Exhibitor Products

PANDAS-V® combines advanced IIoT sensor technology and unique, innovative design to provide a comprehensive solution for the rail industry.

A roof-mounted camera, synchronised with a pantograph-mounted wireless accelerometer, detects changes in overhead line conditions as the train travels. This synchronisation triggers video captures of potential issues based on impacts, generating invaluable 10-second clips, and pinpointing precise locations for immediate analysis through automatic and instantaneous reporting to relevant stakeholders.

It captures impacts such as:

• Faulty dropper wires
• Bird strikes
• Arcing
• Sparking
• Slack headspan wire
• Broken branch detection
• Converging wires
• Broken bridle

What sets PANDAS-V® apart is its real-time onboard processing using Machine Learning, saving critical time in fault identification, and allowing stakeholders to implement fault remediation works appropriately and before the issue causes further damage.

Traditionally, similar systems require 1-2 weeks of post-processing, a delay that PANDAS-V® eliminates entirely by reporting such issues within 1 minute from detection with its train-borne instrumentation. Faults identified by PANDAS-V® today are typically serviced by Network Rail with immediate effect, on the same day and often within just one hour.

PANDAS-V® is engineered to operate in some of the most arduous outdoor environments, from heavy rain and high winds to extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +85°C and deliver reliable performance during both day and night. As such, it is now in successful operation across a wide spectrum of climates, ranging from scorching Indian summers to freezing Canadian winters. A key feature enhancing its robustness is the incorporation of a patented dual-arm wiper-scraper mechanism with automatic rain detection. This innovative design ensures consistent and reliable visibility, even in adverse weather conditions. Remarkably, this mechanism eliminates the need for frequent cleaning of the lens, a common issue caused by carbon deposits that can impair visual clarity after just a few days of operation. 

The combination of this market-leading hardware, high-quality video footage, and onboard edge processing with self-learning image processing algorithms, propels PANDAS-V® to the forefront of rail infrastructure monitoring, making it not only advanced but also future-proof in its capabilities. As well as reporting impacts and identifying issues such as broken dropper wires, misaligned neutral sections, pantograph flip, arcing and bird strikes, PANDAS-V® offers a comprehensive range of additional critical measurements related to pantograph and overhead line performance. Currently, these measurements encompass parameters such as pantograph height, wire stagger, and carriage sway, carbon wear monitoring and contact force measurement (uplift), enhancing its diagnostic capabilities even further.

For more information, visit https://www.transmissiondynamics.com/products/pandas-v-pantograph-monitoring/pandas-impact-detection/