Rail Wheel Factory (Indian Railways)

Rail Wheel Factory is located at Yelahanka, a suburb of the Garden City of Bangalore, which is the political and industrial capital of the State of Karnataka. The Plant is situated at a distance of 16 Km from the city center. Details of the land and plant area are as follows: LAND AREA The Rail Wheel Factory extends over an area of 117.77 hectares. (In Hectares)

Plant Area Factory & Buildings 77.30 East Colony 13.36 Colony area West Colony 27.11

TOTAL 117.77 I. RWF ORGANIZATION

The General Manager heads the plant. He is assisted in discharging his functions by functional heads of Mechanical, Finance, Stores and Personnel departments.

Till early 1980s, Indian Railways were heavily dependent on imports for meeting their requirement of wheels and axles. Indigenous capacity was available only in Tata Iron & Steel Company (TISCO) and Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP). The TISCO plant was technically not capable of meeting the changing

requirement of wheels and axles for the new designs of rolling stock. The performance of DSP was quite indifferent and this plant was only able to partially meet IR’s needs.

The Planning Commission sanctioned the Rail Wheel Factory project in 1978 at a cost of Rs. 146

crores. Trial production commenced during 1983. Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, formally commissioned the plant on 15th September 1984. This plant is very energy intensive. The electricity consumption is around 90 lakh units per month with contract demand of 31.7 MVA with a recorded maximum demand of about 23.75 MVA. Out of 90 lakh units, about 55 lakh units are consumed in Electric Arc Furnace and the rest of the energy is being consumed in other areas of the plant. The monthly electric bill is about 3.65 crores.

The plant started production with a single type of wheel & wheel set and six types of axles. Over a

period, the plant widened its scope to produce products suitable for all gauges viz. Broad-gauge, Meter-gauge and Narrow gauge – 11 types of wheels, 9 types of axles and 5 types of wheel sets.

Till July 2005, RWF has so far manufactured 15,17,000 Wheels, 8,02,000 Axles and 5,84,84 Wheel sets for Indian Railways, wagon building industry and export.

PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE

Production performance in terms of quantity and value over the last three years has been as follows:

Wheels Axles Wheel Sets

Year Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual

Production Value

(Rs. Crores)

2002-03 1,00,716 1,01,554 40,754 43,322 28,754 27,984 301.76

2003-04 1,09,600 1,10,407 49,925 50,513 31,850 32,200 318.80

2004-05 95,081 95,125 48,000 49,502 32,400 32,732 346.65

MANUFACTURING PROCESS AT A GLANCE Rail Wheel Factory manufactures wheels, axles and wheel sets. 1. Wheel Manufacturing process

Wheel manufacturing facility was set up in RWF with complete technology transfer from M/s. Griffin Wheel Company, which is a subsidiary of Amsted Industries USA. The parabolic / deep-dish design of wheel developed by M/s Griffin is a low stress wheel with the advantage of a high strength to weight ratio. M/s Griffin’s patented process of Controlled Pressure Pouring is used for wheel casting.

The techni7cal support from M/s Griffin

continued till 1991. Thereafter, RWF is independently pursuing manufacture and technological improvements, including development of new designs of wheels.

The Plant utilizes Railway scrap as raw material. The scrap is melted in three Electric Arc

furnaces. The chemistry of the molten metal is precision controlled using Computerized Spectrometers. This enables precise control of steel composition during steel making for obtaining optimum metallurgical characteristics needed for tough service and long life.

The casting is done in graphite moulds, which are precision-machined using forming tools. This

ensures that all wheels are cast to the same dimensions and tolerances. The Controlled Pressure Pouring Process is employed for casting. The molten metal ladle is placed in a chamber and sealed with an airtight cover. A ceramic pouring tube is attached to the cover. Compressed air, forced into the chamber, pushes the steel up through the pouring tube and into the graphite mould positioned over the tube. The steel fills the mould from bottom to form the wheel. As the steel is forced into the mould at a controlled rate, the wheel is cast to extremely close tolerances.

The wheels as cast are normalized in a huge rotary hearth furnace to improve metallurgical structure

and relieve internal stresses. Quenching of the rim and tread area is done to increase their hardness. The wheels are shot-peened to induce compressive stresses so that the cast wheels do not fail due to crack propagation in service. Each wheel is subjected to magnetic particle testing for surface flaws and ultrasonically tested for internal flaws to ensure maximum reliability. 2. Axle manufacturing process

Axles are manufactured from billets cut from blooms supplied by reputed indigenous Steel Plants. The billets are heated in a Rotary Hearth Furnace to forging temperatures. They are then

forged on a Special Purpose Long Forging Machine having multiple hammers. The long forging machine was procured from M/s. GFM, Austria. The machine is capable of forging axle to close tolerances in one-heat shaping in under 5 minutes. The forged axle is gas cut to required length, number stamped and then heat treated under controlled conditions to obtain axle forgings meeting the desired metallurgical and physical properties. Two years back, the Long Forging Machine was upgraded with Computerized Numerical Controls for better precision and quicker set up changes for forging a variety of axles of different designs.

The forged axles are machined on a battery of Farrell machines supplied by M/s. HMT

Ltd, India. The operations include end machining, rough turning and finish turning which are carried out on hydraulic copying lathes, multiple operation axle machining centers and grinding / burnishing machines. A concept of integrated engineering has been adopted for handling and transfer of axles from machine to machine, which facilitates the flow of axles.

All axles are subjected to ultrasonic testing and magnetic particle testing for ensuring zero defect

products of the highest quality. 3. Wheel set Assembling Process

The assembly of wheel sets is done on a highly automated Wheel Assembly Complex. The wheel

seat size of the axles is measured on an automated measuring unit and the dimensions are transferred to two wheel borers. Paired wheels are custom bored as per the wheel seat size to get correct interference fit. The wheels are then pressed on the axle in a 300T Farrell Wheel Press. The Wheel Press Complex is capable of pressing 180 wheel sets per day. A new Wheel Assembly Complex, with a capacity to produce up to 300 wheel sets per day, has been procured from M/s. Simmons Machine Tools Corporation (SMTC), USA. The new complex is under pre-commissioning checks and trials.

Awards Bestowed

Prestigious Golden Peacock National Award for Quality in the year 1997

Best Quality Management Company award by BID during 1998

Arch of Europe award for excellence in Quality by Business Initiative Directions, Europe

during 1999

Best Environmental Management company award by IOD’s during 2002

Golden Peacock National Environmental Management Award in 2002

Golden Peacock National Innovative Product award during 2003

Greentech Environmental Award in the year 2003

Laxman Rao Kirloskar Merit Certificate for Best Foundry in 2003

Greentech Safety Award in 2004

Rajiv Gandhi Parisara Prashasthi Award in 2004

Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in 2004

Golden Peacock National Quality Award in 2005

Awards won every year at horticulture show Lalbagh / Bangalore

Certifications

Association of American Railroads (AAR) Accreditation for Manufacture of wheels and

axles

ISO 14001 Certification for RWF Colony, Kendriya Vidyalaya & Hospital, Mar 2003

ISO: 9001-2000 by M/s .BVQI. (First IR Unit, in March 2001)

ISO-14001 by M/s .BVQI. (First IR Unit, June 1999) OHSAS-18001 by M/s IRQS for RWF Plant , Hospital and Colony in March, 2005

RWF uses the following types of Energy

Electricity High speed diesel for heating in furnaces Liquid oxygen for lancing of metal, cutting of scrap DA Gas for cutting wheels LPG for heating of ceramic tubes, cooking at canteen

ELECTRICITY

This plant is very energy intensive. The total Connected Load of the plant is 65 MVA and the Contract Demand is 28 MVA. The electricity consumption is around 75.22 lakh units per month with a recorded maximum demand of about 23.75 MVA. about 59% is consumed in Electric Arc Furnaces and the rest of the energy is being consumed in other areas of the plant and colony. The monthly electric bill is about 3.48 crores.

The energy as such is availed from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (BESCOM) through the 66 kV feeders directly from the Hydro-Electric/Thermal Power Stations. The RWF being a continuous process plant, an uninterrupted availability of energy is of paramount importance. So, out of the total Connected Load of 65 MVA, about 4MVA of the so-categorized Essential Load requires to be fed continuously regardless of the power supply availability from the regular source. This purpose is served by a couple of DG Sets of 2.19 MVA, 11 kV each.

Comparision of annual Electrical Energy Consumption In KWH And total Cost

05

1015202530354045

1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Crores

Crores of UnitsCrores of Rupees

Electricity is used in Electric arc furnaces, various machineries, compressors, lighting The consumption pattern for a month is under:

ENERGY CONSUMPTION AT 11 LOAD CENTERS

(TOTAL CONSUMPTION IS 73.12 LAKH UNITS)

Trend of energy consumption

Savi

ngs

4.3%

consumption year 2002-03(870 lakh kilo watts)

W H E E L M A C H I N E S

2 1 %

B U I L D I N G S A N D C O L O N Y

2 % D G & O T H E R S

0 %

A R C F U R N A C E

5 7 %

S E R V I C E S

1 3 %

A X LE M A C H I N I N G

7 %

Base year

Consumption year 2003-04(903 lakh kilo watts)

ARC FURNACE60%

AXLE MACHINING7%

SERVICES11% DG & OTHERS

0%

BUILDINGS AND COLONY2%

WHEEL MACHINING20%

Consumption Year 2004-05 (832 Lakh Kilo Watts)

WHEEL MACHINES

19%

AXLE MACHINES

8%

DG & OTHERS

0%

BUILDINGS AND COLONY

2%

SERVICES11%

ARC FURNACE

60%

HIGH SPEED DIESEL RWF uses HSD oil for heating in Billet heating in Axle Shop and for Heat Treatment furnaces in both wheel & Axle manufacture. Axle Manufacture:

a) Billet heating b) Walking beam type normalizing furnace c) Walking beam type tempering furnace

Wheel shop:

a) Wheel normalizing furnace b) Draw furnace for Wheel tempering c) Ladle pre-heating

Road Transport Vehicles:

CONSUMPTION OF HSD OIL

A

WHEEL-321251-58%

AXLE-4787132-39% KL

RT/DG-229763- 3% KL

A HSD tank with a total storage capacity of 15,72,200 -lts is used from where HSD is pumped to various

locations. The efforts In monitoring the consumption trend has reduced to reduction of this vital item. This can

be seen from the chart alongside.

8275

8822

8278

6000

6500

7000

7500

8000

8500

9000

KIL

O L

TRS

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

YEAR

HSD CONSUMPTION FOR ALL ACTIVITIES

SAVINGS 547 KLS LIQUID

OXYGEN Liquid Oxygen is used at RWF for gas cutting operation in Wheel and axle manufacture, scrape cutting process and for Oxygen lancing operation during steel melting process. The total installed capacity of Liquid oxygen is 1,07,900 lts.

19.7618.03

21.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

LAK

H C

UB

IC M

TS

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

YEAR

CONSUMPTION OF LIQUID OXYGEN FOR ALL ACTIVITIES IN PLANT WATER: The daily requirement of water for RWF is as under: Plant Requirement - 6.68 lakh litres Colony Requirement - 8.32 lakh litres Total Requirement - 15.00 lakh litres ENERGY MONITORING SET UP

The energy conservation activities are reviewed at Apex level on regular basis through various review meetings (Co-ordination meetings, cost control meetings). To monitor energy conservation activities, RWF has Energy Management Department headed by Chief Electrical Engineer. The Energy Management Department monitors the levels of specific energy consumption on daily basis and provides base line information to top management for initiating appropriate action. To provide further impetus to Energy Conservation movement, RWF has constituted quality improvement teams in manufacturing shops with members from all functional areas (Electrical, Mechanical and operation) to reduce the energy consumption in their areas of operation.

Chief Electrical Engineer

Works Manager / Service Shops Senior Electrical Engineer / Power

Senior Section Engineer / Utility Assistant Electrical Engineer / Power

Senior Section Engineer / Wheel Power

Senior Section Engineer / Axle Power

ENERGY CONSERVATION ACHIEVEMENTS Project 1 Reduction in electrical energy consumption of air compressors

Replaced 6 No’s of 500 CFM capacity old compressors with 3 No’s of 1000 CFM Energy efficient air compressors of higher capacity

Continuous monitoring of air compressors performance through latest maintenance practices

Monitoring and arresting air leakages on day-to-day basis

44.2

3 45.3

1

41.5

6

39

40

41

42

43

4445

46

Lakh

uni

ts2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Year

6%Savings

All the above measures have contributed for reduction in power consumption by Energy saving is: Total Consumption during 2002-03 : 44.23 Lakh Units Total Consumption during 2004-05 : 41.36 Lakh Units Total Investment : Rs.34.79 Lakhs Total Saving achieved in 2004-05 : 2.87 Lakh Units @ Rs.4.30 per Unit Total amount saved Works out to Rs.12.34 Lakhs during the year 2004-05. Pay Back : 3 Years. Project 2 Reduction in HSD consumption HSD Oil is used in various furnaces for heating purposes apart for use in transport purposes. The following measures taken for reduction in consumption

82758822

8278

6000

6500

7000

7500

8000

8500

9000

KIL

O L

TRS

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

YEAR

HSD CONSUMPTION FOR ALL ACTIVITIESSAVINGS 547 KLS Close Monitoring of fuel

consumption on daily basis by top management

Efficient maintenance with periodic calibration of instrumentation

Use of Distributed control system for maintaining furnace parameters such as temperatures, furnace pressures air fuel ratios

Revamped Rotary hearth type Normalizing furnace in wheel plant and replacing huge refractories used in walls and screen with veneering modules.

All the above measures have contributed for reduction in HSD consumption by

TREND OF COMPARISION OF HSD CONSUMPTION

020406080

100120140160

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

YEAR

HSD

CO

NSU

MPT

ION

PER WHEEL

PER MT - AXLE

Energy saving : 544 KL Energy cost savings per year : Rs. 1.52 Crores at Rs.28,000/- Per KL Investment : Rs. 3.50 Crores. Pay Back : 2 ½ years Project 3 Reduction in Specific energy consumption per wheel cast 20 Tonne electric arc furnaces are used for melting of steel scrap to cast wheels the capacity of Arc furnace is 13 MVA. 2 furnaces are used in a day. In a month around 600 MTS of steel is melted and power consumed is 62.17 Lakh KWH. As 59% of total power drawn is only user for steel melting, various measures have been taken to improve the productivity and the furnace performance. The details are as under:

The furnace patching methods are improved by use of Dry ramming mass in place of wet ramming mass been used.

Constant monitoring of power consumption by top management and corrective measures taken immediately.

Increasing ladle size by optimizing refractory thickness to improve capacity by 1500 Kg’s Apprx , thereby able to cast 2-3 wheels from the ladle

2%savings

22.91

23.54

22.422.622.8

2323.223.423.6

Tonn

es o

f m

etal

2003 -04 2004 - 05

Year

Metal tapped per heat No of wheels cast per heat

27.68

28.5

29.71

26 27 28 29 30

2002 - 03

2003 - 04

2004 - 05

Yea

r

No of Wheels

2003 - 04

2004 - 05

YEA

R

7.34

% S

avin

gs

11.42% Savings

All these measures ha Energy saving: From BEnergy cost savings pe

CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY PER TONNE CAST

540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680

2002 - 03

KWH

ve attributed for continual improvement in electrical energy consumption by :

ase Year : 72.35 Lakh KWh r year : Rs.1.03 Crores.

Project 4 Illumination improvement in administrative offices, colonies, shop & street lighting has been monitoring and action taken to optimize the illumination level by introducing energy efficient lamps with timer controls and photo sensors In offices the illumination lights have been changed from 70W HPSV lamps to 18 W CFL & 40 W out door tube light fittings. This is saving considerable amount of energy. Window type air conditioners changed to split type air conditioners Street lighting illumination levels rechecked and improved by installing high lumen

17.25

15.7515.28

1414.5

1515.5

1616.5

1717.5

Lakh

uni

ts

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Year

Colony power consumption trend Energy saving : 1.97 Lakh Units Energy cost savings per year : Rs. 8,47,000 Besides the above other projects implemented during 2004-05 are:

Running 1 No. of cold water pump and 1 No. of hot water pump as against 2 Nos. of cold water and 2 No’s of hot water pumps used to run regularly by Monitoring of cold and hot water pumps requirement to maintain water pressure at re-

circulation pump house Periodic flushing of dirt from water tanks Maintaining water temperature by timely adding cold water and cooling hot water

Reduced thermal losses in Tube holding ovens in wheel shop by providing covers on openings Reduced thermal losses by timely plugging leakages and proper maintenance in furnaces of axle

forge shop Maintaining centralized air conditioner Replaced rough turning lathe with the state of the art technology energy efficient lathe.