OREANDA-NEWS.  VUZ, the European certificating authority for rail transport, has issued EVRAZ NTMK with a Compliance Certificate (TSI) for rolled railway wheels with a diameter of 920 mm of design type BA 319, to be used for freight cars. Certification of this new railroad product will allow the company to consolidate its’ position on the European market, especially in Germany.

In order to be awarded the certificate EVRAZ NTMK completed two inspection audits: a technical audit, and a quality management system audit. The technical audit included the verification of all stages of railway wheel production, starting with the steel production process. EVRAZ NTMK’s convertor shop produces special steel grade ER7 with high quality features for the production of BA 319 wheels. The wheels also passed thermo-mechanical tests in an accredited Czech laboratory.

These audit procedures proved the effectiveness of the plant’s quality management system and its compliance with TSI requirements. The expert commission was impressed by the high level of processes of automation for wheel production, and by the archiving data system for each wheel.

This is the second TSI certificate awarded to EVRAZ NTMK. Previously, the plant received a certificate for design type BA 318. Design type BA 319 is used for forming a wheel pair with new axis, while BA 318 is used for wheel pairs with renovated axis.

“EVRAZ plans to expand its’ presence in Russian and foreign markets. Our experts are working on new types of high quality railroad products, including railway wheels”, said EVRAZ Vice-president, the Head of Railway Products Division Ilya Shirokobrod. “This year, EVRAZ NTMK has already delivered its’ first lot of railway wheels for the fifth generation locomotives Evolution produced in Kazakhstan under license from American company General Electric. Our next step is delivering the experimental batch of BA 318 wheels for Deutsche Bahn.”

EVRAZ NTMK is producing a new type of wheel for General Electric; a solid-rolled wheel with curvilinear S-shaped disk 1050 mm in diameter, with superior rim hardness from 320 Brinell and above.