Testing and Laboratory Services

TUV Rheinland has access to an extensive lab network in North America. Our capabilities include metallurgical, electrical, mechanical, wireless and other component testing services. Services can be performed in a laboratory environment or out in the field using our team of highly experienced engineers and technicians.

Diverse areas for testing and instrumentation:

  • Strain Gaging
  • Over-the-Road Testing
  • Longitudinal Rail Strain
  • Laser- Based Wheel and Rail Profile Measurements
  • Track-Side Monitoring of Rail Lubrication Effectiveness
  • 90+ Channel SOMAT Data Acquisition Capability
  • Remote Data Acquisition Communications
  • Ride Quality Assessment
  • Vehicle Suspension Analysis
  • Wheel Force Detection
  • Structural Vibration and Resonance

The services listed below are lab/test offerings relevant to the rail industry:

  • Failure Analysis and Root-Cause Determination
  • Mechanical Testing (Tensile & Compression Testing to 1.2 Million Lbs., Fatigue, Impact, Load, Hardness, Charpy Impact)
  • Material evaluations according to ASTM, NIST, SAE, ANSI, ASM and ISO standards
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Weld Testing (Strength Testing, Load Testing, Bend Testing, Radiography, Impact Testing, Machining, NDT Methods, Macro Etching, Tensile Testing)
  • Roller Bearing and Side Bearing Tester
  • MTS Equipment, Up to 60 kip Capability
  • Prepare test and inspection plans for acceptance of steel (stainless, structural) used for trucks and carbody in accordance with North American standards
  • Test and inspect structural castings in accordance with AAR Specifications
  • Inspection and acceptance of steel castings, cast-weld assemblies and weld assemblies, such as truck frame weld assemblies
  • Custom Fixture Design and Build
  • Corrosion Analysis, Paint Analysis, Salt Spray Chamber, and Weatherometer Testing
  • Non-destructive Testing (NDT) and Inspections (Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant, Ultrasonic, Eddy Current, Visual, X-Ray Fluorescence (PMI), X-Ray, Computed Radiograph, Fluoroscopy, Gamma Ray)
  • Ground Penetrating Radar
  • Scanning Electron Microscope

Additionally, TUV Rheinland offers the certification of welding operations, processes and welders to North American requirements, such as AWS and ASTM (Weld Procedure Specifications (WPS), Procedure Qualification Record (PQR), Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ), and Environmental and Construction Inspection Services.

Please also take a look at our other services by clicking on the links below: