Industry solutions for rail superstructure and railway technology
In rail superstructure, rails, switches, frogs and crossing pieces carry high wheel loads, continuous rolling stress and brief impact peaks every day. This combination of pressure, friction and impact permanently strains the components.
The result is abrasion and corrugation on running and travelling edges, material break-outs on frogs and cracks from alternating loads. Wear leads to rough running, higher maintenance effort and, in the worst case, line closures.
capilla supplies wear-protection solutions, welding consumables and repair services that act exactly where needed and keep rails, switches and frogs safely in service for longer.
Typical welding defects and how we avoid them
Durable repair in rail superstructure only succeeds with the right process control. Especially on safety-relevant components such as rails and switches, two defect patterns occur particularly often, both of which can be reliably avoided with the right approach.
Problem: cracks from incorrect heat control
Rail steels are high in carbon and therefore sensitive to rapid cooling. If a component is heated unevenly or cools too quickly, hardness peaks and residual stresses form that make the weld and transition zone prone to cracking.
Our solution: controlled heat control
With controlled preheating, a matched bead sequence and slow cooling, we keep residual stresses low and reduce the risk of cracking, matched to the respective rail material and the expected service temperatures.
Problem: spalling of the deposit
An unsuitable layer combination or poor bonding to the base material causes the hardfacing to spall under rolling and impact stress. The frog or rail edge is then worn faster than before.
Our solution: matched layer structure
A tough buffer layer compensates for stresses towards the rail steel, a hard top layer resists abrasion and impact. This keeps the hardfacing permanently bonded even under alternating wheel loads.
Suitable welding consumables for rails, switches and frogs
Wear protection in rail superstructure only works if it suits the component. We select wear protection, welding process and filler metal according to the application, depending on the load, rail material and type of wear. Against abrasion and corrugation on running and travelling edges we use wear-resistant deposits, against impact stress on frogs tough, hard alloys. If several loads act simultaneously, we combine the properties in a matched layer solution. Use the following types of wear to find the right welding consumables for the respective application.
Spare and wear parts for rail superstructure and railway technology
Our portfolio ranges from rails and switches through frogs and crossing pieces to switch-tongue and stock-rail assemblies. Added to this are running and travelling edges as well as components for rail processing. Here you will find suitable wear and spare parts for your systems:
Fully automated surfacing welding and additive manufacturing
At the Laser Competence Centre, capilla bundles modern technologies for coating and component manufacturing.
Here, components are specifically heat-treated, wear-resistant layers are applied and complex components are manufactured using additive processes such as 3D cladding.
This enables solutions that go beyond classic welding applications and make rail superstructure components sustainably more capable.
Andreas Frische
Technical Management
Do you have wear problems on rails and switches, recurring damage, or would you like to maintain your track network more economically?
Our experts support you in selecting suitable welding consumables, in the profile correction and hardfacing of components and in developing durable solutions for rail superstructure.
Together we find the approach that suits your application technically and economically.
+49 5202 97790-54
Available from 07:45 - 16:30
a.frische@capilla-gmbh.de
Available from 07:45 - 16:30
Why capilla
Holistic approach
From the filler metal to the finished component – all solutions interlock.
Focus on wear
Specialisation in applications with high impact, rolling and abrasion loads.
Practical consulting
Analysis of real applications in rail superstructure instead of theoretical recommendations.
In-house technologies
Laser Competence Centre for coating and additive manufacturing.
capilla wear protection to component specification
We do not work with standard recipes. Whether rail, switch or frog, what matters is always the actual load acting on the component. Wheel load, hardness, temperature, rolling stress or impact peaks determine which type of wear dominates and which protection really fits.
Before we define the welding consumable, process and layer structure, we analyse the operating conditions. This results in a solution that suits your component. Tested filler metals and defined parameters are part of this, supplemented by standard-compliant documentation for safety-critical components.
Frequently asked questions about wear protection in rail superstructure
Rails, switches, frogs and crossing pieces, switch tongues and stock rails can be repaired. Worn material is built up with high-alloy welding consumables and the profile is subsequently reworked mechanically. capilla repairs loaded rail superstructure components by welding instead of replacing them completely.
Depending on the component and task, we work with manual metal arc welding, MIG, MAG and TIG as well as laser surfacing welding. Surfacing welding for profile correction and hardfacing apply wear-resistant layers precisely where abrasion and impact stress act most strongly. capilla selects the process to match the rail material, component and operating conditions.
In surfacing welding, a wear-resistant layer is applied to a component to extend its service life. This is worthwhile wherever rails, switches and frogs wear through abrasion, rolling stress or impact. capilla uses surfacing welding specifically for wear protection and profile correction in rail superstructure.
On rails and switches, abrasion and corrugation act on running and travelling edges, impact wear on frogs, rolling contact fatigue and corrosion from weather and de-icing salt. With the right layer structure these loads can be specifically absorbed. capilla matches the wear protection to the respective load collective of the component.
Against abrasion on running and travelling edges, wear-resistant high-alloy deposits are used; against impact stress on frogs, tough, hard alloys with high crack safety. For combined loads a multi-layer build-up is applied: a tough buffer layer carries the load, a hard top layer resists wear. capilla composes the alloy to match the rail material and load.
Rail heads are repaired by surfacing welding for profile correction. Worn running and travelling edges are built up again layer by layer with high-alloy welding consumables, after which the rail profile is mechanically reworked. This significantly extends the service life without replacing entire rail sections.
Yes, switches and frogs are protected by hardfacing with high-alloy welding consumables. A tough buffer layer compensates for stresses towards the rail steel, a hard top layer resists rolling and impact stress. capilla repairs switch and frog components with wear-resistant and crack-safe alloys.
Pearlitic and bainitic rail steels, manganese hard steel on frogs and cast steel are processed. Welding consumable and heat control are matched to the respective material so that the layer holds and no cracks form. capilla selects the process and filler metal to match the material of the component.
Yes, many repairs can be carried out in the maintenance windows of railway operation to reduce line closures. Especially on heavily used lines, targeted profile correction enables repair without lengthy outages. capilla supports the repair of loaded rail superstructure components.
A repair is worthwhile wherever components are large, expensive or hard to source, for example on switches, frogs and continuously welded rails. Targeted hardfacing significantly extends the service life and is usually more economical than replacing a component. capilla checks for your component whether a repair makes technical and economic sense.