How Modern

Materials can
Optimize Asset
Design
Smart railway OEMs are now building wagons that
are lightweight, and have low payload to tare ratio
 Transportation | Whitepaper

Contents

Abstract 1

How Emerging Technologies Can 3

Redefine Railway Operations

Capacity Enhancement for Future- 4

Ready Railway Systems

Our Solution: Leveraging the Cyient 5

Edge

Success Stories: Unlocking Value with 7

Innovative Solutions

The Cyient Thought Board 9

References 10

About the Authors 10

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Abstract

Operating more than 20,000 trains a day, Indian Railways is the third biggest railway
network in the world and a key driver of the country’s economic development. However,
increasing competition from alternative modes of transport, primarily road, has
resulted in substantial loss of revenue for this national transporter. Rise in the number
of rail accidents is also a major concern. To improve passenger experience, safety,
and overall efficiency of the railways, it is crucial to incorporate superior engineering
technologies and modernize assets that have become redundant over the years.

Indian Railways (IR) is the third largest railway
network in the world with 7,2161 railway
stations; 1,33,1602 railway bridges; 11,1223
locomotives; 68,8364 passenger coaches;
251,2565 freight cars; and 66,6876 route
kilometers. Today IR operates more than
20,000 trains each day, comprising 12,6177
passenger trains and 7,4218 freight trains. In
2016-17, it transported 1,107.1 million tons9 of
freight traffic and 8,219 million passengers10.
Indian Railways currently employs 1.331 million
people11 and posted an annual revenue base
of INR 158.8 billion12 as of March 2017. IR’s
vision is to be the key driver of India’s economic
growth story by becoming financially more
viable, environmentally friendly, and increasingly
focused on achieving excellence in passenger
safety and experience.
In recent years, however, there has been
a disproportionate diversion of freight
and passenger traffic to other modes of
transportation, primarily road. This has caused
a substantial loss in revenue to IR and has also
imposed a heavy burden on the country, which
is measurable in terms of a much larger freight
cost to GDP ratio and higher environmental
cost per route km of freight and passenger
traffic as compared to other countries. There
is an undeniable and urgent need to enhance
capacity and modernize Indian Railways to meet
the country’s social and economic aspirations of
the 21st century.
With modernization and restoration of balance
in the intermodal transport mix, railways can
be a significant engine of inclusive growth
and development for the country. IR will then
create more jobs, save energy, and conserve
the environment while moving people, raw
materials, and goods more efficiently across
the country. Highly critical industrial inputs such
as coal, which contributes nearly 45% to IR’s
freight traffic, will get the much-needed special
attention as a modernized railway system will
focus on efficient and effective evacuation,
movement, and delivery of coal or other
important goods.

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 Transportation | Whitepaper
Leveraging new opportunities would, however,
require generational change with bold vision,
clarity, and multiple new initiatives to look
beyond the day-to-day operations and toward
building next-generation technologies,
networks, systems, and processes. This is
essential to significantly enhance safety,
productivity, efficiency, and quality of services.
At present, there is a unique window of
opportunity, which must be capitalized with a
sense of urgency to transform the railways to
deliver timely benefits to the people and the
nation.
This paper discusses how organizations such
as the Indian Railways, can leverage design and
system re-engineering solutions along with
predictive and reliability analytics to effectively
maintain and enhance the existing rolling
stock. The paper also provides an overview of
02
product and system engineering technologies
and services, and how they can be effectively
leveraged across multiple areas—from concept
to prototype—to improve business outcomes.
At Cyient, we focus on providing agile, effective,
and robust solutions to meet disparate needs
of major railway organizations across the world.
As their strategic partners, we help them
better leverage their design and system re-
engineering solutions and seamlessly adopt
modern technologies in rail and rolling stocks to
enhance productivity.
This paper highlights how Cyient can
make a significant contribution to capacity
enhancement in freight fleets—an area where
Indian Railways is keen to adopt and apply
emerging technologies.
 Transportation | Whitepaper

How Emerging Technologies Can Redefine Railway Operations

The railways are the most preferred mode of transport for more than 70% of the global population.
With changing times, railway operations and services have evolved and are better orientated toward
meeting customer expectations. Management of railways, ticketing systems, and availability of services
are now more robust, catering to the needs of a very large customer base. Let us discuss the areas where
modern technologies are bringing in process excellence to railway operations:

Railway Tracks Rolling Stock

New technologies help enhance capabilities for safe,
secure, and more productive freight and passenger trains
with a focus on expansion and excellence.
They can help assess:
• Present status of track, bridges, tunnels, and rail
overpasses in terms of track structure, category of
track, speed potential, axle load, route-wise, section-
wise, and summarized position
• Need to modernize track/route by way of expansion
of network, raising of speed, increasing the axle load,
fitness for running of double stack container trains, and
longer freight trains
Stations and Terminals
Expansion of new-generation freight and passenger rolling
stock with advanced technological features enhance
capability for higher speeds while lowering per unit costs.
Technology can help:
• Identify present status of coaching and freight rolling
stock in terms of class of travel, speed potential for
passenger trains and payload to tare ratio, and axle load
for freight trains
• Install manufacturing capacity for various types of rolling
stock
• Identify the need to upgrade rolling stock keeping in
view the requirement to raise speed, improve design and
comfort level, and provision of modern facilities
• Identify technologies essential for modernization of
rolling stock
• Deliver local production status and need for import of
technologies

Stations and freight terminals are aggressively being

modernized to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art
infrastructure, services, and facilities.
Passenger Amenities
Emerging technology can be effectively deployed to
measure metrics for improvement of comfort, hygiene,
cleanliness, catering, reservations, and also introduce
modern amenities.
Signaling
Modern electronic signaling technologies help optimize
track utilization and deliver high-speed operations safely
and efficiently.
They can help highlight:
• Present status of electronic signaling at the stations,
both route-wise and section-wise
• Need to modernize signaling for improving safety,
augmenting capacity, and increasing train speed
• Specific signaling technology for modernization

The ICT Impact

Modern information and communication technology is now part of the wagon fleet operations and helps reduce theft and plan
maintenance schedules proactively. Some of the most important advancements impacting the railway sector are in the fields
of security, operations, customer services, and access to railway services.
The impact of ICT includes:
• Utilization of high-capacity digital technology with comprehensive set of functionalities
• New technologies such as high-bandwidth systems and IP-based networks to strengthen safety and security in railways
• Voice data and train control messages are critical for strong security; IP and Ethernet technologies are bringing in new
aspects of secured railway networks
• Video surveillance, and remote access monitoring and equipment telemetry
• Corporate LAN networks integrated with public address systems can be created using advanced ICT
• RFID-based freight consignment tracking can be implemented improving railway freight services

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Capacity Enhancement for Future-Ready Railway Systems

The rail transportation industry is an instrumental player in providing logistical support and
moving products along the supply chain. However, key market trends such as demand for product
individualization, shift from heavy bulk commodities to lightweight products, and smaller consignments
of high-value goods are impacting overall business. There is an urgent need to improve the overall
efficiency of rail transportation to keep pace with the market dynamics and provide sustainable logistics.
Optimization of one key resource—the rail freight wagon—through innovative design and use can help
rail freighters achieve substantial economic efficiencies and growth.

Heavy investments, privatization, and emerging trends are reshaping industries, making them more
competitive and demanding. To move goods faster and more efficiently, freight operators need to
improve process and freight efficiency. A global strategic partner with relevant domain expertise can help
drive significant efficiencies by introducing viable freight and operational best practices.

Challenges: Factors Disrupting Fleet Overcoming the Challenges

Optimization and Efficiency
Freight companies are under severe pressure to
move goods quickly, efficiently, and at minimal
costs. This in turn has increased the pressure
on freight operators to innovate and come
up with new means and methods to improve
fleet efficiency. However, factors such as lack
of visibility into failure data and uncertainty
are making it difficult to predict the reliability
of components, resulting in the needless
accumulation of spares/inventories. The aging
rolling stock equipment is proving to be a
major setback for fleet operations, impacting
operational efficiencies significantly. The
resulting high inventory costs are restricting the
ability of freight operators to invest capital in
new and futuristic products and equipment that
can optimize fleet productivity and costs.
To address these challenges and achieve
business objectives, use of tools and
technologies such as reliability predictions
and failure projections for accurate inventory
planning is critical.
Most of the containers and wagons used
by freight operators today are obsolete
and dated, which makes a time-consuming
process, reducing efficiencies and profitability.
It is essential to upgrade or replace existing
containers and wagons to overcome this
challenge.
Product engineering solutions from
experienced partners can help freight
operators in several ways. For instance, a
partner with deep domain expertise can help
analyze the existing rolling stock and suggest
modifications for enhancing material handling
capabilities. Design re-engineering can increase
carrying capacity of the current wagons and
containers, thus, optimizing usage. Additionally,
advancements in metallurgy and composites
have opened up new avenues for innovation.
These advanced materials can be used to build
wagons, containers, and coaches that are lighter
and more efficient. Lighter rolling stock helps in
reducing the carbon footprint by increasing fuel
efficiency of the locomotive.

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Our Solution: Leveraging the Cyient Edge

At Cyient, we have leveraged emerging product and system engineering technologies to develop
cost-effective, cutting-edge solutions to help customers address business challenges and meet their
organizational goals. Our comprehensive service delivery framework spans multiple areas including:

• System Engineering: Developing system design specifications, identifying and quantifying system
goals, creating alternative system design concepts, performing design trades, and selecting and
implementing the best design. This also includes verification of the design to ensure it is properly
built and integrated, and a post-implementation assessment to verify that the system meets the
specifications and objectives.
• Concept Engineering: Developing alternative concepts, evaluating performance parameters,
as well as merits and disadvantages of each concept to propose a viable solution, and enable
improved decision making.
• Product Engineering: Refining system requirements, creating solution description, building,
verifying, and validating the system.
• Product Optimization and Support: Optimizing the existing and new products for
manufacturability and reliability, and reducing parts’ count through parts or component
commonization.
• Reliability Engineering: Predicting reliability and inventory optimization through failure data
analysis.

Our approach, as depicted in the figure below, extends from conceptualizing to developing the
prototype. In-depth market research, analysis, and stage gate reviews ensure effective solutions.

1 2 3 4 5
Stage Gate-1 Stage Gate-2 Stage Gate-3 Stage Gate-4 Stage Gate-5

Requirement Development of Create solution Optimization Prototype build

analysis alternative concepts description of products
with respect to Testing and
Market research Evaluation of Refine system validation
performance requirements - Manufacturability
Benchmarking parameters - Performance
merits and Verify and validate
- Serviceability
demerits Enabling decision-
making process by - Reliability
proposing viable
solutions

CYIENT‘S METHODOLOGY

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Improving or extending the life of existing wagons and containers can offer long-term benefits to freight
operators. Increased focus on revamping the existing rolling stock equipment helps reduce costs and
make provisions for future upgrades based on market and customer dynamics. We have worked across
geographies and have comprehensive experience spanning more than 20 years in product design and
engineering. We offer solutions across design, repair, development, and innovation, resulting in the
following business benefits:

• Enhanced Performance: End-to-end solutions from concept development to validation that helps
improve freight capacity, meet growing market demands, and provide competitive advantage.
• Optimized Cost: Innovative design and re-engineering solutions that enable freight operators to
optimize cost and enhance fuel efficiency. Additionally, the savings from deferred investments in
locomotive and wagon replacement can be diverted to critical areas of growth.
• Increased Availability: In-depth risk and predictive analysis enhance freight reliability and stability,
and in turn improve its life expectancy. It also ensures increased wagon utilization i.e., use of lesser
wagons per fleet, without impacting the amount of material carried.

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Success Stories: Unlocking Value with Innovative Solutions

Case Study 1
Improving Freight Container Efficiency by Accelerating Innovation
A leading freight operator from an emerging market wanted a new design for a container that would substantially reduce the
cost of unloading manganese ore from fleet/wagon to bulk vessel (ship) and improve freight efficiency.

Challenges Business Benefits

The new design needed to • Significant reduction in time taken for unloading and
• Have gross weight of 30 tons and tare weight of three tons loading the bulk vessel.
(to carry two containers on one flat bed wagon). • More streamlined operations—the whole container can be
• Adhere to ISO 1496-1. unloaded onto the bulk vessel.
• Be bottom discharge and capable of stacking four • Minimal infrastructure compared to setting up of a tippler
containers at a timee. arrangement, saving significant installation costs.
• Increased wagon availability and optimization as containers
Our Solution can be stacked and unloaded later; containers can even be
• The bottom discharge container was conceptualized and stacked on the ship if bulk vessels are not available.
designed to carry 28 tons of ore with overall dimensions of • Enhanced customer experience with greater availability,
20 feet x 8.5 feet x 8 feet, and with an optimized weight of reliability, and cost-effectiveness of our solution.
required three tons.
• The container was validated as per ISO 1496-1: 1990 (E) for
stacking load, lifting loads, and accelerated load cases.
• A hydraulic unlocking mechanism was designed to unlock
the bottom doors and to unload the contents within
minutes.
• An intermediate lifting frame was designed to
accommodate hydraulic cylinders within the frame, which
was fixed to the reach stacker. The reach stacker, along
with the intermediate frame, could lift the container from
the wagon.
• A lever mechanism was designed to lock or release the
doors with the help of hydraulic cylinders.

Case Study 2
Supporting Failure Analysis and Repair of Hand Brakes
A reputed locomotive manufacturer wanted to reduce the replacement cost of hand brakes.

Challenges Business Benefits

Identifying the root cause of the handbrake wheel-wobbling • Provided instruction to repair group to measure and
issue and providing a relevant solution to repair and re-install inspect the component which had contributed to wheel
the same cost-effectively. wobbling.
• Went through design and service tollgate review and
Our Solution successfully cut in project in field locomotive.
• Based on the failure data, a crow model was prepared to • Helped save $4.33 million for the client.
analyze the root cause.
• Teardown analysis of a failed hand brake indicated bush
wear and spring failure.
• Field service personnel were advised to replace bush and
spring in the field to restore handbrake functionalities.

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

Case Study 3
Enabling Locomotive Component Longevity and Reliability Prediction
A reputed locomotive manufacturer wanted to increase the life expectancy of components used in locomotives to increase
productivity and reduce costs.

Challenges Business Benefits

• Validating the possibility of extending components’ life • Conducted lab test on metal/ rubber bushing used in
from 10 years to 20 years. suspension links and extrapolated data for extension of life
• Reducing the cost of labor and materials by extending the from 10 to 20 years.
life of suspension links used in locomotive bogies, until the • Went through design and service tollgate review and
next overhaul. successfully cut in project in field locomotive.
• Helped save $2.56 million for the client.
Our Solution
• We conducted extensive lab tests on metal and rubber
bushing used in suspension links and analyzed the data to
assess the possibility of life extension.
• Failure data analysis and reliability risk assessment were
performed to analyze the impact of failure.
• We proposed that the suspension link be re-used with
minor refurbishments over the next 10 years.

Case Study 4
Delivering Enhanced Capacity and Reduced Costs for Hopper Wagons
A leading freight operator from an emerging market wished to increase carrying capacity of their existing bottom discharge
hopper wagon from 54 tons to 60 tons.

Challenges Business Benefits

• Modify the wagon by retaining the existing underframe and • Helped reduce manufacturing cost by 15% and optimize
restructure the body for enhanced carrying capacity. freight capacity by implementing commonization across
• Suit the body structure for the standard bottom discharge client’s product portfolio.
doors. • Lightweight hopper wagon has enhanced carrying capacity
• Optimize weight to the maximum possible extent for light of up to 80 tons.
weight structure. • Wagon was redesigned with approximately 8% increase in
capacity.
Our Solution
• The wagon was redesigned by increasing the height of
the hopper body to accommodate the enhanced carrying
capacity with adequate structure.
• FEA analysis was carried out in different stages of the
design to optimize the weight of the wagon.

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 The Cyient Thought Board
Transportation | Whitepaper

How Modern Materials can Optimize Asset Design

What factors are impacting efficiency and competence of IR?

Frequent Need for High noise and Growing operation Underutilized

breakdowns and improved safety greenhouse gas and maintenance network
downtime standards emissions costs capacity

What focus areas can benefit from new technology in IR?

Track: For Signaling: For Rolling Stock: Stations and Passenger ICT: For better
network augmented For better terminals: amenities: passenger
expansion, safety, capacity, speed, comfort, For better For improved experience,
and increased and train speed and facilities infrastructure, hygiene, and systems
speed and load services, and catering, and security
experience reservations

What factors are impacting fleet optimization and efficiency in freight?

Lack of Predict Accumulation Aging Limited investment

visibility into reliability of of spares/ rolling stock in new products
failure data components inventories equipment and equipment

How can improving existing wagons offer long-term benefits to freight operators?

Meet Provide Optimize cost Enhance Increase

growing market competitive and enhance freight reliability wagon
demands advantage fuel efficiency and stability utilization

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

References

Statistical Summary—Indian Railways

http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/stat_econ/IRSP_2015-16/Summary%20Sheet_Eng_pdf_pdf.pdf

http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/stat_econ/IRSP_2015-16/Facts_Figures_Eng/14.pdf

The Business Standard

http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/18-interesting-facts-about-india-railways-business-standard-news-115021600404_1.html

The Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/indian-railways-register-rise-in-freight-passenger-business-in-2016-17/articleshow/58084106.cms
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-cm/indian-railways-posts-8-7-revenue-growth-for-march-2017-117041000362_1.html
http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/stat_econ/IRSP_2015-16/Facts_Figures_Eng/22.pdf

About the Authors

Yogesh Mudlapur is Assistant General
Manager, Rail Transportation, at Cyient.
He has over 18 years of experience in the
transportation industry including areas such
as locomotives, rail transportation/rolling
stock, heavy engineering, and automotive.
He has worked with several global OEMs and
helped them in product development, design,
and engineering. Throughout his experience
in India and the US, Yogesh has been focused
on product development, innovation, and
customer relations.
Sugadha Kandi is Project Manager,
Rail Transportation, at Cyient. He has over 35
years of experience in the rail transportation
industry, with more than 25 years in product
design for rail coaches and different types of
wagons in BEML.
He has spent another 10 years of his
engineering career in the design of rail
coaches and wagons for several global OEMs.
He has acquired significant global exposure in
his career while supporting the development
of rail coaches and wagons for OEMs in
Australia and South Africa.

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 Transportation | Whitepaper

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