Lathe Machining in the Era of Industry 4.0: Remanufactured Lathe with Integrated Measurement System for CNC Generation of the Rolling Surfaces for Railway Wheels

Abstract : Many projects and researches in the field of remanufacturing of specialized lathes are presented in the specialized literature. In the process of design for remanufacturing, a great number of solutions contain different aspects and data important to consider. The paper presents important stages of theoretical and applied research regarding the modernization of a conventional lathe with two working units by adaptation of four driving chains for CNC advance/positioning movements and improvements of translation couplings, adaptation of CNC equipment for driving and measuring simultaneous both wheels mounted on axle. The reducing of geometrical errors of the running profile is very important in reshaping the worn wheelsets. The lathe remanufacturing process involves the restoration of functional requirements and measurement of the geometric precision. The CNC capabilities of the remanufactured lathe require a database of parametric representation of profiles and rolling surfaces using CAD techniques according to international standards.