Materials Expertise for Mobility and Rail & Vehicle Construction
For manufacturers, maintainers and operators in rail and vehicle construction:
welding consulting and qualification, fitness-for-service analyses and forensic failure analyses – compliant with EN 15085, BOStrab and DVS, independent and practical.
CHALLENGE
In rail and vehicle construction there is no second chance – materials and joining defects have immediate safety consequences.
- A welding qualification to EN 15085 is due – preparation, documentation and the interface to the notified body are missing.
- A component failure on a rail vehicle or vehicle system requires immediate root-cause clarification for operations, authorities and insurers.
- Process instabilities in welding or brazing-soldering increase reject rates and jeopardise delivery dates and approvals.
- Is a vehicle or component still safe to operate after an incident – or must it be decommissioned?
Welding qualification to EN 15085, a failure case or an approval question?
We take over the technical preparation and support you – from the WPS through to acceptance by the notified body.
SERVICES
Our services for mobility and rail & vehicle construction
Welding Consulting & Welding Qualification (EN 15085)
Consulting, preparation and support for welding qualifications to DIN EN 15085 for rail vehicles and components – including WPS preparation, welding procedure qualification and acceptance by the notified body.
- Welding procedure qualification to DIN EN ISO 15614 / EN 15085
- Preparation and review of welding procedure specifications (WPS)
- Welder qualification tests to DIN EN ISO 9606
- Interface with EBA, TÜV, DVS-IIW and notified bodies
- Introduction and monitoring of welding processes in production
- Peer review of welding plans and production documents
Forensic Failure Analysis
Systematic root-cause investigation of component failures in rail vehicles, commercial vehicles and mobility systems – fractures, cracks, corrosion, weld seam failure. Standards-based documentation to VDI 3822 for operators, authorities and insurers.
- Fracture surface analysis, metallography, SEM/EDX
- Fatigue, overload and weld seam assessment
- Expert reports for EBA, insurers and liability proceedings
- Recommendations for safe continued operation or decommissioning
Fitness-for-Service Analyses
Objective fitness-for-purpose assessment of components and systems after incidents, findings or changed operating conditions. Estimation of safe remaining service lives as a basis for continued-operation or decommissioning decisions.
Materials Consulting & Brazing-Soldering Consulting
Consulting on material selection for structural components, running-gear components and connecting elements. Brazing-soldering consulting for electrical and mechanical connections in vehicle construction in accordance with the DVS code of practice.
Process Analysis & Optimisation
Systematic analysis of production processes to reduce reject rates and process instabilities in welding and brazing-soldering – with measurable results and complete documentation.
STANDARDS EXPERTISE
Mobility & Rail
SUBSECTORS – SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS WE KNOW
Rail, commercial vehicle and urban mobility – each sector has its own codes and approval logic.
EN 15085 as the central welding code, EBA approvals, TSI requirements. Structural integrity of car bodies, bogies and running-gear components to DIN EN 12663.
Welding qualification within IATF-16949-compliant processes, crashworthiness and fatigue verifications for load-bearing structures. Failure analyses in warranty cases and operational failures.
BOStrab as the regulatory framework, welding qualification for aluminium and steel structures, fatigue assessment for high-frequency-loaded vehicle components in urban traffic.
EN 15085 – THE WELDING CODE FOR RAIL VEHICLES
DIN EN 15085 is more than a standard – it is the basis of every welding approval in rail vehicle construction.
EN 15085 defines four certification levels (CL1-CL4) depending on the safety relevance of the weld seams. We analyse your component situation, determine the required level and draw up the complete qualification plan – so you know what to expect before the acceptance date arrives.
We prepare welding procedure specifications (WPS) and support procedure qualifications (WPQR) according to the combined requirements of EN 15085 and DIN EN ISO 15614. All documents are directly usable for acceptance by EBA, TÜV or DVS-IIW.
The classification of weld seams into inspection classes (CP A to D) determines the inspection scope in production. Misjudgements lead to over- or under-inspection – with consequences for cost, schedule and approval. We assess and document in compliance with the standards.
After qualification comes series production. We support the introduction of production monitoring processes, quality assurance concepts and ongoing NDT inspection plans – so that the quality of the qualification is maintained in production.
PROJECT REFERENCES (ANONYMISED)
From practice – what we have delivered for manufacturers and operators
Complete welding qualification to EN 15085 CL1 for an aluminium car body – WPS preparation, procedure qualification, welder qualification tests and EBA acceptance documentation.
→ EBA approval with no follow-up requirements, delivery date kept
Forensic analysis after cracking on a bogie frame in operation. Fatigue failure caused by inadequate weld seam preparation identified.
→ Expert report for the BOStrab authority, repair concept developed
Systematic analysis of a 12 % reject rate in MIG welds on steel body frames. Cause: faulty shielding-gas parameters and seam geometry.
→ Rejects reduced to under 1.5 %, IATF-compliant documentation prepared
COLLABORATION
How a collaboration works
Enquiry
A brief description of your concern – welding qualification, failure case or process optimisation. Urgency is taken into account immediately.
Initial Consultation
Within 24 hours: assessment of the scope, clarification of the standards and approval requirements and scheduling.
Consulting & Analysis
Materials consulting, WPS preparation, procedure qualification or failure analysis – on site or in the laboratory depending on the task.
Report & Acceptance
Complete, standards-compliant documentation – directly usable for EBA, TÜV, the BOStrab authority or the insurer.
Acute failure case or ongoing inspection?
WHY TECHNICAL CENTER
What sets us apart from general testing laboratories
We know EN 15085 not just from the manual – we have supported qualifications from CL1 to CL4 and know what acceptances really look at.
We take over the technical communication with EBA, TÜV, DVS-IIW and BOStrab authorities – so that acceptances run smoothly.
In the mobility sector, materials failure has immediate safety consequences. We assess with the necessary safety awareness – and deliver no compromises.
Rail vehicles today consist of steel, aluminium and mixed construction. We know the specific requirements of both material groups in welding and assessment.
TYPICAL OCCASIONS
When manufacturers, operators and maintainers contact us
-
A welding qualification to EN 15085 is due – preparation, WPS creation and the interface to the notified body are sought
-
A crack or fracture on a safety-relevant component requires immediate root-cause clarification and authority-compliant documentation
-
High reject rates in the welding of aluminium or steel structures – cause and solution sought
-
Peer review of welding plans, WPS documents or design drawings before acceptance by the EBA or BOStrab authority
-
After an operational incident: is the vehicle or component still safe to operate or must it be decommissioned?
-
Introduction of a new material or welding process – qualification and support through the approval process sought
No urgent need, but questions about EN 15085 qualification or approval strategy? A non-binding initial consultation is possible at any time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What manufacturers and maintainers want to know before their first enquiry
EN 15085 distinguishes four certification levels (CL1-CL4) depending on the safety relevance of the welded joints: CL1 for the highest safety level (e.g. load-bearing car body structures), CL4 for parts without a safety-relevant function. The classification depends on the function of the component and the failure risk. We analyse your component situation, determine the required level and draw up the qualification plan – before you set the first acceptance date.
Yes. We take over the entire qualification process: analysis of the component requirements, level classification, WPS preparation to EN ISO 15609, planning and support of the procedure qualification (WPQR), welder qualification tests to EN ISO 9606, complete acceptance documentation and coordination with EBA, TÜV or DVS-IIW. You concentrate on production – we ensure the standards-compliant documentation.
Yes. Aluminium welds – especially MIG/MAG welds on car body structures made of AlMg and AlSi alloys – are a focus of our EN 15085 work. Aluminium requires specific expertise in shielding-gas control, cleanliness, heat input and weld quality assessment. We know the special features and common sources of error.
A peer review is the independent technical examination of your welding documentation – WPS, WPQR, production documents – before the notified body inspects it. It is particularly useful for first-time EN 15085 qualifications, after changes to components or procedures and in complex welding situations. Errors are found before acceptance – not afterwards. This saves time and money.
For safety-relevant failure cases on rail vehicles – cracking, fracture, unexpected failure – we are reachable within 24-48 hours. As such events often trigger an immediate mandatory reporting obligation to the authorities, a fast technical assessment is decisive. Please describe the urgency and regulatory context in your enquiry.
