Two types of rails - SAR48 and SAR57 with parameters according to Eurostandard EN13674-1:2011+A1:2017 - have been mastered at EVRAZ ZSMK Rail Shop. These products are intended for use on public railways. EVRAZ plans to supply new rails in length from 18 to 60 metres for Africa in 2022.
The new rails are made of R350LHT steel with increased chromium content. This affects the quality of metal heat treatment, which in turn increases the hardness of the finished product. The technology developed by EVRAZ metallurgists makes it possible to obtain low residual stresses in the rail sole, and the obtained values of mechanical properties and hardness on the rolling surface and cross-section are significantly higher than the requirements of the European standard. These characteristics have a direct impact on the service life of rails.
The new rails were developed according to the drawings of Transnet, the largest railway operator in South Africa. Employees of the rail calibration bureau at EVRAZ ZSMK's Rail and Structural Steel Mill have developed templates and a new rail profile calibration. It involves an increased number of universal gauges and the use of a freestanding finishing universal stand. The new rolling method improved geometry and straightness along the whole rail length. In developing the technology, metallurgists tested three hardening modes, developed a cooling technology and a rail straightening mode.
The new rails are made of R350LHT steel with increased chromium content. This affects the quality of metal heat treatment, which in turn increases the hardness of the finished product. The technology developed by EVRAZ metallurgists makes it possible to obtain low residual stresses in the rail sole, and the obtained values of mechanical properties and hardness on the rolling surface and cross-section are significantly higher than the requirements of the European standard. These characteristics have a direct impact on the service life of rails.
The new rails were developed according to the drawings of Transnet, the largest railway operator in South Africa. Employees of the rail calibration bureau at EVRAZ ZSMK's Rail and Structural Steel Mill have developed templates and a new rail profile calibration. It involves an increased number of universal gauges and the use of a freestanding finishing universal stand. The new rolling method improved geometry and straightness along the whole rail length. In developing the technology, metallurgists tested three hardening modes, developed a cooling technology and a rail straightening mode.