Abstract: A side wall for a rail vehicle body includes an outer skin, an insulating layer adjacent an inner face of the outer skin, a structural layer adjacent an inner face of the insulating layer, a finishing layer adjacent an inner face of the structural layer and a window. The insulating layer provides at least one of a thermal and an acoustical insulation. The structural layer has a longitudinally aligned top door frame member, vertical left and right door frame members and a plurality of diagonal structural members oriented at an angle comprised between 1 degree and 89 degrees from the top door frame member. The plurality of diagonal structural members defines a lattice structure having a plurality of openings there in between. The window covers at least a portion of one of the plurality of openings.

Abstract: A side wall for a rail vehicle body includes an outer skin, an insulating layer adjacent an inner face of the outer skin, a structural layer adjacent an inner face of the insulating layer, a finishing layer adjacent an inner face of the structural layer and a window. The insulating layer provides at least one of a thermal and an acoustical insulation. The structural layer has a longitudinally aligned top door frame member, vertical left and right door frame members and a plurality of diagonal structural members oriented at an angle comprised between 1 degree and 89 degrees from the top door frame member. The plurality of diagonal structural members defines a lattice structure having a plurality of openings there in between. The window covers at least a portion of one of the plurality of openings.

Abstract: A railcar body comprises at least one panel assembly having a first panel and a second panel, both extending longitudinally along the railcar body and adjacently to each other. The inner wall of the first and second panels, which are longer than their outer wall, respectively have at least a first and a second mating interface which are different from each other and compatible so as to be located at a predetermined distance from each other, thereby creating a gap of a predetermined width between two juxtaposed edges of the panels. This panel assembly is designed to be compatible with a laser welding process.

Abstract: An automated method for straightening/correcting deformations made to panels when welded to metallic structural components is disclosed. In the train industry, when an aluminum component, such as a vehicle's exterior shell, is welded to hidden structural parts, deformations thereon may occur. Such deformations need to be subsequently corrected, and the present method uses robots and optical measuring of the deformed surfaces to conduct a straightening thereof. The method includes four main steps. First, the deformed surface is scanned with an optical sensor to make physical measures/characterizations thereof. Second, the gathered data are compared with the desired resultant by a software. Third, once the comparison is done, the software performs an analysis to select the proper parameters to be used in the straightening method that will be applied at each area requiring straightening. Finally, a robot executes the operations specified by the software to perform the straightening process.

Abstract: A railcar body comprises at least one panel assembly having a first panel and a second panel, both extending longitudinally along the railcar body and adjacently to each other. The inner wall of the first and second panels, which are longer than their outer wall, respectively have at least a first and a second mating interface which are different from each other and compatible so as to be located at a predetermined distance from each other, thereby creating a gap of a predetermined width between two juxtaposed edges of the panels. This panel assembly is designed to be compatible with a laser welding process.

Abstract: An automated method for straightening/correcting deformations made to panels when welded to metallic structural components is disclosed. In the train industry, when an aluminum component, such as a vehicle's exterior shell, is welded to hidden structural parts, deformations thereon may occur. Such deformations need to be subsequently corrected, and the present method uses robots and optical measuring of the deformed surfaces to conduct a straightening thereof. The method includes four main steps. First, the deformed surface is scanned with an optical sensor to make physical measures/characterizations thereof. Second, the gathered data are compared with the desired resultant by a software. Third, once the comparison is done, the software performs an analysis to select the proper parameters to be used in the straightening method that will be applied at each area requiring straightening. Finally, a robot executes the operations specified by the software to perform the straightening process.