Rail industries sub contractor manufacturers keeping surfaces free of contaminants in the UK

Keeping metal surfaces free from contaminants is just as important in the manufacture of trains as any other industry.

The UK is known for pioneering and has been for centuries. One example of pioneering Britain is the railway system which is the oldest in the World. Before the railway networks became linked up they were mainly private networks but in around 1840 there was a surge in development that over the next few years saw the country’s railways become united. Mergers and acquisitions turned these small private networks into the national network we are familiar with today.

So what’s all that got to do with AFAC and silicone rubber products you may ask. Trains are manufactured and more importantly finished using the same and very similar coatings on the metalwork to protect it from corrosion. In actual fact, the underneath of trains is coated in much heavier “underseal” type coatings due to the speed of travel, metal against metal surfaces and the greater gaps between maintenance compared with things like consumer cars.

Train fabrication consists of many of the same processes as cars, trucks, planes, ships and the like. Welding, bending, degreasing, plating, coating and many other processes are small parts of what appears to users as a shiny new train.

There are hundreds if not thousands of holes, studs and areas to be left clear of coating on every single carriage that is produced and that’s where AFAC supports the rail industry in the UK. Plugs, Caps, Tapes and custom shapes are all part of the tools used by subcontractors in the manufacture of trains. AFAC’s Silicone Rubber BAKEWELL range has been leading the field in the supply of masking solutions for the Rail manufacturing industry for over 20 years.

Need help with keeping surfaces, holes or studs clear of contaminants? Maybe you’re after something to cushion 2 surfaces to stop them from rattling? Get in touch with AFACs technical team now on 0845 094 0993