Using additive technologies to ensure measurement control of geometric parameters of parts and assemblies of rolling stock

In the practice of monitoring the technical condition of rolling stock components and assemblies during operation and repair, timely determination of geometric deviations in critical bogie components, automatic coupling devices, and other assemblies is essential. This determination is accomplished using specialized templates and gauges. This article examines the possibility of replacing expensive metal templates with polymer templates, which are significantly less expensive to produce. The relevance of such a replacement is explained by the relatively large number of required measuring instruments of this type and the number of specialists who need to use these templates and gauges during the repair and maintenance of railway rolling stock. The need for a single worker to use a wide range of templates in the field necessitates the search for lighter, easier-to-use alternatives to heavy steel templates.

This article analyzes various templates for determining rolling stock component parameters and identifies those that can be replaced with lighter and less expensive ones. Some of these templates, which are relatively simple and lack moving parts, could be experimentally replaced with a polymer material produced using 3D printing. The paper presents data on the production of such templates from various polymeric materials, as well as the specifics of manufacturing templates from different polymeric materials. PETG-plastic proved to be the most suitable material for template production, for which the article provides optimal parameters and printing conditions. A year of use of these measuring instruments demonstrated that they are more convenient to use, and their metrological characteristics are similar to those of metal templates.

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