Railway

TÜV AUSTRIA and TVFA offer independent testing, inspection and certification services as an accredited body to the rail industry (EN ISO/IEC 17020, 17025, 17065).

We test infrastructure components, rolling stock components and overhead lines. Our services include bogie testing, damping systems, ties, rail fastening systems, wheel and machine components, overhead lines and the connections and guy wires they require, as well as rails and rail joints.

TVFA also performs mechanical testing and characterisation of components and materials. We test under realistic conditions and have appropriate facilities, even for complex structures and large components. Our range of state-of-the-art metallographic methods completes our mechanical testing services.

We perform EMC and EMI measurements in the lab and on-site.

Mechanical testing laboratory and workshop

  • Material and component testing, static and dynamic
  • Fatigue testing up to full-scale components
  • Multi-axial test field 13×20 m
  • Tensile and compression testing up to 45 MN and 20 m clamping length
  • Torsion testing Fracture mechanic testing
  • Chemical analysis Full metallographic analysis (REM/EDX)
  • Corrosion testing
  • Volatile Hydrogen measurement
  • Climate chambers (10 m3, -40 °C to +90 °C, 95 % humidity)
  • In-service measurement of force, displacement, acceleration, strain gauge 250+ channels
  • Non-contact 3D strain measurement ARAMIS
  • Tomography iCT, 225/450kV, voxel size 2 micron, specimen 200 kg 1100 mm x 1675 mm, in-situ load 5 kN 250 °C
  • Damage analysis
TÜV AUSTRIA TVFA: Customer-specific fatigue testing of fastening systems during certification (EN 13481) is available.

Railway fixed equipment testing and approval services

TVFA performs full approval testing for flash-butt or aluminothermic welding processes (EN 14587, EN 14730), rail fastening systems (EN 13481, EN 13146), sleepers (EN 13230, EN 16431). We perform fatigue and strength testing of wheelsets, bogies, frames according to EN 13749, UIC 515-4, UIC 615-4.

We also test any component or system, including insulated rail joints and clamping elements in accordance with technical delivery conditions.

Many customers ask for special tests during their R&D process, such as testing under special environmental conditions (from -70°C to high temperatures), unusual loads or measurement conditions and fatigue testing over long durations and corrosion tests in our salt spray chamber.

TÜV AUSTRIA TVFA: The image shows damage and root cause analysis of rails, left: fatigue crack in rail root, middle: SEM image of crack surface, right: fatigue crack in rail head.

Advanced metallographic laboratory

TVFA operates a state-of-the-art metallographic laboratory. In collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology, it offers light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX) capabilities, as well as microhardness testing and full chemical analysis.

Inspection services, damage analysis and non-destructive testing

TVFA experts perform inspections on railway components, including welding joints for QA/QC, factory acceptance test or in case of damage assessments for all kinds of railway infrastructure components and systems. As part of the TÜV AUSTRIA Group, we offer access to the whole service range, offering standard and advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) methods.

Contact wire testing capabilities

TVFA performs approval tests and product certifications according to customer specifications. This includes clamping lengths up to 50m, heating up to 220°C, measuring of thermal expansion coefficients and transition points, vibration tests and damage analyses of cables and wires in accordance with German standard VDI 3822.

EMC and EMI services

  • EMC and EMI services (EMC-Directive 2014/30/EC, RE-Directive 2014/53/EC, EN 50121 and IEC 62236).
  • Semi-Anechoic Test chambers up to 13x10x6m/Quiet Zone Ø2m@3m and Ø6m@5m Measuring Distance/max 8t/Door 3mx3m
  • Power supplies
    • Mains simulation: 400 kVA | max. 1000 VAC (L-L) |16 – 800 Hz
  • Battery simulation: 378 kW | max. 1500 VDC | max. 756 ADC Notified Body for EMC (EU-Directive 2014/30/EC) and RED (EU-Directive 2014/53/EC)
  • Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) – Federal Communications Commission (FCC) USA
  • Conformity assessment body (CAB) – Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada
  • Accredited test Lab for more than 500 EMC (EN, IEC, CISPR, ETSI, etc.) Standards, Radio Standards and Product Standards e.g.:
  • RTCA DO-160G (Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment)
  • UN Vehicle Regulations – Regulation No. 10 – Rev.5 (Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to electromagnetic compatibility)
  • MIL-STD-461F (requirements for the control of electromagnetic interference characteristics of subsystems and equipment)

Coming 2023:

Drive-in environmental test chamber

  • -40 °C to +75 °C | Humidity up to 95 % | Drive-In size
  • Energy efficiency test bench incl. acoustic measuring equipment
  • Power supplies & communication available

TÜV AUSTRIA TVFA Prüf- und Forschungs GmbH

E-Mail: office@tvfa.at

Gutheil-Schoder-Gasse 17, AT-1230 Vienna

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