Rail grinding is the grinding of two parallel surfaces of the same material. Rail grinding is a process used to reduce wear and tear on railway tracks, improve their stability, and improve their smoothness.
Rail grinding is carried out with specialized machines that grind the two parallel surfaces of a rail in a process known as profile grinding. The intent of the process is to reduce the wear of the two surfaces that make up the profile. This process also improves stability and smoothness.
The process starts with a set of grinding stones, which are set to a particular rail radius. A large grinding head is then attached to the grinding stone and it is set to grind a specified intensity level and radius. The grinding head is then moved along the track in order to grind the railway track. The grinding head is constantly adjusted by the operator, who is monitoring the progress of the job and making adjustments as necessary.
Grinding of railway tracks can be done in a variety of ways, including using manual grinding machines, using electric-powered grinding machines or using a combination of manual and electrical grinding machines. The type of rail grinding machine chosen depends on the type of rails being ground and the intensity of the profile grinding.
The end product of rail grinding is an improved railway track with a smooth, even surface and a reduced wear rate. The result is increased safety and increased service life for railway tracks.
Grinding of rail track is achieved by two machine components: the grinding head, which is a large grinding disk attached to the grinding machine, and the grinding stones. The grinding head carries out the primary grinding, followed by the grinding stones, which carry out the fine grinding of the surface.
The grinding parameters that determine the quality of grinding are the type of grinding stones, the RPM speed of the grinding head and the radius of the grinding head. Depending on the rail material, radius and production rate, the operator has to adjust these parameters accordingly to achieve the desired results.
The grinding machines used in rail grinding employ a range of techniques and technologies to achieve greater efficiency and reliability. These include the use of sensors to monitor rail profile and automatically adjust the grinding wheels, and the use of computerised grinding machines which can adjust their parameters according to the rail profile. Rail grinding machines are also often fitted with lasers to enable grinding to a precise geometry.
The cost of rail grinding depends on the type of machine being used and the size of the job, as well as the quality of the desired finish. It is usually significantly more expensive than other types of track maintenance. However, rail grinding is a cost-effective solution for reducing wear on rail tracks, improving their stability and reducing the time taken for rail track maintenance.
