IoT Automates Rail Brake Testing for Logistics Firm

     European logistics company CFL Multimodal has deployed a system using Internet of Things (IoT) technology to track its freight railcars as they pass through Europe and across the New Silk Road to China. The system employs Traxens' IoT technology and consists of on IoT box installed on each car, which communicates as a mesh network via short-wave radio signals to other boxes, while leveraging a GSM cellular connection to the cloud. The system is intended to improve operational processes by reducing the time required for train brake testing and providing automated data about the functionality of each set of brakes. The second feature can help to ensure the brakes don't fail during transit between stations, Traxens reports.

    While CFL Multimodal is piloting the technology for brake testing this year, the Traxens system, known as Traxens Net, has been tested for fleet management as well. CFL's long-term goals are to deploy its full Digital Train solution to automate freight management and brake safety, and to share relevant data to members of the supply chain.