UPEC INTRODUCED INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AT INNOTRANS 2016

The UPEC Industrial Group introduced innovative products, including those which have no analogues in the world, on September 20-23, at the largest and most representative event of the railway industry – the exhibition InnoTrans 2016 (Germany, Berlin).

This year InnoTrans involved a record number of exhibitors and visitors: about 2940 exhibitors from 60 countries, more than 100 000 guests, numerous of industrial delegations from 20 countries, 114 innovative objects of rolling stock. Among them – the innovative products of the UPEC Industrial Group.

At InnoTrans the UPEC Industrial Group introduced its products for two railway segments – the bearing units of new generation and freon-free air cycle turbo technology HVAC systems.

The new generation of energy-efficient “cartridge” HARP bearing units is distinguished by increased maintenance intervals (800 000 km - 1 000 000 km), optimized profiling, microgeometry and heat treatment, as well as patented lubrication and seals. At InnoTrans-2016 the UPEC introduced doubled cylindrical bearing unit CRU Duplex, tapered bearing unit TBU 1520 for freight and passenger cars, double-row “cartridge” bearing unit CRU HARP for axle boxes of locomotives, sealed cylindrical bearing unit CRB HARP for traction motors of railway rolling stock, and the axle box bearings designed for European freight and passenger cars ("1435 space").

As a significant result of participation in the InnoTrans-2016 we consider the signing of a Memorandum on Cooperation with the largest private wagon-building company in India – "Jupiter Wagons Limited". As part of this partnership, it is expected to create a Joint Ukrainian-Indian production of the bearing units and draft gear PMKP 110 for rolling stock (high-performance shock absorber with increased power consumption of T1 grade, designed to protect the universal multi-purpose freight cars from the longitudinal loads).

"Great opportunities are opened for us to promote our products for railway transport in the Indian market. Besides, the joint venture in India means will require new equipment, machines. It is likely that there will be products of the Kharkov Machine-Building Plant (Harverst), which has huge experience in the production of specialized machines for the engineering enterprises", – says E.A. Simson, R&D Director of the UPEC Industrial Group, Deputy General Director, Director of the Joint Engineering Center.Большой интерес к разработкам УПЭК проявили европейские компании и железные дороги стран ЕС.

European companies and Railways of the EU countries showed great interest to the developments of the UPEC Industrial Group

"We had negotiations with dozens of top managers from leading European railway operators. Great interest in our products was expressed by management of the National Company of French railways (SNCF). There were a lot of interested companies among manufacturers of passenger cars, locomotives wheelsets for wagons, traction motors, dealers, suppliers of these products from the countries of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The only thing that holds us in negotiations and signing of contracts is the lack of certification in accordance with European Union standards", – says E.A. Simson and adds that current priority for Kharkov Bearing Plant (HARP) is to obtain the European certification for bearing products.

"After participating in the Forum of European Railways in the spring of 2016, where the UPEC represented the Ukrainian Railways and performed cooperative report together with “Ukrzaliznytsya” on the theme "Innovative ways to develop the rolling stock", we have established contacts with the top management of the main European railway operator – Deutsche Bahn and continued communication at InnoTrans. At the moment, we are negotiating to certify our bearing products by Deutsche Bahn as a major player in this market", – says E.A. Simson.

It is planned that a standard axle box bearing with parameters of 130x240 mm for freight and passenger wagons of "1435 space" will become the first certified product.

Obtaining the EU certificate as a permission to export to the European countries is quite a long-term process. According to preliminary estimates, it will take from one and a half to two and a half years. This will open up a huge European market, where HARP products will be in demand, as proved by the results of participation in InnoTrans 2016.

"The HARP bearing units for rolling stock are maintenance-free for the entire warranty period, with increased maintenance intervals, provide higher load capacity of the wagon, at the same time can significantly improve safety of traffic and reduce operating costs. Reliability and quality of the HARP innovative bearing units have already been confirmed over the years of successful operation. For more than 5 years ago, 1000 freight wagons in 24 repair depots all over Russia were re-equipped with wheelsets assembled with the CRU Duplex bearings. And until present date, there has not been any failure. HARP bearing units for railway transport are not worse by quality and reliability than world's best brands, but they are much cheaper. Besides, expanding the number of its suppliers, the company protects itself from the monopoly power of large global manufacturers in this market", – says Aleksandr Tverdokhleb, Marketing Consultant.

Another revolutionary development of the UPEC Industrial Group, which has attracted a number of leading enterprises in the industry, is essentially new generation of renewable thermal energy systems – freon-free air-cycle turbo technology HVAC systems (ATT HVAC), which have no analogues in the world.

Turbo-compressor air cycle system is an alternative energy system based on renewable energy sources (air) and does not use freon for cooling or any other refrigerants, as well as does not use heating elements or combustion processes for heating. It is designed for ventilation, heating and air conditioning in passenger cars, commercial and industrial premises.

Energy-efficient ecofriendly air-cycle climate system can completely replace the freon air conditioners and heating boilers in passenger cars, reducing weight of the passenger train, which equals to the weight of a car (when installing air climate system instead of hot-water heating systems, the weight of passenger car is reduced by at least 3 000 kg or, based on the 25-passenger car train, saving in weight is about 75 tons).

In addition to the absolute eco-friendliness, ATT HVAC system is distinguished by high energy efficiency with a low coefficient of recirculation, variable speed (work in any weather conditions at temperatures from -50°C to + 50°C), as well as the high quality of the air in the cooled/heated room (fresh air up to 100%).

Today ATT HVAC system is particularly relevant for the European rolling stock, as from 2017 in the EU the application of fluorinated refrigerants (freons) in vehicles will be prohibited according to a number of Directives. European railways until 2020 need to find an alternative to freon systems in trains. Ukrainian railway network also requires such changes.

"At present day, several major players in the air-cycle technologies market expressed interest in joint cooperation – E.A. Simson notes. – According to results of negotiations with the owners of several companies we have every reason to believe that the joint project on development and installation of the air-cycle combined system in certain European cars will be realized".

For the first time representative of Liebherr – the world leader in climate systems field – has visited the booth of the UPEC Industrial Group. "The Liebherr is well aware of our development, as representatives of the company visited all our presentations, but has not expressed interest in our know-how yet. At InnoTrans General Director of Liebherr announced interest in the production of multi-mode climate system, and possible joint development with the UPEC Industrial Group», – says EA Simson.

ATT HVAC system without freon or other refrigerants, which is designed by the Air Turbo Technology Department and the Joint Engineering Center, is a unique system of its kind, because it performs functions such as cooling, and heating, ventilation, combined with the volume of inflows of up to 100% fresh air, and through the use of aerodynamic bearings in the system, there are no oil or grease, which makes the climate system 100% ecofriendly and "green energy" safety unit.

"According to the results of the exhibition there have been started negotiations with several companies on cooperation to install ATT in passenger cars. Our stationary climate system is of no less interest. The Finnish company Lumikko suggested a joint project on the application of ATT HVAC system in the railway infrastructure – railway stations, waiting rooms and other stationary objects. In the climate conditions of the north of Europe, our climate system most clearly demonstrates the advantages of its work – says E.A. Simson and concludes: – We have products to offer for European market".

The revolutionary developments of the UPEC Industrial Groups have received the status of "World Premiere" twice – at InnoTrans in 2012 and 2014.

Reference:

The UPEC Industrial Group is the largest Ukrainian private engineering company, which combines a number of leading engineering centers and engineering companies with more than half a century of history. The company was founded in 1995 and now develops as engineering industrial group aimed at the introduction of innovative developments in various industries of engineering.

Kharkov Bearing Plant (HARP) is a leader in the CIS for the production of bearings and bearing units for the railway industry, agricultural machinery, transport engineering and automotive industry.⁠