Elastic Wheel Suspension and Vibration Isolation
Within a resilient railway wheel, the spring washer forms part of the elastic connection between the wheel tyre and the wheel centre. Instead of transmitting wheel–rail excitation directly through a completely rigid wheel structure, the elastomer section provides controlled compliance and damping.
This helps reduce impact loads and structure-borne vibration and can contribute to lower noise generation and more uniform transmission of dynamic forces through the wheel assembly. Research on resilient railway wheels confirms that elastomer elements between the rim and wheel centre can significantly influence vibration behaviour and wheel–rail noise.
Compact Load-Carrying Design
The spring-steel and elastomer construction is designed to transmit substantial forces while requiring only limited installation space. Its elastic behaviour can be adapted through the geometry of the metal parts, elastomer design and material characteristics.
Depending on the wheel concept, the component permits small controlled relative movements within the wheel while maintaining the stiffness required for safe load transmission. The elastomer also cushions load peaks that would otherwise be transferred more directly between the wheel tyre and wheel centre.
Key Technical Benefits
- compact rubber-metal spring element for resilient railway wheels;
- high load-carrying capability within restricted installation space;
- reduction of shock loads and structure-borne vibration;
- contribution to lower wheel–rail noise;
- controlled elastic movement between wheel tyre and wheel centre;
- defined load-deflection and damping characteristics;
- reduced transmission of dynamic load peaks;
- high fatigue resistance for repeated cyclic loading;
- adaptable geometry and elastic characteristics for different wheel designs.
Applications in Resilient Railway Wheels
Spring washers are used in resilient wheel systems for rail vehicles where vibration isolation, noise reduction and compact elastic wheel suspension are required.
Typical applications include trams and metro vehicles, particularly in urban networks where wheel–rail noise, vibration and repeated operation through curves place demanding requirements on wheel components. Resilient wheels are especially well established in tram and urban rail applications.
Spring washers can be supplied for wheel overhaul, scheduled fleet maintenance, refurbishment and vehicle modernisation projects. Replacement components can also be evaluated where the original spring element is obsolete or no longer commercially available.
Project-Specific Manufacturing
Component dimensions, metal-disc geometry, elastomer compound and elastic characteristics are selected according to the wheel design, available installation space, required loads and operating conditions.
Project-specific spring washers can be manufactured according to an existing technical drawing, original component, physical sample or defined customer specification.
Each application is technically evaluated before production to ensure that the required geometry, load-deflection behaviour and elastic characteristics correspond to the intended wheel system.
German Production and Quality Control
Spring washers are manufactured in Germany under quality management systems certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 22163. GMT currently lists both standards within its certified management system.
Product-specific verification can include dimensional inspection and evaluation of the agreed elastic, load-deflection and fatigue-related characteristics. Depending on project requirements, dynamic or service-life testing may also be used to validate the component under representative cyclic loading. GMT confirms the use of single- and multi-axial durability testing for railway vibration-control components.
The finished products can be supplied with an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate in accordance with the agreed project documentation.