What are the characteristics of different types of rail clips?
Rail clips have characteristics like material, elasticity, and holding force, which vary by type, such as SKL clips (high clamping force, ductile iron), elastic rail clips (high elasticity, spring steel), and KPO clips (high strength, spring steel). Other types like Nabla clips (elasticity, steel) are specifically for grooved rails like tramways. Key features across types include high fatigue life, strong anti-corrosion performance, and good anti-breaking performance.
| Clip Type | Key Characteristics | Material | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elastic Rail Clip | High elasticity, shock and vibration absorption, high tensile strength | High-grade spring steel (e.g., 60Si2MnA) | Suitable for heavy and light railway systems |
| SKL Rail Clip | High clamping force, reliable performance, suitable for all rail types | Cast iron or ductile iron | Widely used in European countries |
| KPO Rail Clip | High strength, high resilience and elasticity | High-quality spring steel | Widely used in Asian countries |
| Nabla Rail Clip | Excellent elasticity and shock absorption | High-quality steel | Designed for grooved rails in tramways and light rail systems |
| Other Characteristics | Durability: Ability to withstand bending, torsion, and fatigue corrosion. | Various types of steel (Q235, 60Si2Mn) and composite materials. | All rail fastening systems are designed to have sufficient strength and durability. |
| Performance: Good anti-breaking and anti-corrosion properties. | |||
| Ease of Use: Some designs allow for faster and more convenient installation. |
Other important characteristics to consider
- Fatigue Life: A clip's ability to withstand a large number of stress cycles (e.g., 3 to 5 million cycles for SKL clips) is crucial for longevity.
- Hardness: A hardness rating (e.g., 44-48 HRC for some elastic clips) indicates the material's resistance to deformation and wear.
- Corrosion Resistance: Galvanization and other coatings protect the clips from rust and significantly extend their service life.
- Adjustability: Some systems allow for adjusting the rail gauge and height, which is important for maintenance and track alignment.
Specifications of Rail Clips
Rail elastic clip is one of the popular fastening parts to keep rail track fixed on rail sleepers(wooden sleeper and concrete sleeper). Rail clamps are also used in some rail fastening systems.
| E-type Clips | |||
| Model | Diameter | Material | Hardness |
| E1809 | ø20 | 60Si2MnA | 44-48 |
| E1813 | ø18 | 60Si2MnA | 44-48 |
| E2001 | ø20 | 60Si2MnA | 44-48 |
| E2039 | ø20 | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2MnA |
| E2055 | ø20 | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2MnA |
| SKL Tension clips | |||
| Model | Diameter | Material | Hardness |
| SKL1 | ø13 | 60Si3CrA | 42-47 |
| SKL3 | ø13 | 60Si3CrA | 42-47 |
| SKL12 | ø13 | 38Si7 | 42-47 |
| SKL14 | ø14 | 60Si2MnA | 42-47 |
| Other Rail Clips | |||||
| Model | Russia rail clip | Deenik clip | Anti-vandal clip | Fast clip GL1419 | GL1419 |
| Diameter | ø18 | ø25 | ø18 | ø15 | ø14 |
Elastic Rail Clip Manufacturing Process
Raw material gathering-Shearing-heating to forging temperature-Forming-Hardening-Tempering-Surface Treatment-Inspection-Packing
Raw material refers to a long spring steel rod. The first step is to shear the raw materials into the required length. Then put the sheared spring steel into the heating furnace. The temperature in the furnace is 950-1000℃. After heating, the clips are formed through three stages of bending by hot molding equipment. After forming, the elastic rail clips are conveyed to a quenching oil tank. After quenching, the elastic rail clips are tempered at 400-500°C. The elastic rail clips are finally oiled and packed. The elastic rail clips must have a hardness between 40 and 48 HRC.
From the first step of raw material purchasing to the final step of finished products, we do strict inspections. GNEE RAIL uses high precision inspection machines to make sure the finished elastic rail clips meet the requirements.
