NDT logging system CRUISE-M operates jointly with the multi-channel NDT analyzer ECHO-COMPLEX produced by TVEMA and may be installed on any vehicle with dedicated diagnostic equipment. 

The basic function of the system is to record the rail condition data acquired by the flaw detector, as well as the current track coordinate and vehicle travel speed. 

The system comprises three or more computers integrated into a LAN, whichlog and encode the data for ultrasonic and magnetic control. In the ‘log’ mode, the data is first read by the NDT analyzer and then, following pre-processing, is fed through the controllers to the computers, where it is logged as an individual file on the hard drive. In the ‘interpret’ mode the data is retrieved from the hard drive and appears identically to the ‘log’ mode display.

In both modes, the data is displayed on the monitor as horizontal areas, socalled ‘strips’, each of which displays the data of a single channel. Travel speed and track coordinates are displayed in the upper section of the window. 

Meanwhile, an operator may easily alter the appearance of the display, for example, vertically unsqueeze the image or alter its scale in the rage 5 to 80 meters per screen. The area to be updated and lag time in data shift operation may also be altered.

Jumps to a selected track coordinate or manual correction are also possible. 

To accelerate the interpretation, the software provides automated search of ‘suspicious’ points according to criteria set by the operator. 

All information marked on the defectogram about defects or so-called ‘suspicious’ points requiring more detailed analysis are logged in archives of two types:

a frame archive and a mark archive. They differ in the following way: the frame archive saves the defectogram currently displayed on the monitor, while the mark archive saves the screen with the set mark for the selected point in the form of a vertical line with the track coordinates and text comment. Since these archives are synchronized, one may easily jump to the recorded frame, or, having selected the required mark, retrieve it to the monitor.

All defects revealed during the life of the system are logged into the defects archive of DB (defects base). Thanks to the LAN all archives are accessible from any of the

three computers of the system. The LAN also facilitates using network printers and disk, making the system operation more flexible.

 Detected defects

According to NTD-TsP-1-93: 10.1-2, 11.1-2, 17.1-2, 20.1-2, 21.1-2, 24, 25, 26.3, 27.1-2, 30Г.1-2, 30.В.1-2, 38.1, 52.1-2, 53.1-2, 55, 56.3, 66.3, 69, 70.1-2, 74, 79, DR.21.2, DO.20.2, DSN.20.2, DO.60.2, DSN.60.2, DUN.21.2, DU.22.2

According to UIC Code 712 R: UIC100/200, UIC111/211, UIC112/212, UIC113/213, UIC122/222, UIC123/223, UIC124/224, UIC125/225, UIC1321/2321, UIC1322/2322, UIC133/233, UIC135/235/236, UIC154/254, UIC301/302, UIC411.1/421/431, UIC412/422, UIC471/481