Pandrol Unveils i+weld Product Range at InnoTrans (UPDATED 10/8)

Pictured at the Pandrol stand are (L to R) Nicolas Demond (Head of Engineering), Maria Nilsson (Head of Equipment), Nicolas Groult (CEO) and Thibaut Descamps (Head of Welding).

Courtesy of Pandrol

BERLIN - On September 24th at InnoTrans in Berlin, Pandrol will unveil its i+weld product range.

To showcase this product range, CEO Nicholas Groult was joined by Thibaut Descamps (Head of EMEA ATW), Nicolas Demond (Head of Engineering), and Maria Nilsson (Head of Product Line Equipment & Control) to “launch their new state-of-the-art technology through a series of demonstrations.” According to the release, Pandrol’s i+weld product range is a new welding solution made of seven devices which relies on “automation and data to improve the overall operational experience and promises to completely transform the aluminothermic welding process, increasing productivity by 40% through improved reliability and ergonomics.”

In September, Pandrol’s Center of Engineering (welding equipment) Head Nicolas Demond said, “We are very excited to launch the i+weld solution at InnoTrans this month. It is a worldwide innovation which will vastly improve the levels of welding precision and efficiency. Pandrol has always been at the forefront of rail infrastructure technology and we pride ourselves in having delivered truly pioneering solutions which are used right across the industry. The new i+weld is the very future of welding and promises to make a significant and hugely positive impact on the way in which engineers around the globe weld our tracks.”

At the event, CEO Groult said, “Pandrol’s long-held traditions of design excellence, product reliability and skilled engineering have ensured our place as a recognized leader within the rail infrastructure market. Innovation has always been at the heart of Pandrol, and today’s launch is yet another example of our great company stepping forward to deliver a product which will not only make the process of track welding easier, but will also make it more efficient, more sustainable and more reliable. The i+weld solution – including the newly patented i+align innovation – promises to revolutionize the welding process across the globe in what we truly believe is a game-changing moment for the industry.”

Below are the seven products of i+weld:

• “i+align: The new and patented automatic aligners automatise the critical step of aligning the rails, saving time and improving accuracy.
• “i+seal: Moulds are sealed automatically during the preheating of the rail, creating a tight seal.
• “i+heat: The automatic preheater makes the preheating error-proof and improves preheating quality globally
• “i+ignite: The portion ignition device simplifies ignition.
• “i+detect: The defect detection technology uses an ultrasonic stick to automate the process.
• “i+cool: The water-cooling unit is designed to accelerate cooling of the weld, cutting down the welding time.
• “i+connect: The cloud-based application gathers all welding data and allows for precise documentation and monitoring of the operation.”

InnoTrans took place from September 24th to 27th at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds and hosted around 3,000 exhibitors from over 50 countries.