RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Our goal is to learn more about railroad wheels and their performance, while continually improving the safety and wear resistance of our product.

The parabolic/deep-dish wheel
This low-stress wheel is a major result of Griffin design innovation. Our thin, low-stress parabolic curved plate design has led the North American rail industry in safety and performance. In fact, the Association of American Railroads requires that all new wheels and remounted second-hand wheels for interchange service be approved low-stress designs.

Computer and laboratory analysis
Griffln develops low-stress designs through extensive computer and laboratory analysis of various configurations. First, Griffin's computerized finite element stress analysis programs evaluate experimental designs. Then Griffin makes prototype wheels for integrity and manufacturability.

CAD and stress analysis
Griffin's Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD) system accurately generates our deep dish plate profiles with parabolic contoured fillets. CAD ensures exact dimensional compliance with specifications. A computerized finite element stress analysis program calculates dynamic temperature and stress/strain distributions. It can then predict the response of a wheel design to a variety of thermal and mechanical loadings.

Computerized machining
The same digitized information used for wheel design and analysis is supplied to a CNC vertical machining center. Here, graphite forming tools are precisely contoured for use in Griffin's four manufacturing plants.

Precision graphite molds
Since all graphite forming tools are made in one place, all wheels can be held to the same dimensions and tolerances, no matter where they are made. The result is consistently better riding qualities and less wear.