Brüel & Kj?r Vibro (B&K Vibro), which is part of the NSK Group, has signed an agreement with Stadler Rail to bring state-of-the-art condition monitoring to 606 rail carriages for the Berlin Underground (U-Bahn).

The VCM-3 Condition Monitoring System (CMS) will contribute to optimizing maintenance schedules, maintaining uptime, and reducing operating costs.

Brüel & Kj?r Vibro (B&K Vibro), as the condition monitoring arm of the NSK Group, is pleased to announce that Stadler Rail, headquartered in Bussnang, Switzerland, has selected B&K Vibro’s state-of-the-art VCM-3 Condition Monitoring System to be installed on 606 railway carriages for the Berlin Underground (U-Bahn) in Germany.

This multi-million-euro condition monitoring project is an integral part of a recent project win by Stadler, for the delivery of up to 1,500 new underground cars, which will be used on the Berlin underground network. The framework agreement, with a value close to three billion euros, is also one of the largest supply contracts ever awarded in Europe.

Customers demand the highest in reliability from public transportation, and in recent years, operators have been increasingly focused on reducing downtime and operating costs. Adopting condition monitoring systems (CMS) enables the implementation of next-generation predictive maintenance strategies, which can achieve highly optimized maintenance schedules, improve reliability and maintain uptime when combined with a lean operations team.

B&K Vibro’s CMS comprehensive solution includes vibration sensors, edge devices (on-board diagnostics), diagnostic and analysis services which constantly monitor bearings and other moving parts in rail carriages to deliver the ultimate in reliability.

NSK acquired B&K Vibro in March 2021 in order to further strengthen its ability to respond to social needs for advanced automation, smart technology, and environmental measures, and to accelerate the development of its CMS business on a global basis.