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Keeping an eye on everything with ZF’s connect@rail solution

Reliability in rail transportation – be it cargo or people – is more important than ever. Operators and manufacturers must keep downtimes to a minimum, safety and comfort at a maximum, and avoid failures at all cost. Fortunately, ZF is able to support companies with its smart and digital connect@rail system for condition monitoring and maintenance management.

Graz, Austria’s second largest city, is quite a sight to behold. Its landscape is framed by the eastern Alps on one side and by the river Mur on the other side. Its inner city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, there was one thing disturbing this otherwise tranquil scene. The trams that run through the inner city had problems with flat spots – uneven wear – on their wheels. This not only posed a danger to the vehicles, but also led to audible rumbling and thumping. Both citizens and passengers complained about the noise. Graz Linien, the city’s transport operator, first tried identifying the faulty vehicle wheels with stationary measuring equipment, but detection was spotty. At this point, ZF’s connect@rail system came into play.