WIRail – Freight railway wagons: here’s the device proposed by the Turin-based startup for continuous monitoring powered by the vehicle’s movement.
The massive development of IoT (Internet of Things) devices and monitoring systems based on MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) sensors has also reached the railway industry. The recent advancements in I4.0 systems have enabled the creation of innovative integrated systems with sensors that are always connected to the network, allowing for a real-time data flow on the operational status of components or systems being monitored—information that was previously inaccessible before these new technologies. These data and devices form the foundation of Predictive Maintenance and Digital Twin development algorithms, tools that are increasingly being adopted as they are critical in optimizing maintenance processes and ensuring safety. Moreover, this data provides essential information on the operational condition and offers an immediate assessment of the safety and lifespan of the monitored device. The key innovation of these devices is their ability to support or replace their power source with energy recovery systems (energy harvesters), making the monitoring sensors completely autonomous and significantly reducing maintenance costs.
In this context, the innovative startup WiRail aims to tackle and solve a problem that remains unresolved and crucial for the diagnostics and safety of freight rail transport. Currently, since freight wagons are not electrified, it is not possible to monitor their real-time condition, operational status, and, consequently, intervene promptly when maintenance or repair is needed. Unlike passenger carriages, freight trains lack an onboard electrical system, which is essential for equipping the vehicle with sensors to collect and transmit information and schedule maintenance.
“WiRail,” states Ing. A. Carlucci, the company’s technical manager, “is an innovative startup founded in 2019 and incubated at I3P, the business incubator of the Polytechnic University of Turin. We will showcase our innovative monitoring and Industry 4.0 solutions, entirely developed in Italy, at the INNOTRANS 24 international trade fair in Berlin. This international event is the world’s most important in the field of railway technology and will take place again from September 24 to 27 in Germany.”
The invention, developed in collaboration between the DIMEAS Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin and the startup Wirail, focuses on a mechanical component present in all railway wagons: the “bearing cap” of the freight wagon. This is essentially a “simple metal cover” that protects the bearing of the railway axle. By installing a monitoring system inside, sensors detect key dynamic parameters of the moving vehicle, temperatures, and its position. This system is self-powered using specialized energy harvesters and creates a wireless network on board the freight wagon. The data can then be transmitted and collected by the maintenance staff of the wagon’s owning company through a dedicated CLOUD service, also developed by WIRAIL’s team of engineers.
This solution aims to enhance vehicle safety through continuous monitoring: it can operate for extended periods without requiring any modifications to the wagon, as installation in the “bearing cap” is more straightforward and non-invasive. Additionally, new devices have been developed with solar and kinetic energy harvesters to power wireless sensors positioned along the wagons, creating a network for comprehensive, autonomous, flexible, and non-invasive fleet monitoring tailored to the specific needs of the customer.
“An all-encompassing application of what I like to call the AIoT—Autonomous Internet of Things,” explains Aurelio Somà, full professor at the Polytechnic University of Turin and co-founder of the startup Wirail. “It’s the self-powered evolution of the Internet of Things, allowing sensors to be deployed on structures and systems that cannot be easily connected to the electrical grid or where batteries alone are insufficient. The project began in the DIMEAS – POLITO laboratories, from an initial laboratory prototype with a patent that was later extended and is now granted internationally. The development and testing of the technology were made possible by creating a demonstrator installed on several freight wagons provided by Ambrogio Spa, acting as a ‘technology partner’. Participation in the global InnoTrans 24 fair also included the registration of a dedicated WIRAIL trademark and the design of a specific stand to give the project the visibility it deserves. The presentation of the device, branded WIRAIL, has attracted significant interest from technological partners in the past few months ahead of its unveiling in Berlin and represents a promising springboard for the growth of this innovative startup.”
Turin, 19 September 2024
