NS (Dutch Railways) selects ICT Group for Manufacturing Execution System at NedTrain

NedTrain, a subsidiary of NS, overhauls and maintains train bodies at its Refurbishment & Overhaul workshop in Haarlem. NedTrain is modernizing the process of overhauling wheelsets by building a new and sustainable production workshop, a new production line, a new production machine park, and by applying an IT system (MES) for real-time production control of all machines and transport systems. All data from the overhaul process is stored and managed in MES in order to comply with the increasingly stringent legislation with regard to rail safety.

ICT Group is developing the MES using the AspenTech AspenOne software. The solution will consist of hardware and software, as well as an application that will run on mobile barcode scanners and that will be used by the production staff. A service contract for the duration of several years is part of the project. The introduction of MES at NedTrain must result in an efficient, ‘lean’ production process (Manufacturing Excellence), as well as quality improvements. The new production facility is scheduled for completion in the middle of 2017. The new workshop will have an annual overhaul capacity of 3,000 wheelsets. Following professional overhaul, the wheels will have a new lifespan of approx. 1.2 million kilometers.