Railcar Management
QCA provides a suite of solutions that automate and optimize your rail loadout and dumpstations, significantly improving productivity and enabling product tracking. These are compatible with any mined material and railcar/locomotive type. Key benefits include:
• Increase throughput with optimized loading.
• Reduced fines for overloading, or lost profit from underloading
• Integration of RFID and weigh scale data.
• Enhance operational control with key information and user-defined tolerances available in open PLC.
• Improve operational oversight and control.
Our engineering services group leverages a toolkit of software libraries and simulation testing to expedite delivery and lower the cost of developing and commissioning these solutions. These solutions are modular, comprised of the following individual components:
Speed Reader uses lasers to produce highly accurate, reliable measures of speed, requiring minimal to no maintenance in the harshest of environmental conditions.
Position Sensor automates edge detection to optimize set points for load-in trigger control and load-out chute control for processing at port or mine site, improving reliability and efficiency over operator-manned and traditional photocell-based systems.
Profile Monitor, in conjunction with Position Sensor automates the detection of hang-up in empty railcars, profiles over or under-loading, and mitigates potential derailments.
Train Speed Indicator enables automated radio-based commands sent to the train via PLC as it operates in proximity to the load-out so the train engineer can receive instructions to optimize the loading/unloading process
Train Door Detector automates detection of door status preventing costly loading mistakes and dangerous spillage post load out. The detector is based on an accurate and easily deployed convolutional neural network, which can easily be integrated with site PLC to enable corrective action or run as a standalone solution.
Hang-Up Detection uses 3D lasers to scan railcars from above, comparing with empty car profiles generated within the system to detect and calculate product remaining, transmitting to the PCS to compare with adjustable thresholds and actioning.
With real-time tracking and comprehensive data analytics, our management solutions help you improve the efficiency and safety of railcar movements. This reduces bottlenecks, ensures accurate and timely shipment tracking, and minimize the potential for costly delays. We also make it easy to seamlessly integrate with other logistics and inventory management software, ensuring smooth coordination of railcar movements day in and day out.