ICNG maintenance goes smoothly thanks to moveable overhead line

To this end, on behalf of NS, the Watergraafsmeer maintenance workshop in Amsterdam was equipped with a brand-new installation with a moveable overhead line and a crane capable of lifting components weighing up to 1,500 kilograms from the roof of the trainsets. With its full focus on safety, Pilz, international total supplier of solutions for safety and automation technology, made a major contribution to the project completed in June 2020.

Pilz' primary goal is to automate installations in such a way that the safety of man, machine and environment is always guaranteed. Even within the Amsterdam project framework, this aim formed the basis of the work carried out together with main contractor VolkerRail, Broeze Nijverdal and Lifting Plus. Jan van der Heide, active on behalf of Pilz as sales manager business unit Rail, explains the project in more detail. "Previously, the workshop was equipped with a fixed overhead line. However, since most of the technical components and installations of the ICNG are located at the top of the trainsets, maintenance work would be hampered by the presence of the existing overhead line. This therefore needed to be replaced. This eventually led to a new installation with a movable overhead line, a 220-meter-long assembly that can be moved synchronously upward with the help of twenty drives. In addition, a crane was installed that can lift up to 1,500 pounds of equipment from the train roof, and movable platforms were created. These connect seamlessly to the top of the train cars and enable the mechanics to carry out their work comfortably and, above all, safely." 

Special sample

Van der Heide describes the job as unique. And that has everything to do with the fact that such a construction in this form has not been realized before. "Partly because we succeeded in installing the desired crane despite the limited space, together we have created an exceptional piece of engineering here." A feat to which Pilz contributed in several areas. "We collaborated on the complete design and made several important proposals," continues Van der Heide. "In addition, we created and executed the entire electrical and control engineering design. Including the engineering of the hardware and software. Furthermore, Pilz was responsible for the control and safety assessment of the complete installation and we took care of the complete safety file and risk assessment. These are all disciplines that we master to perfection and symbolize our extensive and varied expertise. Also when it comes to rail-related matters.".     

Pilz in the rail sector

Pilz supplies (safety) solutions along the entire railroad, for example in points controls, level crossings, signal controls and control technology. Pilz does this for the entire rail sector; from heavy rail to light rail and industrial rail. Central to the safety solutions is the PSS 4000 Rail automation system, which meets the strict guidelines of the laws and regulations within the rail sector (CENELEC) and is therefore resistant to electromagnetic interference, extreme temperatures and mechanical stress. Pilz also provides training for the rail industry