Hardware and software complex (HSC) for defectoscopy of rails by ultrasonic and magnetic methods of control is placed and mounted in specialized mobile defectoscopy vehicles that perform non-destructive testing of rails R50, R65, R75 laid in the track at a speed of up to 60 km/hour.

The complex can be used when re-equipping ultrasonic and magnetic defectoscope cars for the combined variant of control, and work in the combined variant, using ultrasonic and magnetic methods of control.

Number of active control channels – 18 (for ultrasonic method – 16, for magnetic method – 2).

The complex provides the form of information presentation on the monitor screen on ultrasonic control channels in the form of sweep type B. It also provides real-time display on the monitor screen, recording and storage of oscillograms of signals with real amplitude (sweep type A) on all control channels. (Fig.1)Automated processing of the recorded information according to the established processing criteria, allows you to quickly make a transcript of the results of the passage in the process or at the end of the control. (Fig.2)

Each of the information channels operates with its own setting number with programmed parameters. It is possible to change numerical values of all adjustable control parameters from the PC keyboard.

The absence of acoustic contact in each of the ultrasonic control channels is registered and a protocol of absence of acoustic contact on the inspected track section is issued for all ultrasonic control channels.

RDM-15K is equipped with contact separate-jointed and inclined resonators, providing the sounding scheme, identical to the sounding scheme of flaw detector RDM-22. (Fig.3)

Schematic of sounding of hardware-software complex RDM-15K

Feeding the complex:

Advantages of the complex in comparison with existing mobile means of control:

-flexible system of channel synchronization allows to easily adapt the complex operation to different sounding schemes.

The proposed scheme of sounding in the ultrasonic channel using wide-capture resonators with input angles of 55º and 45º, developed by RDM, allows to sound the rail better from the working and non-working edges and to obtain a more extended record of bolt holes (and consequently of code 53 defects), which increases the reliability of inspection and facilitates the decoding of the record;

– recording of signals in the process of control is carried out in the form of B and A sweeps in real time throughout the entire passage;

– possibility to view the recorded information at the level from minus 6 dB to 6 dB relative to the set sensitivity value;

– in the channel of the RS resonator, the gain adjustment in the echo and ST method zones is performed separately, which makes it possible to adjust to the required sensitivity and to work simultaneously on echo and STM with one RS resonator;

– oscilloscope mode (A-type sweep) in the ultrasonic channel provides operative and qualitative adjustment of the equipment to the required level of sensitivity for all control channels, allows measuring the main parameters of transducers according to the SO-3P sample and performing other studies;

– automatic processing of the recorded information according to the set processing criteria allows to significantly reduce the time for deciphering the control results.

Since August 2008 the hardware-software complex RDM-15K has been successfully operated on the Belorussian railroad in magnetic defectoscope car No. 72786, retrofitted with ultrasonic control system.

In March 2009, on the Northern Railway (RF), by the order of JSC “Russian Railways”, acceptance tests of APK RDM-15K were conducted. Due to its high efficiency, the complex was recommended for use in mobile defectoscopy facilities on the railroads of the Russian Federation. Since February 2010. AIC RDM-15K has been in operation on Kuibyshevskaya Railway (RF).