VDI Guideline 2645 Now Also Mandatory for the Railway Industry

The VDI Guideline 2645, previously applied mainly in the automotive industry, is now also mandatory for the railway industry.

The VDI Guideline 2645, previously applied mainly in the automotive industry, is now also mandatory for the railway industry. This development presents companies with new challenges regarding quality assurance and documentation.

The guideline describes procedures for process capability studies (PCS) for residual torque in bolted joints with preload force. The objective of a process capability study for bolted connections is to evaluate and document the quality capability of a bolting process under serial production conditions.

Through PCS, key insights are provided for assessing and continuously improving the bolting process under serial conditions. This includes identifying systematic influences, evaluating the effectiveness of measures and tolerances for process capability studies, and defining intervention limits for quality control charts.

Unlike a machine capability study (MCS), a process capability study also considers the influence categories of human factors, material, method, and environment, in addition to machine-related influences.


* Significance for the Railway Industry

The expansion of VDI 2645 to the railway industry presents several challenges. Companies must adapt their processes and tools to meet the requirements of the guideline. This often requires investments in new technologies and employee training.

A particularly critical aspect is the seamless documentation of all steps in the production process. Every connection must be traceable to ensure a quick response in case of quality issues. Manual documentation is not only too time-consuming but also prone to errors.


* Digital Solutions as the Key to Success

To efficiently and reliably meet the requirements of VDI 2645, more and more companies are turning to digital solutions. Software-supported quality assurance systems automate many processes and significantly simplify documentation.

One example of such a solution is the Lower Bavarian software QS-Torque from CSP GmbH & Co. KG.


* Forward-Looking Guidelines

The expansion of guidelines like VDI 2645 to additional industries presents companies with new challenges. To remain competitive, investing in digital solutions is essential. Software-supported quality assurance systems help to efficiently and reliably meet the requirements of the guidelines. In the end, not only manufacturers benefit from such solutions. Consumers, in particular, gain real value through consistently high quality.