IEC 61373

IEC 61373

IEC 61373 is an international technical standard that specifies mechanical shock and vibration test requirements for railway vehicle equipment. It provides criteria and test procedures used by manufacturers, laboratories, and operators to evaluate the mechanical robustness of electronic, electromechanical, and mechanical components intended for use on rolling stock. The standard is referenced by railway authorities, procurement bodies, and test houses worldwide to ensure survivability and functional integrity of onboard systems.

Scope and Purpose

The standard addresses the need to validate traction converters, Bombardier control electronics, Siemens signal processors, Alstom passenger information units, and other onboard devices against operational hazards. It aims to harmonize test regimes among agencies such as the UIC, ERA, and national institutes including the FRA and the RSSB. Procurement specifications from operators like Deutsche Bahn, Amtrak, SNCF, JR East, and Network Rail frequently cite the standard. Manufacturers such as Thales Group, Hitachi, CAF, Stadler Rail, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries use it to demonstrate equipment durability to integrators and certification bodies including TÜV Rheinland, SGS, and Intertek.

Standard Structure and Test Methods

The document is organized into clauses that define categories, test levels, setup procedures, measurement points, and acceptance criteria applicable to items from traction control units to passenger displays. Test methodologies draw on practices established by laboratories like Vibration Research Corporation facilities and test houses employed by Ricardo plc and Element Materials Technology. It cross-references normative texts and test techniques used by organizations such as IEC, ISO, and EN committees alongside interoperability frameworks used in CENELEC and BSI delegations. Typical subdivisions include general requirements, shock tests, and vibration tests, each with defined data acquisition and evaluation steps endorsed by accreditation bodies like ILAC members.

Vibration and Shock Test Levels

Test levels are tiered to reflect operational categories and route profiles—from urban tramways to high-speed lines—and map to classes used by operators such as SNCB and Metro de Madrid. Levels encompass sinusoidal, random, and transient excitations derived from field measurements made on vehicles by research centers including Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Fraunhofer Society, and the National Railway Museum. Shocks range from moderate drops to severe compression events, while vibration spectra cover narrowband and broadband energy akin to measurements from bogie accelerometers used in studies by University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, and Delft University of Technology.

Equipment Under Test and Mounting Conditions

The standard specifies mounting configurations for control cabinets, traction inverters, wheel-slide protection modules, and passenger interface units. Items such as Siemens Trainguard, Bombardier MITRAC systems, and Alstom Onix equipment are referenced in procurement and laboratory test plans to ensure representative mounting. Mounting fixtures emulate vehicle racking, bracketry, and cradle systems used by rolling stock builders like CAF and Stadler Rail and are informed by interface drawings supplied by integrators such as Hitachi Rail and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Test Procedures and Instrumentation

Procedures require calibrated accelerometers, shock hammers, electrodynamic shakers, hydraulic actuators, and data acquisition systems traceable to national metrology institutes including PTB and NIST. Laboratories often deploy equipment from manufacturers like Bruel & Kjaer, Kistler, LDS Hilser (now part of HBM), and use software from NI (National Instruments) for capture and analysis. Test sequences include pre-conditioning, functional monitoring under excitation, and post-test inspections with nondestructive techniques used by TÜV SÜD and research groups at Chalmers University of Technology.

Compliance, Certification, and Industry Adoption

Compliance is demonstrated through test reports, type approval dossiers, and factory acceptance tests required by operators and authorities such as Transport for London and Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Certification pathways often involve third-party assessment by bodies like DNV, Bureau Veritas, and TÜV Rheinland. Major manufacturers and subsystem suppliers publish conformity statements referencing the standard when bidding for contracts with entities including Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Amtrak, JR East, and metropolitan transit agencies worldwide. Conformance also influences lifecycle maintenance planning by companies such as Siemens Mobility and Alstom Transport.

History and Revisions

Development and revisions have been driven by advances in onboard electronics, increased service speeds, and lessons from field failures and incident investigations by agencies like European Railway Agency predecessors and national accident investigation boards such as the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Amendments have integrated improved repeatability, refined measurement techniques from metrology institutes, and alignment with complementary standards maintained by IEC technical committees and national standard bodies including DIN and AFNOR. The evolution reflects inputs from rolling stock builders, component manufacturers, accreditation bodies, and research institutions such as Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, University of Birmingham, and Delft University of Technology.

Category:Rail transport standards