MXPA99007476A - Measurement installation and process for lathing parameters of a railway section - Google Patents

Abstract

Instalación y procedimiento de medida de los parámetros de torneado de un perfil ferroviario empleando una sonda de medida (3) montada en un bloque soporte (1) unido a un carro portaherramientas (7) de un torno de foso, y un palpador de medida (4) integrado en la sonda y destinado a entrar en contacto con una rueda a medir. Un cilindro de activación (2) desplaza verticalmente la sonda (3) junto con el palpador (4) hasta una posición de medida adecuada, y un cable (5) de alimentación y salida de datos une la sonda (3) con el control numérico de torno de foso. Los datos obtenidos por el palpador (4) son presentados en la pantalla del control numérico y transmitidos a un ordenador (C) para ser ordenados y archivados poréste conforme a un protocolo, siendo enviados después los datos protocolizados a un sistema de mantenimiento externo. La invención es aplicable a ruedas de vehículos ferroviarios.

Description

INSTALLATION AND PROCEDURE FOR MEASURING THE TURNING PARAMETERS OF A RAILWAY PERFORMANCE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of high precision measurement of the rolling parameters in wheels mounted on rail vehicles before and after the turning process, said measurement being carried out on the pit lathe itself or machine for machining profiles . The most important are the following measures: Wheel flange thickness - Wheel flange height Wheel factor qR Distance between active faces and distance between internal faces of opposite wheels These measured values are incorporated into the turning tab of the corresponding axis, either as "values prior to turning", if they have been measures prior to the machining process, or as "final turning values", if they have been measured at the end of the machining process. The installation object of the invention is incorporated in pit lathes, is joined with the same numerical control as the tool carriers and is governed by it. The data is obtained and processed by the numerical controls that, in turn, dump them into a computer, for example a PC, to organize them in a database and obtain the turning cards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The prior art has already dealt with the measurement of parameters of the rolling operations on "pit lathes". An example of measuring these parameters can be found in EP-A-0 751 371 of the present applicant. However, the technological principles on which this invention is based differ from those used up to now, in the sense that the same control element registers all the described values, is governed directly by the numerical control and its values are registered in East. The fact of being governed by the same numerical control that the tool brings remarkable precision to the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention basically consists of a measuring probe that is operated pneumatically or hydraulically, at the request of the operator, from the numerical control itself. Once the probe is put into service, a subprogram of "measurement" is executed at the request of the operator, this subprogram can be modified according to the type of profile to be measured. By means of this operation, the measuring tip or head of the probe is touching with precision points of the profile and obtaining the measurements in the numerical control with the same precision with which the machining is executed, since the same elements that perform the machining, is say, motors, spindles, encoders, are governed by the "measurement subprogram". In the numerical control there can be as many measurement subprograms as machining programs, in such a way that the measurement program joins the machining program univocally, forming an "all" within the tread regeneration system. The measurement values are recorded on special screens of the numerical control, called "measurement" screens, and, in turn, these data are transmitted to a computer, for example a PC, which orders these measurements conveniently on a data and elaborates the report of turning. This report is personalized and can be exported from the computer to an external maintenance system of the corresponding railway administration. The entire system is checked by a "calibrated" subroutine and a fault warning program is established, such as lack of pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, which is incorporated into the pit lathe fault diagnosis system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the basic measuring head incorporated in the tool carriage of the pit lathe, and FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the two right and left measuring heads, with respect to the axis to be measured and machined, as well as their connection with the numerical control and the PC that governs the installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring, first, to Figure 1, it can be seen that the installation of the invention, designated in conjunction with A, comprises a support block 1 that serves to support a measurement probe 3 that is attached to the tool carriage 7 of the pit lathe, the measuring probe 3 carrying a probe or measuring head 4. A drive cylinder 2, which can be pneumatic or hydraulic (in this case a pneumatic cylinder has been chosen), serves to activate the measurement probe 3, to which a power supply and data output cable 5 is connected. In the lower part of the support block 1 a fairing 6 is provided to protect the sensitive parts of the installation of the invention. In figure 2 the equipment described in figure 1 appears duplicated, showing how the feeler 4 is applied to the profile of a wheel R. The operation of the installation of the invention will now be described with reference to figure 2 of the drawings. To this end, the NC numerical control of the pit lathe is arranged in "measured" mode of operation and the measuring probe 3 is activated, which causes said probe 3 and the probe 4 to be moved vertically to a stop by the cylinder 2. The "measurement subprogram" is then activated, whereby the feeler 4 touches the wheel profile R at various points and sends the coordinates measured with the encoders of the X and Z axes of the tool carriage 7 to the NC numerical control through the electrical connection cable 5. This process is repeated independently in each of the measuring equipment marked with A and B in figure 2. The data obtained in the measuring equipment A and B are reflected on the screens of the NC numerical controls and transmitted to the computer C, for example a PC, which orders and archives them according to a protocol. The already protocolized measurements can be sent to an external system (maintenance system). The whole process is carried out with the wheel resting on the pit lathe and without it turning. If, after the measurement, it was necessary to rework, the piece references would be kept in the computer, which means that the measurement process according to the invention can be applied not only at the beginning and at the end of the machining, but also in any intermediate process. As can be seen from the foregoing, the invention makes it possible to equip the tool-holding carriages 7 with a system that makes it possible to measure the parameters indicated for the profiles before, during and after machining, with the condition that the wheel R is stopped . Furthermore, according to the invention, the measurements are made with the own equipment of the pit lathe, equipped with NC numerical controls with their measurement and control cards and their special measuring screens, as well as drives, ie motors, spindles and coders of machining. In addition, the invention provides a communication program of the numerical control CN with the computer C and a program for processing the information in the computer, as well as the export of data to an external system. Although the essential features of the invention have been gathered in the foregoing, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the described installation and measurement method are subject to variations and modifications. For this reason, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined solely by the content of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. REIVI NDICATIONS 1. Installation of measurement of the parameters of a railway profile turning, of the type that allows to measure with high precision the rolling parameters in wheels (R) mounted on railway vehicles before and after the turning process, this measurement being carried out on a pit lathe or a machine for machining profiles while the wheel is supported without turning on the pit lathe or on said machine, and including between such rolling parameters measured the thickness and height of the flange of the wheel, the factor qR thereof and the distances between active faces and internal faces of opposite wheels (R), characterized in that it comprises, for each wheel (R) to be measured, a measurement probe (3) mounted on a support block (1) attached to a tool carriage while (7) ) of the pit lathe; a feeler or measuring head (4) integrated in the measuring probe (3) and intended to come into contact with the wheel (R) to be measured; an activation cylinder (2) intended to vertically move the probe (3) together with the feeler (4) to a suitable measurement position; a power supply and data output cable (5) that joins the probe (3) with the numerical control (CN) of the pit lathe and that receives the data obtained by the probe (4), these being presented on the control screen numerical (CN) and transmitted to a computer (C) to be ordered and filed by it according to a protocol, and then the protocol data is sent to an external maintenance system; and a fairing (6) disposed in the lower part of the support block (1) to protect the sensitive parts of the measuring equipment.
2. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder (2) is a pneumatic cylinder.
3. 3. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder (2) is a hydraulic cylinder. Installation according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the computer (C) is a personal computer (PC). Method for measuring the turning parameters of a railway profile, in which use is made of the installation according to preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises the steps of arranging the numerical control (NC) in the mode of "measured" operation; activating the measuring probe (3) to cause it and the feeler (4) to be moved by the cylinder (2) to a suitable measuring position; activate a "measurement subprogram" to make the probe (4) touch at various points of the profile of the wheel (R) to be measured and send the coordinates obtained with the encoders of the X and Z axes of the tool carriage (7) to the numerical control (CN) by means of the electric connection cable (5); reflect the data obtained in the numerical control (CN) screen and transmit them to the computer (C) so that they can be ordered and filed according to a protocol; and, optionally, send the protocolized measurement data to an external maintenance system.