Hegenscheidt-MFD UHB 500
Key Specifications
machine type
max wheel diameter
min wheel diameter
track gauge
wheel set weight capacity
material removal process
Overview
The Hegenscheidt-MFD UHB 500 is a CNC underfloor wheel set re-profiling machine designed for the in-situ turning and grinding of railway wheel profiles without removing the wheel sets from the rail vehicle. Hegenscheidt-MFD, headquartered in Mönchengladbach, Germany, is the world's leading manufacturer of railway wheelset maintenance equipment — the company has supplied wheel turning and reprofiling machines to railway operators, metro systems, and freight rail companies globally for decades. The UHB 500 represents Hegenscheidt's underfloor turning/grinding technology for wheel sets up to 500mm re-profile diameter, covering the full range of passenger rail, metro, and regional transit wheel sets.
Underfloor wheel set reprofiling is a critical maintenance technology for railway operations: railway wheels wear during service, developing a flattened, worn, or out-of-round profile that increases rolling noise, vibration, and dynamic forces on the track. Traditionally, reprofiling required removing the wheel set from the vehicle — a labor-intensive process requiring the vehicle to be lifted and the bogie or wheel set extracted. Underfloor machines like the UHB 500 allow the vehicle to drive onto the machine on its own wheels, where the machining is performed with the wheel sets still in the vehicle. This dramatically reduces vehicle downtime for wheel maintenance — from the 8-16 hours of a traditional strip-and-refit process to 30-90 minutes on the underfloor machine.
The UHB 500 uses CNC-controlled cutting tools or grinding wheels positioned below the track level to machine the wheel tread and flange profile to the required form. The machine measures the existing wheel profile using onboard measurement systems, calculates the minimum stock removal needed to restore the required profile, and performs the reprofiling operation automatically. This measurement-driven approach minimizes material removal per reprofiling cycle, extending wheel life over more reprofiling events before the wheel diameter falls below the minimum limit for continued service. Profile accuracy of ±0.1mm on the tread and flange is achieved routinely in production reprofiling operations.
The UHB 500 is installed in rail depots and maintenance facilities for passenger rail operators, metro networks, high-speed rail operators, and freight rail depots. Major customers include national railway operators (Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Network Rail, Amtrak), urban metro operators, and vehicle maintenance contractors. Machine investment runs $1,500,000-$3,000,000 per installation depending on configuration, track gauge, and depot integration requirements — an investment that is recovered rapidly given the reduction in vehicle downtime and the extended wheel service life enabled by optimized profile restoration.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Machine Type | CNC underfloor wheel set reprofiling (turning/grinding) |
| Max Wheel Diameter | 500 mm reprofiling range (typical range 680-920mm new to worn) |
| Min Wheel Diameter | Below 680 mm (application-specific) |
| Track Gauge | Standard 1,435 mm gauge standard; other gauges available |
| Wheel Set Weight Capacity | Up to 20,000 kg per axle (heavy freight application-specific) |
| Material Removal Process | CNC turning (carbide tools) and/or grinding |
| Profile Accuracy | ±0.1 mm on tread and flange profile |
| Reprofiling Cycle Time | 30-90 min per wheel set (depending on wear condition) |
| Measurement System | Integrated CNC profile measurement before and after cut |
| Vehicle Position | Vehicle remains on bogies/trucks during operation |
| CNC Control | Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl |
| Power Requirement | Three-phase, typical 150-200 kW total connected load |
| Installation | Below-floor pit installation in rail depot |
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Underfloor reprofiling eliminates wheel set extraction from the vehicle — reducing maintenance downtime from 8-16 hours for traditional strip reprofiling to 30-90 minutes, dramatically improving vehicle availability for railway operators
- Integrated profile measurement system calculates minimum stock removal required to restore the wheel profile, extending wheel life by maximizing the number of reprofiling events before the wheel diameter falls below minimum service limits
- ±0.1mm profile accuracy restores the wheel tread and flange to the required geometry, reducing rolling noise, track dynamic forces, and wheel/rail wear rates that result from out-of-tolerance profiles
- Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl control provides the multi-axis CNC coordination required for simultaneous reprofiling of both wheels on an axle, with profile compensation for individual wheel wear patterns
- Hegenscheidt-MFD is the global reference for railway wheelset maintenance technology — machine installed base spans national railway operators, metro networks, and high-speed rail on six continents
Limitations
- Capital investment of $1.5M-$3M per machine, plus depot civil works for pit installation, limits accessibility to major railway operators and maintenance contractors with sufficient vehicle throughput to justify the investment
- Below-floor pit installation requires substantial civil engineering works in new or existing depot facilities — track lowering, reinforced concrete pit construction, and utility routing add to total installation cost
- Machine throughput (one vehicle at a time, 30-90 minute cycles) requires careful depot scheduling to serve maintenance demand — high-frequency fleets may need multiple UHB 500 machines to meet maintenance throughput requirements
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Railway wheels wear during service — the wheel tread wears from rolling contact with the rail, and the flange wears from lateral contact in curves. This wear produces an out-of-profile wheel that increases rolling noise, dynamic forces on the track and vehicle, and wear rates on both wheel and rail. Reprofiling restores the wheel to the correct cross-sectional profile by removing material from the tread and flange. Underfloor machines do this with the wheel set still installed in the vehicle, eliminating the labor and time of wheel set extraction and reinstallation that traditional reprofiling requires.
02
The UHB 500 is designed for wheel sets within a reprofiling diameter range of approximately 680-920mm — the range spanning new wheel diameter to minimum service diameter for typical passenger and metro rail applications. The '500' in the model designation refers to the 500mm re-profile capability. Wheels below the minimum diameter limit cannot be reprofiled further and must be replaced.
03
The UHB 500 incorporates integrated contact or laser measurement systems that scan the existing wheel tread and flange profile before machining begins. The CNC control compares the measured profile against the target profile template for that wheel type and calculates the minimum material removal path required to restore the wheel to specification. Post-machining measurement verifies that the reprofiled wheel meets the required geometry, generating a maintenance record for the vehicle maintenance system.
04
Cycle time depends on the degree of wear — a lightly worn wheel set requiring minimal stock removal may complete in 30-45 minutes. A heavily worn wheel set with significant flange and tread wear may require 60-90 minutes. Both wheel sets on an axle are reprofiled simultaneously on most UHB 500 configurations, and vehicle positioning, securing, and release add approximately 10-15 minutes to total depot time per vehicle.
05
Yes. Hegenscheidt-MFD designs and supplies UHB underfloor reprofiling machines for track gauges other than the standard 1,435mm (4 ft 8.5 in) gauge. Broad gauge (1,520mm, 1,668mm), narrow gauge (1,000mm, 1,067mm), and other special gauges are accommodated through machine configuration at the time of order. Multi-gauge configurations for depot facilities serving vehicles of different gauges require specific engineering solutions that Hegenscheidt-MFD provides on a project basis.
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