KZV focuses its activity on development and production of complete track geometry measuring devices (contact and contactless), rail corrugation, rail and wheel profilemeters and track clearance scanners.
KZV also provides on-demand track geometry measurement, evaluation and consultancy.
Complete track geometry measurement systems
The KRAB™ complete track geometry measurement system was designed as a unique, stand-alone measuring system.
The KRAB is a trolley that can be pushed / pulled by a human operator or coupled with a vehicle. Its modular concept adapts to all available track gauges from 600mm to 1,668mm.
KRAB can be equipped with either rollers or flanges. Flanges can be adapted for convenient tramway rail measurement.
The main geometrical quantities KRAB measures are gauge, vertical and horizontal alignment (top), cant, and twist.
Optionally, it can be equipped with a GPS module for easier localization of defects, track-gradient measurement, etc.
Sophisticated evaluation software recalculates measured data to real geometry, and displays measurement history, events, local defects and quality indices.
Krab track geometry tools
The KRAB system is available in a range of versions.
Krab NCI is the newest product of our Krab family. It was designed with a focus on low weight and easy operation using non-contact technology. This concept enables the measurement of track geometry as well as rail profiles.
The principle of measuring with the chord is kept and enhanced by coordination with the inertial sensors.
The original KRAB called KRAB 84.09 has a robust, steel construction and weighs about 65kg. The measurement speed is limited to approximately 15km/h.
KRAB84.09 can be used for switch point inspection as an option. The extra auxiliary rollers for flange groove width measuring can be mounted on the basic trolley
Krab 84.09 SA is the heaviest of the Krab family. It is designed to be pulled behind a railway vehicle.
It is equipped by safety system, which detect the derailment and can automatically disconnect the towing bar.
Krab S-light is designed with a focus on low weight and easy operation.
The measurement speed is limited to approximately 15km/h. The trolley weights around 30kg, only one operator is capable of taking it away from the track.
On-board computer has enough memory for at least 2,000km.
The trolley has versatile adjustable nominal gauge in wide range as an option (for example 760mm-1,676mm).
KRAB can be equipped by several add-on devices, including:
- KrabCamera for continuous track picture
- Long arm for measuring of long chords (over 10m) or long waves (up to 70m)
- External differential GNSS receiver
- Rail profile scanner for rail wear
T-metix trolley and Turtle
T-metix is a system designed for absolute track position. It measures the position of track relatively to the map of fixed points placed near the track.
Turtle is a contactless measuring system designed for tramway tracks. It is operated by towing behind a tram, as well as allows smooth passing through the tracks and switches without the need of operator intervention.
Clearance scanner
LPS Tunnel scanner is a railway clearance scanner. It can be used for scanning of tunnels, railway platforms, vegetation or any objects located along the track.
As the system is based on stable KRAB platform, it also measures full track geometry data. In this way, the system gets enough data to reconstruct full 3D profile of the tunnel tube.
The trolley is intended to be pushed manually with typical walking speed of 5km/h. The typical sample size on tunnel wall with this speed is 2cm x 2cm.
After the measurement is finished, the data is copied to USB flash disk and further processed by an evaluation programme on a computer.
Rail corrugation
GEKON is a measuring device intended for the measurement of rail surface roughness for the needs of rail corrugation development as well as for checking of the quality of grinding.
It is able to measure track segments of virtually infinite length and evaluate the sections of predefined length separately. GEKON evaluation software is a powerful tool that enables evaluation of peak-to-peak values in defined wavebands ranging from 10mm to 3,000mm.
Sensors can be easily moved to desired measuring path. Gekon is based on point laser sensors.
Wheel diameter caliper
SPIDER is an electronic device designed to measure versine values and to make subsequent calculations of wheel diameters of railway and tram vehicles.
Practical applications of the SPIDER are wheel checking for operational wear (wheel diameter) and wheel testing before re-profiling.