Traila Active Steering technology for urban rail
At Traila, our ambition goes beyond a single solution; we are developing a suite of comprehensive Active Steering products and services that utilize sensor technology, advanced control automation systems, and state-of-the-art simulation analysis to create more efficient, robust, and safe rail transportation system designs.
Our technology expertise gained in the lab and in the field
To provide robust and reliable solutions for next generation rail vehicles, our engineers transcend traditional R&D boundaries by immersing themselves directly in the operational realities of the rail industry and bringing innovation directly to the tracks.
Sensors & Laser Scans
We are specialists in various sensor technologies, and our engineers develop new and interesting ways to apply advanced sensing for active steering postioning, track scanning and simulations improvement and validation.
HIL, SIL and Digital Twins
Our state-of-the-art Hardware and Software in the Loop (HIL & SIL) systems combined with digital twins provide an unparalleled testing and validation platform. These virtual replicas of our hardware enable us to optimize performance across countless situations before deployment. This accelerates development and ensures the highest precision and safety for our active steering systems.
Multi-Body Simulation, Vehicle Dynamics
Using the industry standard SIMPACK® we can predict how our system works, and ensure that our solutions work in a variety of vehicles and configurations.
Control System Development
Our control systems are built to interpret complex sensor inputs. Through rigorous testing and continuous improvement, we ensure our solutions are both innovative and practical for everyday use.”
Mechanical Design
Real world testing of simulated solutions is the only way to prove our systems work in all situations. Our engineers are experts in turning ideas and concepts into reality.
Field Testing
Field testing is crucial for validating our innovative active steering solutions. At Traila, we have a dedicated test tram, enabling us to conduct rigorous real-world trials. This hands-on approach allows us to refine our technology under actual operating conditions, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and safety.
Our development principles
Collaboration with partners in the field
By partnering with local operators, leading rail engineering consultants, and specialists in our niche areas of interest, we ensure that our solutions are deeply aligned with the operational realities and needs of the rail industry.
Safety at the core
Driven by a deep understanding of past challenges in active steering projects, we prioritize safety and rigorous testing protocols. Our strategy avoids over-complication by introducing innovation in a measured and agile manner, allowing us to better determine risk profiles.
Agile development
Using agile development methods, we combine rapid prototyping, control automation systems, and state-of-the-art simulation analysis. This approach allows us to iteratively refine our active steering solutions, respond quickly to new challenges, and continuously improve through feedback loops.
How it all comes together:
Here we can see how our multi-body simulation matches our tx4 tram during testing. We use our laser scan algorithms to improve our simulations environment and validate our sensor readings for our active steering development. As you can see, even in the curve, the flange does not touch the rail.
Our scientific papers
Traila is at the forefront of scientific innovation. Our achievements include groundbreaking proprietary algorithms that significantly improve the precision and efficiency of rail vehicle maneuverability, advances in control system theory, new approaches to rail simulation, tribology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, as well as several patents for mechanical solutions in the rail industry.
A Feed-forward Featured Cascade PI Control Strategy for Tram Active Steering
2024 Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference – by Xiaotao Ren, Tobias Brack, Tom Morris
Development and Testing of a New Active Steering System for Light Rail Transportation
2023 IWC – by Tom Morris, Stefan Heinrich, Alberto Ronchi, Steven Cervello
Fast Analytical Wheel-Rail Contact Modelling for Realtime Capable MBS in HIL using MATLAB Simulink
2023 International Symposium on Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks – by Stefan Heinrich and Simone Urbinati
