Diagnostics in the life cycle of railway automation and telemechanics devices

The article presents the concept of the life cycle of railway automation and telemechanics equipment and an assessment of the technical condition at each stage of the life cycle. It can not only determine its condition, but also extend its service life in terms of direct operation. The presented work also examines new modern approaches to the maintenance and repair of equipment on the basis of technical condition, based on the use of diagnostic systems and assessment of the current condition, in order to ensure more reliable and economical operation of the used equipment throughout its entire life cycle. This requires more accurate and high-quality methods for assessment of the condition of insulating joints, which are the main element that allows to separate adjacent rails from each other. A special role in this is played by the development of diagnostic systems that are capable to detect defects at early stages and significantly reduce the risks of emergency situations. The authors also analyze changes in the life cycle of an insulating joint when a preventive maintenance strategy and a maintenance strategy based on actual condition (using continuous diagnostics) is applied.