Rail networks need more welds completed faster, without compromising quality or safety. Semi-automatic welding closes the gap between traditional hand-held welding and costly flash butt equipment, combining automation, data traceability and ergonomic design. Pandrol's i+weld system helps your welding teams do more, with greater consistency and less physical strain.
Rail networks are expanding and ageing infrastructure needs constant renewal, so welding teams face growing pressure to complete more work in the same track possession windows, often working through short night-time closures in a range of climates and conditions.
Traditional aluminothermic welding is valued for its low cost and flexibility, but the process depends on experienced welders. Skilled welders are becoming harder to find and train, and the physical demands of the role add to that pressure, making it harder to build and retain a capable workforce.
At the same time, every weld must meet strict quality and conformity standards, and asset owners increasingly expect data to prove it. Networks need a way to increase welding productivity and consistency without full automation, or the training bottleneck of relying purely on manual skill. Semi-automated welding systems provide the solution.
This is where i+weld comes in. Pandrol's semi-automated welding system combines automation, real-time data capture and ergonomic design.
i+weld speeds up the steps that used to rely purely on manual skill, so your teams complete more welds within the same possession window. It's part of the broader shift toward automated rail welding, without the cost of full automation.
Automated steps built into i+weld reduce the variation that comes with manual technique, helping every weld meet the required specification first time. Built-in data capture gives you a clear, traceable record for each weld, so quality is something you can demonstrate, not just claim.
i+weld takes on the physically demanding parts of the welding process, cutting fatigue and the risk of on-site injury. The interface is straightforward, so new welders can be trained and working productively in far less time than traditional methods require.
Below are other Pandrol products and equipment that can be integrated with this product. These complementary items can be used alongside this product, or are required for use with this product, or enhance the use of this product.
Heavy HaulTo complete the Tavantolgoi–Gashuunsukhait railway project, Bodi Group and its subcontractor InCon were looking for a great value welding solution that was versatile and reliable. They turned to Pandrol for the solution and awarded the contract in early 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic.
Did you know?
Pandrol has manufactured so many rail fastenings over its history that if you lined them all up, you would have enough to build a railway track that stretches all the way from the Earth to the Moon (and we are currently working on the return trip!).
