Railway Pad Production Process

Rail pad, is a rail rubber plate between the rail tie plate and foot of the rail, made of elastic polyurethane, which is interposed between steel rails and sleepers to reduce friction and impact. Rail pads are fastened within a fastening system by screw spikes or rail bolts into the sleeper ties.

Railway pad production involves mixing rubber compounds with additives, shaping them via injection or compression molding, curing (vulcanization) under heat and pressure for durability, and then trimming and quality testing to create elastic, load-bearing components for tracks. The process ensures pads meet specific stiffness, wear resistance, and dimensional needs for track safety and longevity, often using advanced CNC machinery for precision.

Key Stages of Rail Pad Production

Compound Preparation:

Raw rubber is mixed with fillers, curing agents (like sulfur), anti-aging agents, and reinforcing materials in internal mixers or roll mills.

This step ensures the final product has required tensile strength, stability, and elasticity.

Shaping (Molding):

• Injection Molding: Dried raw materials are heated, injected into a mold under high pressure, and cooled to form the pad's precise shape.

• Compression Molding: The mixed compound is placed in a mold, and heat and pressure are applied.

Molds can incorporate features like dust skirts or grooves for specific track conditions.

Curing (Vulcanization):

The molded pads are heated under pressure, causing polymer chains to cross-link, creating a strong, stable elastic structure. This step is crucial for wear resistance and fatigue life.

Finishing:

• Trimming: Excess material (flash) and nozzles are removed using cutters to meet precise dimensions.

• Surface Treatment: Sometimes done for flatness or specific requirements.

Testing & Quality Control:

Qualified pads undergo performance tests for stiffness (e.g., 300-500 kN/mm), dimensional accuracy, and other parameters before being approved for warehousing and use.

GNEE RAIL is equipped with rail pad production lines for 130sets of machines, for the whole process of injection, refining rubber, sulfuration, moulding and inspection, etc. We own the most engineers for rail pad development, design, production and inspection, with annual production capacity reaching up to 2000, 000 pieces.

Our EVA/HDPE/rubber rail pads are with high elasticity, applying to types for rails such as rail UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs,BS100lbs, and sizes as ordered. The pads can be customized with or without grooves, in various possible designs, depending on customers' requirements.

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