At this year’s Railway Interchange exhibition in Indianapolis, Bega Special Tools presented tools for easy and safe installation and removal of bearings and other transmission components in railway vehicles.
Rolling stock maintenance is an important part of the railway system. It’s unthinkable what would happen if this was neglected: stalled trains would block rails and existing timetables would become a mess. This is why regular maintenance is necessary in order to maintain a reliable train park.
Engineers will recognize the risks they run into when confronted with stuck wheels or bearings. Cutting or grinding can be dangerous and can cause damage to shafts. Even the task of installing parts in a safe way can be a challenge. Having the right tools in a maintenance facility should be a priority to ensure reliability and personal safety.
Bega Special Tools is specialized in tools for removing and installing bearings and other transmission parts. Particularly for the Rail and Metro business a number of tools have been designed to remove and install railway bearing sets, gears, brake discs, labyrinth seals, bearing inner rings etc.
For removing and installing railway bearing sets and labyrinth rings, special induction heaters can be used. Middle frequency induction heating technology is a safe and cost effective heating method that improves the quality of installation. Bega manufactures various models of the Betex MF Quick-Heater, which is also available in combination with fixed or flexible inductors.
The new generation Betex MF Quick-Heater 3.0 features smart electronics. Of compact design, it has a large touchscreen, a USB connection for software upgrading, and a Log-in option for remote servicing. It heats according to preset temperature/time curve and shows temperature development in chart form. There is an option of logging the heating cycle. Smart electronics ensure optimal operating frequency and advise the user on optimal heating, for example by suggesting more or fewer windings. The power control is adjustable, dual temperature sensing (monitoring ΔT) is available. There is an option to operate several heaters together.
For removing gears and train wheels Bega supplies a unique series of self-centring hydraulic pullers, with capacities of 4 to 150 tons. These pullers are easy to use and require a minimum of set-up time. Versions of dismounting wheels in combination with oil pressure are also available.
Exclusively designed for mounting and dismounting railway bearing sets, the Betex BPP/BPPS is a combined bearing puller and pusher.
All described tools and methods have one thing in common: they are designed to make the job easier, faster and above all safer. Flameless induction heating offers many advantages: safety, environmental friendliness, easy handling, no noise or pollution. Even reuse of parts is a real possibility.
Bega Special Tools manufactures and sells special tools, induction heaters and hydraulic cylinders for easy mounting and dismounting of bearings and other transmission parts. Exported to over 60 countries worldwide, Bega products are used in production and maintenance departments of MRO and OEM companies within various types of industries, comprising special solutions for the railway, wind energy, mining and steel industries.
