FSW: Siemens Velaro Novo


Friction stir welding (FSW) is used for the manufacture of the Siemens Velaro Novo.[1]

 

Thanks to its lightweight construction, the train's weight was reduced by 15 percent. At the same time, available space for pas­sen­gers was increased by ten percent.[2]

   

Siemens Velaro Novo (#seeitnovo) in Erfurt railway station

© Niklas Wolter, CC BY-SA 4.0


Running at 300 or 320 km/h,[1][2] the new high-speed train uses 30 percent less energy than previous Velaro models, which translates to average savings of 1,375 tons of CO2 per year.[2]

     

The car body is based on the empty tube concept, meaning that there are no permanent installations inside the car and the interior can be furnished according to customer wishes. Configuration options like this make the Velaro Novo future-proof and flexible, and the trains can be adapted to an operator's new needs even after years in operation.[2]

   

Velaro Novo: Flexible train concept[3]

© Siemens


Benefits

The main achievements in comparison to the previous model of the Velaro at 320 km/h (199 mph) are:[1]

  • Invest: -20 %
  • Mass: -15 %
  • Energy consumption: -30 %
  • Maintenance: -30 %
  • Capacity: +10 %
  • Speed: 250-360 km/h (155-224 mph)

Velaro Novo: Test car and animation[2]

© Siemens


Experimental Assessment

A friction stir welded Velaro Novo test car of Siemens Mobility reached the top speed of 360 km/h (224 mph) on 16 December 2020. In 2021, tests up to 400 km/h (248 mph) are planned.[4][5]

 

Siemens Velaro Novo (#seeitnovo) in an ICE-S train

© Niklas Wolter, CC BY-SA 4.0


References

  1. Velaro Novo delivers on all targets with its key qualities. Also available in German: Velaro Novo erfüllt alle Ziele mit seinen Schlüsselqualitäten.
           
  2. Siemens Mobility at the InnoTrans 2018.
       
  3. Velaro Novo: Flexible train concept.
           
  4.  Velaro Novo-Testwagen von Siemens Mobility erreicht 360 km/h.
              
  5. Hochgeschwindigkeit? Könn' wa!