Early detection of wheel defects

In the first month of the trial, Powerail detected abnormal vibration patterns – recurring periodic shocks in the data, which is a strong indicator of wheel surface defects such as flat spots.

Once the flat spot pattern was confirmed, an alert was promptly shared with the wagon owner. This enabled early planning and rerouting to an internal maintenance depot.

The wheel was reprofiled at the operator’s internal facility during scheduled maintenance, eliminating the need for urgent third-party repairs or unexpected downtime.

Upon inspection, a 30 mm flat spot was identified on one of the wagon wheels. The most likely cause was a wheel lock-up during braking — potentially due to uneven brake force distribution or sudden emergency braking.

Such incidents often go unnoticed in daily operations, especially if manual inspections are limited. Over time, even a moderate flat spot like this one can grow larger, increasing wear on suspension components and reducing wheel lifespan.

If left undetected, the defect would have worsened, potentially requiring full wheelset replacement and risking further damage to the wagon or surrounding infrastructure.

Day 1 – Wheel defect data collected and pattern confirmed

Day 2 – Alert sent & maintenance scheduled

Day 3 – Rerouted wagon to depot & wheel reprofiled

Day 4 – Wagon returned to normal operation