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cbn inserts for reprofiling railway lines

Rail re-profiling is one of the essential aspects of rail track maintenance. Regular track maintenance plays a significant role in the elimination of irregularities and defects as well as the control of the shape, dimensions and surface conditions of rails. Rail tracks are made of carbon steel, and there are strict guidelines on the quality and accuracy of any machining or re-profiling operations that are done on rail tracks. Although rail track grinding is the conventional method of maintaining rail tracks, advances in technology have made re-profiling with milling cutters and pcbn inserts increasingly popular.

These polycrystalline cubic boron nitride PCBN inserts and specially designed milling cutters create a high quality surface that will extend the lifespan of the track and provide a smooth ride for the train vehicles and prolong the life of their wheels. These milling cutters and inserts are coupled to train track vehicles which are used to provide accurate re-profiling. Here is a brief discussion of the type of pcbn inserts that are used for re-profiling of rail tracks.

Rail Head Re-profiling
Re-profiling of the rail head may be done with a milling cutter designed to fit the profile of the rail head. This makes precision milling easier and faster. In this milling cutter, many solid indexable rectangular, or parallelogram-shaped cbn inserts, with multiple cutting edges and surfaces, may be used to mill the head of the rail track. Examples of suitable milling inserts include the LPCW150412, LPMT150412. With these inserts, the head and shoulder of the rail track may be milled simultaneously, using in a cutter designed for that type of operation.

Side or Fish-plate Chamber
The side or fish-plate chamber is the vertical column beneath the rail head. In addition to providing support for the rail head, it also houses the slots for the bolts and nuts that are used to attach rails to each other to form a complete rail track. This portion is usually re-profiled using rotating milling cutters and inserts that can cut effectively at 90 degrees. Parallelogram-shaped inserts with 85-degree corners provide very strong cutting edges that can deliver a long depth of cut. Inserts like the ADCT1545 or ADKT1545 have two cutting edges which can be used for indexing. In addition, the 15-degree positive clearance angle, on these inserts, makes them suitable for various types of milling cutters. They also generate a high quality surface finish.

Groove Profile Machining
Grooves are positioned on rail tracks at intersections or places where the train may make a change of direction. With the help of specially designed form milling cutters, straight and deep grooves and points can be re-profiled in a single operation. Polycrystalline cbn inserts are arranged on the milling cutter to provide an optimal metal cutting rate. Examples of inserts that may be used for this type of cutter include the CNHU series. Their cutting edges are on the top face of the insert so they can be used to cut through the groove as the cutter moves into it. The insert also has double chipbreakers for efficient creation and removal of steel chips.

Conclusion
The efficiency of the rail re-profiling operations depends on the type of cutter and inserts used for each operation. For more economical operations, it is advisable to use cutters that work with standard inserts so that inventory is minimized and the inserts can be used for different kinds of operations and workpieces.

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