Performance Assessment of Reconditioned Freight Rail Bearings Using Eddy Current Array for Enhanced Nondestructive Inspection

Author

Eduardo Miranda, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Date of Award

12-1-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Constantine Tarawneh

Second Advisor

Heinrich Foltz

Third Advisor

Arturo Fuentes

Abstract

In North America, freight bearings removed from service must undergo a reconditioning process in accordance with Association of American Railroads recommended guidelines before reuse, with approximately 80% having been reconditioned at least once. This process includes bearing inspection, where repairable defects may be refurbished and returned to service with an extended performance range of 50,000 to 250,000 miles. Motivated by this extensive range in performance, researchers at the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety, in collaboration with MxV Rail, utilized a nondestructive evaluation method to enhance the reconditioning inspection process. An Eddy Current Array (ECA) was applied to bearing cup raceways to detect near-surface defects that may go unnoticed during the reconditioning process. Cups with and without ECA indications were tested under accelerated life conditions. The ECA results exhibit strong correlations between indications and spall development, enabling enhanced reliability of the inspection process and preventing compromised bearings from re-entering service.

Comments

Copyright 2025 Eduardo Miranda. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3292552469

Recommended Citation

Miranda, E. (2025). Performance Assessment of Reconditioned Freight Rail Bearings Using Eddy Current Array for Enhanced Nondestructive Inspection [Master's thesis, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley]. ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/etd/1838