Ensuring the organizational and technological reliability of the rail grinding process

This article presents the results of a comprehensive research on the organizational and technological reliability of the rail grinding process. It includes an analysis of the current fleet of rail grinding trains, the regulatory framework, operational planning, and quality assessment revealed a key problem: the low organizational and technological reliability of the process. This leads to poor work quality, increased operating costs, reduced traffic safety, and the risk of delays in completing the work. The methodology is based on detailed mapping of production operations, personnel workload analysis, and the use of FMEA analysis for expert process evaluation. Mapping of production operations in various sections was carried out with the involvement of an expert group that included representatives of operating teams, service organizations, quality controllers, and equipment developers. During the survey of three trains, a number of design, system, and technological issues were identified. The time analysis showed the actual duration of grinding, the ratio of auxiliary operations, working time, and team workload. To quantify the reliability of the grinding process, an FMEA analysis was conducted with the involvement of experts. The risks were ranked according to their priority. The constructed risk matrix identified ‘critical’ operations. Simulation modeling was performed, revealing significant risks of traffic safety violations and ‘window’ discipline. Based on the operation programs of the rail grinding process, a network model of grinding was developed, and a machine experiment consisting of 1,000 repetitions was conducted. The research results demonstrated the need to revise organizational and technological solutions to improve the reliability and efficiency of the rail grinding process. The proposed set of measures will improve the reliability, quality, and efficiency of the rail grinding process.

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