Radian Laser Tracker Helps Siemens Graz Efficient Measurement of Locomotive and Vehicle Bogie Systems

Our customers
Siemens Graz, located in Graz, is a high-tech bogie research and development center and manufacturing company, and an important partner in the global railway vehicle industry. The product series provided by Siemens Bogie Technology Global Center of Excellence can meet the application of the whole rail transit, such as trams, Locomotive, passenger cars and high-speed trains. The process level represented by the high productivity of the factory stands out globally, setting new standards for the mechanical manufacturing of bogies. In its bogie production process setting and clamping process, the API brand Radian Laser Tracker system is used for measurement.

Customer needs

One of the core technologies of Siemens Graz factory is the mechanical processing of bogie frames and their components. Before processing, the components must first be positioned on the modular clamping device. But if we want to further increase production, we must use new measurement systems to match measurement technology with manufacturing capabilities. The basic requirements for the operation of the two clamping devices: during rotation, alignment, measurement, and clamping operations need to be carried out on the steering frame to facilitate subsequent mechanical processing; Ensure that the bogie frame does not generate tension or twist when operating the clamping device.

Before using the Radian laser tracker, Siemens Graz used a magnetic base to attach a dial gauge to the clamping device for measurement work. In measurement, it is necessary to frequently measure in difficult to reach positions, and each bogie has up to 30 measurement points (depending on the model), which requires a lot of time to set and clamp. And during the measurement process, each bogie needs to be equipped with about 20 dial indicators, which is complex and cumbersome. With the continuous improvement of productivity, Siemens Graz urgently needs a new, more efficient, and accurate measurement method to match the increasing production volume.

Innovation and Problems in Measurement Technology
Siemens Graz attempted to use different methods to address the issues encountered, but measuring difficult to reach locations remains a very challenging challenge. Among the various methods attempted, the articulated arm is a more suitable device, but it is often unable to measure measurement points 200-300mm deep inside the component.

Opening up a New World of Large Scale Precision Measurement

Afterwards, Siemens Graz consulted with the API and carefully studied the application of the Radian laser tracker. The laser tracker adopts the principle of laser measurement, which has higher accuracy and has been widely applied in many fields of manufacturing. In some aspects, it has successfully replaced more and more traditional measurement systems, including coordinate measuring machines and articulated arms, with its high accuracy, large range, and flexible portability.

During measurement, the operator holds a laser tracker target ball (SMR) with a built-in prism to touch the target area. The laser tracker host will shoot a laser to lock and track the center of the SMR. When the SMR touches the target area, the 3D coordinates of the target area are accurately collected at a data acquisition rate of 1000Hz, and transmitted to the Measurement Software for recording and saving. After collecting several such marked points on the workpiece, corresponding lines, surfaces, and bodies can be formed in the software based on the positions of each point, and corresponding geometric tolerance data can be calculated. It can also be compared with digital analog to achieve measurement and detection purposes.

After using the Radian laser tracker for bogie measurement, the awkward problem mentioned earlier was successfully solved and the advanced production capacity was efficiently adapted.

Deep holes and hidden positions can also be accurately measured

In addition to solving the awkwardness of using a dial gauge for measurement, the use of Radian laser tracker for bogie measurement also solves the problem of difficult detection of deep holes and hidden point positions.

API has developed a series of laser tracker function expansion attachments, among which the vProbe hidden point probe is a sharp tool for measuring deep holes and hidden points. When measuring, simply align the light port of the vProbe probe with the laser emitted by the tracker, and the probe tip of the probe can be used to touch the deep hole and hidden point position for measurement. The probe length can be selected from various specifications ranging from 50mm-500mm, and the most suitable probe solution can be selected according to actual measurement needs. In addition, the design of vertical and horizontal dual probe positions greatly facilitates the operator's practical measurement operations.

Flexible installation and convenient application
To facilitate the measurement of various positions and angles of the bogie, it is necessary to install the laser tracker at the highest possible position during the measurement, in order to observe and measure the overall situation of the bogie on a larger scale. The highly integrated and flexible installation characteristics of the Radian laser tracker fully meet the needs of Siemens Graz. During the measurement, the Radian laser tracker was magnetically adsorbed and installed on a cylindrical elevated platform several meters high around the workpiece, greatly increasing the observation range of the entire bogie.

In addition to the magnetic adsorption installation in this case, API has also designed a series of flexible installation components for the Radian laser tracker, which can be installed vertically, horizontally, upside down, and at any angle, fully adapting to various measurement site environments.

In addition, the engineers also used a large LCD screen to connect to the Radian laser tracker's human-machine interaction system, displaying measurement data in real-time on the large screen, making it easy for workers to operate.

Feedback from users
Josef Kaufmann, the head of mechanical production at Siemens Graz, said, "After using the Radian laser tracker, our measurement efficiency has been significantly improved, completely solving the problems we encountered in the measurement process before and perfectly meeting the upgraded production capacity's demand for detection efficiency

About API



The API brand was founded by Dr. Kam Lau in Rockwell, Maryland, USA in 1987. It is the inventor of laser trackers and holds multiple patents for leading global measurement technologies, making it a leader in the field of precision measurement technology; Since its establishment, API has always been committed to the research and development and production of precision measurement instruments and high-performance sensors in the field of mechanical manufacturing. Its products have been widely applied in advanced manufacturing fields around the world, and are leading in high-precision standards for coordinate measurement and machine tool performance testing.