Durgapur Steel Plant achieves success in the second trial for manufacturing the WAG-9 variety of loco wheels using 370 mm Concast rounds

Necessary clearance obtained from RDSO on February 14, 2022 and DSP has been permitted to produce and dispatch Loco wheels to Indian Railways using 370 mm Concast rounds on a regular basis

February 2022 : The Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) has been manufacturing coach wheels for Indian Railways through the Concast route from 340 mm Concast rounds and loco wheels rounds made through the bottom pouring ingot casting route. The coach wheels produced through the Concast route had high productivity and were almost defect free without any rejections in the Ultrasonic Testing. But aimed at striving for newer achievements it was decided to improve the steel quality, overall productivity and elimination & rejection of the loco wheels during Ultrasonic Testing. As such trials were carried out to make wheels from 370 mm rounds through the Bloom cum Round Caster (BRC) route instead of normal bottom pouring route.

Some modifications were made in the caster for casting 370 mm rounds in BRC, as the original machine was designed to cast only 340 mm rounds. Similarly in the Wheel Plant also, the design of the dies was modified to bring the proper profile of WAG-9 variety of loco wheels during forging operation. Remarkable success was achieved in the second trial conducted recently for making the WAG-9 variety of loco wheels using 370 mm Concast rounds. About 130 nos. of WAG-9 loco wheels were produced from 370 mm rounds from two casts and tested. These were found to have zero rejections in Ultrasonic Testing and the wheels were also of excellent quality.

Based on the remarkable success, a detailed report was prepared and mailed to RDSO Lucknow seeking their approval for dispatching the newly produced wheels to Indian Railways. Necessary clearance was obtained from RDSO on February 14, 2022 and DSP was permitted to produce and dispatch Loco wheels to Indian Railways using 370 mm Concast rounds on a regular basis. Thereafter necessary preparations are being undertaken at DSP to henceforth produce all Loco wheels through the Caster route along with phasing out the old cost intensive bottom pouring route. This will lead to significant improvement in Loco wheel production and overall yield of the process.

The credit for this remarkable success goes to the combined efforts and initiatives of employees of SMS, WAP & RCL Department coupled with the support and guidance of senior officials.

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