Dual Inventive – Improving Railway Efficiency
Dual Inventive was founded in the Netherlands in 2008 as a technology solutions-based company. We develop and produce innovative technology products specialising in the Internet of Things (IoT) to help people in the rail sector work safely and efficiently, maximising capacity and improving reliability.
Over the years we’ve grown as a business and acquired the Insydes Group in 2021 to help us stand out from the crowd and give us that competitive edge enabling us to enter new markets with new technologies.
Our main focus as a business continues to be on building our vision for the Rail Infra Cloud, a single cloud platform that enables greater oversight and management of the rail networks.
ZKL 3000 RC (Remote T-COD)
The ZKL 3000 RC is a Track Circuit Operating Device designed to provide protection to track workers from trains. It has high safety reliability and maximises track access efficiency.
When the device is activated, it simulates a train in a section of track, causing the track circuit to show ‘occupied’, holding the protecting signal to red.
The device is operated remotely by using the Dual Inventive App independent of the signalling system. The App provides the user with real-time information to help monitor and control the devices set within a project, giving reassurance that the protection remains in place.
Once the ZKL 3000 RC is installed, it can be operated remotely, eliminating the need to enter the track to install and remove protection in place.
For more information, take a look here.
CRM 3000 (Critical Rail Monitoring)
The CRM 3000 monitors rail temperatures. The sensor uses the latest low-power NB-IoT connectivity technology to transmit temperature data to our Cloud-based Business Information system and App named Insight.
The CRM 3000 is magnetic which means it can be attached to an object effortlessly and can be moved easily if required.
By connecting the CRM 3000 to Dual Inventive’s App via NB-IoT technology, it gives the user instant access to our online platform to monitor and analyse the data.
Thresholds can be set to alert the user once the temperature breaches that threshold allowing the user to take necessary action. Any data collected is safe and secure via a worldwide secured network.
For more information, take a look here.
CRM 3000 Use Case
During the summer we usually experience heat waves, which can cause problems on the railways such as rail expansion. This is caused when the rails are exposed to direct sunshine, which can be as much as 20°C hotter than air temperature.
When rails expand due to the extreme heat they can start to buckle as we saw over a two-day period in 2016, which led to nearly 200,000 delay minutes for Network Rail alone.
Complications When Temperatures Get Too Hot
When a section of track starts to buckle local speed restrictions are implemented as slower trains exert lower forces on the track. Without speed restrictions in place it would increase the risk of derailments and/or damage to infrastructure, resulting in the closure of the track to undertake repairs.
Both speed restrictions and repairs to tracks have a massive impact on the daily commute, which can potentially lead to fines.
The Solution Is to Obtain Timely Data
The CRM 3000, provides an extra set of eyes on the ground. It is designed to measure rail temperature, which is monitored by our application Insight, using a wireless NB-IoT connection and a private network.
The CRM 3000 provides data every 5 minutes but is uploaded to Insight on the hour and when the track reaches the threshold you’ve set it, an alarm will be raised.
Benefits of the CRM 3000 (Critical Remote Monitoring)
Our monitoring application Insight provides accurate data on rail temperatures, all of which is done remotely. It gives you the opportunity to take proactive steps to avoid unnecessary speed restrictions or to stop a problem before it happens.
The CRM 3000 is developed with safety in mind. Remote monitoring removes the requirement for workers to be on track taking temperature measurements, removing them from a high-risk environment.
In addition, it is quick and easy to install a CRM 3000, it simply attaches to the web of the rail magnetically in a matter of seconds, therefore minimising the amount of time track workers spend on track.
