Electrical energy is the metier of the company; it is a manufacturer of electro-mechanical and electronics products for traffic engineering and industrial applications. The core competence can be succinctly described with the words “connect, contact, control.”
Today’s product line includes connectors, snap-action switches, contactors, control and indicating devices as well as components that are used mainly in the railway industry.
Electrical connectors for rail
If the ambient conditions are extreme or there is a requirement for special functions, connectors from Schaltbau are the first choice. The stringent quality demands during the development of the connector also manifest themselves in a user-friendly product design.
The product range includes connectors according to industry standards, charging connectors for battery-powered machines and vehicles and connectors for railway engineering, including UIC-connectors and connectors to suit the special requirements of telecommunications engineering (MIL-connectors).
Snap-action switches for railway applications
The snap-action switches from Schaltbau are designed for safety-relevant applications. In all applications, they conform to the stringent requirements of safety circuits – whether used as limit switches in conveyor equipment, in plant manufacture or in door controls of public transportation systems. The positive opening mechanism developed by Schaltbau ensures unconditional opening, even if the contacts are welded or the snap mechanism fails.
In the snap-action switches from Schaltbau, the safety level can even be seen – with their transparent-green housing, they are known all over the world.
Rail contactors and electronic control devices
Reliability and a long life must also be provided in many other systems that are dependent on high availability. Contactors from Schaltbau are used here.
As different as they may all look, the trains in railway stations in New York or Washington DC, in Paris or Munich, in Shanghai or Hong Kong are controlled with one master controller. Often, it is a master controller from Schaltbau. Other central control devices made by Schaltbau, which are visible and familiar to passengers, are emergency brake handles in passenger coaches.
Schaltbau equips the complete driver’s desk of railway vehicles and special machines with control devices: from the key switch to the dead man’s foot-pedal (driver’s safety device).
Schaltbau’s completely new CT1000 railway contactor combines in one system, for the first time, the advantages of electromagnetic and permanent magnetic blowing for arc guidance. The result is an economically and technically efficient, reliable system that can be used almost without limitation in global railway networks. The initial experience gained from a number of field tests is positive.
High-voltage switchgears, earthing devices and flat battery power supplies
Schaltbau supplies a large number of modern equipment and components for use in traffic engineering, e.g. high-voltage switchgear, modular disconnecting and earthing devices and flat battery power supplies. These energy supply devices contribute to safe and comfortable operation of railway vehicles under all weather condition, whether sunshine, continuous rain, frost or fog.
The high-voltage flat battery power supply provides the energy required for starting when the batteries are discharged, directly from the high-voltage line; high-voltage heating systems ensure the correct temperature in the passenger coaches and the disconnecting and earthing device facilitates safe working on high-voltage equipment.
Electric locomotive and EMU AC vacuum switch
The CVB25 (circuit vacuum breaker) is an AC vacuum switch for electric locomotives and electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains that needs almost no energy to safely switch on overhead power. The energy needed for it to operate is stored in an elastic spring. To trigger the starting process, a minimal amount of electrical energy is needed to release the mechanical lock – and this can even be provided by an almost empty vehicle battery.
Snap-action switches
Built flat and compact, snap-action switches are laterally mounted. The transparent green housing enables the condition of the contacts to be checked at any time.
Snap-action switches perform both quickly and safely, even when subjected to extreme temperatures, shock and vibrations. The contacts clean themselves automatically, keeping contact resistances low throughout the switch’s long working life. If a short circuit in the system leads to welding of the contacts, they can still be opened reliably thanks to the positive opening operation.
The low fail-rate of Schaltbau snap-action switches makes them sought-after components for safety applications.
