Rail production: Machine tool investment helps railway supplier to improve competitiveness and shorten lead times

摘要

To the average railway traveller, a stretch of rail and a set of points are simply there to keep the train heading in the right direction, but for suppliers to the rail industry - particularly those involved in the high-speed routes - the demands of providing a smooth ride and satisfying the highest levels of safety have to be balanced with the economics of running multi-million-pound production operations. As a result, using the latest manufacturing technology is of increasing importance. Indeed, Balfour Beatty Rail Track Systems of Sandi-acre in Nottingham has spent more than ￡15 million on new production methods over the past 10 years for producing switches and crossing points.