ARGENTINE TRAINS IMPORTANT FREIGHT RAIL TRANSPORT COMPANY

Preventive Maintenance and Staff Safety

Zentricx successfully helped the client improve preventive maintenance processes for rolling stock and staff safety through a “Computer Vision” solution (using images as data).

THE CHALLENGE

The company had over 6,000 wagons, of which only about 2,200 were operational, generating high maintenance and stock costs. The traditional proactive and predictive maintenance process had areas for improvement. The project focused on, for example, ensuring that axis were within the maintenance period (head color), detecting impacts on the rolling band (which cause derailments), spring compression (possible derailment due to overload), and missing bolts from the axle head.
Additionally, it was necessary to check that grain wagons were not operating with open hatches to avoid grain moisture (transport insurance expenses). In the case of hopper wagons transporting stone, it was important to inspect their condition before and after leaving the yard since they were often dented by mechanical shovels.
At various locations (workshops, warehouses, and tracks), situations involving the physical safety of staff were detected, and it became necessary to reduce not only accidents but also reckless actions that could lead to a fatal incident.

THE SOLUTION

Predictive maintenance is a strategy that uses data analysis tools and techniques to detect anomalies in equipment and process operations so that issues can be resolved before a failure occurs.
Zentricx analyzed the best practices within predictive maintenance processes based on the company’s characteristics, including the remoteness of control points, lack of connectivity, and shortage of personnel in remote areas for thorough wagon inspection, among other typical factors of the railway industry.
As a result, it was concluded that the best solution would come from “Computer Vision” technology, which would collect, process, analyze, and understand images from different formations and locations, and then use a central processor to detect predefined parameters to address the identified issues (maintenance and safety).

THE RESULTS

Zentricx conducted the study and analysis of resources and their operation. A series of cameras were installed in different locations (warehouses and tracks) to collect the necessary information. The information was managed remotely, working with local storage (for areas with low connectivity) that later connected to central cloud storage, enabling storage and processing capacity.
Through image analysis, improvements in maintenance and safety processes were made, with necessary indicators and alerts in each case.
The usability of the wagons increased, warehouse waiting times for repairs were reduced (due to better maintenance scheduling), and a physical safety campaign was launched based on detected cases.

• Case 1: Wagon 1 Detection

• Case 2: Wagon 2 Detection

• Case 3: Person Detection

ARGENTINE TRAINS

This company is dedicated to freight rail transport throughout Argentina, covering a track length of 9,100 km. It operates 170 locomotives and 2,200 wagons, transporting over 8,000,000 tons annually.

ZENTRICX

Zentricx is a company that transforms and views business beyond data (Going Beyond Data-Driven). We think, innovate, and drive our clients to rediscover and enhance their products and services.