GE

Measurement & Control

GE Oil & Gas
Measurement & Control
Ultrasonic testing of rails with the
new Rail Tester SPG 2
Ultrasonic Application Solutions

Application
In order to guarantee safety in railway
transport, rails must be regularly
tested . Whilst railway inspection trains
test the rail network at high speeds,
the rail tester SPG 2 is used in the area
of railway stations (fig. 1). Up until now
this test has been carried out by a
probe system with 70-70 angle. The
70 elements are used to detect cracks
in the rail head and the straight beam
probe detects flaws down to the rail
foot. In order to make the Rail Tester
compatible with the rail inspection
train, the upper rail section shall be
tested additionally in both directions at
angles of 38 (see fig. 3). Figure 1: Rail tester SPG 2

Solution
In addition to the conventional
methods, a new probe housing has
been developed (fig. 2) with the object
of using two 38 elements. The angles
are set to 70, 38, 0, -38 and -70 in
this order.
The probes can either be activated all
at once or individually with the
distribution box.
Figure 2: Modified probe configuration
GE
Measurement & Control
GE Oil & Gas
Measurement
Rail Tester SPG 2 & Control

The probe is suspended in the

SPG 2 so that it can be raised by
means of a Bowden Wire, see
figure 3.
The SPG 2 can be equipped, for
example, with the USIP 40 flaw
detector.
The individual transducer units
can be selected with the
Figure 3: The 70-38-0-38-70 probe holder switches on the control box , see
figure 4.
Normally the rail test is made
with all transducers activated at
the same time. However, when
an echo indication occurs, the
operator has the option of
locating the flaw by individually
switching the transducer
elements.

Figure 4: The switch control box

General solution information Your benefit

Conventional Rail Tester SPG2, The SPG 2 can be utilized with various
70/70 probe, 0 probe, both probes portable ultrasonic flaw detection
are suspended in two holders instruments, such as USM GO+ or
Modified Rail Tester SPG2 Mod, USM 36.
70/38/-/38/70 probe, 0 probe, the The probe block is designed to be
straight-beam probe is positioned in suspended in double gimbals to
the center of the multi-angle beam follow the contour of the rail.
probe
Identification numbers Contact the GE European Solutions Center
SPG 2 35344 SPG 2 mod. 36220
70/70 56250 70/38/0/38/70 68727
for your individual inspection problems:
0 probe 50403 USIP 40 36535
GE Measurement & Control
70069042014

European Solutions Center

www.utprobes.com
Portable.utsolutions@ge.com