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There is seldom one inspection required in railway networks. Different assets can develop different faults and traffic levels, and operating conditions can vary from one network to another. This leads to the choice of an inspection system based on the technology matching the condition to be measured or detected.

IEM has over 35 years of experience in transportation safety and security, and develops railway inspection technologies for wheel profiles, wheel defects, impact loads, bearings, brakes, trucks, and other components. Therefore, the selection should be based on the equipment, not the inspection need.

Start With What You Need to Inspect

First, determine the railway asset or condition that has to be monitored. For example, a system that measures wheel profiles as opposed to a system that identifies bearing or brake problems. Solutions for wheel shapes and defects, bearings, brakes, trucks, and undercarriage components are all part of IEM’s railroad portfolio. 

This allows operators to choose inspection technology that matches a given maintenance need, rather than choosing equipment based solely on available capabilities. In practice, having an idea of what to inspect sets the stage for selecting the suitable system.

Match the Inspection Need to the IEM Solution

Decide Where Inspection Should Take Place

The choice of system is also dictated by the inspection environment. Direct measurements can be supported by portable equipment. IEM supplies gauges for wheel profiles, wheel diameter, rail profiles, wheelset dimensions, and vibration.

The wayside systems of IEM for automatic checks as trains pass include areas such as wheels, brakes, bearings, trucks, and undercarriage components. WISENet™ and Ride Quality Sensor System onboard solutions allow monitoring from the car itself to elsewhere. The right way depends on where the examination can give the most valuable information.

Inspection Approach and IEM Options

Consider Operating Conditions and Inspection Demands

A railway inspection system must also suit the conditions in which it will operate. IEM reports systems working continuously in demanding environments, including windblown sand, heavy rainfall and extreme hump-yard operations, with some applications inspecting as many as 20,000 railway wheels per day.

Against this backdrop, operators should consider not only the condition being inspected, but also inspection volume, continuous operation and the practical demands of railway installation. These factors help determine whether a system can perform reliably within the network's actual operating environment.

Look Beyond Detection: Data, Interfaces and Monitoring

Detecting a railway fault is only one part of the inspection process. The resulting measurements also need to be collected, managed and made accessible in a useful form. IEM addresses this through solutions such as WISE® WheelTrack™,SIMS, Digital Multimedia Recording and Retrieval System, and WISENet™.

Its supporting capabilities include data acquisition, software systems, secure wired and wireless data transmission, user-interface design, and local and remote control. This allows inspection information to support monitoring beyond the initial detection.

What to Evaluate Beyond the Inspection Hardware

Consider Installation and Long-Term Support

Installation should also influence the decision, since inspection technology must fit into railway operations without unnecessary disruption. IEM’s deployment process covers site surveys, equipment-location planning, preliminary drawings, installation planning, and on-site deployment, with systems designed to minimize track downtime.

Support continues after installation through remote diagnostics, daily monitoring, contract maintenance, and periodic certification. In practical terms, an inspection system should serve the network throughout its operational lifecycle.

Why Consider IEM for Railway Inspection?

Choosing an inspection partner also means looking at the depth of engineering behind its systems. IEM began developing railway measurement technology in 1987 and now offers portable, wayside and onboard inspection solutions, supported by capabilities in imaging, software, acoustic sensing, NDE/NDT, 3D metrology, robotics and wireless sensors.

The company says these technologies are developed in-house, allowing it to retain control over their design and intellectual property. The right system begins with the network's actual requirements: what needs inspection, where it should happen, how it will operate, how data will be handled, and what support it will need.

With its broad railway inspection portfolio and integrated WISE technologies, IEM gives operators a range of capabilities to consider when developing that strategy. Explore IEM's railway solutions to identify the inspection technologies that align with your network's specific requirements.