China has recently introduced intelligent inspection robots designed specifically for freight trains at Huanghua Port in Hebei Province, showcasing a remarkable capability to inspect up to 10 trains each day.

Wang Peng, deputy general manager of the Suning maintenance branch of China Energy Railway Equipment Co., Ltd., emphasized that these robots have achieved a flawless 100 percent recognition rate for common faults in the trains.

"The inspection setup includes one robot focused on the underside and two others examining the sides of the train," Wang noted, explaining that this configuration can inspect 54 carriages in just 135 minutes.

The robotic inspection technology commenced operations on May 11 and has since been effectively implemented within the train maintenance depot at Huanghua.

In an exciting development, Wang indicated that the number of side-inspecting robots is projected to rise to 10 within the next four months. This increase will significantly expedite the inspection process, reducing the time from over 50 minutes with 16 personnel to just 27 minutes with the robotic team.

Zhang Hao, who oversees the robotic operations, shared that the robots meticulously photograph crucial areas while inspecting a freight train that is 648 meters long and consists of 54 carriages, gathering essential fault data.

"The robot, measuring only 15 centimeters in thickness, is capable of completing a round trip to inspect the train's underside in less than three minutes, capturing and documenting any suspected issue before returning to charge and await further instructions," Zhang explained.

The two lateral robots are outfitted with dual mechanical arms featuring three joint configurations, allowing vertical, horizontal, and rotational movements, and they can scan a single train carriage in approximately 2.5 minutes.

During inspections, the trio of robots collectively captures 9,450 high-definition images. The intelligent system efficiently processes this data, providing quick analysis results that highlight the locations of over 120 types of suspected faults.

"Indeed, robots demonstrate a higher level of precision than human inspectors," commented Lyu Dawei, an experienced maintenance worker tasked with measuring wheel dimensions during routine inspections.