The successful trial rolling of my country’s first train wheel hub ended the history of my country’s dependence on imports for train wheels. What is the manufacturing process of train wheels? First, steel is made into a formed wheel through processes such as smelting molten steel, casting, cutting, pressing, stamping, and cutting. The manufactured wheels must meet the standard diameter and quality before they can be combined with the axle. The manufacturing process of train and high-speed rail wheels is similar, except that the wheel diameters of different trains are different. The wheel diameter of China’s railway diesel locomotives is 1050mm, and the wheel diameter of electric motors is 1250mm. The speed of high-speed rail is twice that of trains, and the materials used are more complex. It was not until 2015 that my country manufactured medium-carbon Si-V microalloyed D2 material wheels, breaking the foreign monopoly. This move also rewrote the history of high-speed rail, and even exported to countries such as Germany and India. But why do trains use metal wheels instead of rubber tires? First of all, rubber tires increase the energy consumption of trains, and most trains are electrically driven, requiring metal wheels to ensure a conductive closed loop. Therefore, metal wheels are more suitable. And if you look closely at the inside and outside of the wheel, you will find that the diameter of the inner ring of the wheel is large and the diameter of the outer ring is small. So why is this?
Next, let’s take a deep look at the manufacturing process and reasons for the use of train wheels. The manufacturing process of train wheels is a complex process. First, the configured steel is poured into the furnace, and the molten steel is smelted at high temperature and poured into the shaping pit to cast round steel with a length of about 6 meters. Then the cooled round steel is cut into small pieces by a cutting machine to obtain a wheel mold. Each wheel mold weighs about 450 kilograms. The wheel mold is hoisted onto the conveyor belt with an electromagnetic crane and sent to the rotary furnace to swing the wheel into a ring. When it is taken out, the temperature of the wheel is as high as 1300℃. Then the ring-shaped hot steel is placed on the hydraulic press, and the weight of 10,000 tons directly presses the hot steel into the shape of a wheel. Then the roller mill is used to shape the wheel. After the diameter reaches the standard 91cm, the round hole for installing the axle is pressed out of the center of the wheel. Finally, the surface of the wheel is sprayed with cold water to make the steel harder. Afterwards, the wheels will be sent to the machine tool workshop for cutting of the wheel rims and axle holes. The wheels that meet the standards will be coded and labeled, and finally sent to be combined with the axles. The axles are also made of round steel with the cooperation of robotic arms and forging machines.
This manufacturing process is delicate and complex, and requires strict quality control and production standards to ensure that the final wheels can safely and reliably transport passengers and goods. The manufacturing process of train wheels is also applicable to the manufacturing of high-speed rail wheels. The difference is that high-speed rail is faster, so the materials used are more complex. my country was once restricted by high-speed rail wheels. It was not until 2015 that medium-carbon Si-V micro-alloyed D2 material wheels were manufactured, which completely broke the foreign monopoly. This also accelerated the development of my country’s high-speed rail, and even exported it to countries such as Germany and India, rewriting the history of high-speed rail. Why do trains use metal wheels instead of rubber tires? First of all, rubber tires increase the energy consumption of trains, and most trains are electrically driven, requiring metal wheels to ensure a conductive closed loop. Therefore, metal wheels are more suitable. And if you look closely at the inner and outer sides of the wheel, you will find that the diameter of the inner ring of the wheel is large and the diameter of the outer ring is small. This is because the force borne by the wheel during driving is uneven, and the inner and outer rings are designed with different diameters to better adapt to the complex operating environment. In short, the manufacturing process of train wheels is very complicated and requires strict quality control and production standards.
my country has manufactured medium-carbon Si-V micro-alloyed D2 material wheels, breaking the foreign monopoly and even exporting them to countries such as Germany and India, rewriting the history of high-speed rail. Therefore, we should pay more attention to and support the development of domestic high-speed rail wheels and contribute to the development of my country’s railway transportation. As a reader, what do you think of the development of domestic high-speed rail wheels? How competitive do you think domestic high-speed rail wheels are in the international market? Welcome to leave a message for discussion. What is the driving principle of high-speed trains? Why can high-speed trains run so stably? Why does the train not derail during high-speed driving? Let us uncover the mystery of the stability of high-speed train driving. First, let’s take a look at the wheel structure of high-speed trains. During driving, the two rows of wheels can rely on the outward extrusion force to stick firmly to the rails. Moreover, the wheel surface is a cone, which can ensure the balance of the vehicle to the greatest extent. When the wheel is offset, it will naturally adjust to the other side to ensure that the inner edge of the wheel will not rub against the rail. This design effectively ensures the stability of high-speed trains during driving.
In addition, the two rows of rails we see seem to be on the same horizontal plane, but they are not. There is a height difference between the two rows of rails, especially at the turning point, the track will tilt inward at a certain angle, all to help the train run smoothly. This design allows the train to pass through the curved track smoothly during high-speed driving, maintain stability, reduce lateral shaking, and ensure the comfort of passengers. In summary, the key to the high-speed train’s stable driving lies in its precise wheel structure and rail design. The conical structure and adjustment function of the wheel, as well as the height difference design of the rail, jointly ensure the safe and stable driving of the high-speed train. So, what do you think of the driving principle of high-speed trains? What breakthroughs do you think there will be in the design of high-speed trains in the future? Welcome to leave a message to share your ideas!
Post time: Apr-08-2025