Intelligent Robotics. Precision Fastening. Maximum Efficiency.
Maintaining modern railway infrastructure presents ever greater challenges: increasingly demanding safety and availability requirements, shorter track possessions, a growing shortage of skilled personnel and sustained cost pressures.
A new generation of intelligent rail fastening robots represents a major step forward in the automation of track maintenance.
The two systems, Static Bolt Robot and Impact Bolt Robot, automate the loosening and tightening of rail fastenings. They combine intelligent sensing, accurate positioning, powerful electric drives and automated control.
These compact, battery-powered robots travel autonomously along the rail, detect the positions of the fasteners and perform the specified operations automatically, without the need for continuous manual tool handling.
Static Bolt Robot: Smooth, controlled torque application for precise, repeatable fastening operations with minimal vibration.
Impact Bolt Robot: High-performance impact drive delivering the breakaway torque required for demanding fastener connections.
A particular advantage is the ability to co-ordinate multiple robots. This reduces repetitive manual work and helps make more effective use of valuable track possession time.
Designed for demanding railway environments, the systems can operate by day, at night and in tunnels, subject to their specified operating limits and applicable safety requirements.
Automated workflows reduce physical strain on maintenance teams, offer opportunities for higher productivity and support more cost-effective infrastructure maintenance.
VAKO brings together innovative Asian robotic technology and decades of European railway expertise to introduce a new generation of intelligent maintenance systems.
Bolt Robot – Smart. Powerful. Efficient.
Static Bolt Robot – Precision Through Intelligent Torque Control
The yellow Static Bolt Robot is designed for highly accurate, automated loosening and tightening of rail fastening bolts.
At its core is an all-electric servo drive with intelligent torque control. Unlike conventional impact wrenches, it applies torque continuously and in a controlled manner, without impact blows and with low noise emissions.
This enables fasteners to be tightened to a specified torque. The tightening torque is adjustable from 50 to 400 Nm, while a loosening torque of at least 480 Nm is available.
Intelligent Automation
Using advanced sensors, the robot automatically detects the positions of the rail fastenings, aligns its two working heads and carries out the programmed operations.
The two working heads can operate independently or simultaneously.
Of particular value in track maintenance is the ability to programme not only full loosening and tightening, but also which fasteners are to be worked on, the extent of loosening and the intervals between operations.
Applications include track construction, rail and sleeper renewal, and fastening operations associated with rail destressing (adjustment of longitudinal stresses in the rail). The robot does not carry out the destressing process itself; it assists with the necessary loosening and re-tightening of the fastenings.
Precision and Quality Assurance
A key technical benefit is the automatic recording and storage of final tightening torque values.
The recorded data can be exported for quality assurance and traceability of the fastening operations.
Control is via an integrated touchscreen or wireless remote control. Co-ordinated operation of multiple robots is also envisaged.
The compact robot weighs less than 53 kg excluding the battery and can travel along the rail at speeds of up to 5 km/h.
Under suitable operating conditions, an automated working cycle for one set of fasteners can be completed in six seconds or less.
With interchangeable lithium batteries, compact dimensions and flexible operating settings, the Static Bolt Robot is suited to a wide range of modern track maintenance activities.
Precise. Controlled. Traceable.
Impact Bolt Robot – High Performance for Demanding Fasteners
The grey Impact Bolt Robot has been developed for automated work on rail fastenings where high breakaway torque and a powerful drive are required.
Its defining feature is the delivery of torque through an electrically driven impact mechanism.
With a breakaway torque of at least 850 Nm, the system is particularly suited to demanding connections, including those encountered during maintenance and renewal of existing track.
The tightening torque is adjustable from 80 to 350 Nm.
High-Performance Automation
The Impact Bolt Robot combines automated rail travel with intelligent fastener detection and flexible alignment of its two working heads.
Sensors locate the fastenings. An adaptive positioning mechanism compensates for positional deviations, helping to align the sockets accurately with the fasteners.
Both working heads can operate simultaneously, allowing fasteners on either side of the rail to be worked on during a single automated cycle.
The robot can be operated from its integral control panel or by wireless remote control.
Different operating sequences and working intervals can be configured to meet track maintenance requirements.
Compact, Powerful and Cost-Effective
Weighing less than 40 kg excluding the battery, and with compact overall dimensions, the Impact Bolt Robot is designed for mobile use on the track.
Its electric drive provides autonomous travel along the rail at speeds of up to 5 km/h.
Under suitable operating conditions, a complete automated working cycle for one set of fasteners can be completed in seven seconds or less.
According to the manufacturer, the removable 36 V lithium battery provides at least 1,000 fastening operation cycles per charge.
By combining a high-performance impact drive with automated operation, the Impact Bolt Robot offers new possibilities for cost-effective work on large numbers of rail fastenings.
In repetitive maintenance operations in particular, the system can reduce physical strain, simplify workflows and help optimise the use of available track possessions.
Powerful. Automated. Cost-Effective.
