Deutsche Bahn

Inspection and certification

Valuation activities

In general, we offer the following valuation activities:

Expert opinions and expert assessments for vehicles and components

Declarations of safety (UBE) and risk management procedures for on-line running tests

EG and NNTR conformity assessment with our DeBo and NoBo cooperation partners for the subsystems

  • “Vehicles”
  • “Infrastructure”
  • "Control Command and Signalling" and
  • “Energy.”

Independent safety assessment in the fields of

  • “Vehicles”
  • “Railway vehicle maintenance"
  • “Rail operations”
  • "Control Command and Signalling"
  • “Energy” and
  • “System integration.”

Infrastructure planning and acceptance testing (electrical systems, components of control-command and signalling, train protection systems, signalling systems)

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Our EBA-recognised experts conduct necessary tests on systems of rail vehicles that require monitoring.

If required, our experts draw up assessments on special, undesirable events (e.g. anomalies or accidents) and circumstances in the field of railway. 

As administrative helpers of Federal Railway Authority (EBA), with our experts and auditors we assist with certification of entities in charge of maintenance (ECM) when it comes to compliance with the European requirements ((EU) 445/2011 regulation). 

As associated partners (AP) of the Notified Bodies (NoBo), e.g. Eisenbahn-Cert (EBC) or Railway Approvals Limited (RAL), within the scope of EC certification of subsystems and interoperability components testers and auditors belonging to the expert organisation conduct the necessary tests (e.g. design and type testing) in accordance with the current Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI). This not only includes assessment of the conformity of a design with the European requirements (TSI), but also checking quality assurance system requirements in production. The necessary test certificates, if required even interim test certificates, are issued in this respect. 

The expert organisation has been provisionally recognised by the Federal Railway Authority (EBA) as a project-independent organisation for checking NTTRs that is not bound by externally imposed instructions (interim DeBo). Our experts assess conformity with the Notified National Technical Regulations (NNTRs) and interior coherence in the integration of new or modified equipment into the existing railway system. 

We support the Federal Railway Authority (EBA) as a manufacturer certification agency for welding technology in compliance with DIN EN 15085-2. 

As an independent safety assessment body (AsBo), (in the approval process) our inspectors check and assess compliance with the requirements from the CSM regulations ((EU) 352/2009 and (EU) 402/2013 regulations) for risk management and its application, on the basis of documents submitted by the proposer. 

The expert organisation has organised a series of necessary test and assessment procedures and also inspection instructions in a type C inspection agency in compliance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020, which is accredited by Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS).

Under the following links, you will find examples of the areas in which we have expertise and can provide assistance. If you cannot find a specialist area or topic, please contact us.


Design testing within the scope of conformity assessment in compliance with 2008/57/EC

Aerodynamics/side winds

Acoustics/noise

Traction systems

Lighting technology

Fire protection and emergency rescue

Brake technology and operation

Electromagnetic compatibility, electromagnetic fields

PRM equipment

Passenger information system (vehicle)

Traction technology, running gear

Rolling stock construction gauge

On-board electrical power supply

Strength

Driver's cab, operation, MMI

Maintenance

Environmental control system (heating, ventilation, AC)

Wheelset, axle bearing, axle

Sanitary installations

Side pane, side window, front window

Software, monitoring/diagnosis

Pantograph

Door, entrance and gangway

Buffing and draw gear, coupling


Vehicles and components


Aerodynamik
  • Testing aerodynamics/side wind
  • Verifying aerodynamics and safety in the presence of side wind

Electrical equipment

  • Testing electrical equipment of rail vehicles

Traction and running technology

  • Testing traction and running technology, verifying traction technology

Passenger information system

  • Amplification

Strength

  • Testing strength with the focus on vehicle structure, bogie frame, running gear, crash, buffing and draw gear equipment
  • Testing and assessing strength, FEM, structural mechanics, crash test
  • Testing vehicles in relation to component strength, structural dynamics, identifying vibrations, experimental modal analysis and testing of windows
  • Wheelset testing with focus on wheelsets and axle bearings

Adhesive bonding of rail vehicles and rail vehicle spare parts in accordance with DIN 6701-2

  • Class A4, design of Class A1 bonds

Environmental control system


Wheelsets/axle bearings

  • Block-braked wheelsets and wheelsets for high-speed and passenger traffic

Welding technology for vehicles and vehicle parts

  • Conducting company audits as the prerequisite for issuing the certificate for welding rail vehicles and vehicle parts in accordance with DIN EN 15085-2, DIN 27201-6 and DIN 27201-10

Safety and risk analyses


Software
  • Software assessment
  • Safety categorisation

Pantographs

  • Testing pantographs, with the focus on pantograph/overhead contact line/third rail interplay

Buffing and draw gear


Train control/train protection



Vehicles and components, infrastructure


Control and command technology, electromagnetic compatibility

  • Electromagnetic compatibility in the low-frequency range

Control and command technology, GSM-R radio technology

  • Checking function verifications for GSM-R terminals and the ZF, RF and ASD applications

Measuring and testing equipment/instruments

  • Assessing metrological properties of measuring and testing equipment and instruments

Metrology

  • Test process suitability, calibration, monitoring of measuring and testing equipment 

Damage analysis

  • Materials technology and weak spot analyses

Independent safety assessment 

  • Vehicle, energy supply, system integration

Non-destructive testing

  • Non-destructive testing of components, parts and materials


Infrastructure


Acoustics

  • Noise analyses and assessment of the effect of noise in the surroundings of railway and other installations and associated regulations

Safety and risk analyses


Safety installation

  • Checking function verifications
  • Scheduled and acceptance testing in the partial area of train control and train protection systems belonging to continuous automatic train control systems (without operational and generic systems)
Software

  • Software assessment

    Safety categorisation

Damage analysis

  • Materials technology and weak spot analyses

Train formation facilities

  • Train formation and process engineering, track termination technology and humping dynamics
  • Process engineering and track braking technology


Pressure vessel and steam boiler installations in accordance with § 33 EBO

Recurring tests on brake air reservoirs of rail vehicles

  • Exterior tests on heating boilers of diesel traction vehicles
  • Recurring tests on locomotive steam boilers
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Systems of rail vehicles that require monitoring in accordance with Art. 33 EBO

Testing before commissioning and recurring tests

  • Systems in explosion areas (battery systems) in rail vehicles, pressurised vessels, pressurised vessel installations, pressure devices
  • Assemblies of pressure devices (medium: air and hydraulic oil)
  • Systems for combustible liquids​