Railfreight – Practical Solutions28.04.2014 – Brussels

European development of the VPI maintenance guide

S. Franke

A maintenance system of a national Assoziation –

internationally applicable?

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1) The development of the VPI maintenance manual

2) Implementation and base for ECM

3) VPI workshop audits

4) Outlook

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First published in 2008 as a replacement / alternative for the maintenance systems

of the state railways, in order to:

- ensure a sufficient maintenance level, recognized by the sector

- create one maintenance system for existing and TSI wagons

- reduce the number of different maintenance systems

- reduce organizational efforts in the workshops

- create a flexible system to add findings out of operation in the manual

The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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VPI E Introductory remarks, Version 3, 01.01.2013

VPI 1 General part, Version 3, 01.01.2013

VPI 2 Undercarriages, bogies, Version 3, 15.10.2013

VPI 3 Vehicle superstructures, tanks, Version 2, 01.02.2008

VPI 4 Wheelsets, Version 3, 07.01.2012

VPI 5 Springs, Version 3, 01.03.2014

VPI 6 Buffing and draw gear, Version 2, 01.02.2008

VPI 7 Freight wagon brakes, Version 2, 01.02.2008

VPI 8 Electronic data interchange, Version 3, 10.04.2013

VPI 9 Non-destructive testing, Version 3, 19.10.2011

11 Languages: Bulgarian, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian,

Spanish, Swedish, Czech, Hungarian (partly, depending on version)

The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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Each keeper / ECM must check if the VPI manual is applicable for their own fleet

Each keeper / ECM must add specific instructions, e.g. maintenance of three

axle bogies (not described in the VPI manual)

The keeper / ECM is responsible for the maintenance instructions for their own fleet.

If anyone (keeper, workshop,…) notices a mistake or something missing in the VPI

maintenance manual, they are asked to use:

The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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Example wheelsets, VPI 04:

Currently, the maintenance specifications for 64 types of wheelsets are part of

the manual.

Associations / companies out of six European countries contributed to this

variety of instructions.

Maintenance specifications for cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings

and tapered roller bearings are part of the manual.

The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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The development of the VPI maintenance manual

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364 manuals were sold to 25 countries

We estimate that 200.000 freight wagons were maintained based on the VPI

Manual.

Belgium 8 Bulgaria 4China 3 Denmark 1Germany 195 France 22Great Britain 1 Ireland 1Italy 9 Croatia 2Luxembourg 2 Netherlands 9Norway 1 Austria 20Poland 13 Romania 4Sweden 4 Switzerland 37Serbia 2 Slovakia 5Slovenia 1 Spain 1Czechia 10 Turkey 1Hungary 8

Implementation and base for ECM

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Vast resources(skilled staff, money, time...) are necessary in order to develop

an independent maintenance system.

The VPI manual can be an important aid for fulfilling the ECM requirements.

Necessary steps for implementation of the VPI maintenance system:

- Check if VPI manual is applicable for the own fleet

- Identify additional maintenance specifications

- Develop ECM specific maintenance system

- Entrust only qualified workshops with maintenance tasks

- Compare regular maintenance reports and maintenance system

- Check the maintenance delivery performed by the workshops

VPI workshop audits

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You will find a list of qualified workshops at the VPI homepage:

https://www.vpihamburg.de/downloadbereich/oeffentlich/werkstatten

VPI workshop audits

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140 workshops are listed, the workshops are located in 17 countries

Belgium 6 Bulgaria 2Germany 59 France 16Italy 4 Luxembourg 1Netherlands 3 Austria 4Poland 9 Romania 3Sweden 10 Switzerland 6Serbia 2 Slovakia 2Slovenia 2 Czechia 5Hungary 6

VPI workshop audits

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One service to avoid separate audits for workshops for VPI and ECM are

combined audits, 4 companies from Austria, Belgium and Swiss offer this

service together with VPI. For further information visit:

https://www.vpihamburg.de/downloadbereich/oeffentlich/fachtechnische-begutachtung-kpmbi-audits

Activity in 2013

- a total of 54 audits in 13 countries

- 19 audits were combined audits

Outlook

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Some National Associations already support the VPI manual. Specific maintenance

rules and the maintenance of specific parts can be considered in the manual.

Outlook

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Outlook

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VPI 8, Electronic data interchange, can improve the future cooperation

between keeper and workshops. Exchange of data and documents is possible.

This can facilitate fulfilling the documentation requirements of 445 / 2011 (ECM)

Outlook

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Implementation of multilateral data exchangesuccess factor: Standardisation VPI 08

VPI 08Workshop A

Workshop B

Workshop C

Workshop D

ECM 2

ECM 1

ECM 3

Outlook

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Nevertheless, a bilateral and protected data exchange is guaranteed:

VPI 08 Workshop A

Workshop D

ECM 1

ECM 3

ECM 2

Workshop B

Workshop C

Outlook

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When new versions of modules of the VPI manual will be published, more

translations will be done.

Necessary regulations for the application of the VPI manual will be named and listed,

e.g. standards.

If there is the need for other languages additionally to those currently available,

more languages will be considered for translation.

Maintenance of freight wagons in other railway systems can be considered.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) procedures and qualification: Currently different

application throughout Europe, some changes are possible for the workshops.

It is expected that more wagons will be maintained according to the VPI manual

and more workshops will offer maintenance based on VPI in the future.

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Thank you, for your attention!