Welded processes are considered very specific processes whose results cannot always be tested and verified after completion. The quality of the weld cannot be achieved by testing the finished product, but by testing the welding process.
The reason for this is the constant increase in quality requirements for manufacturers and maintenance companies in the field of welding parts as well as railway vehicles performing assembly. Essentially, the requirements for welded production work are included in the ISO 3834 Welded Manufacturing Qualification Management System standard.
Certification studies of companies producing railway vehicles and components are carried out in accordance with EN 15085-2 standard. This standard describes the certification requirements and procedures for verification of the suitability of firms producing welded railway vehicles and components.
EN 15085 Railway Vehicles and Components Management System Certificate shows the quality of the companies producing parts for railway vehicles between CL1 and CL4 certification level.
The EN 15085 series of standards applies to the design, manufacture, testing and conformity assessment of welded railway vehicles, components and assemblies. These standards set requirements for the quality system, welding process approvals as well as the performance characteristics for the welding machine and welding operator.
Maintenance and repairs of in-service railway vehicles are carried out in accordance with DIN 27201-6 Railway condition - Basic principles and production technology - Part 6: Welding standard. Maintenance and repair businesses are required to obtain documents according to this standard.
In order to export railway vehicles and their components and services to the countries of the European Union, the enterprises operating in these fields must have EN 15085 Railway Vehicles and Components Management System Certificate which is internationally valid.
This standard consists of five parts:
EN 15085-1 Overview
EN 15085-2 Quality specification and welding manufacturer's certification
EN 15085-3 Design features
EN 15085-4 Production rules
EN 15085-5 Inspection, testing and documentation
The document level in EN 15085 Railway Vehicles and Components Management System is determined according to the production capacities and performance classes of the enterprises. Businesses are certified under four certification levels. Namely,
CL1 level: For rail vehicles and parts with high quality welded seams. It covers all levels from CL 2 to CL 4.
CL2 level: A lower quality level is specified for the production of parts other than main components, boarding gates and roof fittings.
CL3 level: Includes the production of simple equipment parts for the production of railway vehicles.
CL4 level: For businesses that do not manufacture rail vehicles and components but produce, design, purchase, install or operate.
The companies that implement EN 15085 Railway Vehicles and Components Management System have started their inspection works at the design stages. This is because the main feature of this standard is that it controls all stages of production and repair rather than inspection of finished works.
For example, when selecting materials to be used in production during design work, the entity assures that these materials meet the necessary requirements. In the same way, it attaches importance to the training and certificated of the personnel who will make welded manufacturing works. These elements must be certified in accordance with TS EN ISO 14731 standard.
For this reason, companies with EN 15085 certification benefit greatly. For one thing, businesses gain confidence in their customers and increase their commercial value. It proves its capabilities in welded manufacturing, qualification approvals of welders, weld quality management and production capacities.
By having EN 15085 certificate, enterprises are ready to reach international markets and potential incomes, especially in European Union countries. With the EN 15085 standard, it guarantees the production quality and component performance of railway vehicles and components. Customers' needs are met in a reliable, healthy and environmentally friendly manner. In short, EN 15085 Certificate gives the company superiority in the struggle against its competitors.
The first set of standards created in order to establish a systematic in welded manufacturing and to determine the quality conditions in welding processes is the set of quality requirements standards for EN 1994 Welding published by the European Standardization Committee in 729.
These standards cover the principles of choosing and using fusion welds of metallic materials, comprehensive quality requirements, standard quality requirements and basic quality requirements. In the same years, the ISO 3834 standard series was published by the International Standards Organization (ISO). Both sets of standards are similar in content.
The EN 15085 range of standards is the same, but is designed to cover production, revision and maintenance requirements for railway vehicles and parts. This standard is defined as a special method of welding work only for railway vehicles and parts.
In Turkey, this series of standards has been published by Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) with the following headings:
TS EN 15085-1: 2007 + A1: 2013 Railway applications - Welding of railway vehicles and components - Part 1: General
TS EN 15085-2 Railway applications - Welding of railway vehicles and components - Part 2: Quality characteristics and certification of the welding manufacturer
TS EN 15085-3 Railway applications - Welding of railway vehicles and components - Part 3: Design features
TS EN 15085-4 Railway applications - Welding of railway vehicles and components - Part 4: Manufacturing requirements
TS EN 15085-5 Railway applications - Welding of railway vehicles and components - Part 5: Inspection, testing and documentation
Consequently, the areas where the EN 15085 Railway Vehicles and Components Management System is applied are: railway vehicle manufacturing companies, railway vehicle maintenance companies, other companies operating in the railway sector, railway operators, railway vehicle assembly companies, railway vehicle engineering companies and railway sector construction companies. .
Today, the neutral and independent certification bodies provide the companies with the necessary analyzes to meet the requirements of EN 15085, the preparation and implementation of the required standards, criteria and procedures, the preparation of the certification, the engineering and construction activities, the selection of appropriate materials, The company provides consultancy and support services on the qualification of welding elements, determination of permissible defects in welded joints and establishment of test procedure. In addition, it provides services for the qualification of welding procedures covering the Welding Procedure Specification and the Welding Procedure Qualification Register.
In order to ensure compliance with EN 15085 standard, enterprises are required to have many material tests such as visual inspection, fracture test and bending test, impact test, magnetic particle test, penetration test, ultrasonic test, radiographic test and tensile test.
First, it is determined whether the organization meets the mandatory requirements of the standard and whether to proceed to the next stage.
It is checked whether necessary procedures and audits have been developed and your institution's readiness for evaluation is reviewed.
The findings that arise in the first two stages are evaluated and after all corrective actions are reviewed, document preparation is started.
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