Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the railway industry. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 3 promising startups delivering predictive maintenance in railways.
Heat Map: 3 Top Predictive Maintenance Startups in the Railway Industry
Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 3 790 000+ startups & scaleups globally, we identified 425 startups offering predictive maintenance of railway systems. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 top railway predictive maintenance startups you should watch as well as the geo-distribution of all railway predictive maintenance companies we analyzed for this research. Based on the heat map, we see high startup activity in the UK, followed by the rest of Western Europe.
Interested to explore all 420+ railway predictive maintenance startups?
3 Emerging Rail Predictive Maintenance Companies
MPEC offers Complete Condition Monitoring Solutions
The different components of the railway system all require careful inspection and maintenance as the entire system can be stalled if even one component is not performing properly. From vehicle and locomotive conditions to the tracks, electrical signals, and other infrastructure, companies are developing railway predictive maintenance software solutions to tackle poor data collection. This way, such solutions offer the big picture of rail assets and affect maintenance work in a positive manner.
The more established British company MPEC develops artificial intelligence (AI)-based data acquisition and condition monitoring solutions for the rail industry. They offer isolated analog and digital inputs, power outputs, UPS, wireless communications, web servers, and local touch-screen diagnostics. When combined with Centrix, their web-based replay, analysis, and failure prediction system, they are able to integrate all the remotely collected data and provide end-to-end condition monitoring solutions.
Track IQ aids Track Condition Monitoring
There are various individual condition monitoring systems that provide maintenance data for rail operators – from track bearings to electrical and mechanical signaling. Advancements in remote communications and connectivity have enabled the centralizing of the various standalone monitors for analysis. This can have many benefits for train operators as they see a significant drop in maintenance costs and delays.
Australian startup Track IQ, a division of Wabtec Control Systems, develops FleetOne, a multi-sensor trending database that extends the capability of various wayside monitoring hardware interfaces. Instead of each condition-monitoring device providing its own method to access its data, FleetONE provides a single interface for users to work with all condition-monitoring information associated with a user’s rolling stock.
RailPod simplifies Track Inspection & Maintenance
Different rail systems have different specific requirements for their components’ maintenance and monitoring. Rapid transit systems are being built all over the world and traditional train lines are being rehauled and connected over much larger distances than before. All this variety can hit train operators as they spend huge sums on maintenance and repair over the asset’s lifetime. Startups are developing innovative solutions to address the maintenance challenges in railroads.
The US-based startup RailPod develops inspection technologies for railways using specialized vehicles that are equipped to perform multiple rail inspection tasks. Operating alone or in a fleet, with remote pilots or autonomously, these vehicles gather data on track geometry, rail wear, bridge, and tunnel clearances, overhead catenary, internal rail flaw, and asset mapping. In addition, their platform or the inspection vehicle is portable and flexible, allowing it to be used as an inspection tool for passenger, freight, and transit systems.
Discover All Emerging Rail Startups
The rail startups showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Rail Innovation Reportfor a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company!