Why is spring steel used to manufacture rail elastic clips?
Spring steel is chosen as the core material for manufacturing rail elastic clips due to the perfect alignment between its unique mechanical properties and the functional requirements of the track system.
| 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 |
Through precise chemical composition design-typically containing 0.5%-0.7% carbon, alloyed with 1.5%-2.0% silicon and 0.6%-1.0% manganese-this steel achieves an exceptional elastic limit after heat treatment. This means the clip can tenaciously return to its original shape after countless deformations, continuously providing stable clamping force to the rail, a characteristic unattainable with ordinary structural steel.
| 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 |
At the microscopic level, spring steel subjected to quenching and tempering forms a unique tempered troostite metallographic structure. This structure gives the material both high strength and good toughness, enabling it to withstand long-term alternating stresses without plastic deformation.
Practical tests show that high-quality spring steel clips can maintain clamping force decay within 15% of the initial value even after 3 million load cycles. This fatigue resistance ensures reliable clip performance under the constant vibration environment caused by train traffic.
Another key advantage of spring steel is its excellent energy absorption capacity. When train wheels pass, the clip converts impact kinetic energy into potential energy through elastic deformation and releases it gradually. This process can reduce the vibration intensity transmitted to the sleeper by over 30%.
Furthermore, after suitable surface treatment (like hot-dip galvanizing), spring steel effectively resists environmental corrosion, maintaining long-term performance stability even under harsh climatic conditions.
GNEE RAIL utilizes optimized spring steel chemical compositions and heat treatment processes to ensure every elastic clip produced maintains lasting elasticity and clamping force under extreme operating conditions.
