The document provides details about Shani Kumar Singh's 6-week internship at the Rail Wheel Plant in Bela, Bihar. It includes a description of the plant's facilities and wheel manufacturing process. The plant uses electric arc furnaces to melt scrap steel, which is then poured into molds to form cast wheels. Different shops support activities like mold repair, final processing of wheels, and maintenance. The internship report provides technical details to give insight into the plant's operations.

1. 6 Week Internship Report File
(23/05/2015 - 03/07/2015)
Rail Wheel Plant, Bela (Bihar)
Submitted by:
Shani Kumar Singh
B.Tech (Mechanical)
Roll No. : 1344948
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3. 1. Introduction ……………………………….......……………….4
2. Foundation ………………………………...…………………..5
3. Wheel ………………………………………………………….6
4. Cast wheel specification ……………………………………….7
5. Raw Materials …………………………………………………8
6. EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) …………………………………...9
7. Flow chart of wheel manufacturing ………………………….11
8. Shops ………………………………………………………...13
9. Steel melt Shop ………………………………………………14
a. Scrap bin ……………………………………………….14
b. LPH and electrode assembly station …………………...15
c. Ladle repair station ……………………………………..16
d. Flow chart of melt shop activities ……………………...17
e. Melting …………………………………………………19
i. Charging ………………………………………….19
ii. Arcing …………………………………………….20
f. Tapping ………………………………………………...21
10. Mould Repair Shop ……………………………………22
11. Mould Room …………………………………………..24
12. WFPS …………………………………………….…….27
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4. Introduction

Rail Wheel Plant (RWP), Bela is the 8th
Production unit and 2nd
Wheel Plant of Indian Railway.

1. Rail wheel Factory, Bangalore
2. Integral Coach Factory, Chennai
3. Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala
4. Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi
5. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, Chittaranjan
6. Diesel Loco Modernisation Works, Patiala
7. Rail Coach Factory, Raebareli
8. Rail Wheel Plant, Bela

It Manufactures Box-N Wheels for Wagons.



295 acres of Campus. 195 acres for Factory and rest 100 acres for
Colony.



Name Changes: WMP (Wheel Manufacturing Plant) to CWP (Cast
Wheel Plant) to RWP (Rail Wheel Plant).


Cost of One Wheel = 50,000 INR



Life of wagon wheel is less than the coach wheel because of lack
of maintenance.

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5. Foundation:
 In 2004, it is announced by Railway Minister
Laloo Prasad Yadav.

 Construction is started in 29th July 2008.

 2011, 1st test of plant.
 And Work is started by 2013
 Cost = 1500 cr INR

 Annual Gross
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6. Wheel
Rim
Plate Hub Flange Tread
Dimension:
Diameter of wheel: 1000 mm
Diameter of bore: 200-213 mm
Thickness of Plate: 22 mm (Min.)
Diameter of Tread: 983-1007 mm
Flange Height: 28.5 mm
Hub Thickness: 190 ±6 mm
Hub Projection: 63 +9,-3 mm
Rim Thickness: 127 +4.5 mm
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7. Cast Wheel (Box-N) Specification:
 IR Specification: R-19/1993 Part III.
Chemical Composition:
S.No. Element Percentage (%)
1. Carbon (C) 0.57-0.67
2. Manganese (Mn) 0.60-0.80
3. Silicon (Si) 0.15-0.70
4. Phosphorous (P) 0.03 max.
5. Sulphur (S) 0.03 max.
6. Chromium (Cr) 0.25
7. Copper (Cu) 0.15
8. Nickel (Ni) 0.25
9. Cr+Ni+Mo 0.40
10. Hydrogen (H) 3 ppm
11. Nitrogen (N) 0.007
12. Aluminium (Al) 0.06
Physical Properties:
S.No.
1. UTS (Rim Value Min) 98-100 Kg/mm2
2. Yield Strength (Min) 50% of UTS
3. Elongation % (Min) 5%
4. Hardness Range (BHN) 277-341
5. Micro Structure Fine Pearlite
6. ASTM Grain Size 7-8
 ASTM – American Standard Testing Material.
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8. Raw material
Scrap:
Here Railway’s scrap is used as Raw Material. In the scrap
which is used as raw material is normally old wheels and wagons.
All the scrap is stored at the “Scrap Pre conditioning bay” and then
cut into small pieces. Scrap size is less than 12 inch.
Rejected Wheel:
In the process of wheel manufacturing a number of wheels
are rejected. These rejected wheels are also used as Raw Material.
Chip:
Chips are formed during the machining of wheel. These chips
are also used as Raw Material.
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9. EAF (Electric Arc Furnace)
Electric Arc Furnace melt the scrap at the temperature
of 1700ºC. EAF is only used for scrap not for ores.
EAF is stand on the two large “Rack and Pinion” gear system
and have tendency to tilt forward and backward. Tilting of EAF is
used to remove slag and tapping of molten metal.
There are three hydraulics in EAF. Two hydraulics are used in
tilting and another one is used in open and close the furnace roof at
the time of charging of furnace.
No. of EAF in the Plant: 3
Time taken in one heat: 3-4 hour
No. of heat per day: 4/EAF
Molten metal per heat: 20 Ton
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10. Casting of wheel in one heat: 28-30
Specification:
Capacity: 21/23 Ton
Electric Power: 11 KV, 3 Phase, 50 Hz
Compressed Air: 4.5 Kg/cm2
Cooling Water: 3.5 Kg/cm2
Production of Molten Metal: 20 Ton
Cost of Machine: 57.99 Cr INR
Forward tilt: 45º
Backward Tilt: 15º
Manufacturer: M/s Eastern Metec, Kolkata
Salient Features: 1. A suitable fume extraction system (for collect
the hot fumes) and ventilation system (for supplying cool air to the
staff working in front of the furnaces as well as the control room,
transformer room, VCB and hydraulic control room) is provided in
Electric Arc Furnace.
2. The furnace will be working round the clock; disposal system
collect the dust generated over a period of 48 hour with furnace
working round the clock.
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11. Flow chart of wheel Manufacturing:
Bucket Charging
Furnace Charging
Melting of Scrap
Tapping
Pouring
Splitting of Wheel
Hot Wheel Line
Stopper Pipe Cutting
Sprue Grinding
Number Stamping
Hub Cutting
Normalising
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12. Rim Quenching
Tempering
Hub Cooling
Cooling Yard
Loading
Apex Grinding
Cleaning by Steel Shot
Brinell Hardness Testing
Magnaglow Testing
Ultrasonic Testing
Grinding
Warpage Testing
Peening by Steel Shots
Hub Boring
Final Inspection
Dispatch
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13. Shops
There are six important shops are in RWP, Bela.
1. SMS (Steel Melting Shop)
2. MR (Mould Room)
3. WFPS (Wheel Final Processing Shop)
4. MRS (Mould Repair shop)
5. PCS (Plant Care Shop)
6. Utility
Some Other Shop:
1. Sand Shop
2. Road Transport Shop
3. Chemical and Metallurgy Laboratory
4. P.O.H
5. Store Room
6. Scrap Pre conditioning bay
Utility Shop Consists:
1. Pump house
2. Compressor Room
3. Fume house
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14. Steel Melt Shop
Steel Melt shop is the heart of the plant. It consists of
1. EAF (Electric Arc Furnace)
2. Scrap Bin
3. Ladle Repair Station
4. LPH (Ladle Pre-Heater)
5. Electrode assembly station
6. EOT Crane
There are three EOT Crane in the steel melt shop, which is used to
bucket charging, furnace charging, electrode assembly and ladle
transportation etc. Capacity of EOT crane is 45 ton of Main and 15
ton of auxiliary.
Scrap Bin:
All the scrap is kept at the scrap bin for furnace charging. Scrap
is bring from Scrap Pre Conditioning Bay.
There are three types of scrap:
1. LMS (Light Medium Scrap)
2. HMS (High Medium Scrap)
3. Light Scrap
Scrap Size should be less than 12 inch for furnace charging. Scrap
is cutting is done at the Scrap pre-conditioning bay by the help of
gas cutter.
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15. LPH and Electrode assembly station:
LPH
Electrode assembly station
At the LPH ladle is heated at 1200ºC of max temperature. The fuel is
used in heating is LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas). There are 3 LPH.
Temp-time curve of LPH:
Temp (˚C) LPH
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20
TimeLPH(hr.)
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16. It is used to pre-heat the ladles before tapping of molten metal
into the ladle from Electric Arc Furnace to avoid sudden
temperature drop and damage to refectory ladle.
Electrode Assembly Station is nothing but just an electrode
holder. When an electrode is to be small after arcing in the furnace
then bring it at the electrode assembly station and merge with
another electrode.
Electrode is made up of graphite.
Ladle Repair Station:
Ladle is just like a big bucket, it is used to hold the molten
metal from tapping to pouring. Actually molten metal is tapped
in ladle from the furnace.
Ladle is made up of
iron and there are two
layer (lining) of
refractory. Outer lining
is of simple safety
bricks and inner lining
is of 70% high
alumina safety bricks.
At the ladle repair station, ladle is repaired which will broke
earlier. One another thing is doing at the ladle repair station is make a
layer of sand at the opening of ladle to avoid to stick the molten metal
on the ladle and harm it.
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17. Selective Scrap
Scrap Loaded in Bottom Opening
Bucket (Clam Shell Type)
Calcinad Lime
(1500 Kg)
Graphite Powder
(250 Kg)
Furnace Charged (from top) Through
EOT Crane (cut scrap + Additives)
Electric Arc, O2 AssistedMelt Down Start
1st
Sample Taken at Temperature 1570-1585 ˚C
Spectro Analysis
Initial Slag off
2nd
Sample Taken at Temperature 1630-1640 ˚C
Spectro Analysis
Furnace Alloy addition made to both
Ferro Manganese (100 Kg) & Calcinad Lime (200 Kg)
Reducing Slag Mixture
(Graphite Powder 30Kg, Fe-Si 10 Kg, Calcinad Lime 30 Kg)
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18. 3rd
and 4th
Sample taken at
Temperature 1640-1655 ˚C
Spectro Analysis
Carbon (C) not OKCarbon (C) OK
(Lance by O2)
Spectro Analysis
Carbon OK
Ladle Addition
(Graphite Powder as per
test result, Si-
Mn 70-100 Kg, Fe-Si 180-
200 Kg)
Tapping in Ladle at Temperature 1680-1700 ˚C
Slag off Station (SOS sample taken)
Placed at JMP at 1620 ˚C
Hydrogen sample and Final sample taken

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20. Melting:
Melting is takes place in the EAF. EAF is made up of iron and
there are two layer of safety bricks inside of furnace. Inner layer is
built by the Magnisia Carbon Bricks and outer layer is built by
simple safety bricks. The thickness of inner lining (layer) is less than
the outer lining. There is water cooling system provided at outer side
of the furnace. There are 3 graphite rod electrode provided for arcing.
At a time only 2 electrodes are take part in arcing. The electrode of
furnace have 400mm diameter and 1800mm long.
Charging:
Bucket Charging:
In bucket charging,
the proper ratio of different
types of scrap is loaded in
bottom opening bucket.
Bucket charging is used
only for furnace charging. It
is done by EOT Crane.
Furnace Charging:
Furnace charging is a process of load the raw material in
furnace for melting. To get 20 ton of molten metal, furnace is charged
by about 22-23 ton.
Amount of different items in charging:
1. HMS : 14-15 ton
2. LMS : 6-7 ton
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21. 3.Light scrap : 1..2-2 ton
4.Calcinad Lime : 1000 kg
5.Graphite Powder : 250-300Kg
Arcing:
Arcing is a process in which hug amount of heat, light and noise
is produced. When graphite electrode touches the scrap then electric
arc is produced. The heat produced in arcing is cause of melting.
There are three electrode in the furnace operated with 3-phase current
but at a time only two electrodes produced arc. This arcing process
continues about 3-4 hours for full melting of scrap. In the melting
process blow of Oxygen gas is provided, this process is called
lancing.
In the process of melting slug is formed in the form
of Ca3(PO4)2 .
CaO + P2O5 Ca3(PO4)2
The density of slug is less than the density of iron, so slug is float
above the molten metal. This slug is removed by backside tilting of
furnace. Furnace is tilted 15˚ in backside.
Required chemical composition is checked several times during the
melting of metal by the help of spectro analysis. It is harder to
control carbon content. To increase the carbon content, mix the
graphite powder in molten metal and to decrease the carbon
content burn the molten metal by providing O2 and remove carbon
in the form of CO2.
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22. Tapping:
Tapping is the process of removal of molten metal from
Furnace and store it in the pre heated ladle. Ladle is heated at LPH
(ladle pre heater) to prevent cracking of ladle and sudden cooling of
molten metal because of large difference in temperature of molten
metal and ladle. Before tapping Si-Mn 70-100 kg, Fe-Si 180-200 Kg
and graphite powder as per test result are kept in ladle to obtain
required chemical composition. Tapping takes place at the
temperature of 1680-1700 ˚C of molten metal by forward tilting of
Furnace. Furnace is tilted forward by 45˚.
After tapping ladle brings at JMP (john mohr pit). Here two
Al star is mixed in molten metal. At the JMP the temperature of
molten metal should be 1620 ˚C.
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23. Mould repair shop
At the RWP, Bela mould is made up of graphite. Raw graphite
is imported from the USA and China in Cylindrical form. These
cylindrical graphite piece is cut in required shape by the help of
Vertical Turret Lathe.
In the mould repair shop new mould is prepared as well as old
mould is also repaired. These moulds are permanent so it is used
many times. There are two parts of mould, cope and drag. A drag is
used 80-85 times because of simple structure and a cope is used only
30-35 times because of complicated structure.
Radial drilling Machine
Vertical Turret Lathe
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24. There are 10 riser in the cope and these risers are made by
the Radial Drilling Machine.
At the time lathe working graphite dust is produced. This dust
is collected by a suction pipe and used in EAF to increase Carbon
content.
There are two EOT crane in this shop for movement of mould.
After the mould cutting in this shop mould is goes to mould room for
further operations.
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25. Mould room
Mould room consists following:
1. Mould pre-heat oven
2. Cope and drag spray station
3. JMP (John Mohr Pit)
4. Mould cleaning
5. Cope backing
6. Sprue grinding
7. Stamping
8. Hub cutting
Mould pre-heat Oven:
To avoid cracking mould is heated before pouring. Mould is
heated in mould pre-heat oven at max temperature of 350 ˚C. There
are 3 line in oven. Capacity of oven is 24×3 mould at one time. New
mould is heated about 5.5-6 hour while used mould is heated about 6-
8 hour. New moulds takes less time to heat as compared to used
mould because of the permeability of new mould is higher than used
mould. The temperature of mould at the exit of oven is 275-300˚C.
Cope and drag spray station:
There are two parallel line, one is cope spray station and
another is drag spray station. At this station a mixture of 5
chemicals is sprayed on cope and drag by three nozzle at 10 Psi
pressure. Cope and drag are sprayed to avoid molten metal stick
with mould.
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26. Now the mould is ready for pouring, so cope and drag goes to
JMP on parallel conveyer (cope and drag line). Before JMP cope
and drag is assembled.
JMP (john Mohr pit):
At JMP molten metal is poured in mould by Control Pressure
Pouring Technique at pressure of 6 Kg/cm2. It takes about 30-60 sec
per Wheel. Pouring is checked by a thermocouple sensor which is in
one of the riser. After 9.5-10 min mould is splited, at this time
temperature of wheel is about 950 ˚C and sprues are broken by hitting
them. Now wheel is bring at kiln conveyer (hot wheel line). Internal
lining of kiln conveyer is of refractory. Slow cooling of wheel is done
at kiln conveyer. After the exit of kiln conveyer stopper pipe is cut.
Sprue grinding:
By the automatic grinding machine sprue grinding is done.
Sprue grinding machine is fully closed because at the time of
grinding hug amount of sparks are produced. There are 4 sprue
grinding machine. After sprue grinding wheel goes to stamping.
Stamping:
Stamping is done on the back side of hub. Stamping machine is
hydraulic operated. There are 4 thing stamped on the wheel: plant
name (CWP), wheel diameter (1000), Heat no. , Wheel no. and date.
After stamping wheel goes for hub cutting.
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27. Hub Cutting:
Hub cuts by LPG and O2 in hub cutting machine. After
hub cutting wheels go for heat treatment.
Mould cleaning and cope backing:
Mould is clean by sand. After cleaning by sand a flow of
compressed air given to remove dust. Cope is clean after the cope
backing. In cope backing, prepared sand filled in all the ten risers and
centre hole. Cope backing keep safe our mould from cracking and
stick molten metal in mould. After cope backing, cope is clean by
above method. In final stage mould is manually clean.
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28. Wheel final processing shop
1. Heat treatment
a. Normalising
b. Rim Quenching
c. Tempering
2. Hub cooling
3. Air mist cooling system
4. Apex grinder
5. Shot blast cleaning machine
6. Testing
a. Brinell hardness test
b. Magnaglow testing
c. Ultrasonic test
7. Warpage machine
8. Shot blast peening machine
9. Hub boaring
10. Final inspection
Heat Treatment:
Heat treatment is a process of change and gain required
grain structure and hardness. There are three types of heat
treatment is performed in this industry:
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29. Normalising:
In the process of normalising wheel is heated above the critical
temperature and then slowly cooled.
Capacity: 45 wheel
Cycle time: 90 min
Critical temp: 723˚C
Heated at: 1000˚C
Exit temp: 780-800˚C
Heating element: LPG
Consumption of LPG in NF (normalising furnace) = 312Nm3/hr
Rim Quenching:
Rim quenching is the process of water cooling of rim area.
Temp of wheel: 780-800˚C
Total no. of nozzle: 16
No. of station: 6
Time taken: 2-6 min
Tempering (Draw Furnace):
In tempering wheel is heated below the critical temperature.
After tempering ductility increase, brittleness decrease and
machinability increase.
Temp: 500˚C
Capacity of DF: 40 wheel/hr
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30. Cycle time: 120 min
Exit temp: 400˚C
Hub Cooling:
Hub cooling is the process of increase hardness and relief stress
of hub area. Wheel is enter in hub cooling system at 400˚C.
Air Mist cooling system:
Air mist cooling system is used for fast cooling without losing
hardness and grain structure. Air mist cooling system has 160
nozzles who generate a fog environment. Temperature decreases
from 400˚C to 300˚C.
Apex Grinder:
Apex grinder remove the fins produced in wheel at the
intersection of cope and drag.
Shot Blast Cleaning Machine:
Shot blast cleaning operation is carried out to clean scales
formed on the wheel during manufacturing and heat treatment. In
shot blast cleaning machine small steel sphere is forcedly fall on the
wheel. It is operated by compressed air.
Capacity: 1 wheel per minute
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31. Testing:
Brinell hardness testing:
Hardness is tested by Brinell hardness tester which is operated
by hydraulics. Hardness of wheel should be within 277-341 BHN.
BHN stands for Brinell hardness number.
Magnaglow testing:
Magnaglow testing helps to find out the cracks on the surface of
wheel. For magnaglow testing first of all pass the wheel in magnetic
field and then give bath of iron powder mixed water and then pass
through the UV light. In this process cracks on the surface of the
wheel glows.
Ultrasonic Test:
Ultrasonic test helps to find out the internal cracks in the
wheel. In the ultrasonic test, Ultrasonic Rays is passed through the
wheel and study the curve on the computer screen. At the place of
internal cracks curve is sharp.
Warpage Machine:
Warpage machine is used to check the flatness of plate.
Capacity of Warpage machine is 1 wheel per min.
Shot blast peening machine:
Peening operation relives the stresses occurred during
grinding of wheels or stresses developed during different operations
on the wheels, and produced a compressive residual stress. It is
operate by compressed air of 5.5 Kg/cm2.
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32. Hub boaring:
This machine is used for rough boaring of cast wheel. It is CNC
controlled PLC machine.
Final Inspection:
In final inspection the dimensions of wheel is checked.
Measuring instruments used: tape line gauge, go-not-go gauge, plate
thickness gauge, Vernier callipers, rotundity gauge, bore off center
gauge etc.
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