RESEARCH DESIGN AND STANDARDS ORGANIZATION (RDSO) INDUSTRIAL TRAINING REPORT Submitted in partial fulfilment of award of BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY In ELECTRONIC & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING ByBiswajeet Bose 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT "An engineer with theoretical knowledge is not a complete engineer to develop and apply engineering skill." I express my sincere thanks and GRATITUDE to Mrs. Ranjana Dhawan, Dy. Director Research/E.Lab. who has given privilege to undergo to this industrial training at R.D.S.O., Lucknow. I also want to give a lot of thanks to Er. Anand Prakash SSRE/E.Lab (Project Incharge) for their creative guidance & valuable suggestions while undergoing this training. The help & co-operation extend by the staff of Electronics Lab is fully acknowledgement words are not words are not enough to thanks for their help & guidance. Submitted by Biswajeet Bose (B.Tech 3rd year,ECE.) BBDNIIT,Lko. 2 CONTENT 1. About RDSO…………………………………..4 2. TMRS…………………………………………….11 3. Transducers…………………………………..15 4. LVDT………………………………………………17 5. Accelerometer……………………………….19 6. OMS……………………………………………….20 7. Data Acquisition System………………….23 8. WILD………………………………………………28 9. Hot Axle and Hot Bar Detector………..31 10. TBMS…………………………………………….33 11. Optical Fibre Cable…………………………35 12. Standards………………………………………36 3 a new organization called Railway Testing and Research Centre (RTRC) was 4 . the Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA) was set up in 1903. However.D. which increased the demand of rail transportation . standards and specifications.O INTRODUCTION Railways were introduced in India in 1853 and as their development progressed through to the twentieth century. With Independence and the resultant phenomenal increase in country’s industrial and economic activity. for preparation of designs.S. most of the designs and manufacture of railway equipments was entrusted to foreign consultants.About R. till independence. followed by the Central Standards Office (CSO) in 1930. several company managed and state-owned railway systems grew up. To enforce standardization and coordination amongst various railway systems. setup in 1952 at Lucknow. for testing and conducting applied development of railway rolling stock. research for Central Standards Office (CSO) and the Railway Testing and Research Centre (RTRC) were integrated into a single unit named Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) in 1957. under Ministry of Railways at Lucknow. permanent way etc. 5 . Sr. Cells for Railway Production Units and industries.ORGANISATION RDSO is headed by a Director General. are located at Bangalore. heading different directorates. The Director General is assisted by Additional Director General. RDSO has various directorates for smooth functioning: Bridges & Structures Carriage Defence Research Electrical Loco EMU & Power Supply Engine Development Finance & Accounts Geo-technical Engineering Quality Assurance Metallurgical & Chemical Motive Power Psycho-technical Research Signal Telecommunication Track Testing Track Machines & Monitoring Traction Installation Traffic Wagon All the directorates of RDSO except Defence Research are located at Lucknow. inspection and development work. which look after liaison. Executive Directors and Executive Directors. 6 . Sahibabad. testing and providing consultancy services.Bharatpur. Inspection of critical and safety items of rolling stock. Chittaranjan. Zonal Railways and Production Units and performs the following important functions : Development of new and improved designs. Kolkata. absorption of new technology for use on Indian Railways. Chennai. statutory clearances. Development of standards for materials and products specially needed by Indian Railways. Jhansi. Kapurthala. 7 . Development. adoption. modern and cost effective Railway technology complying with Statutory and Regulatory requirements. signaling & telecommunication equipment and track components. Mumbai. Bhilai and New Delhi. Designs and Standards and Continual improvements in Quality Management System to cater to growing demand of passenger and freight traffic on the railways. Burnpur. FUNCTIONS RDSO is the sole R&D organization of Indian Railways and functions as the technical advisor to Railway Board . locomotives. Bhopal. through excellence in Research. QUALITY POLICY To develop safe. Technical investigation. The Member Staff. Member Traffic.)/Railway Board as members and Addl. Addl. Addl.).Railways members of CBRR consist of eminent 8 . Member Electrical. Member (traffic). To give direction for improving the working of RDSO. Member (Sig). To determine the quantum of direct investment in technology development within the overall allocation of funds under the plan head 'Railway Research'. Addl. Member (Plg)/ Railway Board and Director General.). CENTRAL BOARD OF RAILWAY RESEARCH Central Board of Railway Research (CBRR) consist of DG/RDSO as Chairman. Advisor(Finance). Member (Mechanical Engg). Addl. Railway Board as Chairman. functions of Governing Council are: To identify and approve the R&D projects for technology development on Indian Railways. Non. To review the progress of projects.RDSO’s multifarious activities have also attracted attention of railway and non-railway organizations in India and abroad GOVERNING COUNCIL Governing Council comprises of Chairman. Member (Elect. RDSO as Member Mechanical. Director General/RDSO as member secretary. its members. and Financial Commissioner. Executive Director (Plg. Member Engineering. Executive Director (E&R). Member (Civil Engg. Addl. Addl. Functions of CBRR are: To consider and recommend the program of research on Indian Railways. engineers and senior executives of other research organisations. academic institutions and industrial units related to railway technology and materials. To ensure coordination and assistance from other research laboratories.scientists. To review the research program from time to time. To review the ongoing projects from the technical angle. technologists. 9 . B&S Laboratory has a 6mx14m heavy/testing floor on which full scale models of beam (spans up to 10 m. Some of these are: Air Brake Laboratory is equipped with facilities for simulating operation of air brakes on freight trains up to 192 wagons and 3 locomotives as also for simulation of passenger trains up to 30 coaches. Brake Dynamometer Laboratory has facilities to develop and test brake friction materials for locomotives. brick etc can be tested under static. this laboratory has also been used by R&D organizations of Ministry of Defence like DMRL. slabs. testing and design evaluation of various railway related equipments and materials. A unique facility in India. coaches and wagons. columns. steel. A high frequency ranging 250-700 cycles/min pulsator for the application of a pulsating loads varying from 2 to 20 tonnes and a maximum static load of 40 tonnes on heavy duty testing floor.INFRASTRUCTURE RDSO has a number of laboratories which are well equipped with research and testing facilities for development. DRDL and HAL for indigenization of brake pads for defence aircraft. The Laboratory is equipped with analogue strain indicator. towers. shells and other components made of concrete. multi channel dynamic 10 . dynamic or pulsating loads. for recording various parameters. switching & balancing units. Laser based soil particle analyzer. Fatigue Testing Laboratory for testing prototype locomotive and rolling stock bogies. Geo-technical Engineering Laboratory is equipped with facilities for determining strength parameters of soil in lab and field condition.strain recording system. The Stateof-art Sub-surface Interface Radar (SIR) system. reliability and availability of diesel engines as well as to extract higher output from existing diesel engines. polymers. 11 . data acquisition system etc. springs and other railway equipments subjected to stress and fatigue so as to ascertain their expected life in service. This facility has already enabled RDSO to develop technologies for improving fuel efficiency. petroleum products and paints for providing information to be used in design and also for monitoring performance of materials in service. Metallurgical & Chemical Laboratory is capable of destructive and nondestructive testing of metals. and computerized consolidation test apparatus have been installed in the lab. composites. Diesel Engine Development Laboratory has four test beds capable of testing diesel engines from 100 to 6000 HP with fully computerized systems for recording of over 128 test parameters at a time. acoustic emission equipment. The lab also has computerized Static Triaxial Shear apparatus for determining the strength of soil as well as the design of embankment. block instruments etc. mould growth. universal axle counter. LED 12 .The M&C laboratory include Scanning Electron Microscope. VLSI axle counter. poly-carbonate lenses. such as signaling relays. rain chambers. point machines. polymer and composite evaluation facilities. block instruments. electro-mechanical signaling equipments/ components etc. pulse and respiration rate & is used for stress management exercises. AFTCs. corrosion engineering evaluation facilities including weather meter. thermal analyzer. Direct reading spectrometer. switchmen and station masters for efficient operation. V2F dynamic test rig for grease testing. lube oil filter evaluation rig Cetane rating machine & 50t machine for rubber deflection characteristics. Signal Testing Laboratory for testing of all types of signaling equipments such as safety signaling relays. programmable heat. Ultrasonic Flaw Detector and other non destructive examination equipment. power supply equipments. The ergonomic laboratory of psycho-technical Dte is also equipped with bio-feedback system for assessment of EMG. working signaling equipment & systems have been set up. These equipped with environmental testing facilities as per include. signaling cables. Psycho-Technical Laboratory for assessment of critical psycho-physical attributes of operational staff such as drivers. Signaling Equipment Development Centre has been set up in the Signaling Lab. The working systems include SSI. There is an exclusive environmental testing section ISO:9000. humidity & cold chambers. In addition. static 760 hour AR test rig for grease testing. GSR (Galvanic Skin Resistance) temperature. equipment developed by RDSO. In this Centre. dust. triple pole double filament lamps.. This has helped in rationalizing and optimizing design of track structures for Indian conditions.. Track Laboratory for testing full scale track panel under dynamic load patterns similar to those encountered in service. Mobile Test Facilities for recording of track parameters. For condition monitoring of OHE under live line and to facilitate directed maintenance of electrification. Special rail tensioning system for application of longitudinal forces on rail samples to simulate the thermal forces of the field has indigenously been developed. The facility of fatigue testing of welded rail joints is also available. locomotive power and conducting oscillograph trials for evaluating vehicle-track interaction as also for monitoring track conditions. with capacity of up to 150 tonnes in static condition. RDSO has been entrusted with lab testing of rail samples from various world railways under simulated loading conditions. is being used to conduct testing of different rail samples. as well as for imparting training to newly inducted Inspectors. This centre will be used for testing minor improvements in designs of SSI. axle counters etc. In connection with joint research project of UIC on rail defect management.signal lamps. This system. power supply equipment etc. a Network of testing and recording apparatus 13 . Stresses at the various locations of track components under simulated load conditions are measured and recorded for analysis. have also been displayed. installed and commissioned in track lab. About 100 technical journals and magazines both Indian and foreign origin are received in the Library regularly. developed by RDSO is actively in service for scanning OHE in Railway.70 lakh volumes which includes books. The Library has more than 1. utilization and efficiency. Management and Railways. QUALITY OBJECTIVES Safety: Development of crashworthy design of coaches for enhanced safety of passengers.25.(NETRA) car. and translations on Science. Development of anti-vandal PSC sleeper & Elastic Rail 14 . specifications. This covers reliability. Centre for Advanced Maintenance Technology at Gwalior for upgrading maintenance technologies. Vehicle Characterization Laboratory for conducting vehicle characterization tests on railway vehicles to study the behavior of suspension systems and to determine natural frequencies. and methodologies. Development of 1.000 km of track to be recorded by TRC’s in the year 2005-06 for providing basic feed back for maintenance of Track on Indian Railways. availability. Engineering. Technology. Also to achieve improvements in productivity and performance of all railway assets and manpower. first of its kind . reports. LIBRARY Considerable efforts and resources were devoted on the development of an outstanding Library collection to meet the expanding needs of Research and Development. clip so as to delay the removal time of rail from the track by one hour. Environment: Use of eco-friendly refrigerant on under-slung AC coaches. Provision of Train Actuated Warning Device (TAWD). Development of High Speed Self Propelled Accident Relief Train for faster travel to accident site. Development of computerized psychological test package for railways. To develop Earth Quake codes and rehabilitation guidelines. Traffic growth: Development of 3-phase high staring torque traction motor for WAG-9/WAP-7 locomotives. Cost Cutting: Design of cost-effective Aluminum wagon-BOBRAL Reduction of maintenance time of Oscillograph recorders and Signal conditioners by 2%. Design and development of indigenous Electronic interlocking system using 2 out of 3 architecture with object controller. Development of Indigenous technology for Digital axle counter. Design of BCNH wagon with shorter length as compared to BCNA for increasing rake throughput for covered wagons. 15 . Export/import substitution: Indigenization of electrics of GM EMD locomotives. Commissioning of dedicated Exhaust Emission measurement facility on the test beds as per International standards. Modification in Toilet Discharge System in Coaches to prevent rail corrosion. Fireretardant coaches. high-speed self propelled Ultrasonic Rail testing cars and Brake Dynamometer for Brake Dynamometer Laboratory. Passenger comfort/ Faster travel: Development of Microprocessor control for better working of air conditioning system of AC coaches. Energy efficiency: Development of energy efficient dual voltage 3-phase EMU in Mumbai Area – (a) BHEL project (b) GP –194 project. Development of air spring for existing bogies. Infrastructure development: Commissioning of two Nos. Quality management system improvement: To Issue Final Inspection Certificate within 7 working days of inspection of products. Construction of dedicated test track for RDSO. Reduction in customer complaints closure time by 10%. To develop continuous health monitoring system using optical fiber technology for bridges. 16 . Tight Lock CBC couplers with Anti-Climbing features in coaches. Radial and Self-Steering Bogie. Quality Audit of Railway Workshops and other Units as per the schedule given by Railway Board.Asset Reliability: Reduction in average repair time of Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) by 5% with respect to previous year. Improved High Speed Turnouts. A Technology Mission has been launched to focus national attention and drive modern technologies of monitoring. control. electronics and materials for Railway Safety. A Technology Mission on Railways will similarly help to initiate and incubate design and development projects of significant national importance. but have also provided impetus to technology endeavors in institutions all across the country. The earlier national programs on space and defense research have not merely achieved goals specific to the missions. Railway Safety is not merely an area of national concern but also poses challenges to the engineering and research community of the country. Technology issues on Railway safety and economy relate to multitude of engineering disciplines. Mission Goals 17 . communications. The mission will help to pool relevant engineering knowledge. design. expertise and resources available in various research organizations and academic institutions in order to address these issues in an efficient manner.Technology Mission on Railway Safety (TMRS) Introduction Railways have been the engine of economic and technical growth and development in India. • To disseminate technologies through participatory approach to other application areas Mission Approach IIT Kanpur and RDSO Lucknow are the major collaborators in the mission.the-art safety and control technologies defined by needs related to Indian conditions. to implement projects aimed at achieving higher throughput. The constituents of the consortium collaborate to bring expertise and share responsibilities. • • To evolve and establish the academia-research institution-industry consortium approach as a viable and vibrant mission mode of research and development.• To develop and adopt state-of. lower cost of transmission and safer train movement. Academic institutions like 18 . To encourage and initiate R & D activities pertinent to Indian Railways in academic institutions and laboratories and establish convergence and synergy among them. RDSO provides domain knowledge and experience to articulate problems and conceptualize projects. A trident consortium comprising of • • • Academic and Research institutions Railway Organizations Industry has been formed for effective definition and implementation of projects. 2. the industry is providing inputs relevant for adoption of technology and its commercialization. c) Automatic vehicle identification using RFIDs. Projects under TMRS scheme : 1. d)Development of instrumentation for detection of components of the rolling stock which may cause derailment. Development includes 19 . Derailment Detection Devices This project envisages development of On-Board equipment for sensing derailment possibilities of rolling stock. design synthesis and prototype development. b)Measurement of lateral and vertical rail forces. Track Side Bogie Monitoring System The objectives of this project include a) Development of an automated system to be installed along the track for detecting faults in bogies of rolling stock (on-line monitoring of the condition of bogies).IITs and CSIR laboratories contribute towards problem analysis. Recorded data is to be employed to arrive at a suitable criteria for derailment detection. Any 20 . MEMS sensors for detecting vertical.004 second). 3. These systems have to be capable of measuring the temperatures very fast (at 200 kmph the measurement of a minimum of 10 points has to be made within 0. Hot Axle and Box Detection (HABD) systems are used globally for the purpose. track damage and derailment. horizontal accelerations and tilting have been identified and test runs are being conducted on Northern Railways. Both conditions lead to overheating followed by seizure which in turn can cause wheel flats. Presently there is no instrumentation possibilities.appropriate instrumentation and signal processing strategy and its integration with the existing brake mechanism for minimizing losses due to dragging of derailed vehicle. Sensors for Detecting Hotboxes and Hot Wheels Most derailments can be traced to either the failure of wheel bearings or brake binding. These rely on remote measurement of temperatures of the bearing boxes and the wheels. Vehicle dynamics software packages are being employed to carry out simulation of vehicles running on new or worn wheels. on Indian Railways for detecting derailment The process of derailment is characterized by heavy misalignment of the axle along with large oscillations and jerks. The system also includes algorithmic diagnosis and communication through mobile network from the locomotive to central control unit. The exercise includes development of appropriate instrumentation and signal processing strategy for various equipments which form part of the transmission and also for other auxiliary machines on board the locomotives. tap changer. Safe and tolerable limits for all channels. Data storage with date-time information.system to be used in India has to be designed to cope with climatic extremes. The system will also have self-diagnostic features. rotating machines. transformer. On-screen trend display. air compressor. pantograph. radiator drive. It will enable real time monitoring of vital locomotive equipments like prime mover. etc on electric/diesel locomotives. The diagnostic system will include on-line data acquisition and display over multiple channels simultaneously. axle bearings. On-line trending analysis. 21 . 4. On Board Diagnostics The objective of the project is to develop an On-board Diagnostics for Diesel and Electric locomotives through a network based real time control system. Automatic visual and audio alarm in case of limit crossing. traction motor suspension bearings. Frequency analysis and Realtime FFT display. These concerns include: damage to the rails. and indigenously develop a working/ready to install environment-friendly coach toilet system for Indian Railways' passenger trains. unacceptable aesthetic and hygienic/sanitary conditions. robust. and non compliance to the environment regulations/standards/practices. Maintain hygienic/sanitary conditions Compliance with global environmental regulations/standard/ practices. Environment Friendly Railway Coach Toilet System The Indian Railway runs several long distance trains involving journeys up to three nights.5. • • • 6. Prevent damage to the railway track and coaches. Corrosion Prevention of Rails Corrosion problem of rails concerns: 22 . particularly on the railway stations. The existing coach toilet system consists of a lavatory in which the excreta are discharged directly to the ground through the lavatory chute. However. An exercise is being carried out in this mission to conceptualize. design. and minimum operation and maintenance complications. the present system has some major concerns due to discharge of fecal matter on the track. The toilet system will have the following attributes: • Convenient to a variety of users. Another aim of the project is the development of new corrosion resistant rail steel alloy chemistry to minimize corrosion of rails under liner locations. etc. jamming of the elastic rail clip (ERC) in the insert corrosion of the weld region • • The gradual thinning of rail foot leads to frequent rail replacements and is a safety issue. Instrumentation technology needs to be developed to enable the train driver to see through the fog for uninterrupted and safe train operation. Radiometer (mm-wave). night and bad weather conditions by developing a Fog vision system. This is being done in collaboration with SAIL. Sonar(ultrasonic). The weather conditions consistently worsen with fog getting more opaque and such weather conditions extends for months. 7. the industry partner in the project. Based on these results. Trial rails will be manufactured and subjected to field studies.• rail foot corrosion under the glass filled nylon/mild steel liner due to accumulation of corrosive environment under the liners. it 23 . After examining several options such as Radar (mm-wave). Corrosion of the ERC in the insert leads to jamming of ERC. Train movement gets severely hampered during foggy climatic conditions. Fog Vision Instrumentation The project envisages development of instrumentation for improving the visibility during foggy weather. the corrosion resistant rails can be adopted by Indian Railways. resulting in loss of toe load. Radiometer (infrared). New corrosion resistant rail steels will be identified based on laboratory experiments of trial compositions. has been concluded that laser based viewing systems will be most suited for the Fog Vision Application. Information like position of obstacles on the track ahead should be made available on the graphical console display. The distance covered should be at least equal to the normal distance visible due to the driver under normal night conditions. Optical visibility may become nearly zero in severe fog conditions. Hence, sensors with fog penetration capability should be developed and data from them processed to give an enhanced image of the track ahead on a console. There may be requirement for developing multiple types of sensors to cater to different scenarios. In such cases, data from multiple sensors should be used intelligently to give a single display on the console. Active Infrared stereo vision using gating will enable the enhancement of infrared viewing under heavy attenuation in foggy conditions. 8. Satellite Imaging for Rail Navigation (SIMRAN) The objective of this project is to (i) Develop an effective way to collect and disseminate information dynamically of every train in a given geographical boundary for its location, speed and direction of movement. (ii) Ensure better and selective dissemination of information to passengers. Train tracking system using Global Positioning System (GPS) is being developed. Each train will have a train locator unit to receive information from GPS satellites and continuously identify the position 24 of the train with information about its location (latitude and longitude values). GSM is to be used for connectivity and wherever needed as an alternate location identifier. The data logger can also be used to provide services for a central train enquiry system, anti- collision device, train charting etc. 25 Role of Transducer in Electronics Lab Transducer has a very important role in any Electronics lab. In brief Transducer is a heart of any Electronic system. An Electronics Instrumentation System consists of a number of components which together are used to perform a measurement and record the result. An Instrumentation System consists of three major elements. 1) Input device. 2) Signal Conditioning or processing device. 3) Output device. The kind of system depends on what is to be measured and how the measurement result is to be presented. Input Device The input quantity for most instrumentation system is non electrical. In order to use electrical methods and techniques for Measurement manipulation or control, the non-electrical quantity is converted in to an electrical signal by a device called Transducer. One definition states a Transducer is a device which, when actuated by energy in one transmission system, supplies energy in the same form or in other form to a second transmission system. This energy transmission may be Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Optical or Thermal. For example device that convert mechanical force or displacement 26 when same measured is applied repeatedly at least 3 times under same environmental conditions. TYPE OF TRANSDUCERS 1) 2) Electrical Mechanical In an Electronics Instrumentation System only Electrical Transducer are used. light. BASIC TRANSDUCERS: i) ii) REQUIREMENT OF ELECTRICAL Ruggedness : Ability to Withstand overload Linearity : Ability to reproduce input-output characteristics symmetrically and linearly . humidity may also be converted into electrical signals by means of transducers. Many other physical parameters such as heat. for minimum error in measurement. 27 . iii) Repeatability : Ability to reproduce an output signal exactly.into an electrical signal. unaffected by Temperature. vibration. iv) Stability and Reliability : High . and other environmental conditions. vi) Excellent Mechanical Characteristics vii) Convenient Instrumentation SELECTING A TRANSDUCER In a measurement system the transducer is the input element with the critical function of transforming some physical quantity to a proportional electrical signal.v) Good Dynamics Response : Output is faithful to the input when taken as a function of Time . A number of elementary questions should be asked before a transducer can be selected. Answer to the Second question requires the I/O characteristic of the transducer be compatible with the recording system 28 . 1) What is the physical quantity to be measured? 2) Which Transducer principle can be used to measure the quantity? 3) What accuracy is required for this measurement? First question can be ensured by determining the type & range of measurement. Selection of the appropriate transducers therefore the first and perhaps most important step in obtaining accurate result. producing analog voltage or current when simulated by some physical form of energy. Moving coil generator. nature of the output signal and so on .CLASSIFICATION Transducer may be classified according to their application method of energy conversion.LVDT .etc 29 . Photocell .Strain gauges . Such transducer can convert a physical quantity in to an electrical quantity Examples:. peizo electric (sound vibration. 1) ACTIVE TRANSDUCER 2) PASSIVE TRANSDUCER ACTIVE TRANSDUCER The active transducers are self generating type. pickup PASSIVE TRANSDUCER Passive transducer require external power supply . Such Passive transducer produce a variation in some electric parameter such as resistance .etc which can be measured as voltage or current variation Examples:.String Pot .Mainly electrical transducers classified in two categories.Thermocouple. Active transducer does not require external power supply.capacitance inductance . acceleration etc) . with no physical contact between it and the coil. The transformer's internal structure consists of a primary winding centred between a pair of identically wound secondary windings. and mechanically coupled to the object whose position is being measured. The coils are wound on a one-piece hollow form of thermally stable glass reinforced polymer. This coil assembly is usually the stationary element of the position sensor. and then secured in cylindrical stainless steel housing. LVDT linear position sensors are readily available that can measure movements as small as a few millionths of an inch up to several inches. symmetrically spaced about the primary. which is free to move axially within the coil's hollow bore. This bore is typically large enough to provide substantial radial clearance between the core and bore. encapsulated against moisture.5 m). In operation. wrapped in a high permeability magnetic shield. the LVDT's primary 30 . The moving element of an LVDT is a separate tubular armature of magnetically permeable material called the core. Figure 1 shows the components of a typical LVDT.Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) What Is An LVDT? The letters LVDT are an acronym for ‘Linear Variable Differential Transformer’. but are also capable of measuring positions up to ±20 inches (±0. a common type of electromechanical transducer that can convert the rectilinear motion of an object to which it is coupled mechanically into a corresponding electrical signal. which varies with the axial position of the core within the LVDT coil. The LVDT's electrical output signal is the differential AC voltage between the two secondary windings. Advantages of LVDT 31 . known as the primary excitation.winding is energized by alternating current of appropriate amplitude and frequency. Usually this AC output voltage is converted by suitable electronic circuitry to high level DC voltage or current that is more convenient to use. This means that an LVDT features unlimited mechanical life. so there is no rubbing. • Infinite Resolution Since an LVDT operates on electromagnetic coupling principles in a friction-free structure. and 32 . vibration displacement measurements. This infinite resolution capability is limited only by the noise in an LVDT signal conditioner and the output display's resolution. These same factors also give an LVDT its outstanding repeatability. dragging or other source of friction. and high resolution dimensional gagging systems. This factor is especially important in high reliability applications such as aircraft. In normal use. This feature is particularly useful in materials testing. • Friction-Free Operation One of the most important features of an LVDT is its friction-free operation. satellites and space vehicles. no parts can rub together or wear out. there is no mechanical contact between the LVDT's core and coil assembly. it can measure infinitesimally small changes in core position. • Unlimited Mechanical Life Because there is normally no contact between the LVDT's core and coil structure.LVDTs have certain significant features and benefits. most of which derive from its fundamental physical principles of operation or from the materials and techniques used in its construction. It is also highly desirable in many industrial process control and factory automation systems. this "gravity offset" must be subtracted. Such accelerations are popularly measured in terms of g-force. an accelerometer behaves as a damped mass on a spring. The displacement is then measured to give the acceleration . To obtain the acceleration due to motion with respect to the Earth. When the accelerometer experiences an acceleration. Put another way. which is the acceleration it experiences relative to freefall and is the acceleration felt by people and objects. 33 . because any point on the Earth's surface is accelerating upwards relative to the local inertial frame (the frame of a freely falling object near the surface). at any point in space time the equivalence principle guarantees the existence of a local inertial frame.nuclear installations. ACCELEROMETER An accelerometer measures proper acceleration. An accelerometer at rest relative to the Earth's surface will indicate approximately 1 g upwards. Conceptually. and an accelerometer measures the acceleration relative to that frame. the mass is displaced to the point that the spring is able to accelerate the mass at the same rate as the casing. The change in resistance occurs due to change of stresses. This output signal is calibrated in terms of acceleration. Due to acceleration. Stiffness of strip k=w/d=mg/d d=mg/k d=g (since m and k are constant) where d=deflection in the mass k= Stiffness of strip w=weight of the suspended Hence the acceleration is directly proportional to the deflection.Internal Structure of an Accelerometer Seismic type accelerometers has mass on the spring mounted in a case. This transducer measures the acceleration of the moving body over which it is placed. Strain gage are the sensing elements which gives the electrical output proportional to the motion between mass and case. 34 . stresses are produced in the strip on which gages are cemented. Finally the signal in the output of the Wheat Stone Bridge appears at output terminals. The resistance type strain gages are fixed on cantilever strip. Due to this deflection strains are produced in the strips in which gages are mounted. Such acceleration is experienced due to riding characteristics of the vehicle as well as due to the irregularities in the track. Here level of acceleration is normally low in longitudinal direction. the vertical and lateral accelerations experienced are directly related to track irregularities. However in the vertical and lateral direction it is comparatively higher. This portable OMS2000 is a microprocessor-based system for track monitoring by measurement of the following parameters: 35 . OSCILLATION MONITORING SYSTEM (OMS) The objective of track maintenance is to provide a safe and comfortable riding to the passengers.Strain produced in the strip is transferred to the strain gages hence there is change in resistance of the strain gages. This system was known as Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS-2000). The acceleration experienced by the passengers while travelling in vehicles a direct measure of the riding comfort. Acceleration is experienced in all directions by the vehicle but can be resolved into three main directions viz longitudinal. lateral and vertical. Based on the experimental studies a system was developed to find out the irregularities of a track. As such other parameters remaining the same. The above three parameters are monitored in real time and results are produced in the form of a print out on a alpha numeric printer. The Vertical and lateral acceleration levels on the coach floor are monitored using two accelerometers mounted in a transducer assembly There is a built in instrumentation amplifier to condition the raw signals coming from the accelerometers. an exception report is printed out.34 meters. The gear ratio of the driving arrangement of the tachometer and the external tacho slotted plate (normally 6 slots) should be such that one pulse is generated every 0. Whenever any of the above parameters exceeds a preset limit. The speed of the train is measured by using a tachometer which driven by a flexible shaft connected to the wheel. The same acceleration signals are used to detect large acceleration peaks. Besides this. 3. which are fed to OMS 2000. The reports generated by OMS 2000 can be used for directing the track maintenance efforts to the exact spots where high dynamic activity has been noticed. The Ride Index is calculated according to Sperling formulae implemented as per R D S O Lucknow method. And for calculating Ride Index. Tachometer generates pulses. Sperling Ride Index. Vertical and lateral accelerations on loco/coach floor.1. the data collected during the run is stored in a batterybacked ram and may be transferred to a personal computer with the help of software. Speed 2. 36 . On a fully charged battery the system can operate continuously for more than 12 hours. 5) In case a tachometer is connected. The system can be operated on 110 V DC.SALIENT FEATURES 1) Portable. Total weight less than 18 Kgs including battery and transducer assembly. the output is 12V DC. No messy connections to be made during the run. 2) Battery operated.The input to this MIPS is 110V AC/DC&220V AC.KM telegraph post number from the last Km post and time of occurrence of each peak (in seconds up to 2 decimal places) is printed out for easily locating bad stretch of track. From the time of successive peaks it is also possible to calculate the frequency of oscillations built up in the coach.In case tachometer is not connected . 37 . No tedious calculations to be done later on. The system is supplied with a Multi Input Power Supply Cum Battery (MIPS) . Sperling Ride Index formula implemented exactly. 6) Facility to print ground features (Points and crossings. KM and distance in meters from the last KM post is printed on the printout . 7) Accurate results. Rechargeable battery is supplied along with a charger. 8) Complete report is generated during the run itself. Facility for printing AEN /PWI wise summary reports at the end of the run using the data stored in the battery backed ram. Bridges and level crossing) on the print out. 4) Built in battery backed Real time clock. prints date and time at the start of each run to ease record keeping. 3) Built in instrumentation amplifier for transducer. which is available in coaches. 9) Stores data during the run in battery backed CMOS RAM. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM 38 . 10) Simple operation. 11) Rugged. which can be transferred to a computer at the end of the run for analysis with the help of software. Can be operated by semi skilled staff also. does not require air conditioning. socket Port for 24 column Alpha Numeric printer SMPS based MIPS Input 90-260 VAC/DC DC-DC Converter Card System Cabinet RS-232 Serial port Signal Conditioner & Auto CAL Card Mother Board Accelerometer Sub-assemblies 12 V Ni-Mh Battery CPU & Memory Card Solid state Memory Module 1 MB Tacho Control Unit Event Marker /TP Switch Socket for charging Tachometer Sensing unit Data Acquisition System 39 .Schematic Block Diagram of Micro-Controller based Oscillation monitoring System (OMS) Key Board LCD Display 12 V DC Ext. Pascal. Data acquisition applications are controlled by software programs developed using various general purpose programming languages such as BASIC. high speed timers. The cable between this box and the PC can be expensive due to the many wires. DAQ cards often contain multiple components (multiplexer. etc. • Analog-to-digital converters.) or cards connected to slots (S-100 bus. USB. A controller is more flexible 40 . Fortran. so an external breakout box is required. The components of data acquisition systems include: • • Sensors that convert physical parameters to electrical signals. Usually the space on the back of a PCI card is too small for all the connections needed. and the required shielding. C. Lisp. serial. which convert conditioned sensor signals to digital values. ISA etc. DAC. which can run small programs. It could be in the form of modules that can be connected to the computer's ports (parallel. Java. These are accessible via a bus by a microcontroller. TTL-IO.) in the mother board. RAM). Signal conditioning circuitry to convert sensor signals into a form that can be converted to digital values.Data acquisition (abbreviated DAQ) is the process of sampling of real world physical conditions and conversion of the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. AppleBus. ADC. Data acquisition and data acquisition systems (abbreviated with the acronym DAS) typically involves the conversion of analog waveforms into digital values for processing. DAQ hardware is what usually interfaces between the signal and a PC. yet cheaper than a CPU so that it is alright to block it with simple polling loops. The factors that decide the hardware configuration of DAQ systems are Transducer to be used in system Transmission path of signals Signal conditioning requirements Number of channels to be monitored MODE ( Single or Differential ) ended Range Resolution and accuracy Noise Environmental conditions Cost Sampling rate per channel 41 . For example: Waiting for a trigger. Many times reconfigurable logic is used to achieve high speed for specific tasks and Digital signal processors are used after the data has been acquired to obtain some results. Using an external housing a modular design with slots in a bus can grow with the needs of the user. switch multiplexer. looking up the time. The fixed connection with the PC allows for comfortable compilation and debugging. move value to RAM. get TTL input.than a hard wired logic. let DAC proceed with voltage ramp. waiting for the ADC to finish. starting the ADC. STEP 2 – Identification of signal conditioner • Analog input channels Number of elements I/p signal range Max working voltage Over voltage protection Accuracy Offset error Gain error Input impedance Input bias current Input offset current CMMR Bandwidth Settling time System noise Stability 42 . coefficient • Output characteristics Number of channels Resolution Relative accuracy Offset error Gain error Range(O/P) Output coupling Output impedance Settling time Temp coefficient Digital O/P Digital logic level Physical dimensions I/O connectors Operating temp 43 . Warm uptime Offset temp. STEP 3. of channels. no. and computer platform are used to determine the best DAQ I/O device. flexibility. high speed settling time.counter/timer. • Bus – plug & play • Instrumentation features. expandibility. isolate and filter the signal and to provide excitation for sensors. Relative humidity The signal conditioner have to amplify. reliability. multi function synchronization • Analog inputs Input channels Max sampling rate Resolution Range Gain 44 .Selection of appropriate DAQ Device The criteria such as accuracy. acquisition rates. • Analog output Output channels Resolution • Digital I/O Digital I/O channels Counters/timers • Triggers Analog trigger Digital trigger 45 . Block Diagram of DAS 46 . avoid derailment and accidents. What WILD Consists? • Instrumented Tracks • Signal conditioning unit • Real time Embedded controller • Impact Load Analyzer Software • Wireless data transfer • Power back up 47 .Wheel Load Impact Detection (WILD) The Objective: • To protect Rail Infrastructure. it applies a uniform load on the rail. • Wheel Impact Load Detector is used to catch the defects in the early stage and thereby protecting Rail infrastructure. avoid derailments & Accidents.. or combination of any/all of these will give a huge impact load on the rail whenever the defect portion hits the rail. WILD Concept: • When the wheel is perfectly round. • Detection of Defective Wheels. • When a wheel is having flat place/Out of roundness/Defect in suspension system/Miss-alignment of bogies / Skewnes in the car body etc. • Each zone has a full bridge consisting of 4 Rosette type strain gauges. • The rail length of 12 sleepers is arrived to capture two full rotation of the wheel on rail.AT SITE Control & Switching Circuits Backup Device GSM Modem Real Time Controller Signal Conditioning Modules EB Power/ Primary Power Solar Power/ Secondary Power Instrumented Track Exit Trigger Sensor 6 Channels (R1~R6) 6 Channels (R7~R12) 6 Channels (L1~L6) 6 Channels (L7~L12) Instrumented Track: • Tracks are wired with strain gauges to measure the load pattern of the wheel on the rail • The track consists of 12 sleepers – strain-measuring zones. 48 . Instrumented Track Concept Diagram: Instrumented Track Pictures 49 . Calculates speed of each axel and the average speed of train 6. 10. Transmits run reports to desired locations in specified HTML format over wireless. Relates each axle with engine or coach / wagon or brake van. 50 . 9. Identifies and count number of Engines. Measures Average Dynamic Wheel Load for all wheels 3. Has solar panel providing a power backup 8. System capabilities: 1. Determines Maximum Dynamic Wheel Load (WA) for all points of contact 4. Identifies and counts defective wheels as per specified ILF and WA thresholds and rates them according to the severity of defect 7. Also it’s position in the identified rolling stock. 11. Counts number of axels from various measurement channels 2. Calculates Impact Load Factor (ILF) for all wheels 5.Strain gauge Mounting: • 350 Ohm strain gauge • 8 strain gauges electrically connected to give a full bridge configuration • Each arm of the bridge consists of two gauges • The individual arms & gauges wired in a way to add up the radial load and to negate the axial load on the rail. Coaches / Wagons and Brake Vans. Operates 24x7 without any human assistance. Automatic start of Data Acquisition (DAQ) on the arrival of train in response to the start trigger switch 4. 51 . Uploads analyzed data to remote server Software Flow: Starts acquisition once train trigger is received Logs all the data in to file for analysis Stops acquisition and logging after the train crosses the instrumented track Calls an analysis program that loads each channel data and furnishes processed data HTML report is produced and is transmitted to remote server. Can operate from a low speed of 30Km/hr Automation Features: 1. Server stores the report and publishes in the website. A WILD System is successfully running at Arakkonam. Automatic Diagnosis of faulty channels and switching them off to avoid erroneous data at every start 2. Automatic self nulling and shunt calibration at every start 3.12. Automatic stop of DAQ after the passage of train by intelligently identifying the event 5. If undetected.5ms) 52 . Another problem is brake binding. It can also detect vehicles with ineffective brakes by detecting cold wheels. metal deposition on wheel tread causing wheel irregularity and other safety problems. Also. The system uses infra-red sensors having fast response time and can reliably measure temperatures of axle boxes & wheels of a train travelling upto 200kmph. Basic Plan of Action Target: Train speeds up to 200kph • First Developed Pyrometers Based System for lower speed up to 80/90 Kmph (response time =1. the bearing temperature can continue to rise until there is a bearing “burn-off” which can cause journal breakage resulting in derailment. A detection system is therefore required to be developed to sense abnormal temperatures of axle boxes and wheels on a running train and communicate with central control for corrective action.Hot Axle and Hot Bar Detector Hot box occurs when inadequate wheel bearing lubrication or mechanical flaws cause an increase in temperature. a wheel with temperature lower than the average is a case of ineffective brakes. Hot box hot wheel detector system detects Axle boxes running hot due to bearing failure and wheels having abnormally high temperatures due to brakebinding. This can lead to skidded wheels. due to which the temperature of wheel tread rises. 5 ms • MCT sensors have a response time of 2-3 µs\ Revised geometry with horizontal visualization of Box 53 .• Developed systems for wheel / box using pyrometers • Secondly Developed MCT based sensing system & which replace pyrometers by MCT(response time 2-3 µs) Hot Box Sensing • Alarm to be raised if rise in box temperature >25°C • Main problem – need for fast sensing – Box dimension ~220mm – Speed of train 200kmph – Transit Time ~4ms (sensing in 1-2ms!) • Normal sensors (30-200°C) take >20 ms • Pyrometer placed along the track with wheel sensor. • Proximity sensor is required for gating of data. Measurement of Wheel temperature Replace pyrometers with MCT sensors • Pyrometers have response time of 1. RF Modems • The system has been web enabled • 2 types of RF modems have been procured: – flc810e – flc800c • Operating Frequency :License Free 2.Advantages • Places unit ~ 500mm above the rail surface.6 km with suitable antennae. • Protects from Toilet Discharge. • Reduces risk of damage due to mishandling/ during track maintenance .4 GHz • Transmitter Range: 1. • Data Transmission rate: more than 11 Mbps Trackside Bogie Monitoring System (TBMS) 54 . • Almost eliminates risk of immersion during rains. vertical force using strain gauges. To detect loosely hanging parts using dragging equipment detector. To develop system for automatic vehicle identification using RFID. To measure Angle of Attack.Objective: Development of a system installed along the track: • • • • • • To detect faults in bogies (Bogie Parameters) of Rolling Stock. Angle of Attack & Tracking Position Angle of Attack (AOA) of a wheel set Benefit: 55 . Monitors lateral force. Communication to driver and Control. vertical force: with the help of strain gauges.The system identifies bogies with misaligned wheel-sets. • • RFID system: for automatic vehicle identification. Reduce wheel-set replacement . • 56 . • the axle speed and correlation of data. Reduce traction energy consumption. allowing maintenance staff to make timely repairs. counting the axles. which can: • • • • Reduce derailment risk . Reduce rail wear . TRACKSIDE BOGIE System : MONITORING SYSTEM Proposed The proposed system comprises of: • Laser range finder: To measure angle of attack and tracking position Instrumented rail with Data Acquisition System: The condition of of a moving wheel set of a train. estimating RF modem: for wireless transmission of data moving vehicle. Dragging equipment detector: for detecting loosely hanging parts of a Wheel sensors: for actuating the system. • the bogie will be monitored by measuring lateral force. Schematic Layout Scanning of passing wheel for measuring angle of attack and tracking error Optical Fiber Cable A fiber optic cable is a cylindrical pipe. Light is piped through the core. These are shown on the right side of the figure. a fiber optic cable is composed of two concentric layers termed the core and the cladding. It is fabricated in such a way that this pipe can guide light from one end of it to the other. It may be made out of glass or plastic or a combination of glass and plastic. Basically. The core and cladding have different indices of refraction with the core having n 1 and the cladding n2. A fiber optic cable has an 57 . Figure showing basic structure of Optical Fiber The illustration on the left side of Figure 2-2 is somewhat simplistic. It acts as a shock absorber.additional coating around the cladding called the jacket. There may be a buffer between the strength member and the cladding. The jacket also provides protection from abrasions. always being greater than the index of the 58 . The jacket does not have any optical properties that might affect the propagation of light within the fiber optic cable. How is light guided down the fiber optic cable in the core? This occurs because the core and cladding have different indices of refraction with the index of the core. The jacket usually consists of one or more layers of polymer. n1. This would be added just inside the jacket. cladding and jacket are all shown in the three dimensional view on the left side of the figure. In actuality. Neither of these is shown. there may be a strength member added to the fiber optic cable so that it can be pulled during installation. Core. This protects the core and cladding from damage and allows the fiber optic cable to be bundled with other fiber optic cables. solvents and other contaminants. Its role is to protect the core and cladding from shocks that might affect their optical or physical properties. The light ray will then continue this bouncing path down the length of the fiber optic cable. If the light ray strikes the core-tocladding interface at an angle less than the critical angle then it passes into the cladding where it is attenuated very rapidly with propagation distance. As illustrated a light ray is injected into the fiber optic cable on the right. Figure shows how this is employed to effect the propagation of light down the fiber optic cable and confine it to the core. Propagation of a light ray down a fiber optic cable 59 . Light can be guided down the fiber optic cable if it enters at less than the critical angle. If the light ray is injected and strikes the core-to-cladding interface at an angle greater than an entity called the critical angle then it is reflected back into the core. This angle is fixed by the indices of refraction of the core and cladding and is given by the formula: Qc = arc cosine (n2 /n1). Since the angle of incidence is always equal to the angle of reflection the reflected light will again be reflected.cladding. n2. interoperability. with consistent includes decisions the case for of maintaining "spontaneous This view standardization processes" ISO 9001 60 .STANDARDS Standardization or Standardisation is the process of developing and implementing technical standards. rep eatability. but only by making mutually consistent decisions. a situation in which all parties can realize mutual gains. In social sciences. or quality. including economics. the idea of standardization is close to the solution for a coordination problem. Standardization is defined as best technical application consentual wisdom inclusive of processes for selection in making appropriate choices for ratification coupled obtained standards. safety. compatibility. The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers (commoditization). International Recognition Enhancement of the Process Performance. Continual Improvement. Consistency in product and service Compliance with Regulatory requirements. Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification Customer Satisfaction. AboutISO9001 An ISO 9001 standard is one of the most widely known standards. INDIAN STANDARDS(ISI) 61 . country or a firm. Meeting the customer requirements. It can followed by whoever wants to come in its coverage. which is introduced in the 1987 and implemented in 162 countries. Continual Improvement of the Management system of the Organization. The ISO 9001 standard has become the international reference for an Organization of any size or any sector to demonstrate their ability and expertise to perform. company. Following the applicable regulatory requirements. Enhancement in the competence level of Employee. Enhancing the customer satisfaction. Standards can be laid down by a single person. Enhancement of Employee satisfaction. and 20 branch offices. the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Government of India. Mumbai. Chennai. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act. with regional offices in Kolkata. As a corporate body. Food & Public Distribution. The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act. industry. 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986. 1 Std. Its headquarters are in New Delhi. 1860. it has 25 members drawn from Central or State Governments. set up under the Resolution of the then Department of Industries and Supplies No. dated 3 September 1946. Chandigarh and Delhi. It also works as WTO-TBT enquiry point for India Association with International Standards Bodies BIS is a founder member of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) It represents India in ISO. and consumer organizations. the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Standards Service Network (WSSN) 62 .(4)/45. scientific and research institutions.The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is ex-officio President (Emaad Amin) of the BIS. The organization was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI).The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs. are in force. It operates a laboratory recognition scheme also. some of the products like Milk powder. For. Drinking Water. electrical and mechanical disciplines.Standard Formulation & Promotion One of the major functions of the Bureau is the formulation. 18446 Standards formulated by BIS. Thermometers 63 . These cover important segments of economy. it has separate Division Council to oversee and supervise the work. all the other labs are NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited. Product Certification Scheme Product Certifications are to be obtained voluntarily. In certain cases where it is economically not feasible to develop test facilities in BIS laboratories and also for other reasons like overloading of samples. BIS has identified 14 sectors which are important to Indian Industry. Except for the two labs. which help the industry in upgrading the quality of their products and services. Approximately. As on 31 March 2008. the services of outside approved laboratories are also being availed. equipment being out of order. BIS has a chain of 8 laboratories. 25000 samples are being tested in the BIS laboratories every year. food. For formulation of Indian Standard. Laboratories To support the activities of product certification. LPG Cylinders. These laboratories have established testing facilities for products of chemical. recognition and promotion of the Indian Standards. The Standards are regularly reviewed and formulated in line with the technological development to maintain harmony with the International Standards. However.. BIS launched its Product Certification Scheme for overseas manufacturers in the year 1999. it has to set up a liaison office in India with the permission of Reserve Bank of India. Under the provisions of this scheme. Because these products are concerned with health and safety. an authorized representative or agent needs to be appointed by the foreign firm. Management System Certification Quality Management System Certification Scheme IS/ISO 9001 Environmental Management System Certification Scheme IS/ISO 14001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certification Scheme IS 18001 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Scheme IS/ISO 22000 64 . foreign manufacturers can seek certification from BIS for marking their product(s) with BIS Standard Mark. Scheme-Foreign Manufacturers All foreign manufacturers of products who intend to export to India are required to obtain a BIS product certification license.etc. Towards this. the foreign manufacturer has not signed an MoU with BIS. Scheme for Indian Importers Indian importers who intend to get Certification Mark may apply for the license. Otherwise. the assessment visit is paid to the original product manufacturer. If or otherwise. certification is mandatory. In the European Union. CEN. i. working jointly in the interest of European harmonization. Hence. compose the so-called and known European Standards Organizations (ESOs) that are officially recognized by the European Commission and act as a European platform through which European Standards are developed. CENELEC and ETSI are recognized as 'European Standards'. CENELEC. telecommunication standardization sector) respectively. ISO (the International Organization for Standardization). only standards developed by CEN. the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. creating both standards requested by the market and harmonized standards in support of European legislation. IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) and ITU-T (the International Telecommunication Union. CENELEC closely cooperates with CEN and ETSI. Service Quality Management System Certification Scheme IS 15700 European Standards Organizations (ESOs) CENELEC is a European regional standards organization that together with its sister organizations CEN.e. ETSI are the regional mirror bodies to their international counterparts. CEN 65 . the European Committee for Standardization. and ETSI. and helping disseminate innovation. public administration. consumers and other stakeholders. service providers. the welfare of European citizens. 66 . CEN’s 31 National Members work together to develop voluntary European Standards (ENs) in various sectors to build a European Internal Market for goods and services and to position Europe in the global economy.000 technical experts as well as business federations. and the environment. removing trade barriers for European stakeholders such as industry. consumer and other societal interest organizations are involved in the CEN network that reaches over 480 million people. More than 60. Its mission is to foster the European economy in global trading. standards are a powerful tool for economic growth.The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is a business catalyst in Europe. By supporting research. Through its services CEN provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other specifications.