 REHAU continues to demonstrate how traditional rail components can be reinterpreted through the use of advanced materials combined with innovative industrial design and engineering
Best known for its patented range of Height Adjustable Insulators for 3rd rail contact systems, REHAU has established itself as market leader. Presently there are approaching half a million installed across the UK. The unique three part patented design eliminates the need for extra pads or shims for height adjustment, helping to reduce stock inventories. The design uses GRP materials and has brought a host of benefits over the traditional steel/ceramic ‘pots’ including light weight, high impact resistance, unique adjustability and an improved dry path. Extensive research has proven that this advanced product is faster to install, easier to adjust and offers greater longevity, thereby ensuring huge cost savings on installation and renewals.
Following on from the success of the over ground Height Adjustable Insulators REHAU’s next development was the Low Smoke and Fume (LSF) Height Adjustable Insulator. The use of this material option, fully approved to London Underground requirements, enabled the benefits of the Height Adjustable Insulator to be offered for tunnel applications. This addition has proven invaluable in reducing frequent and costly replacements in tunnel environments where major water and chemical ingress is present. This has been an ongoing maintenance issue whilst using ceramic insulators.
Functional and cost benefits
Currently REHAU is working closely with many rail sector stakeholders, including TfL, Network Rail, Metronet, Tubelines, key contractors etc. to expand the Height Adjustable Insulator range further for new applications e.g. the London Underground system.
The long list of functional and cost benefits which the REHAU range of Height Adjustable Insulators has repeatedly demonstrated over the traditional systems was only the first step in REHAU’s determination to bring new thinking and modern material solutions to the rail sector.
REHAU has also introduced new polymer based solutions and systems for some long established products and revolutionised their capabilities. The most visible of these is the bright yellow Guard and Protective Boarding which brings not only installation improvements and weight saving benefits but also a new level of personnel safety through high visibility and longevity - polymer does not rot!
Preventative solutions
Following the successful re-engineering of wooden boarding, REHAU has developed a range of preventative solutions to prevent conductor rail short circuits and subsequent service interruptions, which result in very costly penalties paid to the train operators. These rail shroud components are the flexible basis that enables various solutions to be engineered to prevent unintentional short circuit bar application, arcing causing rail and substation damage, rubbish and debris contact to live rails, etc.
In the past decade REHAU has successfully established itself as a partner to the UK rail sector bringing innovative solutions to established infrastructure as well as new product concepts to meet the increasing performance, safety and cost demands of a 21st century rail network.
Having established itself as a well known solution provider in the 3rd rail sector, REHAU has branched out into the greater railway infrastructure. REHAU draws upon its global technical competence in most manufacturing and building sectors and offers ever more beneficial solutions into the rail sector. Just one example is under platform heating systems to minimise ice based on similar systems used in sports stadia.
Another new area for the REHAU UK rail team is drainage. REHAU RAUDRILL and RAUSIKKO products are storm water management systems that have been proven in practice in the general Civil Engineering sector. They are now being launched into the UK rail sector and have proven to offer unique potential. RAUSIKKO in particular has been identified as a suitable drainage trough for use in challenging situations where the traditional products, like concrete, are too bulky or heavy. As with REHAU’s other polymer based rail products, RAUDRILL RAIL and RAUSIKKO enable easier and faster installation resulting in reduced track possession times, need for heavy plant and ultimately a significant cost reduction.
Last, but definitely not least, REHAU is a market leader in component and sub assemblies into the Automotive and Aerospace sector. From cutting edge composites to fully painted bumper assemblies REHAU has the global depth of capabilities to offer the railway rolling stock sector the same level of advanced product solutions and high service levels that it offers its rail infrastructure partners.
REHAU invites you not only to see the range of products and solutions at stand 256 at the INFRARAIL 2010 exhibition but to challenge us to provide innovative solutions for your infrastructure and rolling stock demands, problems and 21st century challenges.
For more information
Jason Chapman, Rehau LTD
Units 5J & K, Langley Business Centre, Station Road, Langley, Slough, SL3 8DS
Tel: 01753 588500
Fax: 01753 588501
E-mail:
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Web: www.rehau.co.uk |
