Zurich trams are washed with a Mitsubishi Electric-based system
Zurich trams are washed with a Mitsubishi Electric-based system
German machine builder BHB Waschanlagen, together with Mitsubishi Electric system partner ATINA, delivered a tram wash for Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich at the Oerlikon depot. Instead of the usual two wash cars, the plant uses four independently moving units. Control is based on a compact FX5U-64MR/DS PLC and FR-E800 inverters. For the first time at BHB, a digital twin and low-code engineering were used. Wash programs are parameterized in an Excel sheet (about 200 lines instead of ~4,000). Commissioning took only a few days, water and energy use dropped, and cleaning quality improved.
This is a typical example of how Mitsubishi partners help mid-size machine builders deliver complex systems faster.
How the plant is built
The customer is VBZ / Zürcher Verkehrsverbund. Zurich operates three tram types, so the system has eight wash programs of different intensity. Four self-propelled wash cars travel along both sides of the vehicle: brushes rotate horizontally and vertically, pumps and nozzles are controlled precisely. Process and rainwater are treated and reused.
The core controller is a MELSEC FX5U. Brush and pump drives use the FR-E800 series. That combination delivered short wash cycles with high quality and lower consumption.
German manufacturer of railway washing systems positions itself for the future | Railway International
A tram in the Oerlikon wash hall. Four independent wash cars with brushes travel along the vehicle.
German manufacturer of railway washing systems positions itself for the future | Railway International
Project partners in the hall: Nawid Zarrabi (ATINA), Tobias Straub (BHB) and Michael Brandecker (Mitsubishi Electric).
Digital twin and low-code
ATINA (official Mitsubishi Electric System Partner, Automation Network) supplied two tools:
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Digital twin. The plant and the trams were first assembled and tested in 3D simulation. Most errors were caught at the desk; physical commissioning took only a few days.
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Low-code. Wash sequences are no longer hard-coded in thousands of lines. An engineer fills an Excel sheet with parameters (tram type, intensity, brush sequence). ATINA’s script generates the FX5U logic. Code volume fell by about 80%. Service staff can read and change programs more easily.
BHB met ATINA through Mitsubishi Electric’s partner network. Without that, they would not have risked four independent wash cars on a tight schedule.
Results
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Commissioning in a few days instead of long test runs
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Fewer programming errors
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Easier ongoing operation
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Better cleaning with lower water and energy use
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A digital-transformation step for a company of about 20 people
Mitsubishi Electric official partner in Ukraine
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