ABSTRACT
How to meet the challenge of improving the cost effectiveness and performance of rail operations
To meet the constant challenge of improving the cost effectiveness and performance of rail operations, there is an increased need for a systematic approach to optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of rail maintenance. Bombardier have developed and deployed a series of processes and techniques that have resulted in significant reductions in the whole life maintenance of rail vehicles, when compared to the ‘as built’ Life Cycle Cost and maintenance regime. These techniques can be aligned to both improving cost and increased availability (where a fleet of vehicles is operating in a reliable manner) by reducing the duration and frequency of maintenance interventions on a fleet, or a focus upon the stabilisation and increase of in-service reliability.
These techniques are also now enabling the evaluation and implementation of maintenance automation techniques and the deployment of Cycle or Condition Based Maintenance, enabling a step change in maintenance performance, when compared to conventional time and distance based regimes.
This paper will outline the techniques developed, the opportunities that can be addressed and the potential for future step changes in maintenance techniques resulting from a full understanding of how the vehicle is being used, how it is performing and the route causes of cost and performance sub optimisation.
Keywords: Maintenance, Optimization, Condition based maintenance.
