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• Procurement of Machines:
• CNC machines with only the latest technology to be procured to guard against obsolescence.
• Machines with only AC drives may be procured
• We must buy only from reliable suppliers. Indian agents also should be of repute.
• To reduce diversity, we may procure CNC machines preferably from a limited number of types of systems of controls and drives.
• The machines should be using the latest hydraulic valves from a limited number of sources (Vickers/ Rexroth only).
• We should go in for air dryer in pneumatic systems whenever used. These dryers may be included in the P.O. with the machines themselves. We should avoid pneumatics, if possible.
• We should try to provide more than one machine of the same type in one workshop. Conversely, we may try to procure the same type of machine (same make of CNC controls and Drives, though latest version from the same supplier) for a workshop, which it already has. This would help in developing in-house expertise.
• Spares should be available for at least 5-10 years. Suitable clause should be incorporated in the AT, and the supplier bound by it. Spares for 2 years to be supplied with the machine.
• The following detailed documents from the OEMs to be insisted upon –
• Spares catalogue for Mechanical, Electrical & Electronics, with price list. This price list would act as a guide for judging suitability of and estimation of rates.
• Interface manuals, commissioning manuals and servicing manuals for CNC
• Circuit diagrams for hydraulics/ electrical controls/ power
• Drawings for mechanical systems including power transmission in the machine
• Circuit details of PCBs, servo drives, working details with block diagrams
• Installation & calibration of servo drives with trouble-shooting guide
• Information for off-line and on-line diagnostics for CPU, Memory, CRT, servo processor and I/O. Ladder diagrams/ system program
• Additional attachments may be procured with the machines only if they are really necessary and useful on a regular basis.
• We must get EPROM back up from the OEM either in another EPROM or in soft copy that could be used for programming an EPROM
• It is necessary to have isolation transformer, stabiliser, and isolation of CNC control from other parts. Therefore, we must include these things as a part of the P.O. for the machine.
• Spare drives and encoders should be included as spares for every 4-5 machines of one type. If AC drives are used, we may not require spare drives.
• COFMOW should take the experience of other Railway users in mind.
• After sales service set-up/ spares: Suppliers should preferably have Indian partners/ representatives. Set up in India would in help sorting out problems.
• Procurement of Spares:
• Simplified procedure for procurement of spares may be made. Some important points are given below:
• Prior approval of GM for calling single tender on PAC may be dispensed with in case of imported spares of CNC machines. [This would reduce unnecessary delay, particularly in Zonal Railways].
• Prior Accounts concurrence for the above may be dispensed with if the value is less than Rs.40,000/- in each case.
• Budgetary quote to be treated as final quote. [Foreign suppliers send one quote and are often at a loss to understand why they should send another one for the same item to the same organisation. This causes unnecessary delays]
• Unusual terms should be accepted in case of imported spares unless found impractical. [Railways try to have IRS conditions accepted by them, but ultimately have to accept unusual terms. Why not do it in the first instance, and avoid unnecessary delays?]
• Accepting authority to be authorised for accepting unusual terms with finance concurrence in case of imported CNC spares. [For acceptance of unusual terms, normally the case goes to GM/ AGM regardless of value. This causes unnecessary delays.]
• Since requisition itself is made on the basis of quotation (in case of imported spares for CNC machines), accounts concurrence at each stage may be dispensed with and to be done only once for every thing – requisition vetting, unusual payment terms, etc.
• Air lifting powers to be given to CWMs for up to 200 kg. and to GMs up to 500 kg. only for urgent procurement of imported CNC spares.
• RA/Bonn or Dy.RA/Paris to be involved in procurement of standard spares of low value (up to Rs.200000) [These items are often available off-the-shelf and DyRA or RA could simply purchase them and send. Billing system could be evolved. This would result in saving the time of conveying acceptance of the offer, firm’s acceptance of the receipt of order, opening of Letter of Credit, Banks confirming the LC to the firm, etc. This could be evolved only for simple items against parts-catalogue.]
• CWMs should be authorised for releasing Foreign Exchange for CNC spares or repairs at site by firm’s service engineer up to certain monetary limit, say US$5,000/-
• Maintenance Organisation:
• Railways should have shop level maintenance organisations in each shop having CNC machines and four centralised maintenance facilities serving all the railways. Zonal railways should be allotted to these centralised units. The Centralised maintenance units could be at DCW/RCF for North, ICF for South, Parel (CR) for West and Jamalpur or Kharagpur for East. Other PUs (CLW, DLW, WAP) could have separate units for themselves as they are likely to have more CNC machines and could hardly depend on others.
• Shop level millwright organisation in each shop having CNC machines should have all three wings – Mechanical, Electrical & Electronics under common administration. This integration should be at as low a gazetted level as possible.
• Seniority of Electronics MW cadre should be on Zonal Railway basis, as individual shops may not require a number that would provide promotion avenues, and could cause stagnation and resultant loss of morale. Suggested MW (Electronics) organisation is
1. Supervisors: @ 3-4 per shop having 5-6 CNC machines. Minimum cadre should be 15-20 on the zonal railways.
2. Artisans: @ 2 per shop
3. As the population of machines increase, this could be augmented.
• Maintenance infrastructure:
• Bare minimum equipment in an Electronics Lab should be created at shop level up to PCB level repairs as per list A attached.
• At centralised maintenance facilities, component level and repairs to PCBs may be planned as per list B attached.
• For hydraulics and pneumatics also, test equipment should be procured. This should be set up in each shop.
• Electrical repair shops are generally already available. They should have the facilities to rewind DC servomotors and spindle motors.
• Centralised repair shops should have Internet connection and telephones with ISD facilities.
• Training:
• For hydraulics/ pneumatics/ mechanical, basic training of repair personnel may be organised at Foremen Training Institutes (FTIs) or other units
• FTIs could be asked to tailor some courses for specific requirements of Railways.
• For Electronics training, bright young people may be picked up and sent for basic training of electronics. Alternatively, recruitment of BE (Electronics) as Section Engineers, Diploma in Electronics for JE, and ITI electronics for artisans may be done.
• Training at DCW/ RCF/ ICF – hands-on for 2-3 months. This has been agreed to by these organisations.
• Only staff having the basic background should be sent for training at OEMs in India or abroad.
• Devolution of powers:
• Training:
• Existing limit of Rs.1500/ day/ person needs upward revision to Rs.3000/ day/ person for high technology areas.
• CWMs may be given powers for training for CNC maintenance staff. [Normally they require GM’s sanction]
• Sharing knowledge and spares:
• IRIMEE should make available the following information for all the users: Users to help IRIMEE in collecting the information. This sharing could be through a web-site:
• Database of machines available on the railways, types of systems/ drives, date of purchase, supplier, rate, etc.
• Database of spares available with different users
• Database of spares catalogue/sources of supply
• Posing unsolved problems/ sharing solutions found
• Having regular meetings – once a year. Perhaps IRIMEE could be the nodal agency facilitating these meetings.
• Share spares: Information about availability of spares may be made available to IRIMEE, and the spares may be shared with the other needy users, pending their own procurement. This may be on loan basis unless it can be spared permanently due to sufficient stocks.

Electronics equipment required for workshop level maintenance by Electronics wing

• Digital Multimeter, 4-1/2 Digit
• Oscilloscope, 100 MHz, Dual Trace
• Logic trouble shooting kit
• PWM Meter
• Probes
• AC/DC Current Probes (clip-on type)
• High temperature probes
• High voltage probes

List of electronics equipment required for Centralised Electronics Lab

• Digital Multimeter, 4.1/2 Digit
• Digital Multimeter 5.1/2 digit
• Oscilloscope, 100 MHz, Dual Trace
• Low Frequency Impedance Analyser
• Universal Timer Counter, 100 MHz
• Logic Trouble shooting kit
• Pulse/Function Generator
• Digital Storage Scope, 150 MHz
• Storage Type Curve Tracer
• Automatic Test Equipment
• Universal PROM/EPROM Programmer
• Automatic IC Tester
• Automatic Temperature Controlled Soldering/ De-soldering Station
• Rework and Repair Console