Wedge package
Wedge packages in railway vehicle drive systems are key components used in couplings, hollow-shaft drives, tram drives and traction motors, where they ensure reliable torque transmission, vibration isolation and structural stability.
Area of application
Wedge packages consist of metal or aluminium parts and inserts as well as bonded elastic rubber blocks arranged in a ring configuration; their rotational, angular, and radial elasticity allows them to compensate for shaft misalignment and non-parallelism. They are used when the drive shaft passes through a hollow shaft and a coupling, and movements must be flexibly compensated. In trams, wedge packs also serve to transmit torque directly to the wheel set shaft, whereby radial-axial bolted connection systems eliminate the need for additional shaft stars, thereby simplifying the design and increasing reliability. Wedge-pack couplings are also used at the gearbox output in fully suspended drive systems, where they contribute to robust, long-lasting power transmission.
Technical details
Wedge packages consist of metal or aluminium parts and inserts as well as bonded elastically deformable rubber blocks that absorb rotational, angular and radial movements, thereby compensating for misalignments between the engine, transmission and wheel set. They offer high energy absorption due to their defined rubber volume, exhibit good fatigue behavior with stable torsional stiffness and simultaneously allow for low material stresses in the event of a short circuit, thereby increasing service life.
Characteristics
A wedge package in the bogie coupling enables reliable yet flexible torque transmission. Thanks to its geometry, it can compensate for misalignments and relative movements in the drive train while effectively damping shocks and vibrations. This relieves stress on the engine, transmission and wheel set, which reduces wear and improves smoothness of operation. The high stiffness in the direction of force transmission also ensures precise transmission of the drive torque and contributes to a durable and low-maintenance drive design.