photo: RAILTARGET/Voith's presentation at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, Germany
Voith presented a different way of approaching rail overhauls at InnoTrans 2026. Instead of replacing parts simply because a maintenance schedule says so, the company wants to look more closely at their actual condition and real experience from operation.
The presentation, Scope of Overhaul Work – Based on Wear and Tear, focused on a simple question: which parts really need to be replaced during an overhaul, and which can safely stay in use?
Voith said that many maintenance rules were created years ago and were often based on regional experience that later became a wider standard. The problem is that these rules do not always reflect what engineers actually see in workshops today.
Looking at Real Wear, Not Only Old Rules
Voith is now using data from workshops, fleets and operators in different countries to check how components wear in real service. The company brings together knowledge from engineering, workshops, product management and service teams. It then compares this with what is actually happening to components during operation.
According to the speaker, Voith was among the first to test some of these technologies and use the results to change existing maintenance processes. The goal is to replace only what needs to be replaced, while keeping safety and reliability at the same level.
Some Parts Can Stay in Service Longer
One example presented at InnoTrans involved friction springs. These parts had previously been replaced during every overhaul, but after checking used components, Voith found that many were still in good condition and showed little or no wear. The company concluded that, in some cases, replacement may only be needed during the second overhaul.
Voith presented a similar case with gas-hydraulic and hydrostatic dampers. Some components showed signs of corrosion, but these did not affect how they worked. Tests also showed that certain parts did not need to be replaced every time. Instead, Voith now checks their condition and decides case by case whether replacement is necessary.
Testing Before Changing the Maintenance Plan
The company also showed an example involving electrical coupling contacts. Voith found that changes in clamping force could affect transmission quality and lead to problems in operation. To deal with this, it developed a testing tool and a new overhaul process. The solution was tested over 100,000 cycles and later checked in real operation in Hamburg.
This type of testing is an important part of Voith’s approach. Any change to the overhaul process has to be checked for safety, reliability and availability before it is approved. "We have consistent quality," the speaker said during the presentation.
For operators, Voith says the approach can mean lower maintenance costs, fewer unnecessary replacements and less time spent looking for problems that could have been prevented earlier. It can also help reduce waste by keeping parts in service for longer when their condition allows it.