Tiny device from IIT-Kanpur can
prevent derailment
After fabricating Jugnu, the country’s tiniest
satellite launched last month, Indian Institute of
Technology-Kanpur graduates have now come up
with a matchbox-sized device to monitor wear
and tear of railway tracks and prevent
derailment.
The new device is aimed at replacing a bulky,
box-like contraption that is currently used by
Indian Railways.
“Our device is a supplementary system for
monitoring track health, making it simpler to
integrate with the existing railway
infrastructure,” said Kshitij Deo, M.Tech in
mechanical engineering, who developed the
device with three others from the vibration and
dynamics lab of the IIT.
For Railways, safety is important as thousands of
trains use around 114,500 km tracks of its
network – the world’s fourth largest. With
regular use, the tracks develop cracks and
fissures, including problems linked to loose nuts
and bolts at the joints. If the tracks are less
firmly anchored on the soil, it could lead to
derailment.
All these faults can now be detected in real time
and recorded automatically to prevent
derailment thanks to the oscillation monitoring
system, a cutting-edge device weighing just 100
grams.
The device has been designed and developed by
a team of IIT-Kanpur’s mechanical engineering
graduates, under the guidance of N.S. Vyas,
professor and head, mechanical engineering, and
the Railways’ Research Design and Standards
Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow.
The device, based on micro-electro mechanical
system, can monitor track health more
comprehensively and enable efficient track
maintenance.
“The extremely handy package locates and logs
track faults accurately with the help of the GPS
(global positioning system), eliminating human
errors and making train journeys safer. It has a
battery life of 10 hours and can be recharged by
USB port on computers,” said Deo who
developed the device with three others from the
vibration and dynamics lab under Vyas.
On the other hand, the existing railway
monitoring equipment is bulky and operated
manually, with two people being required to feed
the location into the bulky device.
It is mounted on a special coach, the oscillation
monitoring unit. Since it forms part of a small
train, the exercise cannot be undertaken
frequently. Track clearances have to be sought
and the routes planned and finalised in advance,
said Deo.
“The biggest challenge lay in engineering a device
that could pinpoint faults with a high degree of
precision while simplifying use with a drastically
reduced size. We did manage to reduce the
number of buttons to one as against 50 required
on the keypad of the railway equipment,” said
Deo.
The device once placed on the floor of a running
train’s coach measures and records vibrations.
Any fault or irregularity on the tracks changes the
pattern of vibrations. The device feeds all such
data and locational faults into a fingernail-sized
data storage card with the help of a GPS receiver.
If the vibrations cross a certain threshold,
especially in case of a critical fault, the device
alerts engineers with audio-visual signals (beeps
and flashing LEDs). Post- journey, the storage
card is retrieved from the device and plugged
into the computer for reading the track’s actual
condition and analysis by the railways.
The plan is to install at least three-four such
devices on trains running on each route to
monitor each track on a regular basis.
The project grew out of a visit by the director of
the RDSO to IIT-Kanpur. “We were demonstrating
a similar vibration measurement instrument
developed by us. In subsequent meetings, the
project was finalised and we designed the device
in close coordination with RDSO officials,” said
Deo.
“The project took a year to fructify, involving
some 25 field trials on trains, including Shatabdi
and Rajdhani Expresses. The RDSO has been
optimistic about the project. Many times we
actually walked on the track to verify faults as
predicted by the device,” recalled Deo.
After the successful completion of the first phase,
the RDSO is keen on going ahead with the second
phase and testing the device on trains in all the
railway zones. If its performance is found
satisfactory, it would be approved by the
Railways.
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PME Due Date
Master Circular No. 25
Copy of Railway Board’s letter No. 69/H/3/11 dated 06.12.1974
Subject: Implementation of the Recommendations of the Visual Sub-Committee.
6. Periodical re-examination of serving Railway Employees:
6.l. In order to ensure the continued ability of Railway employees in Classes A l, A 2, A 3, B l and B 2 to discharge their duties with safety, they will be required to appear for re-examination at the following stated intervals throughout their service as indicated below:
6.1.1. Classes A l, A 2 and A 3 —At the termination of every period of three years, calculated from the date of appointment until they attain the age of 45 years, and thereafter annually until the conclusion of their service.
Note: (l) The staff in categories A l, A 2 and A 3 should be sent for special medical examination in the interest of safety under the following circumstances unless they have been under the treatment of a Railway Medical Officer.
(a) Having undergone any treatment or operation for eye trouble irrespective of the duration of sickness.
(b) Absence from duty for a period in excess of 90 days.
(2) If any employee in medical category A has been periodically medically examined at any time within one year prior to his attaining the age of 45, his next medical examination should be held one year from the due date of the last medical examination and subsequent medical examination annually thereafter.
If, however, such an employee has been medically examined, at any time earlier, than one year prior to his attaining the age of 45, his next medical examination should be held on the date he attains the age of 45 and subsequent medical examination annually thereafter.
Ammendment: It was ammended in 1993 as below
Age Group PME Due
Age 00-45 every 4yrs
Age 45-55 every 2yrs
Age 55-60 every year
Details:-
As per Rly Bd's Guideline of Medical Exam issued vide LNo. 88/H/5/12 dated 24-01-1993
a) PME would be done at the termination of every period of 4 years from date of appointment / Initial medical Exam till the date of attainment of age of 45 years, every 2 years upto 55 years & there after annual till retirement.
b) Employees who has been periodically examined at any time within 2years prior to his attaining the age of 45years would be examined after 2years from the date of last PME & subsequent PME for every 2years upto 55years age.Of
NRMU 4 you
SMLokhande
6.1.2. Classes B-1 and B-2—On attaining the age of 45 years, and thereafter at the termination of every period of five years.
Copy of Railway Board’s letter No. 69/H/3/11 dated 06.12.1974
Subject: Implementation of the Recommendations of the Visual Sub-Committee.
6. Periodical re-examination of serving Railway Employees:
6.l. In order to ensure the continued ability of Railway employees in Classes A l, A 2, A 3, B l and B 2 to discharge their duties with safety, they will be required to appear for re-examination at the following stated intervals throughout their service as indicated below:
6.1.1. Classes A l, A 2 and A 3 —At the termination of every period of three years, calculated from the date of appointment until they attain the age of 45 years, and thereafter annually until the conclusion of their service.
Note: (l) The staff in categories A l, A 2 and A 3 should be sent for special medical examination in the interest of safety under the following circumstances unless they have been under the treatment of a Railway Medical Officer.
(a) Having undergone any treatment or operation for eye trouble irrespective of the duration of sickness.
(b) Absence from duty for a period in excess of 90 days.
(2) If any employee in medical category A has been periodically medically examined at any time within one year prior to his attaining the age of 45, his next medical examination should be held one year from the due date of the last medical examination and subsequent medical examination annually thereafter.
If, however, such an employee has been medically examined, at any time earlier, than one year prior to his attaining the age of 45, his next medical examination should be held on the date he attains the age of 45 and subsequent medical examination annually thereafter.
Ammendment: It was ammended in 1993 as below
Age Group PME Due
Age 00-45 every 4yrs
Age 45-55 every 2yrs
Age 55-60 every year
Details:-
As per Rly Bd's Guideline of Medical Exam issued vide LNo. 88/H/5/12 dated 24-01-1993
a) PME would be done at the termination of every period of 4 years from date of appointment / Initial medical Exam till the date of attainment of age of 45 years, every 2 years upto 55 years & there after annual till retirement.
b) Employees who has been periodically examined at any time within 2years prior to his attaining the age of 45years would be examined after 2years from the date of last PME & subsequent PME for every 2years upto 55years age.Of
NRMU 4 you
SMLokhande
6.1.2. Classes B-1 and B-2—On attaining the age of 45 years, and thereafter at the termination of every period of five years.
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