Vossloh is introducing the Cloud-based platform, Vossloh connect, whose applications will drive the digitalisation and the transformation of the rail industry. The platform offers an array of cutting-edge solutions designed to optimise rail infrastructure management and maintenance as well as contributing to increased safety, reduced costs and improved overall performance.
Vossloh has created a one-stop-shop-platform for railway customers across the rail network. It offers a comprehensive suite of digital solutions, seamlessly integrated into one single, user-friendly system.
The platform offers customers not only access to Vossloh’s self-developed solutions for various areas of rail infrastructure but is also open to selected third-party partners offering complementary products and solutions. The tools enable real-time monitoring capabilities providing instant insights into rail network performance and asset health, as well as relevant information for predictive maintenance. Furthermore, the platform comprises advanced analytics and alert systems in order to significantly reduce the risk of accidents and disruptions. This is not only crucial for safety within the railway industry but also helps to reduce costs for emergency repairs and extends the lifespan of the rail assets and therefore contributes to sustainability.
The platform also offers a range of sophisticated predictive maintenance algorithms, forming the core of Vossloh connect. It enables rail operators to schedule maintenance tasks more efficiently while reducing downtime and costs, as customers have constant access to track condition data via Vossloh connect. The visualisation in the Vossloh applications makes this data intuitively usable and translates it into recommendations for tailormade action.
Valuable insights
Certain Vossloh in-house developed solutions offered on the new platform are focusing on switches as one of the technically most complex and fault-prone elements of the rail track:
- Smart Turnout: Provides advanced monitoring of switches, including information on vertical displacement, train speed and train recognition.
- Smart Point Machine: Enables quick asset assessments and adjustable alarms and can be adapted to any specific customer needs. Advanced monitoring prevents failures of point machines and specific algorithms aim at failure prognosis and forecasting.
- SMV: With a set of laser-equipped sensors the solution, SMV measures displacement and vibration to provide insights on tamping needs of the ballast bed in the switch area, but also to assess maintenance effectiveness.
- Mapl-e: This concept offers a seamless solution combining measurement, analysis, and maintenance, in order to reduce and control costs through combined grinding-activities and train-based measurement. It allows for continuous data collection even during high-traffic periods, providing rapid access to valuable information and increasing operations efficiency.
- Data Lab: Vossloh’s Data Lab can be considered the ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ in statistics, offering rail-infrastructure data visualisation for insights, statistical KPIs and alarms for monitoring, topped with a flexible dashboard for asset oversight.
A portfolio composed of renowned partners
In addition, the platform serves as a marketplace for selected third-party providers or partners and their solutions. Among them are the Swedish company Strainlabs, which brings expertise in connected bolts to the platform. Strainlabs' sensor-equipped bolts allow the platform-user to gather real-time data on the stress and strain, enabling proactive maintenance and enhancing the overall safety and reliability of rail systems.
Another partner of Vossloh connect is Cervello. Headquartered in Israel and deployed worldwide, the company specialises in cybersecurity solutions tailored for the railway industry. With the rise of digitalisation, ensuring the security of rail networks is of growing importance. Cervello's expertise in protecting rail critical infrastructure against cyber threats adds a layer of security that is essential in today's interconnected world.
German RailWatch is another example for joint forces with Vossloh connect. The company’s innovative system for monitoring wagon and train conditions enables rail operators to gain comprehensive insights into the health and performance of rolling stock.
"Vossloh connect is not just a platform – it is our commitment to shaping the future of rail transportation. With our own digital solutions and the remarkable contributions of our partners, Strainlabs, Cervello, and Railwatch, we are forging a path toward a safer, more efficient, and sustainable railway industry. And we are open to build partnerships with additional digital companies as well. Together with our partners, we are redefining the capabilities and opportunities of this dynamic sector, and I am excited about the transformative impact this integrated digital ecosystem will have on the world of rail,” says Oliver Schuster, CEO of Vossloh AG.
Becca is the latest member to join our team and is eager to get stuck into the world of fasteners. She brings an enthusiastic and fresh outlook on what we do editorially and will be leading our social media activity – including sourcing material, editing articles and posting online.
