Russia-based pipe producer United Metallurgical Company (OMK) has stated that solid-rolled wheels, made from grade "L" steel manufactured at its subsidisry Vyksa Steel Works, have successfully passed their trials and have been recommended by the Federal Passenger Company (FPC OJSC) for its fleet of railway cars, which operates around 20,000 rolling stock items.
The control tests showed that the technical and economic indicators of the innovative wheels made from grade "L" steel manufactured by VSW exceed standard ones (from grade "2" steel). The new generation wheels have over 1.2-fold more service life due to the steel's extra resistance to tread surface imperfections. This leads to increased transport safety and wheels that require less surfacing and reforming during their life cycle. This lowers the user's expenses for repair and maintenance by decreasing the cost of the wheel's life cycle by 24 percent.