System and method for improving the strength of railcar components

Abstract

A method and system for increasing a transportation component's resistance to failure comprising shot-peening at least one area of the component to create a compressive surface layer on the component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of improving a rail transportation component's resistance to failure comprising the step of shot-peening at least one area of the component to create a compressive surface layer on the component in areas of mechanical high stress. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one area is an area of stress arising from a tension applied to the component when performing its intended purpose. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar bolster. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit bolster. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar side frame. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit side frame. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler head. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler yoke. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , where the step of shot-peening comprises the steps of applying at least two applications of a shot-peening media wherein the media used in each application has different characteristics. 
     
     
         11 . A shot-peening system for shot-peening one or more areas of interest on a rail transportation component, the system comprising:
 a conveyor for transporting a rail transportation component along a path through a shot-peening area;   a part-handling robot located in the shot-peening area, the part-handling robot adapted to grasp a rail transportation component and present the rail transportation component in one or more orientations to a shot-peening device; and   a shot-peening device located in the shot-peening area, the shot-peening device equipped with a shot-emitting mechanism for impacting the rail transportation component with shot media.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar bolster. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit bolster. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar side frame. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit side frame. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler head. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler yoke. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         19 . The shot-peening system of  claim 11 , wherein the shot-emitting device is a multi-axis robot. 
     
     
         20 . The shot-peening system of  claim 11 , wherein the shot-emitting mechanism is an air blast system or a spinning centrifugal blast wheel. 
     
     
         21 . The shot-peening system of  claim 11 , additionally comprising shot-peening media, wherein the shot-peening media comprises at least two varieties of shot-peening media, each with different performance characteristics. 
     
     
         22 . A shot-peening system for shot-peening one or more areas of interest on a rail transportation component, the system comprising:
 a conveyor for transporting a rail transportation component along a path through a shot-peening area, the conveyor including a plurality of individual carriers that travel along a track through a shot-peening area, each carrier equipped with rotatable rail transportation component retaining elements and means for rotating a retained component for presentation to a shot-peening device; and   at least one shot-peening device located in the shot-peening area, the shot-peening device equipped with a shot-emitting mechanism for impacting the rail transportation component with shot media.   
     
     
         23 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar bolster. 
     
     
         24 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit bolster. 
     
     
         25 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar side frame. 
     
     
         26 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a mass transit side frame. 
     
     
         27 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler head. 
     
     
         28 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar coupler yoke. 
     
     
         29 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , where the rail transportation component is a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         30 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for rotating a retained rail transportation component is an electric motor. 
     
     
         31 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for rotating a retained rail transportation component includes one or more trip arms on the carrier and one or more trip dogs located along the path of travel of the conveyor. 
     
     
         33 . The shot-peening system of  claim 22 , additionally comprising shot-peening media, wherein the shot peening media comprises at least two varieties of shot-peening media, each with different performance characteristics.