This brake test station is now a reference for checks on wagon at the SNCF, which is equipped with a hundred stations in its workshops.

The modular equipment dedicated to the private industries is the same than for SNCF. It allows the use of an acquisition central independtly from the rest of the unit. Its ergonomy has been developped for an easy use for the brake operators..

• The” SIMEF” replaces the “MTI” now obsolete
• The brake test bench is a reference for the tests of the SNCF wagons. At this time, SNCF owns more than 100 SIMEF
• The “SIMEF” is the only automatic equipment validated by SNCF
• Also validated for SNCB and DB.
• Universal interface between the SNCF controllers and the private workshops
• 2 days training for a brake operator
• Realization time for a VFO506 divided by two

Equipment application fields

• New railway rolling stock manufacturers
• Repair workshops
• Railway rolling stock users

Interests and strong points

The main interest for this kind of equipment is to assure : THE COMPLIANCE WITH REGARDS TO THE OFFICIAL PROCEDURES . It is part of the Quality process by writing a quality report in compliance with the acceptance specifications of SNCF (data sheet VFO 506…)

Tracking

• Information management via a data base
• Filing and sharing safety
• Final phase record to make easier the diagnosis

Productivity gains

• brake test on a complete train
• underline on MI2N : tests time about 1 hour which represents from 30% up to 50% of time saving
• it takes 1 hour to realize a VFO 506 instead of 2.5 hours

WINDOWS compatible software

With the Portable SIMEF bench, you can carry out your pneumatic brake tests on all types of railway vehicles. Its portability allows using it all along railway tracks or in the workshop. Its dimensions, weight, temperature performances (-20°/+55°C), shock and vibration behaviour characteristics make it a strong, easy-to use and high performance test bench. A remote pad drives the bench in all kind of environments up to 50m away. This test bench has been validated by several European railway networks and for your customers’ satisfaction, the Portable SIMEF provides an increased productivity gain, a measurement quality guarantee and traceability.

This tester is used to check the railway equipment cables :

cable global check for one element
cable global check for the train cables
diagnostic help for eventual failures.

Configuration for:

• motor coach
  trailers
  all equipment on train (suburb, TGV, RER…)

EQUIPMENT CONSTITUTION KIT PRESENTATION

The kit includes the following elements :

• low voltage power supply
• The assembly management system
• the input cards fitted with charge resistances and filtering
• The multiplexing cards for outputs fitted with the outputs switching system
• the modules for the set-up of input special signals
• the signal module generation for the continuity test
• the switching relay for the relooping of certain signals during the operation tests
• eventually the emergency battery The front face kit is fitted with switches to start the system and with lights to indicate the power supply type used for the system operation. In addition, the presence of power supplies inside the kit is also displayed by lights on the front pannel

The front face kit is fitted with all kinds of connector bases to connect the system to the outer elements :

• one plug for the 220 V connection during the test in workshops
• one plug for the connextion to the off-centered antenna
• one plug to connect the so-called special signals
• several plugs for the standard signals
• one plug for the power signals
• one connection to connect the relooping corded link during the continuity tests
• one connection for the corded Ethernet link to a portable PC

To limit the overall dimension of the connections on the front face and taking into account the important number ot the signals to include, it is important to use high density connector technology.

The kit includes the following elements :

• low voltage power supply
• The assembly management system
• the input cards fitted with charge resistances and filtering
• The multiplexing cards for outputs fitted with the outputs switching system
• the modules for the set-up of input special signals
• the signal module generation for the continuity test
• the switching relay for the relooping of certain signals during the operation tests
• eventually the emergency battery The front face kit is fitted with switches to start the system and with lights to indicate the power supply type used for the system operation. In addition, the presence of power supplies inside the kit is also displayed by lights on the front pannel

The front face kit is fitted with all kinds of connector bases to connect the system to the outer elements :

• one plug for the 220 V connection during the test in workshops
• one plug for the connextion to the off-centered antenna
• one plug to connect the so-called special signals
• several plugs for the standard signals
• one plug for the power signals
• one connection to connect the relooping corded link during the continuity tests
• one connection for the corded Ethernet link to a portable PC

To limit the overall dimension of the connections on the front face and taking into account the important number ot the signals to include, it is important to use high density connector technology.

The unit control installed on the panels is done manually.

This estimation request is signaled to the operator via a dialog box.

The checking conditions of opening and closing intrinsic to the pannels is left to the accoustic and visual estimation of the operator.

There are two main ways of operation :

Manual mode:

• the checker has the possibility, for example, to control from the control pannel, the opening of a valve. This mode allows to use the control panel as a measurement instrument.

Automatic mode :

• continuous : a test program is performed from the beginning until the end. At the end of the test, a compliance test report guarantee the test validity corresponding to the individual tests.

• step by step : a test program is performed. At the end of the individual test, the program stops if there is a fault. The checker has the possibility to switch into the manual mode to correct the fault and to follow the test.

Manualmodesupervision

The brake test bench operation needs the use of a valve control only during the manual mode control.

The supervision software consists in drawing and creating the links of each brake panel. Each panel is presented schematically on a graphic page.

The animation concerns :

• the electrovalves state (opened or closed)
• the pressures display given by the pressure transmitter (numeric information)
• the switches and lights state (opened or closed)
• the panel to be tested is not animated as no measurement notification informs the control pannel.

La selection of the unit connected to the panel is done by an automatic recognition of the bench type by the affectation of a 4 logic input combination. The displayed manual control screen will be in function of this recognition.

The measurements can be registered according to the following modes :

• the selection of the measurement tracks to be recorded
• the data acquisition of the record name
• the data acquisition of a commentary field for a more accurate identification of the result

The result display is done according to the following process :

• selection of the result name in a list
• the curve display from the records
• the display of the result and commentary name
• the printing of a part of the curve displayed on the screen