Improving Quality of Guide Rods for Rail Vehicles’ Suspension Systems by Changing Technology of their Manufacture

Dependability of the suspension of metro coaches is directly determined by the parts included in the axle box (primary) suspension system.

The paper considers the spring suspension using guide rod. The guide rod presents a round steel rod that is attached through a bushing to the bogie bolster with its upper part, while its lower end is inserted into the axle box eye. The central section of the guide rod serves as a kind of guidepost for the suspension springs.

The operating principle is based on the ability of guide rods to distribute loads that occur during movement of a metro train. This technology can significantly reduce the wear of rails and wheel sets, thereby increasing safety and reducing the cost of rolling stock maintenance.

Today, there are a few problems caused by guide rods failures, the service life of which does not match the time parameters of failures of car bogie frames. Among other things, many items are rejected at the stage of production tests due to internal defects. Since dependability issues are the most acute, it is extremely important to find ways to increase the durabilityoftheprimary suspension systems using guide rods. The study is aimed at finding optimal technological solutions for manufacture of the items based in the analysis of the material and possible methods of processing guide rods.

The study has resulted in a conclusion on promising character of quenching cooling with a fast-moving water flow, since the achievement of all the required parameters was proven during the relevant tests.

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