Aluminum alloy side walls for railway passenger car bodies: Lightweight Innovation Drives Rail Transit Upgrades

As a leader in lightweight materials for rail transportation, our company officially released the new aluminum alloy sidewall system for railroad passenger car bodies today. The product took 18 months to develop and uses 6005A-T6 aluminum alloy profiles. By optimizing the cross-section structure of the profiles and the welding process, the weight of a single sidewall is reduced by 42% compared to traditional carbon steel and the bending strength is increased by 35%. This product comprehensively meets the lightweight and safety requirements of railroad coaches traveling at speeds under 250 km/h.
 

This series of aluminum alloy sidewalls features three core technological breakthroughs: First, the introduction of the friction stir welding (FSW) process eliminates defects in the heat-affected zone of traditional arc welding, and the strength of the weld seam reaches 92% of that of the base material. Second, the adoption of a honeycomb sandwich composite structural design reduces weight while increasing sound insulation to 38 dB, effectively reducing noise in the compartment. Third, upgrading the surface treatment process makes the noise-resistant material more resilient through fluorocarbon and nano-ceramic coating composite technology.The surface treatment process has been upgraded with fluorocarbon spraying and nano-ceramic coating composite technology. The product has passed CRCC certification and obtained two utility model patents, and its salt spray corrosion resistance exceeds 1,000 hours.
 

The first batch of products has been applied to the intercity train project of a CSR subsidiary, and on-site debugging data shows the following: the overall weight of cars equipped with aluminum alloy sidewalls has decreased by 8.6 tons; traction energy consumption has decreased by 18%; and structural stability and sealing performance exceed industry standards in environmental tests ranging from -40°C to 70°C.A railroad bureau acceptance officer said, "The balanced performance of the sidewall system in terms of lightness and reliability provides key support for our subsequent vehicle weight reduction and energy-saving transformation."