Recently, a patented portable continuous wear meter for contact wires has been officially deployed on Line 14 operated by BJMTR. Integrating cutting-edge technologies such as intelligent algorithms, photoelectric sensing, and laser imaging, the device functions like a high-precision "inspection eye" and "smart brain" for the overhead contact system. It performs comprehensive and continuous inspections along the contact wires, detecting wear patterns with millimeter-level accuracy. This significantly enhances the efficiency and precision of wear detection, providing robust technical support for the safe operation of metro systems.
The overhead contact system plays a critical role in reliably supplying power to trains. During operation, the continuous friction between the pantograph and the contact wires causes wear, which directly impacts power stability and train safety. Thus, monitoring wear on the overhead contact system is particularly important.
As early as February 2022, BJMTR identified the limitations of traditional manual inspection methods and initiated an innovative collaboration with relevant institutions to develop a new solution. From conceptual design and prototype development to field testing and parameter calibration, BJMTR engineers repeatedly refined the device’s stability while continuously optimizing data accuracy and inspection efficiency.
After more than three years of pilot testing, thousands of kilometers of data collection, and breakthroughs in key technologies, the portable continuous wear meter for contact wires was officially granted an invention patent by the China National Intellectual Property Administration in July this year. With this approval, the device has now obtained both an invention patent and a utility model patent, highlighting its innovative value and practical applicability.
It is reported that the equipment has recently been put into regular maintenance operations on Line 14 operated by BJMTR.