Versatile Test Rig

Abstract: This report is about further development of a test rig called the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Test Rig, called the DMRC Test Rig. A method for testing pneumatic valves,used in the systems for train brakes and called brake valves, was developed.The main objective was to automatize the testing of all existing and future developed pneumatic brake valves, made by the company Faiveley Transport, using the DMRC Test Rig. The project was kept at a low cost and with the least´modifications to the DMRC Test Rig possible. In the development process all the DMRC Test Rig components and every pneumatic brake valve was studied so that concepts could be generated. When the final concept was chosen together with the Research & Development team, the execution started. A complete new Ladder code was written for the Mitsubishi PLC system to run and test the pneumatic brake valves. Also a whole new Java code was written to support the RS-232 communication between the Windows XP based PC and the Mitsubishi PLC system, which is used for operating the DMRC Test Rig and storing the captured data. At the end of the project the single port relay valve was tested using the DMRC Test Rig and both the valve and the rig showed good results. The DMRC Test Rig proved to make the performance test 60 times faster than the original test rig. Also the endurance test showed interesting and useful results even when there was not enough time to perform all the cycles required. This report covers the whole product development process from studying the DMRC Test Rig components to testing the valve. The report can be used for future developers.