What should be paid attention to during use to ensure that rail clips have good clamping force?
To ensure rail clips maintain good clamping force during use, attention must be paid to multiple aspects including installation, maintenance, and environmental adaptation.
| Name | Rail clip | |||
| Type | E clip (e1809, e2006,e2007,e2009,etc) | |||
| Skl clip (skl1,skl3,skl12,skl14) | ||||
| Or the type by customers' drawings | ||||
| Material | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| Chemical composition(%) | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.60-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80,Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00,Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
| Hardness | For e clip: 44-48HRC | |||
| For skl clip: 42-47HRC | ||||
| Fatigue life | for Dia.18 is 3 millions cycles without breaking | |||
| for Dia.20 is 5 millions cycles without breaking | ||||
| Surface | plain (oiled), Oxide black, color painting, HDG, Zinc Plating... | |||
| Standard refers | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 | |||
During the installation phase, it is essential to use a calibrated torque wrench and fasten strictly according to the design torque value. Different clip models have specific torque requirements; for instance, the installation torque for common Type I spring clips is typically controlled within the 120-150 N·m range. Excessive torque can cause the clip to exceed its elastic limit and sustain internal damage, while insufficient torque fails to create effective clamping force.
During installation, it is also necessary to ensure complete and tight contact between the clip and the rail foot/baseplate surfaces; any foreign objects or unevenness will lead to uneven stress distribution.
During daily use, a regular inspection system should be established. It is recommended to conduct a systematic check of the clip condition every three months, including observing whether the spring strip is in the normal working position and checking for visible cracks or permanent deformation. For heavy-haul or high-speed railway lines, it is advisable to use an electronic torque tester every six months to spot-check the clamping force attenuation. When the torque value drops by more than 15% of the initial value, unified adjustment is required.
The impact of environmental factors on clamping force cannot be ignored. In areas with significant temperature variations, inspection frequency should be increased during seasonal transitions, as the thermal expansion and contraction of the rail significantly affect the stress state of the clips.
Regarding maintenance, hard particles like coal slag or ore accumulated around the clips should be promptly cleaned, as these abrasives accelerate clip wear and impair their elastic recovery. For slightly corroded clips, clean them with a wire brush and apply specialized anti-corrosion grease. When matching components such as insulated gauge blocks or rubber baseplates show aging or damage, they must be replaced simultaneously, as the failure of these parts can indirectly lead to abnormal clamping force in the clips.
GNEE RAIL offers different kinds of railway fasteners to meet client's requirements, such as Elastic Rail Clip and Clamp, Rail Screw Spike, Plastic Dowel, High Tensile Track Bolt with Nut, Rail Base(Tie) Plate, Rail Fish Plate, Railway Shoulder(Insert), Fish Bolt, Railroad Rubber and EVA Pad, etc. Samples and drawings provided by customer, we will manufacture qualified products accordingly.
