IntelliRail, which specialises in creating AI-based diagnostic products for the Railways, has successfully delivered the first Make in India Automated Wheel Profile Measurement System (AWPMS) for Mumbai Metro.
IntelliRail’s WPMS is an automated wayside system that has been installed at the Charkop depot for line 2A and 7 of the Mumbai Metro. This cutting-edge system is one of the key technologies for monitoring rolling stock health being implemented by MMMOCL (Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited).
The latest WPMS installation is part of a larger modernisation drive in which BEML is responsible for providing the complete package of diagnostic systems, along with their trainsets for the Charkop and Mandale depots. IntelliRail’s WPMS was installed under the expert guidance of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
Railway Systems in India are Fast Catching Up to Global Standards
In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, “Let us use Artificial Intelligence to create a better future of our citizens,” the Indian Railways and metros in India are undertaking several initiatives. One of the paradigm shifts taking place is to move from periodic to condition-based maintenance (CBM). Sensors, data analytics, and remote monitoring systems are being used to improve reliability and availability of railway assets and reduce maintenance costs.
The Indian metro networks have been working on moving to driverless train operations. The first driverless tech was introduced on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line in 2020. Given how this technology improves efficiency and lowers human dependency, the focus on Unmanned Train Operations (UTO) has increased.
Both CBM and UTO are dependent on remote monitoring technologies and vast amounts of data analytics for efficient operations. The AWPMS, implemented by Mumbai Metro, brings exactly this. The wheel is one of the most important components of a train, and its profile forms the rail-wheel interface, which is critical to be monitored for optimum utilisation of both assets. This not only ensures smooth running of the metro systems but also extends the wheel’s life while reducing stress on the tracks.
How Does the AWPMS Work?
IntelliWPMS is a wayside system that leverages lasers and cameras to provide accurate data on wheel parameters, including flange height, flange thickness, wheel diameter, back-to-back gauge measurement and more for each wheelset. Powered by Machine Vision, the system ensures accuracy and speed of analysis, while minimising human dependency. Machine vision technology allows machines to “see,” interpret, and analyse visual information. It uses cameras, lasers and additional hardware, and software to capture thousands of images and then process them for actions like inspection, quality control, and guidance. By replicating human vision, machine vision automates inspection, eliminates human effort, improves efficiency, and ensures accuracy.
A graphical representation is then created of the wheel parameters and shared with the customer. The visual report provides an easy way to identify variations from the standard parameters.
Through this system, regular wear and tear or damage to the wheels can be identified early so that proactive repair or replacement decisions can be made. The AWPMS not only extends the life of one of the most expensive railway assets but also ensures greater availability while leading to significant cost savings.
IntelliRail’s AWPMS is Contactless and Cloud-Based
To deliver a cutting-edge solution, IntelliRail has a technology collaboration agreement with Spain’s Visiona Control Industrial S.L., which has almost a decade of experience in implementing AWPMS systems in Europe.
IntelliRail’s WPMS has a competitive advantage due to its advanced capabilities. It is an automated system that allows contactless and cloud-based wheel health monitoring of moving trains.
The AWPMS uses 6 modules, compared to the 4 modules used by most other systems. The two extra modules provide additional data to make a very accurate measurement of the wheel diameter.
IntelliRail’s WPMS comes with a Control Panel that contains proprietary edge computing software for real-time data analysis. The Control Unit directly receives data from the system modules and performs an initial analysis (cleaning and optimization). The analysed data is sent to IntelliCloud for further processing, analysis and reporting. This greatly reduces the cost of transmission of data to the cloud and prevents data lags and delays.
“Installing a WPMS had been part of the Indian Railways’ strategic planning for almost 5 years. The successful implementation is a significant accomplishment. This aligning with the ‘Make in India’ mandate is even more monumental. The installation and results from it provide a strong vote of confidence for our broader mission to take IntelliRail’s WPMS to the global market,” stated IntelliRail CEO Piyush Nigam.
Make in India, Make for the World
IntelliRail’s WPMS is a one-of-its-kind system in India that has been designed to be world-class, aligning perfectly with the government’s Make in India, Make for the World objective and IntelliRail’s vision of helping make the Indian Railways and Metro systems future-ready.
IntelliWPMS uses Laser Triangulation technology, which offers multiple advantages, including:
- No-contact measurement eliminates physical contact and ensures the safety of both the train and the equipment.
- High accuracy measurements of ~0.5 mm for wheel profile and ~1.0 mm for diameter, which is essential for identifying wheel profile irregularities that could cause safety issues or impact train performance.
- High-speed data capturing and processing to power real-time monitoring of train operations.
IntelliRail’s WPMS installation does not require any major civil work to be implemented. Moreover, the speed of edge computing allows results to be available as soon as the train passes the modules. The system can be configured to broadcast the results via SMS and/or email alerts when a wheel is detected to be out of the range for any parameter.
IntelliCloud can be directly accessed on any smartphone (Android and iPhone) within minutes of a train passing through the WPMS. The system also sends SMS alerts whenever a defect is identified. Various stakeholders can continuously monitor reports.