Managing Thermite Weld Quality for Railroads.

The article discusses on how to manage thermite weld quality for railroads in the U.S. The most common defects found in the rails of typical metro mass rapid transit systems are cracks in the heat-affected zone. Thermite welding is commonly used to repair surfaces and subsurfaces defects. The problems encountered with the thermite welds include premature fatigue failure, emergence of knock welds, presence of inclusions and gas porosity entrapped in the weldment.