blue) - using Durel DP30. Crash buffers from EST Eisenbahn-Systemtechnik GmbH uniquely combine Arnitel TPEE with steel components that fully maintain buffer geometry and functionality in normal use, but “peel back” sacrificially in a crash, absorbing very large amounts of energy protecting people, lading, rolling stock and locomotives from damage. “We knew Arnitel thermoplastic elastomers performed well in railway applications,” said André Oosterlaken, Manager Application Development Technical Service for Arnitel TPEE. “For example, it is used in vibration damping pads between rails and concrete sleeper ties, outperforming competitive elastomers for durability and consistency in all climates and under high load conditions; heavy freight traffic and high speed. However this performance is dramatically exceeded by the unique combination of the Arnitel raw material and the Durel spring manufacturing technology. We worked in tandem, combining Arnitel with Durel technology, to make these high-performance springs possible.” Elastomer springs made of Arnitel TPEE have a range of characteristics
and offer advantages over other solutions tried over the years. These
include the following: Durel chose Arnitel TPEE as the best material in class for its patented Durel springs. Durel springs are known for their durability, and their unbeaten record of highest energy absorption efficiency for a given system weight or volume. This enables higher dynamic capacity in the often limited space and travel available in coupler systems compared to competitive systems Compared to metal spring systems, Durel springs based on Arnitel TPEE do not corrode or exhibit catastrophic failure due to metal fatigue. While elastomers can suffer more compression set than metals, this potential down side is fully compensated in the unique and patented Durel spring manufacturing technology. Compared to metal systems, wear does not lower the efficacy of the Durel design. Further, with its over 1:6 weight ratio for the same dynamic capacity, the low mass of Durel designs makes them superior to steel spring systems. Finally, Durel springs work lubrication-free. Durel springs can also be combined with traditional metal dry friction
systems (for example in friction draft gears) and with hydraulic systems,
to reach very high capacity levels required for the ever-increasing lading
capacities of heavy freight trains. The combination of the unique properties
of Arnitel and the Durel spring manufacturing technology contributes to
products that require minimal maintenance and outperform and outlast traditional
spring systems based on metal-to-metal friction, rubber and/or hydraulics.
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