BOND SHRINKING OF WHEEL SETS OFFERS MANY ADVANTAGES ON RAILWAYS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE

The wheel set, as a supporting, driving and guiding element of railways, continues to be of immediate interest as a result of the research activities on the wheel/rail system and in spite of the development work on new technologies. Since 1855, the wheel centres have been forced on the oversize axle seat by hydraulic pressure. This proven joining technique can be improved by metal bonding. Bond shrinking results in a considerably higher intensity of the grip between the wheel centres and the axle and in a reduction of the axle oversize to one third of that required for pressing on the wheels by hydraulic pressure. For six years, a number of carrying and driving wheel sets have been in service on combustion railcars and have covered distances up to 700,000 km. without any trouble. For this reason, a large-scale test is being implemented. The technique of bond shrinking will be further developed to permit the mounting of axle brake discs and wheels with brake blocks and the production of hollow shafts capable of withstanding cyclic bending stresses.